Have you tried using gel pens for coloring? Gel pens are similar to a ball point pen, with a fine nib that allows you to create intricate detail and color small spaces easily. Gel pens are great for coloring because they allow you to add texture and embellishment easily and give you greater control than regular markers. Their finish is opaque, similar to paint, so you get vibrant colors but with the ease of use of a pencil. They don’t bleed through either, so they are easier to use than brush felt tips. Have I convinced you to give them a try already? Try our list of the best gel pens for coloring and you’ll be hooked.
Best Gel Pens For Coloring On A Budget
If you are new to coloring books, or don’t want to spend a lot of money testing gel pens for coloring, just choose an affordable brand such as . You can get 48 gel pens for coloring for under 20 dollars.
Despite the low price, those gel pens mean business and are really comfortable to use for coloring books. The ink applies precisely and smoothly. The pigment is thick and vibrant enough that it shows perfectly on light colored pages, so they are ideal for traditional white paper coloring papers and printed sheets. They come in plain colors, vibrant colors, and special effects such as glitter, metallic or neon colors, so they suit all types of artwork and you’ll be spoilt for choice.
There are other similar brands that are equally affordable and are basically clones of the original Fiskars gel pens. They may be worth a try if the original are not available, particularly if you are just testing whether you like using gel pens. They may not be the best gel pens for coloring complex art on black paper due to the pigment quality, but they are perfectly good for everyday use.
Best Premium Gel Pens For Coloring
If you want gel pens with thick ink, able to be used on black and dark backgrounds, then
![SAKURA Gelly Roll Stardust (Made in Japan) [Limited Edition] Gel Ink Pen Set - Bold Sparkling, Glittering & Assorted Colors 12Pens](https://penpaperandink.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=YUhSMGNITTZMeTl0TG0xbFpHbGhMV0Z0WVhwdmJpNWpiMjB2YVcxaFoyVnpMMGt2TlRFelYwZHRRbEozTVV3dVgxTk1NVFl3WHk1cWNHYz18MTc0NzAwNjYxMQ=)
If you choose to go with Gelly Rolls, it is important to take good care of them and store them correctly. Unlike ballpoint pens, gel pens will dry if you leave them open, so always store them with the cap on. Usually you’d need to store gel pens vertically, but due to the thickness of the ink you can also store Sakura Gelly Rolls horizontally.
Make sure not to shake them or jarr them too much, as that could cause bubbles to form in the gel. This would lead to a less than smooth gel flow or even the pen not working altogether. If your gel pen doesn’t work resist the urge to shake or roll it around to heat it up. Instead just try to scribble on a paper in circles so the ball tip moves and more gel is pulled into the ball tip chamber. This may be enough to rescue the pen.
Best Gel Pens For Coloring With Huge Color Ranges
Another more affordable alternative to the Gelly Rolls range is GelWriter. They are really comfortable to use thanks to the latex free comfort grip and they draw smoothly. However, they do smear a bit so you need to be careful. They come in a rotating stand so they are handy to keep on your desk and have several neon, metallic and glitter colors, as well as pastels and regular colors.
If you are serious about the best gel pens for coloring this set is one to consider, particularly if you only work on white paper. Just remember, they don’t dry immediately so always work left to right if you are right-handed, or right-to-left if you are a lefty to prevent smears. On the bright side, you can actually blend those pens to get an endless array of colors.
Best Glitter Gel Pens For Coloring
One of the best ways to use gel pens for coloring is to add accents and details, and glitter gel pens are a great way to do that. The Glitter Gel Pens from Super Doddle offer a large range of colors and are comfortable to use, acid-free and despite the glitter the ink flows smoothly.
Another great glitter gel pens set for coloring are the Color Technik Glitter Gel Pens. They have wide tips and very free flowing ink, which means they are great to color large areas, but can be a bit annoying to use on small tiny details as the ink can smear easily. Too much pressure, and you’ll end up with a blob of ink. On the bright side, they show really well on dark paper and are clearly glittery.
Best Gel Pens For Coloring To Use As A Gift
If there is an artistic planner or bullet journaler in your life, you known they can always use more supplies. The same goes for colorists of all ages, and so a set of the best gel pens for coloring is a welcome idea come Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations. But handing somebody a pack of plastic wrapped gel pens is not exactly pretty, even if they are practical. Check out theColorIt Gel Pens instead.
The 48 gel pens in this set come in a handy premium travel case, which is both practical and good looking. And they come with a refill for each pen, making this 96 gel pens worth of ink. The pens are nicely tagged with the color name and code, making it very easy to find the right color for your coloring book.
They are medium quality pens, with a fine 0.8mm to 1mm ballpoint tip and ink that flows smoothly and they are comfortable to use. The set includes regular colors, metallic finishes, neon finishes and glitter finishes, which is why I think they are one of the best gel pens for coloring enthusiasts. The ink dries quite quick, so it’s not likely to smear if you are a bit careful.
Using gel pens can give your adult coloring books a full new look, particularly if you find markers annoying when trying to decorate small areas, or want a truly opaque ink finish. They are also incredibly useful if you are new to bullet journaling and looking to add some color detailing to your layouts without having to find the best paper to use with alcohol markers and spend money on costly artistic supplies.
What are in your opinion the best gel pens for coloring? Have you tried any of the brands above? What did you think of them?
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