My love affair with stationery and collecting it with intent to amass a diverse collection began in earnest last year when my art journaling habit allowed me to tap into a healthier version of my tween years reverence for art supplies. Enraptured by brief mangaka dreams, whatever “manga-specific” art supplies that would come into my possession I would rarely ever use in favor of displaying them in my room to gaze at yearnfully until they’d either dry out or a friend was willing to buy them off me. Some of which was ultimately for the best, as my few alcohol markers I lacked any paper for that could handle swatching nor could I tolerate the intense fumes without headache. It would take a great deal of time for me to hack away at this reluctance to use nicer supplies (and even then I have yet to render myself mentally capable of using alcohol markers) and then only for journaling applications before I would eventually let myself draw with anything nice.

 My collection was first built atop the few childhood collection survivors starting during a time of intense burnout and depression when I had very little to occupy myself except the extremely stimulating activity of art supply review videos matched to my considerable savings and lack of future plans. Through this unhealthy spending coping mechanism I acquired many of these supplies over a relatively short period of time and can’t claim to have experimented with them all to their fullest extent. It should also be noted that I have a huge preferential weight on the sensory experience of each item in a way that the experience of holding/using a pen, the various sound it makes, and other tactile aspects of use are at the forefront of my mind occasionally higher than utility or other measures of quality. To further understand my preferences, I often use most of my pens/art supplies on smooth paper as close to mixed media as possible for I loathe bleedthrough. I prefer sketchier styles of illustration and deprioritize blending when coloring.

Note: This article does not cover all of what I’d call a favorite nor does it necessarily cover all of what I use most frequently. I would also feel weird calling out all the specific places where I purchase my supplies, but I have to make special mention of JetPens where I discovered many entries on this list in the first place and the personal significance of one of my daily journals coming from a suggestion made in one of their articles. For most stationery supplies, you can safely assume I got it from there.

PENS

Zebra Sarasa Clip Pens 0.5mm gel pens

 A fantastic all-around gel pen for writing and doodling. Among my first set purchases with a collecting mindset, I’ve used at least one pen from the original set I purchased every single day in my daily calendar doodle journal. Minimal skipping, deeply satisfying click noise when retracted, and heavenly tactile writing experience with a truly gel-like ink. I’ve had very few issues with any pen from the core or vintage color selections. The only 0.5mm clip pens I’d advise against are the milk colors which all had serious issues with skipping and in one case the tip somehow managed to break in a way that gouges my paper. When the milk pens do work, however, the ink is delightfully opaque and vibrant like all the other Sarasa pens. The color selection is unmatched for gel inks with no pen in the complete set too light to use on standard paper. The vintage colors are an especially stunning range of off-black and retro colors with a uniquely designed body that only, unfortunately, has less grip support than the standard Sarasa Clip pen. An honorable mention worth noting from the Sarasa pen line is the Sarasa Mark On gel pen which resembles the standard black, red, and blue Clip pens in every way except an even faster drying time suitable for quick highlighting and paper with slower drying time such as Tomoe river paper.

Uni-ball Signo UM-151 0.38mm gel pens

 An exemplary 0.38mm gel pen that consistently outperforms nearly every other with seamless ink flow and sense of precision. Though on the slightly pricier side of fine-point gel pens, they more than prove their worth with their consistent performance and stellar color range for the 0.38mm size. The only Signo UM-151 pens I’ve ever used that had any issues with skipping or clogging was the blue green ink color, one of which clogged in a way that I have yet to completely find a work around despite the pen having near full ink. Strangely, this is consistent across reviews I’ve read for this specific color and not likely due to coincidental duds or one of these pens coming from a strange, heavily discounted multi-pack of otherwise perfectly functional pens. My sole other complaint is that some of the 0.38mm pens, despite clearly being 0.38mm, release a consistent amount of too much ink that the marks they produce appear as if they were made with a thicker tip size compared to other colors. I’ve noticed this issue mostly affects darker ink colors, specifically off-black colors such as Bordeaux Black and Blue Black.

