The pen pulls ink from this reservoir or cartridge through a feed system with the use of gravity and capillary action. Short ink life Gel ink pens use more ink and so the refills must be replaced more often than standard ballpoint pens.įountain pens use a nib to write and come with either a built in reservoir or use cartridges or a converter to hold the ink.Longer drying time Because gel ink dos not soak into the paper as quickly the drying time is delayed.Writing quality Gel ink creates a nice sharp edge on the line with little bleeding or feathering.Bright vibrant color Gel ink comes in a wide selection of colors.The tip size on gel ink pens typically range between 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm. Gel ink pens use the same style delivery system as ballpoint pens or rollerball pens. This creates a sharper line but also a slower drying time.

The ink is thick and opaque and tends to bubble on the surface before soaking in.

Gel ink is pigmented ink where the pigment is suspended in water. Not travel friendly Rollerball pens are more likely to leak when exposed to changes in pressure during airplane flights or altitude changes.Uncapped pens leak When left uncapped rollerball pens can leak especially when left in a shirt pocket.Short ink refill life Rollerball ink refills do not last as long as ballpoint refills because they use more ink when writing.Bleed & Feathering Because rollerball ink soaks quickly into the paper it can bleed and soak through the page leaking onto the next page.Less pressure required Because the ink on a rollerball pen flows easier less pressure is required to write evenly creating less hand stress and improved comfort.Color selection Rollerball ink typically have a greater range of colors because there is more water soluble dyes as and pigments.Good for left handers and fast writers with standard paper. Quick Drying Because the ink soaks quickly into the paper it dries quicker and there is less smudging.Dark line Rollerball ink soaks into the paper creating a nice dark line that is finer than ballpoint pens.Because the ink flows faster and saturates the paper more than ballpoint pen ink, rollerball pens use finer tips with a smaller ball to reduce the size of the line they write. Typical tip sizes for rollerball pens are between 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm. Rollerball pens use a ballpoint style writing mechanism with a water-based ink. The ink flows fast and smooth and creates a nice dark line.

Rollerball ink is a liquid ink and is usually water based. Long writing Not the best pen choice for long writing.This can create an occasional blob of ink when writing or get on your hands, clothes, etc. Messy Ballpoint pen inks can be messy and accumulate around the writing tip of the pen.Long lasting ink refill Ballpoint pen refills typically last longer than other types of ink.Dries quickly The ink on a ballpoint pen dries faster than other types of inks.Less fussy or finicky Ballpoint ink handle the elements better than other types of inks.Smooth writing Ballpoint pen inks writes smoothly and evenly.The most common ballpoint tips are a medium tip that is about 1.0 mm or a fine tip with is about 0.7 mm. Ballpoint pens are great for everyday use as well as for artists and industrial designers because the pens allow for a wide range of shading.īallpoint pens come in various tip sizes. The ink used in ballpoint pens is oil based and was originally designed as a cleaner more reliable alternative to fountain pens. One of the most common and well known pen inks types is a ballpoint pen.

Dark and light taming pen size