Writing Pens and Pencils

Fountain pens are ideal if If you like writing with flowing ink. LAMY Safari Pens are a superb quality German made pen range, with the added advantage of being able to change the nib to suit your preference and also to use bottled ink or cartridges. With its modern aesthetic, durability, and interchangeable fine nib, which writes smoothly and is forgiving to people who are just learning to work with fountain pens, it is very popular with students and school age children. The Parker IM range of stylish fountain pens are also a good quality fountain pen. For a premium writing experience, you can replace the ink using a convertor. This is also cost-effective in the long-run, as you can keep your pen forever while trying out different ink during its lifespan. There is always a colour or style to suit your needs.

A more practical and versatile pen for writing is the ballpoint pen. Easy to keep with you, available in blue or black ink. We have many different designs and colours as well as some really fun pens from Legami. Some brands are also available in red, green or even pink or purple. Ball point pens use use oil-based, quick-drying ink and feature a ball bearing made from brass, steel, or tungsten carbine at the tip. As the ball bearing rolls across the page it turns and draws ink creating a consistent ink line with a quick dry time. Some good examples of these pens are the Bic Crystal and the Uniball Jetstream.

Rollerball pens use a water-based ink for even smoother, finer writing that requires less hand pressure. As the ink is more liquid, it tends to dry more slowly than a ballpoint pen. Some of the best and most popular rollerball pens are the Pilot V5 and V7 These are classic models and have consistent ink flow for smooth, bold writing every time. Some prefer the rollerball as the ink is thinner and glides onto the paper with less pressure. Available in a wide price range, these a good option for you in the office, school or at home.

Gel pens have become increasingly popular over the last few years. They work in a similar way to rollerballs, but instead of ink they use a water-based gel to transfer pigments onto a variety of surfaces. There are many colour options and are very popular for colouring projects. Some are erasable too such as the Pilot Erasable FriXion Gel Pens. The Uniball Signo 207 is also a popular model and is well known to produce fine uniform lines.

Highlighters are useful in many settings and the new pastel ranges have become very popular for colouring. Stabilo Boss are the brand we recommend as being the best quality on the market currently. From pastels to neon, standard size to mini – we have the highlighter for you!

A very traditional writing or drawing tool, the pencil can be traditional or mechanical. Graphite first became widely used following the discovery of a large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England in 1564. In the UK we are familiar with the Derwent brand, still manufactured in the Lake District. At Colemans we stock all the major brands from Staedtler, Derwent, Faber-Castell to name but a few – in differing levels of hardness from 8B to 7H. Useable for all purposes from writing to drawing.