Best Pens for Scrapbooking Projects: 2023 Reviews
You love scrapbooks but have problems making one? Do your pens smear on different surfaces and run out so quickly? Are your hands constantly dirty from all those colors?
Whether you are a novice or an experienced aficionado of scrapbooks, these things can be a serious pain in the neck. Need help choosing good pens?
Well, look no further, because here you will be able to see a detailed list of the Best Pens for Scrapbooking that you can buy right now. Not only will you see some great recommendations, but also you shall find fantastic deals on different pen sets.
So sit back, have a look, choose what you like, and buy those pens that you’ve always wanted right now!
Invalid table id.Top 10 Best Pens for Scrapbooking Reviews
1. Taotree Fineliner 24 Color Pen Set
One of the best deals that you can find today is definitely the Taotree Fineliner pen set. Not only do you get 24 pens for a bargain price, what pens these are!
They are perfect for smooth writing or drawing and will be helpful for all your paper needs. With a 24 color set like this, you won’t need to buy another pen of this size for quite some time.
One of the main strengths of this set is probably an incredible spectrum of colors! You will get everything from dark to bright, which will make your drawing routine completely satisfactory.
The colors are incredibly strong and vivid when put on paper, and even when the line dries out, the color remains the same. Speaking of colors, one of the rare things that happen is that pen and cap color perfectly match, and in this set, you get exactly that.
The ink on paper will dry almost instantaneously, limiting the possibility of smearing, smudges or making your hands dirty. Of course, if you go over the same spot repeatedly, it will take a bit more time to dry. But this shouldn’t be necessary, for as I’ve already stated, the color is incredibly vibrant from the first stroke.
The size of the tip is 0.38mm, which is perfect for almost every need, except for ultra-high detail sketching. Pressing the pen a bit harder on the paper will produce a bit thicker line, if needed, but will consequently use more ink in the process.
Highlighted features:
- 24 color set for a bargain price.
- Can be used for writing, drawing, sketching, you name it!
- Fantastic colors on the paper!
- Very fast to dry off, limiting messy work.
- Incredibly smooth strokes and so comfortable in hands.
2. Sunshilor 10 Fine Point Metallic Marker Pens
Unlike the previous set which has 24 colors, this Sunshilor set has ‘only’ 10 colors but also has some interesting advantages as well. I started with a comparison between the two sets, but that’s exactly what it shouldn’t be, for the use of this set is quite different.
First of all, these are marker pens. They are thicker and therefore their use is much limited to coloring, drawing and some writing. But these are not as thick as those usual, regular markers for underlining that you can buy anywhere. These are Fine Point marker pens and will be still usable for a nice, smooth slow writing.
The beautiful effect they produce is that sparkly metallic look of colors, which can be quite handy when decorating your work. Putting these colors on dark surfaces, such as black paper, is just incredibly satisfying to watch.
The main advantage of this set is that it could be used on almost any surface imaginable! Paper, rock, stone, wood, cardboard, you name it! You can use them for stamps and plastic covers as well. Apart from being beautifully glittery metallic, the colors will remain on any surface for a long, long time.
The ink is water-based, acid-free and quite harmless. It may take some time to dry, but it is well worth it!
Highlighted features:
- Beautiful metallic glittery colors.
- Usable on almost any surface.
- It can be used for decorating, coloring and writing.
- Looks fantastic on dark surfaces.
- Harmless to your body.
3. Taotree Fineliner 18 Color Pen Set
Even though this set seems less magnificent after seeing the first one with 24 colors, you shouldn’t be so quick to write it off. As described before, you can always expect great quality from a Taotree Fineliner pen set.
Once again you will get a fantastic set of colored pens that is so enjoyable to use. Yes, there are fewer colors to choose from, but those 6 omitted pens are basically just different shades of these from the set. The main disadvantage might be the exclusion of a completely white pen, which can come in handy on a black paper.
On the other hand, if you are not a professional artist, but a novice one, buying this set might even be a smarter choice. This way you will spend less money on a set, you will still get high-quality pens and you can always buy some other pens to compare with these.
