Review: Pentel Fudehajime, Brush pen for beginners

 

My brush calligraphy skills are still very lacking but I do enjoy buying different brush pens. 

The Fudehajime from Pentel is specifically for beginners. 

I picked up the pen in black and pale black ink colours. 

Pale black is almost grey, it has a watercolour like quality to it whilst the black is very pigmented.

The ink is also quick drying and it is recommend that you use paper for inkjet printers. 

I thought that was great as not everyone will have special calligraphy paper and so the pen can be used by anyone.

As a bonus, the pen cap works great as a pen rest. 

What makes the Fudehajime a beginner pen?

The length of the brush is the best for beginner level users.

A longer brush is for intermediate to pro level calligraphists.

It is also harder than a regular calligraphy brush pen, which means better control.  

As mentioned previously, the pale black ink is watercolour like.

It's not my favourite unfortunately. 

The pen itself is really easy to use, the brush is not too soft, not too hard and easy to control, which I really appreciated. 

The black ink is really nice on paper, I definitely prefer this to the pale black. 

The pen designs are also really pretty, they are based on traditional Japanese art.

Overall, if you're looking into getting into brush pens/calligraphy, this will be a good pen to pick up. 

Fudehajime, Fude means brush, hajime means first/beginning and it really lives up to it's name. 

What do you think? Would you try this out? 

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Review : Pentel Lightwrite Ball point pen

I'm always keen to add something unique to my pen lineup so when I chanced upon this, I thought I buy it to try ^^

ZEBRA: Lightwrite Ball point pen

How it looks out of the packaging

The pen has a 0.7mm nib but I did not think it was as smooth to write as 0.7mm nib pens from other brands like Pentel or Bic.

So what makes this pen so unique? 

Well here is the answer:

Yes it lights up! 

And when you do not turn the light on [by clicking the pen twice], the nib actually glows in the dark as well making it easy to find.

Needless to say, there are many instances whereby one can use a light in the dark when writing. So though the pen is not as smooth to write as many others, it is still a good addition to one's pencil case or travel pouch!

What do you think? Would you buy a pen that lights up?

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Review : PENTEL Black Colors Collection [20th anniversary Limited Edition]

 To celebrate 20 years of ENERGEL pens, Pentel has launched a new limited edition collection.

Black Colors Collection

"The black ink with a hint of colors"

They are sold both separately and individually.

Available in both 0.5mm and 0.7mm.

Refills are also available and sold separately.

A known ENERGEL fanatic, I've picked up both sets to review. 

The pens are retractable and write with the ease that we know of ENERGEL pens. They are also fast drying just like all ENERGEL pens. Simply perfect for lefties like me. 

Here are the swatches

Though new to ENERGEL, the varied black ink colors is not a new concept. I previously reviewed SAKURA Craypas version here

Here's a comparison of the colors between the two. I've tried to pick colors as close as possible but there was no comparable color for the mocha black.

As I previously mentioned, I'm a total ENERGEL fanatic so there was never any possible way I would dislike these pens but in all honesty, the colors are really usable and since its Limited Edition, I'm going to buy a stash of the refills too.

What about you?

Pentel Official Site : https://www.pentel.co.jp/special/12495/

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Review : Pentel FITLINE for Clena Highlighters

 

If you are like me, you probably use up a lot of highlighters on a regular basis. So like me, you must be curious about new highlighters out there too. Today I'm going to review Pentel FITLINE for Clena Highlights. 

Clena pens by Pentel feature an otona [Japanese for adult or grown up] design targeted at fashionable young ladies. Needless to say, the highlighter line is the same and has a very feminine classy look.

The highlighter is double ended with the usual wide highlighter tip on one end and a pen like nib on the other for writing. 

The colors in the range are :

• soft red
• soft blue
• mint green
• gray

Here are the swatches : 

So how does it compare to the ever favorite mildliner range which costs the same? Well, the colors are rather pigmented compared to those offered by mildliner. Function wise, both are about the same. However the cream packaging makes it look more expensive than the white which mildliner comes in. 

Won't you give these a try next time?

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Review: Pentel Illumina Flex Highlighters

There are so many highlighters out there, it's difficult to pick a favourite. 

Mildliners, Stabilo are all popular choices. 

These Pentel Illumina Flex highlights caught my eye at the store and so I picked them up. 

I like the simple pastel design of the pens. 

They each have a highlighter side and a small marker side.  

 

I had originally only purchased 2 but I liked the colours so much I went back and bought a further 4 colours. 

However, this isn't the full set, there are 8 colours in total which are available. 

