Ultimate White Pen Shopping Guide (White Pen Series: Part 2)

If you caught Part One of this series, you know that I’ve I spent  countless hours testing and re-testing as many white pens as I can find to bring you the ultimate best white pen. I took 61 white gel pens, white paint pens and white inks and tested them on black paper, over pencils and markers and so much more, eliminating a few pens at each round until we reached what I believe were the final few, best quality pens.

In this blog, I have put together the ultimate buying guide to white pens and markers so you can decide the best white pen for your art. This article is part two in our series on White Pens so be sure to check out Part 1 HERE and keep an eye out for part 3!

White Pens - The Ultimate Shopping Guide

The Ultimate White Pen Shopping Guide!

Tips for Using White Pens

Top Tips for Using White Pens – COMING SOON!

The White Pens Tested:

These are all 61 gel pens, markers and inks I tested.

Click on each pen to jump ahead to its results, or keep scrolling to see them all.

About the Results:

Ratings (Out of 5)

The ratings listed here were based on the tests completed in Part 1 of this series. You can watch the full video on my YouTube channel.

1-2 = Terrible
2.5 = Poor
3 = Average
3.5 = Above Average
4 = Good
4.5 = Very Good
5 = Excellent

TBC = To be confirmed – These ratings were not tested (In some cases, these pens were eliminated in earlier rounds) so I may continue this testing at a future date to update these results.

Price Range:

Price ranges are based on the best USD prices I could find at the time of writing this comparison. Price is per single pen/unit.

I’ve broken up the price range into 3 categories:

$ = Cheapest (Under $3)
$$ = Average ($3-5)
$$$ = Expensive (Over $5)

PLEASE NOTE: All information presented in this article are my opinions only. This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them (at no cost to you). The Artistro, Life of Colour and Chalkola paint pens were given to me by the brands over a year ago. I am no longer associated with these brands and they are not aware of, or involved in this review. I have personally purchased all of the other pens/inks/markers used in this review.

White Gel Pens

Art-N-Fly Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.7mm * BEST BUDGET GEL PEN*

One of the best gel pens I tried today, and is an affordable price at around $3 each when you buy in a pack of 3. Works well on most surfaces and has a good opacity and flow.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Art-N-Fly White gel pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 4.5
Works on Markers: 5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Arteza Gel Pen – 0.6

Gel pen | 0.6mm * WHITEST GEL PEN *

The Arteza Gel Pens come in a set of 3, with 3 different sizes. They are all very bright white, but the small size makes them a little harder to use than other gel pens (breaking their flow at times), especially on colored pencils.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Arteza White Gel Pens Set, Pack of 3, 0.6

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: 4
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Arteza Gel Pen – 0.8

Gel pen | 0.8mm * WHITEST GEL PEN*

The Arteza Gel Pens come in a set of 3, with 3 different sizes. They are all very bright white, but the small size makes them a little harder to use than other gel pens (breaking their flow at times), especially on colored pencils.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Arteza White Gel Pens Set, Pack of 3, 0.8

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: 3.5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Arteza Gel Pen – 1.0

Gel pen | 1.0mm * WHITEST GEL PEN *

The Arteza Gel Pens come in a set of 3, with 3 different sizes. They are all very bright white, but the small size makes them a little harder to use than other gel pens (breaking their flow at times), especially on colored pencils. Surprisingly, the largest size (1.0) performed the worst of the 3.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Arteza White Gel Pens Set, Pack of 3, 1.0

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 3.5
Works on Pencils: 3
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Best Colored Pencils

Ohuhu White Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.8mm

The Ohuhu White Gel Pen can only be purchased in a mixed pack of white, gold and silver – which isn’t ideal unless you want to use these other colors, making it more expensive than most. It performed well at first, but it started to skip during the test on markers, so I’m not confident it would last over time.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Ohuhu Gold Silver White Gel Pen Set for Artist

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: 4.5
Works on Markers: 5
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pentel Milky Pop Pen

Gel pen | 0.8mm * HONORABLE MENTION *

The Pentel Milky Pop was one of the nicest gel pens to use and performed well on all the surfaces I tried, keeping a good flow and good opacity during all my testing. I found lots of reviews online that suggested it doesn’t last more than about 2-3 weeks, but it was good during my short time of use.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Pentel Arts Milky Pop Pastel White Gel Pen, 0.8mm Medium

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 4.5
Works on Markers: 5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX

Gel pen | 1.0mm

In my first test a few years ago, I was really impressed with the Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX Gel Pen. It was really smooth to write with and was really white. It worked on every surface, and still performed quite well 2 years later, although it no longer works on my pencils.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX White Gel Pen – 1.0 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 4
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip

Gel pen | 0.8mm

The Pentel Hybrid Gel isn’t quite as nice as the Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX. It’s a good gel pen overall, but it hasn’t lasted well over the years to get a fair run in my testing today.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip White Gel Pen – 0.8 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 3.5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pilot G-2 07 Gel Pen

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon | Fishpond

Pilot G-2 07 white gel pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pilot Juice Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.5mm

This gel pen was under-whelming 2 years ago, and it’s only worse now. Sorry Pilot! It’s barely white and very thin, and I eliminated it early on in my testing.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Pilot Juice White Gel Pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 2.5
Consistent Flow: 3.5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pilot Juice Up Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.4mm

I wasn’t a big fan of this pen in the past, and today was no different. It was eliminated immediately because it was scratchy and uncomfortable to use. I don’t recommend it.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Pilot Juice Up White Gel Pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pilot Pop’Lol Gel Pen

Price Range: $
Buy: WashiGang

Pilot Pop'Lol Pastel Gel Pen, Nib Size 0.7 mm, White

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Ballsign Knock Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.6mm

The Sakura Ballsign was completely dried up by the second round. And when I tried it 2 years ago, it didn’t work very well then either. It was very fine, and not opaque at all. I don’t recommend it. Sakura has a range of far better options.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Jetpens

Sakura Ballsign Knock White Gel Pen – 0.6 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity:
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Decorese Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.6mm * BEST GEL PEN*

From all the gel pens I tried, I found myself coming back to the Sakura Decorese as my favorite gel pen of them all. It’s more expensive than most, but it writes beautifully. It can’t quite match the results of an acrylic paint pen, but it does a great job and is smooth and enjoyable to use.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Decorese white Gel Pen – 0.6 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Sakura Gelly Roll – Bold

Gel pen | 0.5mm

The Sakura Gelly Roll come in a set of 3 pens – bold, medium and fine. They are a popular pen and write smoothly, UNTIL you use them on pencils, where they tend to stop working frequently. If you’re not using pencils, these pens are some of the nicest. But on colored pencils, they’re not worth the stress.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Gelly Roll Classic white Gel Pen – Bold

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: 3.5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Gelly Roll – Fine

Gel pen | 0.3mm

The Sakura Gelly Roll come in a set of 3 pens – bold, medium and fine. They are a popular pen and write smoothly, UNTIL you use them on pencils, where they tend to stop working frequently. If you’re not using pencils, these pens are some of the nicest. But on colored pencils, they’re not worth the stress.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Gelly Roll Classic white Gel Pen – Fine

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow: 4.5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Gelly Roll – Medium

Gel pen | 0.4mm

The Sakura Gelly Roll come in a set of 3 pens – bold, medium and fine. They are a popular pen and write smoothly, UNTIL you use them on pencils, where they tend to stop working frequently. If you’re not using pencils, these pens are some of the nicest. But on colored pencils, they’re not worth the stress.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Gelly Roll Classic white Gel Pen – Medium

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 4
Works on Pencils: 3
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Glaze Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.8mm * MOST INTERESTING*

The Sakura Glaze & Sakura Souffle pens have a very unique ink. They sit on top of the art, and they appear clear at first, then fade to white after about a minute. They seem to last longer than the other pens I’ve tried, and they work well on all media (even pencils!) I don’t personally enjoy the clear to white experience, but they are unique and a popular choice for many artists.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Glaze White Gel Pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 3.5

Sakura Souffle Gel Pen

Gel pen | 1.0mm * MOST INTERESTING *

The Sakura Glaze & Sakura Souffle pens have a very unique ink. They sit on top of the art, and they appear clear at first, then fade to white after about a minute. They seem to last longer than the other pens I’ve tried, and they work well on all media (even pencils!) I don’t personally enjoy the clear to white experience, but they are unique and a popular choice for many artists.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Sakura Souffle White Gel Pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 3.5

Want to know what my favorite art supplies are? See my list of recommendations here!

