Water media artists now have an easier way to take their painting on the road without lugging heavy jugs of water. Plein air painting is a great way to get out of your normal comfort zone and a chance to enjoy the great outdoors.
However, aside from the bugs, heat, wind and sunburn, one of my least favorite parts of painting outdoors is lugging water to my chosen site. It’s bad enough that I need a cooler, bug spray, SPF-50 sunscreen and loads of snacks. Between those items and my actual painting paraphernalia, I’ve got quite a load to haul.
Well, my load just got a little lighter! I’ve discovered watercolor paintbrush pens are perfect for just about any on-site painting project. They come in tons of colors, and there are large and small sets from which to choose. You can even purchase individual colors from some manufacturers.
Use these brush pens just like you would a paintbrush. The tips are made from nylon bristles and are soft and pliable. Just like a brush, you’ll create a fine line with soft pressure and the stroke will widen as you apply more pressure.
The pens can be used for calligraphy as well as painting, so they’re versatile for not only painting but journaling and lettering as well.
Royal Talens Ecoline Liquid Watercolor Brush Pen
This basic set of 10 colors is perfect if you just want a taste of working with paint pens. The colors included are Black, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Deep Orange, Scarlet, Magenta, Blue Violet, Ultramarine Deep, Sky Blue Cyan and Green.
The colors are deep, rich and are easily rewetted and blended. Although translucent, they are easy to blend and create an ombre effect.
Art Mastery Real Brush Pens
High quality nylon brush hair makes these pens flexible for fine lines as well as broad strokes of color. The deeply pigmented ink gives lush, juicy washes of color that blend effortlessly. The set also includes a refillable water blending pen that’s great for adding water to lighten or blend brush strokes.
Tombow 56149 Dual Brush Pen Art Markers
This Tombow set of 96 colors has just about any color you can imagine! The paint is acid free, odorless, and the vibrant colors are fade resistant.
The markers are dual-tipped. One end has a soft, flexible brush tip that can be used for fine lines as well as wide swaths of color. The other end has a hard tip for uniform lines.
ARTEZA Real Brush Pens – Set Of 24 Colors
Arteza’s soft, supple nylon brush tip allows an artist to create fine lines as well as wide swathes of color. With deeply pigmented color that’s non-toxic and water soluble, the paint blends when used on wet paper or by using a water blending pen to soften edges or to fade out the color.
