10 Reviews: Best Ballpoint Pen for Journal (Apr 2024)

Sakura Micron pens are one of the most reliable and popular sketching pens. They’re great for journaling, writing, and illustrating. There’s a reason for this: the pens glide across the paper, making beautiful, crisp lines. Moreover, these pens are pigment-rich, waterproof, fade-resistant, and do not smear on most types of paper. There is no bleed-through because the ink stays on the top layer of the paper rather than seeping through it.

"The pens are very smooth writing and I enjoy having several nibs and sizes. These are the pens to buy for writing inside you cards as well as addressing you cards. I highly recommend the pens!"

by Barbara Henderson

With the Papermate Inkjoy Gel Retractable Pens, you can draw powerful lines in brilliant, stunning colors. You won’t have to worry about the pens drying out if they’re left uncapped because they’re retractable. The ink dries three times faster, reducing smearing significantly. In addition, the ergonomic comfort grip wraps around the whole pen barrel, making it simpler to grasp when taking notes, planning your schedule, or creating journal layouts.

"Here's the thing I hate gel pens and roller balls. But I was wrong about these. These pens write smooth, no scratching, no skipping, and dries quickly. Give them a try."

by Deal Maker

This Stabilo Point 88 pen set, which comes in 30 different colors at a cheap price, is another good colored fine-liner alternative. These famous pens have been a standard since 1977 and are noted for their hexagonal design, which provides a comfortable but strong grip. The 0.4mm line width of the pen tip allows for accurate writing, drawing, and coloring, as well as underlining text, making intricate drawings, and using rulers and stencils.

"These are perfect for coloring books. No bleeding through the pages, and the super fine tip is great for small spaces."

by Dana Marcinkus

The 20-pack of Staedtler Triplus Fineliners is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a set of multicolored fine liners to add to your collection of journaling pens. Yellow, orange, pinks, violet, brown, and gray are among the colors included in the pack. Moreover, the 0.3mm tip size allows for incredible precision while writing and drawing small lines. The inks have a wonderful, brilliant color tone that practically jumps off the page.

"I literally bought these just to get the wonderful color assortment. The Steadtler pens are awesome. They’re one of my go-to brands for journaling, grading papers, or just writing in general."

by S. DeMitry

Brush pens are excellent for brush lettering, fake calligraphy, watercolor paintings, and journaling. For a monochromatic aesthetic, the Tombow Dual Brush Pen Set in Grayscale comprises ten pens in varied hues of gray. The brushes are constructed of smooth, robust fibers that can withstand pressure and retain their form after usage. The ink is blendable and water-based. If you prefer to mix colors, don’t worry: the tips are self-cleaning, so the markers won’t be permanently damaged.

"They blend pretty well and get darker with more layers. You can blend them out with some water too, if needed! And you can scribble some colors on plastic and pick them up with another marker for a more seamless blend!"

by MNV

Sharpie pens are the ideal balance of quality and price. These pens will quickly become your go-to for everyday journaling, thanks to their tiny tip and smooth grip. Sharpie pens aren’t to be mistaken with the company’s markers; your writing will be bold and smooth, but won’t bleed through to the opposite side of the paper. Moreover, the tiny point enables you to draw clean, precise lines or write clearly and legibly in tight places.

"This is the perfect every day pen. I use it for journaling and for everything really. Absolutely hate pens that leave a blob of ink on the page the second you touch nib to paper, and these NEVER do that."

by Chris

The Pigma Micron Bible Study Kit is a great collection of pens for individuals who want to try something new with their Bible journaling. Sakura’s 05 Pigma Microns and 01 Pigma Micron are among the eight pens included in the kit. Blue, light green, orange, pink, violet, and yellow are some of the Micron 05 hues, whereas black and red are among the Micron 01 note pen colors. The colors contrast well, helping you to highlight the most important sections of your textbook.

"I have one of these black pens and really love using it, so ordered this whole colorful package! The fine tip on these pens are perfect for bible study and provide such a smooth flow for taking notes. High recommended"

by Jennifer P

A slender and flexible synthetic brush comes with the Gasenfude Nylon Brush Pen, which may be used to sketch. The nib has a very tiny tip, which is ideal for drawing fine lines and details. You can produce the broad, bold strokes that make up dramatic letters by pressing down on the brush. The brush pen is ideal for adding dramatic effects to your notebooks, such as page and section headings. The deep, solid black ink is also ideal for adding shade and power lines to your pages.

"I needed an ink that wouldn't dissolve with watercolors. This pen is ideal, just wait for watercolors to dry first and the ink stays put. Love it!"

by Chérie De Sues

A fountain pen is a must-have for your collection if your journaling involves a lot of writing. The Pilot Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen, for example, is a fountain pen that makes writing simpler. The pens have a robust brass barrel with a superior matte finish and polished embellishments that give a touch of class to your journaling. A cartridge, converter, and carrying case are all included with the pen.

"This pen writes like a dream! It is so smooth on the paper, and the medium nib leaves exactly the width of line I like. It makes me look for opportunities to use it!"

by Frank D

The Pilot G2 is popular among both novice and experienced pen users. It has a smooth gel ink flow that makes your writing look more polished and appealing. Additionally, the ink dries quickly. Because the G2 is retractable, you may carry it about in your pocket without worrying about being stabbed. It can also be refilled, but Pilot assures you that you won’t need to do so very often. It has a pleasant grip and comes in four different sizes (.38 mm,.5 mm,.7 mm, and 1.0 mm).

"I love these pens for drawing. I used to use the sharpie pen, but switched to these a while back. They're not terribly waterproof, and your needs may vary, but in my case that's a pro - I'll often combine them with watercolor to get a bleeding effect."

by Smallpoly