When it comes to brush pens there is one among the many that stands out to all bullet journalers. The Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens are among the brush pen greats – but do they stand up to the hype? Let’s find out in my honest Tombow brush pen review.
So I sounded a bit like a reality TV show host for a baking show there. I should probably stop watching The Great British Bake Off on Netflix.
Tombow brush pens are the most pictured and most used pens from some of the biggest influencers in bullet journaling. We see them for tutorials, in those perfect Instagram photos, and on every blog.
Today I am breaking down what these pens are really like so you can decide if it’s worth the money.
The Hype
When it comes to recommended Bullet Journal supplies Tombow brush pens are absolutely at the top of the list. There are products that are fantastic and then there are products that are so hyped that they seem almost too good to be true.
The hype behind Tombow brush pens is that the brush pen bounces back quickly, the color is consistent, and the pens are better than any other brush pen.
Well I have only tried one other brush pen so I can’t make any claim that the Tombow brush pen is better than any other. What I can do is give you a verdict on all the important things we look for in our brush pens.
Different Tombow Brush Pen Color Sets
First let’s take a look at the different colors sets you can get with Tombow. They are good about pairing colors and making the pens more affordable for you to buy them as you need to.
- Bright
- Desert Flora
- Galaxy
- Greyscale
- Holiday Edition
- Landscape
- Citrus
- Muted
- Pastel
- Portrait
- Primary
- Secondary
- Tropical
- 96 Color Set
Colors
When it comes to brush pens we want to know that the colors that come out are consistent so that your lettering or art work looks it’s best. When a pen doesn’t give you consistent color or leaves blank spots it can make your hard work not look as great as it could.
After months of using the Tombow Brush Pen I can say with confidence that the color is true. It comes out evenly and blends nicely with other colors as well.
Brush Tip
The brush tip on the Tombow brush pens bounces back faster than other pens that’s for sure. This means you can use these pens easily for modern calligraphy and you don’t have to worry about waiting or rotating your pen so you can keep lines fluid.
One of the best parts about the Tombow brush pen tips is that they are self cleaning. This means you can blend colors on the pens themselves to create those beautiful ombre looks in your calligraphy.
Thin Tip
The thin tip isn’t super thin but it’s great for creating shadows on your lettering and outlining designs. Unlike the thin tips they are extremely firm with no give. You will get an extremely solid line.
This firmness does mean that you should be careful with your pressure on the paper. If you press too hard you can have bleeding or tear at the paper.
Like the brush tips though these tips are self cleaning as well so you can do blending with them and the color will remove from the tip.
Using Tombow Brush Pens To Create Watercolor Designs
Tombows are fantastic for creating watercolor designs. Simply scribble on a glass or hard plastic surface to create and use a brush, brush pen, or the blendable pen that comes with most color sets to pick up the color and create your design.
While I’m still a purest in painting and using brushes will always be the better way to go with watercolor designs, the Tombow does make it easy to create a beautiful design without completely soaking your paper.
So you can create watercolor calligraphy or just do some blending by pressing two tips together to share the color. Below you can see I used purple and pink in my first go with blending. While not perfect with some practice you can absolutely create a beautiful hand lettered quote.
Tombow Brush Pen Review
The Tombow brush pen is a versatile tool for any bullet journaler and hand lettering fan. The blendability paired with self cleaning tips means you can mix and match your colors to create fantastic designs and spreads.
I love how the pen easily bounces back with lettering making it super easy to use and practice with.
I have tried other brush pens but the Tombow is by far my favorite and easiest to use. The tips do not fray like other brush pens. It’s the self cleaning tips that really make this pen worth the price.
The hype is real with Tombows and they are well worth the money.
Have you tried the Tombow dual tip brush pens yet? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Do you have bullet journal spreads you would like shared? Email them to Crystal@BulletJournalAddict.com and they may be featured on an Instagram post and/or to the blog. Please leave your IG Username so I can tag you in the posts. Follow me on Pinterest for more like this and pin this to your Bullet Journal boards.
Related Posts:
- An Honest Review Of Scribbles That Matter Brush Pens
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- Scribbles That Matter Journal Review
- 13 Best Bullet Journal Supplies For Beginners
Best brush pens out there. Have used them for 20 yrs +.
Colors are brilliant, clean and sharp.
Own almost 100 pens.
Excellent product.
Love these!