My Favorite Journaling Pens (From a Mark-Curious Perspective)

I wouldn’t call myself a pen enthusiast in the traditional sense. Like, I can’t tell you the anatomy of a pen or rank them by ink formulation.

What does fascinate me is the mark itself. I'm more interested in how different pens move, drag, glide, hesitate, or sharpen a moment on the page.

In my journaling and creative play, pens are less about refinement and more about curiosity. These are five pens I reach for again and again because they’re reliable companions while I play.

Uchida LePen

This pen feels like precision distilled. The line feels so smooth and accurate, that it almost disappears into intention. I love using LePens for fine details like tiny textures, and subtle outlines.

They have a very soft marker like feel to them that I can't quite explain, but its so responsive. I do wish they came in more colors, but there’s something about that constraint. They’re my go-to when I want control without stiffness.

Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic

These gel pens are pure satisfaction. Yes, they take a moment to dry, and I've smeared it so many times cause I've gotten impatient. But that glide is worth it. The ink feels almost like it’s floating across the page, leaving behind luminous, playful marks that immediately shift the mood of a spread.

I use these when journaling feels a little too serious and needs a touch of delight. The white versions of the gel pen though...those can be a hit or miss, IYKY. Their moonlight sets are beautiful too, but I'm drawn to metallics when it comes to gel pens.

Tombow Fudenosuke (Hard Tip)

This pen taught me a lot about pressure and direction. The hard tip is incredibly maneuverable, which makes it perfect for experimenting with lettering, even if you don’t consider yourself a letterer.

It responds quickly and rewards small adjustments, which makes it feel almost alive in a way. I love it for expressive titles and marks that feel intentional but not overworked. If you are interested in lettering I think these would be worth your while to start playing with.

Pentel Slicci (0.25 mm)

I’ve been using this pen for over a decade and that alone says something. The 0.25 mm tip is incredibly precise. It’s the pen I reach for when I want to fill EXTRA tiny spaces, add texture, or work small without losing clarity. It’s dependable in a way that lets me focus on the page.

Sakura Pigma Micron

This one does it all: archival, comes in multiple line sizes, and while my favorite (0.50) isn’t pictured—because I already ran through the ink 😅—every version has earned its place. They’re dependable across so many situations: sketching, outlining, journaling, layering marks. When I don’t know what kind of line I need yet, this is usually the pen I grab first.

Final Thoughts

In my creative journaling practice, these pens show up again and again because I trust them. I approach journaling as a relationship with the spread. Each of these pens makes a distinct mark, and learning their personalities and possibilities has become part of my creative rhythm. This thinking extends to all of my art supplies. They are vehicles for the ideas I want to see come to life.

Want to See These Pens in One Place?

I keep a small, curated idea list with some of the journaling pens I reach for most— including the ones mentioned above.

👉 View my favorite journaling pens here
(A corner of tools I actually use and enjoy.)

Some links on that list are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share supplies I genuinely use in my own journaling and creative play.