The colours are simple and understated, and not overly pigmented, which can be a problem with some highlighters as that leads to unpleasant bleeding in the paper. 

I was a bit skeptical of the flex feature at first, I thought it was just a gimmick. 

However, I think it really reduces the amount of skipping on paper, which means very smooth highlighting. 

This is fast becoming my highligther of choice.  

Have you tried it? What do you think? 

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My top 5 favorite stationery items of 2020

The first blog post of the year and to kick us off, I think it is a good opportunity to share my top five fave stationery items from 2020.

Please note that this ranking is not in any particular order and is my own personal opinion.

1. Pilot+Lihit Lab A4/A5 Folder

See review HERE

2. NICHIBAN Masking Tape Dispenser/Cutter

See review HERE

3. Tombow Air Touch Range

Tombow PiT AIR Glue Tape + Tombow MONO AIR 5 Correction Tape

The most effortless tape dispensers ever. The resistance on the surface you are applying to is so low, it is like running it on air. (See what I did there)

4. Pentel Energel Range

I don't know what else can be said about this amazing range from PENTEL. The smooth flow of ink makes it my absolute favorite to write with and my fairly large double digit collection of them shows it.

5. PLUS WHIPER Cream Correction Tape

When these were released, I scoffed at them. I wondered who would ever need cream colored correction tape just so it would match the cream paper they used. Well, as it turned out, that person was ....me. Now the white correction tape just looks absolutely glaringly out of place and I can't go without my cream correction tape. A case of "you never know what you were missing out on till you tried it."

What are your top 5 stationery items for 2020??

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Review : PENTEL Pianissimo Revival LE Sideknock Mechanical Pencil

 

Japanese stationery brand PENTEL has relaunched one of its old collections Pianissimo; Mechanical Pencils that has a push button on the side.

The collection includes exact copies of its 1996 design as well as a series of updated designs.

For those of us who have lived through the era, this design is definitely nostalgic and it is so easy to use, it makes one wonder why it ever went out of style in the first place. So even if its not something you ever used before, its definitely worth trying out.

Have you tried the side click mechanical pencils before? 

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New Pentel Sign Pen Colours!

I'm always excited when brands release new colours for existing product lines. 

Pentel recently released 12 new colours for their sign pens.

 'A pastel dream come true'

Here in Singapore, Pentel ran a promotion where a purchase of all 12 of the sign pens, they would gift a limited edition pen roll.

I of course bought all 12. 

The colours are all so pretty, a great addition to the existing sign pen collection. 

The pen roll fits all the pens perfectly too. 

What are you waiting for, go run out and get them! 

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Introduction to Multi-Colour Pen Systems

If you’ve been looking at purchasing a multi colour pen but your eyes are glazing over with all the options, I’ve put together this simple overview to help you choose.

In this list are the Zebra Prefill/Sarasa Select, Pentel Sliccies, Mitsubishi Uni Style Fit and the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Colleto.

Zebra Prefill/Sarasa Select

• Available in 3 or 5 colour pen holders. Collaborations are commonly 5 colour pen holders.

• 23 gel ink colours in 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm pen thickness (Sarasa select)

• 8 emulsion ink colours in 03mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm (Surari prefill emulsion)

• 4 oil based ink colours in 0.7mm (Jim-Knock oil)

• 5 metallic colours in 0.5mm (Sarasa select shine)

• Mechanical pencil refills in 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm lead thicknesses

• Previous collaborations include Mister Donut, Peanuts, Baskin Robbins and Sanrio

The Sarasa clip line of pens from Zebra are one of my favourites for everyday use and the prefill/select line of multi colour pens just as good. The collaborations are always adorable and colourful, like the Mister Donut collaboration pictured above.

Besides the pen holder, each collaboration collection usually includes 5 ink colours with the collaboration design printed on the refill.

Overall, a good everyday multi colour pen, 23 colours means it’s perfect for sketching and the pen holder also includes a place for you to hook onto a lanyard or hang a charm from.

Pentel Sliccies

• Available in 3 or 5 colour pen holders

• 15 gel ink colours in 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm thicknesses (Sliccies)

• 3 oil based colours in 0.5mm only (Vicuna)

• 3 gel ink colours in 0.5mm only (Energel).

• Mechnical pencil refill in 0.3mm and 0.5mm lead thicknesses

• Previous collaborations include Kanahei and Liz Lisa.

Even though I like the Sarasa line, the Pentel Sliccies multi colour pen is the pen I use with my bullet journal. The designs tend to be more muted and suited to a neutral palette.

