Watercolor brush pens are a great tool for artists of all levels and come in handy for many reasons. Whether you’re just starting to dabble in the world of watercolors or have been using them your whole life, there’s always something new to learn. In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about watercolor brush pens including what they are, how best to use them, and which models are our top picks!
What Are Watercolor Brush Pens?
Watercolor brush pens are water-based markers that mimic the look of traditional watercolor painting. They often come with a special tip that resembles real paintbrushes, allowing for an authentic feel when using them. Watercolor brush pens can be used to create crisp lines or soft gradients depending on how much pressure you apply—and they’re great for adding details to finished pieces.
What Are the Benefits of Watercolor Brush Pens?
Watercolor brush pens are an excellent choice for artists of all skill levels. They’re particularly helpful for beginners because they require little to no mixing and prep work so you can jump right in, plus they have a very natural look that’s easy to mimic when compared with traditional watercolors or acrylics.
How Are watercolor Pens Different from Watercolor Paints?
Watercolor paints are one of the best mediums for artists because they’re so versatile—but in order to work well, you have to either use them with a paintbrush or mix your own colors by diluting them. Watercolors can also be messy and take some time to prepare before applying, which isn’t ideal if you just want an instant artistic outlet.
Watercolor brush pens avoid all these problems! Not only do they come pre-mixed, but many brands are available in waterproof options too so there’s no need for any color mixing whatsoever—which makes things much easier when creating watery effects on painted paper. Plus since most models don’t require refills, the pens themselves tend to last quite a while.
Of course, there are a few drawbacks too—watercolor brush pens aren’t as easy to blend with other colors and they don’t offer nearly the same level of control you’d get from using real watercolors or even acrylics. However, if portability and ease-of-use are important to you then these things shouldn’t be deal-breakers at all!
Pens have very fine tips that allow for crisp lines or gradients while paintbrushes create soft strokes with their bristles. It all just depends on what look you’re going for!
Types of watercolor brush pens
There are many watercolor brush pens on the market today, and each brand has a slightly different formula. However, most models come with a type of paintbrush tip—or ferrule as they’re also known – so you can draw thin lines or thick ones depending on how hard you press down while using them.
There are a few different types of watercolor brush pens available and each one has its own strengths. Here’s an in-depth look at the most popular types:
Standard Watercolor Brush Pens
The standard or traditional model is probably what you think of when imagining paint markers—they come with a thin, angled tip that mimics real paintbrushes. These models often have refillable ink cartridges so it’s easy to switch colors once your current shade runs out (without having to replace the entire pen). We love these because they’re super versatile! You can use them for everything from basic sketching and writing to fine details in your finished artwork.
Sakura Koi Watercolor Brush Pens
A step up from standard brush pens, these versions also resemble real paintbrushes but they’re slightly thicker and feature a flat tip. The larger size provides more control compared to traditional models while still maintaining the feel of using watercolor paints—and since you don’t need any refills (the ink is pre-mixed) it’s easy to get started right away without worrying about mixing colors or cleaning off brushes afterward.
Watercolor Pencils
Last up is an unusual option that might seem a little bit strange at first glance: watercolor pencils. These tools look like regular colored pencils but instead of waxy graphite in their core, these feature pigmented watercolors which can be applied just like real paints (without any blending required whatsoever).
You can read more about Watercolor Pencils in our detailed review.
How to Watercolor with Water Brush Pens
This is a very simple way to create painting effects without actually using paints! It’s also suitable for beginners as it requires less practice than normal brushes. You can use these anywhere, whether you’re traveling or indoors at home looking after your children—there will be no mess made from spills!
Materials You’ll Need in Order to Paint with Water Brush Pens
The following items will be needed:
- Water brush pens (obviously!)
- Paper or cardboards of your choice. For beginners it’s best that they stick with something inexpensive at first while getting used to painting this way; later on, if you decide that painting is not for them then no harm done! The more expensive papers usually give a better quality result but are relatively unnecessary unless stated otherwise.
- A cup of water for dipping your brush pen in.
- Plenty of tissues or towels which can be thrown out after use. You could also buy disposable ones. Some people simply prefer these as there’s no need to clean up afterward! It all depends on what you’re most comfortable with though.
Tips for Painting with a Brush Pen
- Before you begin, make sure to squeeze out any excess liquid from the tip of your pen. You can use a dropper or a spoon for this purpose. If it’s still dripping wet after squeezing, dab the tip on some tissue until no more liquid seeps out!
