Fountain Pen Nib Comparison Video

Fountain Pen Nib Comparison from dowdyism on Vimeo.

Video reviews are something I have always wanted to do more of on The Pen Addict. My friend Patrick Rhone has been doing some really nice ones recently, and seeing his work was just the push I needed to get this started.

In the video above, I did a quick comparison of a Pilot Prera F nib versus a Lamy Safari EF nib. Most experienced fountain pen users realize there are differences in nib sizes between countries, but many beginners do not. I wanted to put nib to paper and show you what the lines really look like.

Since this is my first real attempt at a video review (not counting the few webcam recordings I have done) please be brutally honest on what I can do better. I have never launched iMovie in my life prior to this. One issue I see is that there is some shaking on the camera in several frames. I'm not sure if that is me bumping the tripod, the table, or what exactly. I'll work on that next time!

Also, let me know what other topics you would like to see videos on. I think this can be a fun change of pace at The Pen Addict and I look forward to doing more.

Pilot VBall BeGreeN 05 Review

The Pilot VBall is a pen that has been around for years and has a large following. I know several readers would consider it one of their all-time favorites. What I don’t understand about the VBall is why isn’t it easier to find on store shelves? It is one of Pilot’s main pen lines, but I had to resort to Amazon to get a pack of my own to review. And I have had it on the radar for years.

Admittedly, I’m probably being too hard on Pilot. The VBall Grip and VBall Retractable are EVERYWHERE and use the same ink. I have used both of those pens, but I wanted the original VBall experience in the original VBall barrel design. Have you seen one of those on the shelf recently?

I settled for the VBall BeGreeN, which is a fine choice considering it is made from 81.6% recycled content. As happy as I am to be environmentally conscious, what I really wanted to know is how well the VBall writes.

I think my expectations were too high.

Liquid ink is challenging, especially in finer tip sizes. The VBall ink is wetter than I remember, more so than the VBall RT that I reviewed years ago. This causes my handwriting to not have the clean edge that gel or plastic tip pens provide.

When I bought this pen, I was hoping that it would find a place in my regular writing arsenal. Unfortunately it has been relegated to backup status.

The Amazing Andrea Joseph

My good friend Andrea Joseph has done it again. Famous for her highly detailed ballpoint pen drawings, she has expanded her artistic arsenal to include gel ink pens, roller balls, fineliners, and more. Andrea asked me if I would be interested in posting her latest work and I jumped at the chance. Thank you Andrea!

Here is more about this project from Andrea herself:

Sometime around last May I began a new sketchbook. I usually theme my sketchbooks but this time I wanted something a little different from my usual style of drawing. I wanted to push myself and learn some new skills. So, I started drawing subjects that I would normally shy away from. Also I made the sketchbook a no pencil zone, I would go straight in with the pen. While I was at it I thought I’d try out some different pens from the ballpoints I love so much.

I got such a buzz from drawing in this way. I drew everything in sight; I took the book with me everywhere, making quick sketches instead of the highly laboured time consuming drawings that I am associated with. I raced through the sketchbook and finished it a couple of days ago. It is the quickest I’ve ever completed a whole book, I’ve been working on some of them for years.

The two pen drawings show every pen I used in the book. And on the final page, and inside cover, I reviewed each of them. I can’t wait to start my next sketchbook. I look forward to seeing where the pens take me.

Check out THIS LINK to see the whole sketchbook.

Plus, my new zine, ‘How To Draw Like A Loon’ is now available in my Etsy shop and includes a couple of the previous ballpoint pen reviews that I made for The Pen Addict. Buy it HERE.

Thank you so much for sharing Andrea! I am fascinated every time I see your artwork.