After dropping off my children to school I’ll often swing by my local Costas for a quick coffee before heading over to the drawing board. Now I’ll nearly always have a sketchbook about my person, no matter where I am. But…not this morning. I did have my pen, however, so I made do with a napkin and went about my morning exercise. I love wasting time doodling in a cafe. Although I’m not wasting time at all. I’m thinking…I’m working. (I love my job).

It was only when I flicked on the laptop this morning and had a quick read of Ali’s post about pens that it set me thinking about my choice. I agree  the choice of pen for signing is very important. I’m quite fussy.Personally I just don’t get on with Sharpies but prefer the rather cheeky Staedtler Lumocolor. This bad boy will write on pretty much anything in front of it’s eager little nib. Many a happy child has skipped away with a signature tattooed on the top of their head when I’ve run out of paper. Oh yes, it’ll even right on hair. Now how cool is that?

That said, it does have a tendency to bleed on some surfaces… ink you understand, not blood. (Thought I’d clarify that for the David Gatwards amongst you). So, like the Sharpie, I only use the Lumocolor for shiny surfaces. Otherwise, I use my favorite type of pen – fibre tips! My choices, either the Faber Castell PITT Artist Pen (medium), or the Pilot Drawing Pen (0.8)

Y’know I’m starting to worry this post is getting rather dull and not just a little geeky. I’ll move on quickly: being an author what does the pictures too, the choice of pen, for me, is quite personal as I try to make a little doodle alongside my signature. Different pens will give you different effects. A black pen, by its very nature, will produce a black line. But that line can be thick, thin, even, uneven, broken etc etc. Not all authors use pens of course. I have a signed edition of an incredible picture book called Death, Duck and the Tulip. Yes, a picture book! It is written and illustrated by the fantastic German author /illustrator Wolf Erlbruch. Possibly best known in this country for illustrating the quirky picture book The Story of the Little Mole who knew it was None of His Business. (More about him and his work soon).

Now I’m not sure you could get this effect with a fibre tip pen. Well, I couldn’t, anyway.  This beautiful drawing was produced with a Chingraph pencil. I guess the overall message here is: Each to their own.

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