Uni-Ball Signo Angelic

Gel pen | 0.7mm

The Uni-Ball Signo Angelic is very smooth to use and nice to write with, but it does seem to fade on some media more than others. I WANT to like it, but it’s not one of my favorites.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Uni-ball Signo Angelic White Gel Pen – 0.7 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 3
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Uni-Ball Signo Broad Gel Pen

Gel pen | 1.0mm

The Uni-Ball Signo Broad was my favorite gel pen for a long time, but it has never lasted long. It is affordable, bright, and flows really well – but it just doesn’t last, especially when used regularly on colored pencils. It’s a pen worth trying, but you might replace it sooner than you expect.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Uni-ball Signo Broad White Gel Pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 4
Works on Pencils: 4
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Y&C Ge Xtreme Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.7mm

The Yasutomo Y&C Gel Xtreme is another pen that I tried in my testing 2 years ago, and it wasn’t a favorite. It didn’t really work on pencils, and it hasn’t lasted well over time. It’s not very white and I eliminated it early on in this testing.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Yasutomo Y&C Gel Xtreme White Gel Pen – 0.7 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pen

Gel pen | 0.5mm

The Zebra Sarasa pen didn’t really work in the past or again today. It didn’t work on the colored pencil at all, and it was very thin line on the other mediums. On all of the other mediums, even on the plain paper, I found it felt a bit scratchy and didn’t offer that vibrant white that I’m looking for.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Zebra Sarasa Clip white Gel Pen – 0.5 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow: 4.5
General Performance:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Color Cube

White Markers

Arteza Acrylic Paint Marker

Paint Marker | 0.7mm extra-fine plastic nib tip * BEST OVERALL WHITE PEN *

This is one of 2 pens I’ve chosen as the “best overall white pen” because it performed so well on every media and in every test I tried. It is available in a bulk pack of 12, making it very affordable per marker. It was one of the whitest whites, and flowed really well. Just make sure you give it a good shake before use!

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Arteza Acrylic White Paint Markers, Pack of 12

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 5

Artistro White Paint Pen

Paint Marker | 0.7mm extra-fine plastic nib tip * BEST OVERALL WHITE PEN*

The Artistro White Paint Pen has been my go to white paint pen for the past year. This is one of 2 pens I’ve chosen as the “best overall white pen”. I know this pen, I’ve used it over and over again, and I’m familiar with it. It’s never blocked, it’s never dried up, and I’m really happy with it. It comes in a set, making it affordable, and I personally like the colored set with the range of other colored acrylic markers that Artistro gave me to try. The clear barrel also helps you to know when you’ve shaken it enough to mix the paint well.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Artistro white paint pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Artline Laundry Marker

Alcohol based Ink | 1.2mm

This is a fabric marker, and isn’t intended for pencils or paper, but I wanted to try it anyway. It performed well overall, but it failed with the pencils (it just sat on top of the artwork) and is probably better used for its intended purpose.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Artline 750, 175033, White Laundry Marker, Bullet Nib, 1.2mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 3.5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Artline Calligraphy Pen

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Artline White Calligraphy pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 3
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Chalkola Paint Pen

Paint Marker | 1.0mm

The Chalkola Paint Pen was completely dried up by the time I did this testing, so I was unable to compare it. This isn’t unusual for paint pens, although I was surprised that it has dried up after so little use. Some of my other brands have outlasted this by many months.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Chalkola white paint pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity:
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Deleter Neopiko

Paint Marker | 0.5mm extra fine tip *BEST FINE LINE*

The Deleter was the winner from my last white pen comparison 2 years ago. I didn’t know how to use a paint pen properly back then, so I’ve left it a little clogged and messy, which gave it a bit of a handicap today. But despite this, it still performed well in each test and was one of the brightest white pens I found. It has a very fine point, great for details. The only downside is the high price.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Deleter Neopiko Line White Drawing Pen – 0.5 mm

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen – 2.5

India Ink | 2.5mm * HONORABLE MENTION *

I’ve been using the Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen for the past few years to add more subtle highlights to my coloring pages, because it is nice to use, even though it is NOT an opaque white. Although it didn’t work at all on the pencils today, possibly because I’ve been using it so much! The ink is an india ink, not an acrylic ink like many other paint pens. It is highly lightfast and is great for working under watercolor, although they aren’t as opaque as many of the other pens tested today.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen – 2.5 mm - White Paint marker

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen – 1.5

India Ink | 1.5mm Bullet tip

The ink is an india ink, not an acrylic ink like many other paint pens. It is highly lightfast and is great for working under watercolor, although they aren’t as opaque as many of the other pens tested today.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens - 3 set of white, 1.5

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen – B

India Ink | Brush Tip

The ink is an India ink, not an acrylic ink like many other paint pens. It is highly lightfast and is great for working under watercolor, although they aren’t as opaque as many of the other pens tested today.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens - 3 set of white, B

