This review was written by Elizabeth P. a Pentel PEN-fessional, and blogger of No Pen Intended. Elizabeth P. received no monetary compensation for this entry.

The good people of Pentel were kind enough to send me a surprise sampler pack of a whole host of 2011's new Pentel goodies! I'm especially interested in the Pentel Arts products, and figured I'd start with the black, white, and grey stuff. Specifically, the Sign Pen Pigment, Sign Pen Brush Tip, Aquash Brush with Pigment Ink, Super Hi-Polymer Block Eraser, and the Twist-Erase UP Pencil.

Hands-down favorite has to be the Aquash brush. It's got light black (or, as I like to call it, GREY) pigment ink and a nylon bristle brush. Sure, it looks kind of weird, but who cares; even my inexpert wielding of this instrument has been nothing but fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike watching paint dry, watching the bristles take on ink is quite interesting. Could just be me though.

The two Sign pens and the Aquash brush made a pretty good team for inking and shading: regular Sign pen for straight lines, brush Sign pen for organic lines with more character and variation in thickness, and the Aquash for making things grey and wonderful.

Brush Tip Sign Pen, Aquash Brush, and Sign Pen

The pencil's okay. The eraser had an annoying tendency to twist itself all the way out to maximum extension when I'd carry it in my pencil case. The aesthetic, I admit, is fun, but I think perhaps I would have appreciated it more when I was in high school.

Don't get me wrong. I love silver and purple. I love this execution of silver on purple. I just would have probably loved it EVEN MORE somewhere between the 7th and 11th grade.

The pencil I could take or leave. But the Hi-Polymer Eraser I'd definitely take. It erases well, never tears up or otherwise mysteriously ruins the paper (I'm looking at you, shoddy no-name brand pink erasers), and makes very few eraser crumbs. If only there were a click-stick version of the Hi-Polymer Black eraser....man, I would need no other erasers. Bonus: this eraser never looks dirty, unlike SOME (/every other) eraser colors.

Thanks again to Pentel for the opportunity to try out these products!