The pens come with a dry safe ink that is water-based, guaranteed not to make a mess on your paper, nor to go through the other side. This is perfect if you are going to use them on a planner or notebook. Other pages will remain clean and readable at the end.
The metal tip is connected to a plastic structure, which looks fine and fits very comfortably in your hand. On the metal tip end, there is a fiber tip that prevents ink from unnecessarily spreading on the paper.
This will make your writing nice and clean. Any sketches or drawings you make in your notebook/diary/planner will definitely not make a mess. And your hands will remain clean as well.
Highlighted features:
- Marvelous colors for drawing and coloring.
- Very adequate for writing as well.
- Will not make a mess on your papers nor hands.
- Not pricey.
- Great gift as well.
4. Tebik 40 Colored Pens Pack
If the lack of variety of shades made you skip the last recommendation, this one will be much more to your taste. With this pack of pens from Tebik, you will get an amazing number of 40 different colors! In addition, you will get 5 stencils as well.
Like with Taotree, the size of the tip is 0.38mm, which is perfect for most of your needs, as stated earlier. You can easily fill in the emptiness near the line, outline, sketch… Perfect for using these 5 different stencils with numerous shapes that come with the pack! The ink dries off easily and is very friendly to your skin.
Remember earlier when I wrote how the cap rarely matches the ink? Well, these pens have the same problem. The difference is not that great, of course, but it still goes on my nerves. Nevertheless, the colors, when put on paper, are almost perfect.
I say almost because they seem a little bit brighter for my taste. Still, you have 40 different colors to choose from, so you can easily make any shade you desire!
The plastic structure is very similar to the previously mentioned set and is quite satisfying to hold. The metal tip has a fabric tip, which will, once again, stop the ink from blotting and smearing.
The overall physical quality of these pens is not perfect, so if you want to make thicker lines with your pens, pay attention not to press them too hard. The tips may break and disconnect from the plastic.
This set may have just a small quality drop when compared to Taotree, but consequently, the price is also lower. If you are not a perfectionist, this massive set is highly recommended.
Highlighted features:
- 40 different colors to choose from!
- 5 stencils with a variety of shapes to help with your drawings.
- Thin enough for both writing and sketching, good enough for coloring.
- Inexpensive.
5. Sharpie 12 Fine Point Pens
Whether you are a novice or experienced artist/writer, you must have heard of the Sharpie brand! And for a reason! You can’t miss Sharpie.
Yes, you won’t get many colors in this pack. This is a 12-pen pack with 10 different colors (black and blue have a duplicate). After seeing the previous suggestion with 40 different colors, this might look quite poor. But…
With Sharpie pens, you can write on any type of paper – notebook, wrapping, cardboard… Anything! Whether you wrote something on a postcard or your cereal box, the ink quality will always be the same – perfect!
What’s more, whatever stroke you had made, you can be assured that the ink won’t smear. Just let it dry for a bit and the result will be so satisfying. It can take some more time for the ink to dry when compared with Taotree pens, but it’s still not that long. And it’s definitely worth it.
The fine point tip is very slim, which once again makes your writing nice and smooth. You can, of course, sketch or color, or whatever, that’s what these different colors are for. The look of the pens is nice as well.
Once you start your work with these pens, you won’t want to stop! But be careful, for the pens might dry up quickly if they remain open for a long time. When you have finished, make sure they are closed well with the cap, otherwise, you’ll be spending more money shortly.
Highlighted features:
- Very smooth and silky strokes.
- Beautiful colors.
- It can be used on many different surfaces.
- Pens look nice, perfect for office or school.
6. Tanmit 36 Gel Pens Set
This fantastic set helps your creative and artistic talent to flourish! Use a variety of colors and different types of ink to express your creativity, especially if you’re feeling a bit childish at the moment.
In this set you will get:
- 12 glitter,
- 8 metallic,
- 6 neon,
- 4 classic colors.