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen – C

India Ink | Calligraphy Tip

The ink is an India ink, not an acrylic ink like many other paint pens. It is highly lightfast and is great for working under watercolor, although they aren’t as opaque as many of the other pens tested today.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens - 3 set of white, C

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Flymax Paint Marker

Gel pen | 0.5mm

I eliminated the Flymax Paint marker fairly early on in my testing because it wasn’t very bright white, and wasn’t one of the better acrylic paint pens I tried today.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon

Flymax White Paint Marker

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Kuretake Zig Brush Pen No. 22

Water-based Pigment Ink | Small Brush

The Kuretake Zig Brush Pen was a little more complicated to use than I first expected. Being a brush pen, it offers a lot more variety and flexibility than many of the other options I tested, but it’s not the best for a beginner, and I found it to be a bit messy to use. I’d like to try this again as I get more experience using this type of brush marker (I’m putting this failure down to user error!)

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Kuretake Zig White Brush Pen no 22

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Brush Pen

Water-based Pigment Ink | Ultra fine Brush

Much like the Brush Pen No. 22, the Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Brush pen was difficult to use as a beginner who doesn’t know much about working with brush pens like this. I’d like to give this another try with more time, but I wouldn’t recommend it for general white highlights or for a beginner.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist White Ink Brush Pen Super Extra-fine

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Life of Colour White Paint Pen

Paint Marker | 1.0mm * HONORABLE MENTION *

The Life of Colour Paint Pen passed all of the challenges and is a great all-rounder. It was one of my favorite paint pens, and came close to being recommended alongside my final 2 pens, with the only downside being it was slightly less opaque. It’s an Australian-owned company, which is a bonus for my Australian friends!

Price Range: $$$
Buy: AmazonLifeofcolour

Life of colour white paint pen

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4

Mistubishi Uni Paint Marker – Extra Fine

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Mistubishi Uni White Paint Marker - extra fine

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Mistubishi Uni Paint Marker PX – 20

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Mistubishi Uni White Paint Marker px-20

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pentel Paint Marker MMP20

Paint Marker | Medium Tip

I didn’t like any of the Pentel Paint Markers I tried today. They had a strong smell, far more than any other markers, and they didn’t work as well as I expected.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon | Impactofficesupplies

Pentel Paint Marker - Medium Point - White MMP20

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 2
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pentel Paint Marker X100WM

Opaque Ink | 3.0mm

I didn’t like any of the Pentel Paint Markers I tried today. They had a strong smell, far more than any other markers, and they didn’t work as well as I expected.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Pentel Paint Marker - Medium Point - White - 12 pack - x100WM

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 2.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pica Classic Instant Permanent Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Pica CLASSIC532 DRY 1-2mm White Instant Permanent Marker

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pilot Juice Paint Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Pilot Juice White Paint Marker – Fine Point

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Color Paint Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

SAKURA COLOR Pen-Touch White Paint Markers 

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 4
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Calligraphy Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: AmazonGellyroll

Sakura Pen Touch Calligraphy white

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sakura Pen Touch Paint Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon 

Sakura Pen Touch Paint Marker - Extra Fine 0.7mm - White

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Color Cube

Sakura Permapaque Marker

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon | Blick

Sakura Permapaque - White - fine

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 3
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker

Oil Paint Pen | Extra fine tip

The sharpie oil based paint marker – doesn’t work on paper at all – it is designed for other surfaces (i.e. glass and plastic) so it’s not the right choice for working with pencils and markers.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Sharpie Oil-Based White Paint Marker – Extra Fine Point

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 2
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Sharpie Water-Based Paint Marker

Water-based Paint Marker | Medium tip * BEST POSCA ALTERNATIVE *

The Sharpie water-based marker was one of my favorites from all the paint pens I tried, and was very comparable to the Posca paint markers. I could only find it in the large size, but it worked well on every medium and was a very opaque white. I’d recommend.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Sharpie water-based White paint marker

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4.5

Teranishi Magic Glow Note Marker

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Teranishi Magic Glow Slim Black Note White Marker

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Uni Posca PC-1MR – Bullet Shaped

Paint Marker | 0.7mm Extra fine plastic nib tip

I liked most of the Posca markers, but this one was a bit disappointing, especially when there are so many affordable bullet-shaped paint pens now available on the market. This one sprayed paint a lot more than expected, but I’m not sure if that’s just my marker or is a regular issue for this size.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Uni Posca PC-1MR White Paint Marker - bullet shaped