Pilot Juice 0.38mm gel pens

 Essentially a budget retractable version of the Signo UM-151 gel pen to the point that many ink colors are borderline indistinguishable from one another. Performs in much the same way as the Signo UM-151 pen (to the point I use the two pens interchangeable in my planner), though they are much more consistent in line thickness across all colors. Satisfying quiet clack when retracted and equally satisfying soft scratching noises when writing with otherwise seamless ink flow. Despite the aforementioned color matching in inks, there are a few colors too vibrant to use in most applications, namely Apple Green and Apricot Orange which are included in the standard 12 color set where I first acquired these pens. My sole other complaint about these otherwise excellent pens are that they are notably slower drying than some other gel pens, particularly any of the larger tip size versions of the Pilot Juice pen which smudged very easily.

Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight 0.6mm gel pens

 More similar to the classic gel pens I remember using from those massive sets as a child, these pens fill me with a rare sense of whimsical nostalgia. While I have generally positive things to say about other gel pens from this brand, with exception of the white classic pens constantly skipping and rapidly losing opacity, the Moonlight pens in the perfect middleground nib size of 0.6mm are my absolute favorites. The vibrant color range has some real surprising inclusions I wouldn’t expect for opaque gel pens thus broadening their applications. These pens hold a particular soft spot in my heart for how well they perform writing on most kinds of washi tape with minimal skipping and rapid drying to the point that I prefer them over other metallic markers or even Sharpies which tend to dry out overly quick. While the fluorescent ink colors are noted to fade if exposed to direct sunlight, I haven’t personally experienced any fading issues over the time I used them. I was, admittedly, on the verge of giving up trying any of Sakura’s Gelly Roll line after the disappointing performance of the Classic white pens despite all their hype and impractical intense bleed of the Stardust pens, but I was beyond glad to have gambled on the full moonlight set.

Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 Metallic and White 1.0mm gel pens

 Consistently hyped above all other white gel pens, I admit the Signo Broad UM-153 pen is a flawed favorite with its temporary flawless performance well-exceeding that of the shameful white gelly roll pen until its premature descent into sloppy skipping. If you are unable to get away with using a white paint pen on whatever surface you need a white pen for, this is by far your best bet if the thick line is a non-issue. The two metallic pens of this same line in gold and silver, on the other hand, are unproblematic kings of thick metallic pens far outperforming any other metallic gel pen in terms of ink juiciness and longevity of a given pen. Much like the Moonlight gelly roll pens, they also perform excellently over washi tape and dry remarkably quick with minimal smudging. On the pricier side for a gel pen made worse by how quickly they run out, but one of the few pens I will still replace without hesitation as needed.

Pilot Metropolitan Medium Italic nib fountain pen

 Baby’s first ever proper fountain pen (i.e. one that isn’t either disposable or super budget). I am by no means a font of knowledge when it comes to fountain pens and my own researching on this pen didn’t extend far past noticing the line was consistently lauded as an excellent budget-friendly beginner pen to justify a pen that at first mostly had me smitten with the orange color and delightful mod pattern of its retro pop line design. Even with little else to compare it to, I am compelled to say the people were correct for this is truly a divine writing experience worthy of the most expensive singular pen I own. In fact, it does its job so well I am not for a moment tempted to buy any more fountain pens as I am beyond content with this one for as long as it lasts me. The solidity and weightiness of the pen in my hand is nothing short of luxurious and writing with it improves my borderline illegible handwriting tenfold. Ink cartridges designed specifically for this pen are also very cheap in multipacks, though I have noticed a consistent issue where after using a black ink cartridge any ink I attempt to use with the pen with its included converter appears tinted darker. The converter also doesn’t hold much ink and will often need to be refilled before each use, but I would not know if this was standard for fountain pens.

ART SUPPLIES

Zebra Mildliner Brush pen highlighters

 Already fond of the highlighter Mildliners leftover from my first bullet journaling phase, I became quickly intrigued by these brush pen versions once I saw more people were using them for art applications instead of just hand lettering (something I lacked interest in or ability). Possibly my most used art supply, the muted color selection of Mildliners and their subsequent versatility is simply unmatched for someone like me who isn’t that demanding when it comes to the blending potential of my markers. The gentle ink bleeds through most paper minimally and each juicy pen has a long lifespan. The design choice to make the non-brush tip of the marker even finer point than the chisel Mildliner was perfect allowing for even greater versatility for someone with both versions in a single color. My sole complaint is the total petty non-issue of desperately wanting the newer color releases in brush pen form as soon as possible.