Some basic colors are the same for each type, but will definitely look different on the paper. This variety of colors and styles can produce a fairy-tale effect on your work, making your scrapbook irresistible to the eye. Such fairy-tale quality may seem appealing to the kids, naturally, so this set can be a perfect gift for all ages.
The colors are very bright, so they are mainly used for drawing, sketching, decorating and color details. You can write with these pens, of course, but most of them are not the number one choice for such purposes. Still, if you have no other pens next to you at that moment, they are more than usable.
The tip is 1mm size which can be useful for coloring tight corners and shading, but it’s quite useless for bigger coloring areas. If you have no other pens, you can color vast areas as well, since the gel is very durable.
The plastic is transparent and pretty much sturdy, but it comes with a pen clip and a rubber part for your fingers near the tip. The rubber you may love or hate, it can make an uncomfortable grip, but after a while, you won’t even notice it. And if your hands are slippery, then it’s a great addition.
Highlighted features:
- A great number of colors and styles.
- Both ink and the pen structure are durable.
- Pens are divided into the case by style.
- Fun to use and a great gift.
7. MISULOVE Hand Lettering Brush Pens
In this pack of 6, you will get four sizes from extra-fine to brush, whilst medium and brush have duplicates. All pens are black ink, therefore this is the first set on the list that doesn’t have different colors. But that’s exactly why these pens have a different purpose.
Whilst the package advertises that these pens are good for calligraphy, they aren’t. The tips on all 6, albeit in different sizes, are more marker-like. If you are experienced in calligraphy, you will find these quite useless. For beginners, they might serve that purpose, for practice at least. How?
Well, the ink is quite good and the pen flows magnificently. Although they are more markers than pens, it is actually quite nice to write with them. You can definitely use them as markers for all-around purposes – hand lettering, art drawing, underlining, labeling, wall art, scrapbooking, etc. One of the best markers, actually.
You will get both soft and hard tips, and therefore will be able to have different kinds of strokes in your work. Hard tips are quite sturdy and their lines can be emphasized by putting more pressure on the paper. Beware that the ink is already quite strong, so it could bleed through the paper.
They are water-based, acid-free, non-toxic pens, with sturdy structure, therefore great for kids and safe to use.
Highlighted features:
- Brush, medium, fine, extra-fine sizes.
- Fantastic markers for all-around purposes.
- The ink is strong and refillable, so you can use them for a long time.
- Safe and enjoyable to use on numerous surfaces.
8. ARTISTRO 12 Metallic Paint Pens
If you love to use vibrant and vivid colors to decorate your scrapbook, then you will love these pens from ARTISTRO! In this set, there are 8 metallic and 4 regular pens of different beautiful colors, perfect for adding pretty details.
Coloring might be a bit difficult with these since they have an extra-fine tip, which is just 0.7mm. Covering larger areas will be time-consuming and ink-wasting, but for putting extra details on your drawings they are just perfect!
The ink is acrylic and the metallic, glossy effect it produces is simply magnificent. I cannot stress enough how beautiful these colors look like, and on top of that, they can go on any surface!
You can use them on anything from paper and cardboard to metal, wood, and glass! Fantastic for creating art on your mugs, jewelry, windows, rocks, clothes, scrapbooks, EVERYTHING!
The tip is very rigid and will not lose its shape at all, even when you use the pens on different hard surfaces. That means the strokes will always be the same, no matter how much you use these pens.
The ink also dries off quickly, but since it is acrylic, it is always recommended to let them dry a bit before going over the same area again.
Highlighted features:
- Magnificent glossy, metallic colors.
- Perfect for any artwork you might be doing.
- They go on any workable surface.
- Hard and extra-fine tips for great detailing.
9. Sunshilor 20 Fine Point Metallic Markers
Remember item number 2 on the list? Sunshilor’s 10 metallic markers set? Well, prepare for a double-size!
In this set, you will get 20 fantastic fine point metallic markers for most of your needs. Vibrant and glossy colors can cover almost any surface imaginable, so you can decorate whatever you like. I’m talking about glasses, mugs, scrapbooks, you name it!
