Review: Pentel Stylo Sketch Pen (JM20-AE)

Pentel Stylo Sketch is a pen that comes with a large triangular felt tip and uses watersoluble ink. I'm not sure why it's specifically called a sketch pen because you can sketch with pretty much any pen.

This is a variant of the more expensive Pentel Tradio Stylo that I've reviewed years ago. The Pentel Stylo when bought alone is around US $3 which is quite pricey, and that cost almost as much as the refill for the Pentel Tradio Stylo. If you get the Pentel Stylo in a box, then each pen may cost around US $1.50. But prices of such pens really varies depending on where you buy it from.

Both pens feature the same big triangular felt tip.

There's this black plastic part that holds the felt tip in place.

The back of the Pentel Stylo can be opened up to give you access to the ink sponge. This means you can easily refill the pen when it runs out of ink. However, there will be a time when you'll choose to throw the pen away because of the worn out tip instead of just refilling it.

Here's a quick sketch I drew with the pen, and later applied water over to create the washes.

Click for a larger view.

The ink dissolves to form a nice mid value gray. You can add more water to make the wash lighter of course. The ink lines don't dissolve completely which is great.

The blacks were added with a Pentel Brush Pen.

When you apply water and the first wash is dry, subsequently application of water is not going to re-activate the ink/wash again.

This felt tip can also produce thin or thick lines depending on the pressure you apply.

Conclusion

This is one of the better pens for watersoluble ink sketching. The ink can dissolve to form a mid value gray and the lines will not just disappear. Downside is the price can be high depending on where you buy it.

Availability

Find more reviews at Dick Blick Art Materials (US) | Jackson's Art (UK)

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