Kuretake Zig Fudebyori brush pens

 Possibly my true favorite brush pen, a more recent acquisition to my collection on a total gamble after a disappointing experience of unknowingly using the light gray color pen on completely unsuitable paper for shading. A perfect middle ground size for the fray-resistant brush tip and incredibly vibrant color selection, there’s nothing negative to report. The light pen body makes using these markers for simple coloring all the more pleasant of an experience. I’ve yet to also try using these pens with a water brush for watercolor effects as they are capable of as I’ve been so content reaching for them for solid coloring. Used in this way, I’ve had very issues with bleedthrough after my initial negative experience on most other papers.

Uni Posca Acrylic paint pens

 Reliable friends of markers, I’ve used these largely on canvas for cat paintings and occasionally on other surfaces for detailing. The only issue I’ve ever had with any of these paint pens were most tip sizes of beige experiencing consistent issues with running out of paint quicker than other colors. Beyond that, Posca markers were my first introduction to working with any kind of paint properly for finished pieces and one of the first art supplies I slowly amassed a sizable collection of in all different colors and tip sizes. I’ve yet to scratch the surface of the potential for these markers and the many different surfaces they are capable of being used on outside my rare adventurousness doodling on the cover of sketchbooks, but I am eager to get more experimental with them soon.

Pilot Eno erasable colored mechanical pencils 0.7mm

 By far, the best erasable colored pencil I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with both in terms of color selection (even limited as it is) and sheer erasability compared to the otherwise serviceable performance of the Prismacolor col-erase which also has an inferior writing experience. The Pilot Eno pencil is smooth and rarely breaks or jams the mechanisms of the pencil. Further, the pen bodies are super affordable and lead refills even more so making them all the easier to justify using in regular sketching. The vibrant color of marks made with the lead, particularly the red, purple, and dark blue, are striking enough to be left on their own as finished sketches.

Tom Bow Dual Brush markers

 Admittedly, I wasn’t entirely sold on these markers for the longest time after my heavy handed clumsiness brutalized the brush tip of my first graytones set. The brush tip was too broad for most brush pen applications I had at the time and I hardly had access to the right kind of mixed media paper that would tolerate additional layers and attempts at blending. I was only recently after I came into a stroke of thrifting luck where I got a huge handful of the markers in a mixed bag of assorted pens that I used them properly and fell quickly. I’ve yet to complete any pieces making full use of their blending or any serious watercolor potential, but I simply can’t deny how often I reach for them when coloring. Those few markers I’ve taken greater care with have endured minimal fraying and maintain precision. The color range is top-notch and the ink lasts for a very long time before getting overly streaky.

Sakura Micron pens

 Incredibly popular, I wasn’t entirely sold on these pens writing them off as overhyped fads until I tried out a multi-color pack I got on sale and realized just how minimally they feathered or bled through even paper ill-suited for ink. Once I began to break down my habit of being too heavy-handed while inking or using any kind of fineliner, I was able to use the entire range to great effect with minimal issue of fraying or breakage with exception of the brush tip pens which fray so much even after exclusive usage on smooth paper without any tooth to just be plain lousy. I have a special fondness for the light and dark gray colors as well as the line variation possible with the PN tip. My only color option complaint is that the standard green color pen is an odd choice I wish was less common or replaced by the hunter green ink in multi-color packs.

Faber Castell Pitt Artist pens

 Another recent acquisition I’ve grown fond of that I stayed away from initially due to its price. While I still find the pens to be overpriced, I love the experience of inking with these liners comparable to the experience of Microns, except sturdier and almost drier in a strangely satisfying way. From my limited experience with the brush pens and color range of these pens, I enjoy bringing the cold gray brush pen range with me for observational sketches, though the glaring gap in cold gray values skipping over much needed midtones has left me wanting on several occasions. Worth noting that while the brush tip is rather sturdy, the soft brush tip is prone to fraying even with a light hand. Same goes for the soft chisel.