Once again, the use is limited to simple drawing, coloring, and writing, for the strokes will be too inky and a bit too thick for sketching and manga-style drawing. Nevertheless, the ink looks so good on anything, especially on dark surfaces. If you have some black paper, just let your imagination run wild with 20 fantastic colors.
These are markers with water-based, environmentally and skin-friendly ink, safe for all ages. If you want to keep this nice metallic ink intact, I recommend special care when putting the cap back on.
Make sure it’s on properly, or the ink will dry out quickly. Also, don’t press the pens too hard against the surface, the tip may break. There is actually no need for this at all.
Highlighted features:
- Beautiful metallic glittery colors.
- Usable on almost any surface.
- It can be used for decorating, coloring and writing.
- Looks fantastic on dark surfaces.
- Harmless to your body.
10. Morfone 10 Metallic Marker Pen Set
Last but not least – 10 metallic marker pens from Morfone, something you’ll definitely want to try out. I know what you’re thinking – not another metallic marker set! Well, unlike most of the previous sets, this one is medium-sized, which means it is much more useful for coloring. The medium tip is firm but smooth and will write heavenly.
You can choose from gold, brown, olive, green, blue, purple, pink, silver, white and black! Nice choice, but still the omission of some standard colors like yellow and red bothers me a bit.
In addition, colors are a bit brighter for my taste, especially black, but if you like bright colors, you won’t be displeased – quite the contrary.
Once again, you can use this set on many surfaces and decorate whatever you want. Metallic colors always have a special look on some darker surface, and this white color is mainly aimed at such surfaces.
The ink is water-based and will dry quickly both on paper and the tip. So, again, if you want these to last, keep them closed when not used.
It might be easier said than done, for once you start writing or drawing on some cards and scrapbooks, you’ll hardly let these beauties out of your hands. They are just too much fun.
Highlighted features:
- Nice colors for your everyday needs.
- Cover multiple surfaces.
- They dry off very fast, keeping you engaged for a longer time.
- Inexpensive.
Things to consider before buying pens for scrapbooking
Making scrapbooks is an oddly satisfying hobby. You do not simply put your photos inside, you mostly relive those moments while doing it, usually. Writing down some captions below the photos, making a silly comment or simply decorating the background can be a lot of fun!
Not to mention the level of enjoyment you feel when you wake up the little artist inside you to do all of those things. You can spend hours and hours writing, drawing, sketching, going through your stuff and, of course, cleaning up the mess.
It is a time-consuming and spiritually rewarding hobby, so you will want to make the best of it in the process. Before you buy anything, including pens, it is advisable to figure out, or rather imagine, what kind of a scrapbook you are going to make.
If you are new in this field, it might be difficult to know exactly what to expect, but it is always good to have a plan. Even experienced artists can change their usual routine and try something different. In any case, think of what you need and why you need it.
Now, before buying the pens, first thing first – think of what kind (or rather the style) of a scrapbook you want to make. If the pages are not very big, and you have only a small amount of paper between numerous photos to use your pens on, then you probably won’t need any big markers for the process.
You might, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have them, but usually the smaller the blanks you have the smaller the pens you’ll mostly need. This way you will have smaller tips that are easier to reach the corners and narrow spaces.
You will have more control over your lines and strokes and will minimize the risk of messing something up.
On the other hand, if you have a bigger sized scrapbook or you don’t want to use many photos, but rather have more space for your creativity, then, by all means, have an arsenal of different pens.
Buy all the colors, styles and sizes and create a fairytale in your room! If, alas, the mood should be dark, then glitter and sparkles will be just gathering the dust.
The second thing to consider is the type of surface on which you will be using the pens. If it is paper only, then there’s no need to overthink. Probably 99% of pens and markers that you can buy are applicable onto the paper surface.
Pick what you like and the type you’re going to use and enjoy! But, the idea of scrapbooking is exactly to try out new things and use any method imaginable to decorate your work.
In this sense you can use plastic for covers, or metal for stamps, or rocks for “smudges”, and many other objects to give your art versatility and uniqueness. Here’s where the research begins.