- Make sure that no air bubbles are in the brush pen tip before using! Air bubbles act as a plug for your pens (and they’re super annoying).
- To paint, rest your free hand on the paper to steady it and use light pressure (similar to using a pencil). You don’t want too much water or else you’ll end up with an uneven wash! Also, make sure not to press too hard otherwise bristles will bend backward and ruin all of your work!
- Use a very little amount of water when you start out with your first layer of color so that it stays lighter than later layers will.
- If your first layer is too light, let it dry completely before adding more colors or using tissue papers to remove excess liquid from previous steps. This helps prevent bleeding into other colors on future layers since wet ink has a tendency to spread.
- If you want to add more color on top of your dried first layer, try using a wet paintbrush instead. It works just as well and doesn’t cause bleeding into lighter colors below.
- Shake off excess water before you start writing so you don’t accidentally paint outside of what’s intended! Also, note that tips are not meant to be left submerged in water for too long as this may affect ink flow and drying time.
- You can also play around with different colors if you wish but remember that each shade will blend into one another very easily due to their transparency which means they may not look like what’s shown in the tube after being applied onto paper.
- The final tip is to wait until each pen dries before dipping back into clean water again so that the tip doesn’t get clogged with dried-up ink. If any remain after cleaning, just use some tissues/cotton buds soaked in water to remove.
Top 5 Best Watercolor Brush Pens
If this is your first time purchasing a set of watercolor brush pens, it can be difficult to know which brands are the best. Although there is no “best” option for everyone, we’ve done our research and have come up with some top picks based on quality, price point, and user feedback.
| Image | Product | |
|---|---|---|
Best Overall 
| Arteza Real Brush Pens, 96 Colors, Flexible Nylon Tips
| Check Price |
Best for Professionals 
| Professional Watercolor Brush Markers Pen 48 Colors of Ohuhu
| Check Price |
Best for Drawing  | Sakura XBR-24SA 24-Piece Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pen Set
| Check Price |
Best for Beginners 
| Pentel Arts Sign Pen Micro Brush Tip, Assorted Colors
| Check Price |
Best Portable 
| Aquastroke Water Brush Pens
| Check Price |
1. Arteza Real Brush Pens, 96 Colors, Flexible Nylon Tips – Best Cheap Watercolor Brush Pens
First Impressions
These pens feature 96 colors that are water-soluble, double-ended with a brush tip and fine point. It also includes 12 blank cards to practice your writing before you color the images on the other side. The set comes in a case that holds everything together so it’s easy to store or even take it along while traveling.
Performance
Customers say that the colors are nice and bright, but also muted enough to coordinate with each other. A wide range of skin tones, complexions, and hair colors. Arteza watercolor brush pens blend well for watercolor effects as well.
There is no bleed-through on markers or paper which makes them great for adult coloring books where you don’t want any color seeping through onto the next page of an image.
Nylon tips are flexible that work great for painting fine lines to thick ones. They also do not fray or split easily.
They do have a smell, but not as strong as other watercolor markers. The brush tips are flexible so you can easily draw with them if desired.
Verdict
It is perfect for all types of coloring including lettering and calligraphy.
2. Professional Watercolor Brush Markers Pen 48 Colors of Ohuhu – Best for Professionals
First Impressions
These professional watercolor brush markers pens come in 48 vibrant colors with flexible nylon tips. They are double-ended which makes them great for blending or using straight-up for details. The set includes an angled art brush pen and a blender marker to help you create beautiful artwork, comics, manga drawings, coloring books, calligraphy practice pads (blank cards), and more.
It also comes with two eraser caps that can be used on both ends of each marker so there is no mistake when choosing your color out of the 48 options available here. Finally, it has six plastic sheets at the back where you can place all your colored paper while working alongside these amazing pens.
Performance
Customers say that these pens are very high-quality and they love them. The colors go on smoothly with no dripping or smearing as you work (which is common in other watercolor markers). They blend nicely to create some truly unique effects. The bristles of the art brush pen feel soft and not scratchy like some others out there which makes it comfortable to use for long periods at a time without any discomfort.
Ohuhu watercolor brush pens also do not bleed through paper so you can be sure your coloring book won’t get ruined by colored pages seeping through onto each other.