PAPER

Hobonichi weeks planner

 I coveted the idea of being one of those Hobonichi devotees with their fancy little planner with its sublime fountain pen paper pages for nearly an entire year so I could have a proper full year’s worth of usage. Let me tell you, it was beyond worth it. About eight months into my Hobonichi weeks as of the time of writing, I am in disbelief that a planner not of my own bullet journal layout alchemy is working so well for me and managed to simultaneously reduce the amount of setup required for my planner-specific work while increasing the amount of time that I simply want to be working on my planner. I entered this planner starting mid-way through December of the year prior as an experimental test phase with the mindset of not only functional planner usage, but also treating the planner as something akin to one of my journal artifacts that captures another side of my life at the time. The weekly page layouts were perfect for this, allowing for an open gridded space beside each week I’ve taken to using for more freeform doodling and writing quotes from whatever I’ve been reading as well alongside simpler bullet point lists each day of what I did. These simple practices have drastically transformed my sense of time, rendering weeks more distinct and making it easier for my struggling memory to grasp a stronger sense of a timeline of when I did what. Apart from the weekly spreads, I’ve greatly enjoyed some of the other unique pages like random questions at the back I’ve answered at different points in the year and the yearview tracking spread at the front I’ve used for word a day style journaling. The only parts of the planner I haven’t ended up using that much are the back pages (making me glad I didn’t get the Mega version of the planner with even more pages) as the otherwise incredible paper has a slower drying time making it more difficult to flip between pages while working on them. Even when setting up planning and scheduling things in future weeks I find myself having to wait several minutes as a precaution before flipping pages. Beyond this relatively minor issue, I love using this planner beyond what I could have imagined and even when attempted planning styles or usage of certain spreads in certain ways fail I don’t feel even faintly demoralized into giving up on the planner.

Sketchbooks

 Unfortunately, I don’t have any noteworthy sketchbooks I feel any desire to rave about in a spotlight. Even the Moleskine art sketchbooks I currently use for my daily art journaling I cannot move myself into gushing about as I feel the paper quality is no longer worth the price of the sketchbooks which I am personally finding increasingly harder to find without having to pay higher extra shipping. I have continued to stick with these sketchbooks only out of fear of the possible 100+ day commitment to something new and the reassurance that the binding of these sketchbooks are still top notch and no matter how collage-y I get with my art journaling I have no fear of the binding falling apart. It will only look a bit ugly.

 A sketchbook I use and briefly considered as a replacement art journal is the budget-friendly Royal Talens sketchbook which only understandably falls short as far as paper weight is concerned meaning there’d be more bleedthrough in my entries than I was accustomed to. Tom Bow dual brush pens disintegrate the paper with greater ease specifically. The sketchbook is otherwise excellent for your standard dry media and fineliner without any bleedthrough or risk of shredding pen tips.

 Otherwise worth noting is the standard Artist Loft sketchbook (or really any other similar type of generic brand you’ll find cheap in your local art/craft stores) has been very serviceable to me for rough sketches, graphite drawings, and sloppier experimental work. The only negative of some of these sketchbooks is that the binding tends to fall apart easily when stored in bags, but they are cheap enough books I have no qualms with taping them up. One smaller Art Alternatives hardbound sketchbook I’ve kept in my purse nonstop for a year and a half though and the binding is shockingly intact, only roughed up at the edges.

OTHER

Washi tape honorable discussion

 My truest love in this world I am most known to speak of almost lustfully. I have minimal impulse control when it comes to washi tape and cannot name many specific brands or sources that really stand out to me. I loved several individual rolls I’ve gotten from various brands off JetPens and have had mostly decent luck with those few non-ugly sets I’ve used coupons on at local craft stores. My absolute favorite washi tapes in my collection have all been direct purchases from artists off Etsy or at conventions where I become a singularly-minded washi tape hunting fiend. Naming specific beloved washi tapes and which artists I purchased them from would require its own article as it would be much easier to name the few negative experiences I’ve had with certain brands of tape. For starters, The Happy Planner brand slim washi tapes have slipped into abysmal quality lately with an insulting low in adhesiveness. Nothing is more irksome than having to secure slim washi tape down with glue or even more tape. Similarly, the adhesiveness of newer Park Lane washi tapes have been disappointing even compared to the tape in a massive pack of other basic color patterned tapes from the brand I lucked out thrifting.

Cardstock paper packs

 My secret secondary weakness I had to mention despite how problematic the scrapbook approach to my art journaling pasting in all this cardstock has become. But very little can stop me when the local craft stores have deals on those random scrap packs of cardstock which comprise the entire heavy bottom four shelves of one of my craft organization towers. This affinity isn’t even because I find particular gems in these scrap packs or derive an experimental value from acquiring more, I simply cannot be stopped. I love having solid color pieces of cardstock to paste in my sketchbooks even if the paper itself isn’t exactly designed for some of the supplies I use over the top of them.