Not every pen will write on different objects and not every ink will be the same on different surfaces. Think of what you are going to use and buy pens accordingly.
The third thing, which is tightly connected to the previous two points as well, is ‘What do you need the pens for’? If for writing, then thick markers that will ruin the next page are not the best choice.
If for calligraphy, then a specific pen should be bought, the one that will not blot, for example. If for coloring vast areas, then fine point pens with small tips are also not recommended, for you will need a lot of them to finish what you started. Sketching, of course, needs these kinds of pens (fine point). And so on.
It is, of course, the best if you have more options, that is, an option for everything. But since that would be quite an investment and would require a lot of storage space, I recommend buying the pens according to your specific needs for that specific scrapbook.
What types of pens are the best for scrapbooking?
You will find many different pen classifications, but the most important and common types are:
- Ballpoint pens
- Rollerball pens
- Gel pens
- Marker pens
The first two types are widely used for everyday writing. These kinds of pens you will see in schools, at work, banks, and so on. They use oil and water-based ink respectively, and the color is mostly blue.
The main concern of these pens is to last long, not to look good. If you want to create art, then you should probably stay away from these types of pens for your scrapbook.
What you need to pay attention to are the best art marker pens and gel pens!
As you can see from the list, marker pens are very popular for scrapbooks, and they will come in handy in most of your needs. Why? Because marker pens are the most diverse pens of all! They come in different tip shapes and sizes, colors, ink, etc.
Speaking of tip sizes – they can go from minuscule 0.03mm up to enormous 50mm! They are categorized into (from smallest to largest): extra-fine, fine, medium, broad and jumbo tips.
Now, as explained before, whether you want to write or color, you will choose your pens according to your needs.
On the one hand, marker pens with jumbo tips are definitely not recommended for writing on smaller areas, but rather filling in the blank background. On the other hand, extra-fine tips are not recommended for coloring as much as for outlines and details.
Marker pen tip shapes are the most commonly fine tip, bullet tip, chisel tip, and brush tip.
Fine tip pens are the most common ones in scrapbooking. For the same reason, you will find the previous list almost full of fine tip marker pens. The tip is very narrow and will enable full control and precision when writing or drawing. They are mostly used for details, shapes, sketching, etc.
The bullet tip is the most versatile, but average in everything. With these, you can either write or color and they will do every job just fine. The line will always be the same regardless of your hand movement. The lines are a bit thicker than with fine tip marker pens.
Chisel tip pens could have a thicker line if completely pressed against the paper or a thinner line if only the tip is pressed. For the first property, they are mainly used in underlining, and for the second property – for calligraphy (although calligraphy can sometimes require softer endings).
Brush tip pens are very common in kids’ coloring sets. The line will be thicker or thinner depending on how much pressure you apply. Low pressure will make fine thin lines while pressing the pen harder will make those lines thicker and stronger.
Ink is also diverse with maker pens. They can have:
- pigment ink – water-resistant;
- dye ink – not water-resistant, but colorful;
- alcohol ink – quick-dry and could be used on different surfaces;
- permanent ink – could be used on almost anything;
- oil-based ink – dry off slowly, good for manipulation when on the surface;
- water-based – dry off quickly, mostly used for the paper;
- archival ink – lasts for ages, great for diaries and scrapbooks;
- opaque ink – will not bleed or smudge;
- translucent ink – see-through,
Gel pens are quite similar to opaque ink markers, but they use a mixture of gel and water-based ink. In that way, the color will be thick and strong and vibrant. Perfect for decoration and writing on dark surfaces. Although mostly used for writing, you can use them for coloring as well.
Conclusion
In the 21st century, you have a plethora of everything. Naturally, the same things are being made in new ways and new shapes. That is the case with pens as well. We came a long way from writing with feathers to dozens of different pen classifications that we have today.
In this vast amount of different pens, it is impossible to choose the perfect pen-need match. What you can do is try out different kinds and see how you can make the best of it.
Hopefully, this list will help you out in choosing what you want and need, and I have no doubt that any above-mentioned suggestion will be to your liking. So, choose your set and enjoy creating.