Verdict
It’s perfect for lettering, calligraphy, adult coloring books, manga drawings, comics, etc…
3. Sakura XBR-24SA 24-Piece Koi Assorted Coloring Brush Pen Set – Best for Drawing
First Impressions
These watercolor brush pens come with professional quality sakura koi brush tips. They are made of nylon so they do not fray or split easily which makes them great for drawing fine lines all the way to thick ones. The colors come in 24-pieces and there is a nice selection here.
Performance
They are great for beginners who might not know how to mix colors, but they do blend well if you want them to. They draw nicely on paper and the brush tips feel just like real sakura koi brushes which are nice especially when compared to other watercolor markers out there.
We noticed some complaints about having ink run dry after a while (usually within weeks or months of usage), so make sure you don’t leave it open in storage over long periods of time without using it at least once every few days. Also, keep in mind that these pens can be ruined by things such as rain due to their composition; nylon-based tip with synthetic fiber bristles made from animal hair.
Verdict
A nice beginner’s or casual user’s marker that can still hold its own against higher-end sets such as Sakura Koi Watercolor Brush Pens. They don’t bleed through paper so you can use both sides of the page. You’ll find yourself looking forward to coloring again after using these watercolor brush pens thanks to the smooth and natural feeling strokes they put out as you work.
4. Pentel Arts Sign Pen Micro Brush Tip, Assorted Colors, 12-PK Plastic Box – Best for Beginners
First Impressions
Best cheap watercolor brush pens on Amazon.
These brush pens come in 12 different markers, each with a slightly different tip for creating varying effects. The art pen can be used to draw both fine lines and thick ones due to the unique design of the watercolor brush marker itself which is great if you are looking for versatility or have other types of projects that require either thin touches or bold strokes at any given time.
Some customers complain about there not being enough colors available but this set comes with ten regular shades plus two metallic multi-colored sets so it’s definitely good value considering its price point compared to higher-end options out there on the market today.
Performance
Pentel watercolor brush pens work well on most surfaces though they should not be used on wet paper or on surfaces that are sensitive to watermarks. When used correctly, the colors blend well with each other and dry quickly without causing any issues such as bleeding through paper or ruining your next project underneath it.
Verdict
Perfect entry-level option for people who want an affordable marker set but don’t know where to start among all of the pricier brands. These brush pens hold their own against more expensive brands thanks to excellent value for money and consistent quality when creating fine lines or thicker ones depending on what you need at any given time. You’ll never have trouble drawing thin details or thick strokes again after using these!
5. Aquastroke Water Brush Pens – Best Portable
Design
These water brush pens are perfect for when you’re on the go. They come in a set of four different sizes. The best part about this set is the fact that they can be used across multiple mediums so you don’t have to worry about having too many markers or not enough once these versatile little guys are added to your collection!
Performance
Aquastroke watercolor brush pens work well with both regular and water-soluble media such as colored pencils, inks, water-based marker pens, acrylic paints, and even plein air paint. All you need to do is pull out the brush and let it fill up with water, then you’re good to go! The only downside of these markers is that they will not work on wet surfaces such as damp paper or canvas.
Verdict
Great value for money if you like to experiment often with different mediums and don’t mind having separate sets instead of one multi-marker pen style tool.
What to Look for When Buying Watercolor Pens
Watercolor brush pens are available at most art and craft stores, as well as online for purchase.
- It’s best if they’re waterproof so the ink will not bleed after it has dried overnight on your paper or project surface.
- The best watercolor brush pens are those that have vibrant colors, smooth ink flow, and do not bleed or spread when wet.
- Sakura Koi is one of the most popular brands for quality yet affordable water brush pens.
How Do You Take Care of Watercolor Brush Pens?
Clean brushes by cleaning off excess ink immediately after painting—this prevents color buildup that can dry within bristles over time making them unusable later on!
Make sure you’re only dipping in water so no soap gets onto bristles as this would cause damage.
Final Words
The best watercolor brush pens are capable of creating stunning artwork. It’s an excellent way for artists to learn the basics of watercoloring without investing in expensive paints and brushes. The process is very similar, however, you use a pen instead of traditional paint materials to create your work.
If you’re new to this type of art form, it can seem overwhelming at first due to all the options available on the market today and trying to figure out what makes one product better than another option. We created our list with beginners in mind so we could recommend products that will not only help improve your skills but also be easy enough for anyone just getting started in this genre!