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bustermaximus In reply to a-schlag [2012-06-12 05:49:15 +0000 UTC]

I'm not sure. My 4x0 period was fairly short-lived, and spent on larger pieces that I had never posted, and have subsequently lost the scan files. I found equilibrium with the 3x0 pretty quickly, which is what I use most of the time. I think this crow is probably 2x0. If I'm not mistaken, Tribal Profile [link] might have been done with the 4x0, at least the facial details and shading, anyway.

What I think you can probably see from all this, though, is that the difference of a few hundredths of a millimeter in line width probably isn't going to make much of a difference to the quality of the drawing, unless you're working very small. The tradeoff of such a small increase in width for a sturdier and better-handling nib is, as a friend recently put it, a cake or death scenario . The larger nibs are the cake.

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a-schlag In reply to bustermaximus [2012-06-12 12:55:13 +0000 UTC]

haha i think i just gained a new favorite comedian
But unless by sturdier you mean less likely to clog, then I don't really mind because I've never had a .16 break, just problems when the ink's doing this constantly enough while i draw without stopping forever with no hope of return of doing this agian. its just .25 feels a little too heavy a line for me and if .18 mm is a happy medium, then I'm game for it. I mean it is 7/25 thinner than a .25 but it's 5/13 bigger than a .13 (which is 1/20 of a mm)which might give it just enough space to not clog as easily. but do you have any experience with a 4x0 clogging?

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bustermaximus In reply to a-schlag [2012-06-13 09:14:43 +0000 UTC]

No, my 4x0 was pretty reliable when I used it. During that time, I was putting in dozens and even hundreds of hours of a single drawing, and only had one pen to my name, so you can imagine that I put it through its paces. One thing I would advise is that fancy pens like fancy paper. The very least quality paper I use with my pens is the extra smooth "paper for pens" like what's produced by Pentalic or Borden & Riley. Anything that isn't sturdy and smooth is just going to cause headaches in the long run.

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a-schlag In reply to bustermaximus [2012-06-13 14:58:21 +0000 UTC]

Is Cachet sketchbook paper not high enough quality? I'm pretty sure it's cold press so less loose fibers at least.

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bustermaximus In reply to a-schlag [2012-06-14 20:58:52 +0000 UTC]

I don't know. Most sketchbook paper has a pretty loose fiber structure and a rough tooth, which I've found isn't the best conditions for tech pens. The paper for pens I've linked are both pretty affordable and work really well with the pens. If you ever run across a pad, I'd definitely recommend it.

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a-schlag In reply to bustermaximus [2012-06-15 05:30:39 +0000 UTC]

ok will do. But I got my pen and drawn one piece with little problems. what's the longest I should leave the ink in the pen though?

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bustermaximus In reply to a-schlag [2012-06-16 11:56:55 +0000 UTC]

That I can't tell you. As long as you're using them often, cleaning them regularly, and storing them properly, it shouldn't be much of a worry. Just don't let them sit around long enough for any reserve ink to dry up. That can take weeks without use, though.

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