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Uni Posca PC-1MR – Ultra Fine

Paint Marker | 0.7mm Pin-type nib tip

I didn’t like the pin-type Posca pen either, although my Pin-type Posca was a few years old, and I think I might have ended up with a bad one. With the huge variety in Posca sizes available, I still like the brand and find most of their markers are really good to use.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Uni Posca PC-1MR White Paint Marker pin type

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 4
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Uni Posca PC-3M

Paint Marker | 1.3mm felt nib tip * BEST LARGER PAINT PEN *

The Posca PC-3M performed much better than the smaller markers and was one of the best on the pencils and other media.  It did, however, absorb into the cheap black paper more than almost any other marker. I didn’t have this issue with some of the competing brands, so I was surprised it was so prominent with Posca.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Uni Posca PC-3M - White

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 5
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4.5

Uni Posca PC-5m

Paint Marker | 2.5mm felt nib tip * BEST LARGER PAINT PEN *

Much like the 3M, The Posca PC-5M performed much better than the smaller markers and was one of the best on the pencils and other media.  It did absorb into the cheap black paper more than other markers.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Uni Posca PC-5M - White

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 5
General Performance:
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 4.5

Best Colored Pencils

Inks

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen – White

Ultra Fine White Ink * WHITEST WHITE OF ALL*

The Dr Ph Martin’s Pen White Ink was one of the brightest whites on the black paper but completely rejected the pencil pigment.  I eliminated it at first, but later discovered it was the only ink I could find that didn’t change color by absorbing the color from the medium under it (like turning pink when used on purple pencils) so that’s a huge win!

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Dr. Ph. Martin's Pen-White Ink

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 1
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Kuretake Zig White Drawing Ink

Watercolor Ink * BEST OPAQUE INK *

This ink was one of the best, and was a really bright white. I’d love to explore this more and try using it with a dip pen to see what results it can bring to my art! It worked well with pencils, markers and other media.

Price Range: $$$
Buy: Amazon

Kuretake CNCE200-3 Zig White Ink 30 ML Drawing Ink

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 5

LIQUITEX Professional Acrylic Ink 30 ml Bottle

Acrylic Ink

The Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink is advertised as being a very opaque white, so I was disappointed to find that it wasn’t very opaque at all. I eliminated it early on in my testing today.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

LIQUITEX Professional Acrylic Ink 30 ml Bottle

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3.5
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Color Cube

Maxon Comic Ink

Water-Based Ink

I was disappointed with the Maxon Comic Ink, which wasn’t very opaque at all. It was eliminated early on in my testing.

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon

Maxon Comic Ink white 30ml bottle

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 3
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

PaperMate Liquid Paper Correction Fluid

Correction Fluid

I tested the PaperMate Liquid Paper (AKA “White-Out”) because I’ve heard so many people enjoy this as a hack to create white highlights. But it didn’t work for me. It was clumpy and hard to control, even after a good shake and mix up. I wouldn’t use this on my art, especially since so many of the other options work out to be much the same price.

Price Range: $
Buy: Amazon | Blick

PaperMate Liquid Paper White

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 5
Consistent Flow: 2.5
Works on Pencils: TBC
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

Pearl Burnish Liquid Pencil

Liquid Pencil * HONORABLE MENTION*

This is a unique product, handmade in the USA, created specifically for use with colored pencils. It is made from the same ingredients as colored pencils, so it is great for layering without changing the texture of your art. I would love to explore this further!

Price Range: $$$
Buy: BlickCatharticBox

Pearl Burnish White Liquid pencil

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 5
Works on Markers: 4.5
Works on Watercolors: 3.5

Winsor & Newton Drawing Ink

Water-Resistant Ink

Price Range: $$
Buy: Amazon | Blick

Winsor & Newton Drawing Ink 14 ml Bottle, White (974)

Ratings (Out of 5)

Opacity: 4
Consistent Flow:
Works on Pencils: 3.5
Works on Markers: TBC
Works on Watercolors: TBC

With so many options on the market, it can be a real mission to choose the right while pen or marker for your coloring pages or art projects. Whether you’re new to using white pens or if you’re just looking for an upgrade in what you have right now, there’s definitely a product and a budget here for everyone. If you enjoyed this article, make sure to stay tuned for part three in this series, where I go into details about the top tips for using white pens for highlights and more.


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The post Ultimate White Pen Shopping Guide (White Pen Series: Part 2) appeared first on Sarah Renae Clark – Coloring Book Artist and Designer.

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