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10+ Best Fountain Pen Inks for Illustrators and Letterers

By Margherita Cole on June 17, 2021

Photo: Stock Photos from ERNY TELLEZ/Shutterstock
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Both hand-letterers and illustrators love fountain pens for their objective beauty and their expressive line variation. And since most fountain pens are refillable, that means you can try all kinds of different inks, from black to shades of blue to other colors in the rainbow. We've made your search easier by collecting the best fountain inks to try.

Before you start looking at inks, it's important to consider what you want to make and analyze the fountain pen you'll be using. If you're using your utensil to produce artwork, for instance, you might prefer to have a black waterproof ink that will allow you to go over your drawing with water-based media without worrying about bleeding. Similarly, if you're more interested in traditional hand-lettering, you might be inclined to purchase a variety of colorful inks to create more intricate calligraphy. Another thing to keep in mind is whether your fountain pen has a converter built into its design, or whether you need to purchase attachments to try bottled inks.

Our pick for the best overall ink is the Platinum Carbon Black ink. Not only is it resistant to water and fading, but it also does not bleed through ordinary copy paper, making it an ideal first choice for illustrators and hand-letterers alike. Scroll down to see more picks for the best fountain pen inks in black, blue, and other colors.