The pink pen holder pictured above has been discontinued unfortunately but the new holder is improved, even featuring a slot on the top for you to attach an earphone jack accessory.

Mitsubishi Pen Uni Style Fit

• Available in single, 3, 4 or 5 colour pen holders

• 16 gel ink colours in 0.28mm, 0.38mm and 0.5mm pen thicknesses

• 3 oil based ink colours in 0.7mm and 1.0mm pen thicknesses

• Mechanical pencil refill in 0.5mm lead thickness

• All pen holders are push down type except the 3 colour, which also comes in a twist version

• Previous collaborations include Sanrio, Sesame street and Disney

The Uni Style Fit and the Hi-Tec-C Coletto (below) are probably the more popular multi colour pen systems. The uni style fit is unique in that the pen tip thicknesses can’t be found in other systems, but this might not suit everyone.

The Uni Style Fit releases mainstream collaborations regularly so if you’re looking for a limited edition design, this might the system for you.

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coletto

• Available in 2, 3, 4 or 5 colours pen bodies

• 15 gel ink colours in 0.3mm, 0.4mm and 0.5mm thicknesses.

• Mechanical pencil in 0.3mm and 0.5mm lead thickness),

• Eraser refill

• Handheld game console touchscreen pen refill

• Previous collaborations include Mary Quant, Peanuts, Sailor Moon and Music Earth Ecology

The Pilot Hi-Tec-C Colleto tends to lean towards a fashion inspired vibe. Each collaboration release has a few penholders as well as 10 inks in a hardcase printed with the collaboration design.

This system places an emphasis on customisation. Each refill carries it’s own push down button and every collaboration comes with it’s own special button design (for example, the button on the Mary Quant collaboration featured in the picture uses the brand’s signature flower as a button), you can combine different refills to create a pen unique to you.

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I hope you found the guide useful! Let us know what else we can add to guide!

Note: The limited edition designs featured above may not be available anymore. However, new designs/collections are being released all the time, please visit the corresponding brand websites for more information.

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BALL Pentel 45th Anniversary Limited Edition Set

To celebrate their 45th anniversary, Pentel has released a limited edition series of their ball pens. Hyped as a retro packaging but with a brand new feel of writing, the pens are available in BLACK , BLUE or RED ink [packaging can be emerald green, yellow or purple]. However there is also a LE set available and in it there are 7 ink colors with 7 different pen colors as well! 

The pens write extremely smoothly [courtesy of the 0.8mm tip] and the packaging is a delight indeed. I love them so much they have already joined my regular lineup of pens for usage in my journal.

Do check them out and let us know what you think of them!

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Pilot Hi-tec Coleto X Cecil McBee

Japanese fashion brand Cecil McBee has teamed up with PILOT Hi-Tec Coleto to produce a limited collection. Collaborations are not uncommon for the stationery brand but this is one of the first times Cecil McBee has collaborated with them. The brand is targeted at young female tweens and the collection with PILOT is very much similar.

The collection consists of 2 premium pens [pictured here] , refill set and 6 other more basic pen cases. [one of which is pictured above]

The refill set is in a limited edition case and each refill also features a pair of hearts [you can buy the refills separately too.

Side note: Part of the basic collection, you can also purchase refills which is a mechanical pencil and eraser. Makes your multi pen so much more handy! 

This was my haul from the store recently.

Have you bought anything new recently? Are you looking out for this collection too?

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Fiveday: Multi-Pens/Pencils

Multi Pens are a great way to carry around more colours without adding too many pens in your kit.

These are a few that I have in mine:

1. Pentel Multi-8:  This isn't a pen but rather 8 coloured pencils in one. There are pre designated slots for the colours depending on what version you buy (ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil version available too) but you can choose to mix it up with refills. 
2. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto: This and the Style Fit are customisable and probably the easiest ones to find in this list. I just love the collaboration pen holders and the refills come in special edition colours too! Most holders hold 4 colours. 
3. Pentel Sliccies: This is my favourite multi pen. I always have one in my planner, I've also lost of a few of these so I stock up whenever I can. I use the 3 coloured pen holder, blue for writing, red for ticking off my to-do list and another colour for special items. 
4. Uni Style Fit: Does a lot of collaborations too and pens come in different thicknesses and colours. Pen holders hold up to 5 colours. 
5. Uni Jet Stream: This isn't customisable but it does have 3 colours, black, blue and red. Perfect if you just need something for writing and the occasional red tick. Incidentally, this is the pen that comes with the Hobonichi as a notebook bonus. 

I hope you find this list helpful and if you know of any other cool multi pens, we'd love to hear about them in the comments! 

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