PILOT Better Retractable Ballpoint Pen, Black Fine Point, 10-COUNT (30000)

I originally was introduced to these pens at a prior job where the environment was constantly wet, yet we needed to constantly document things in very small spaces. We had tons and tons of these. The rooms were sanitized environments, and once they left the rooms, they could no longer be reintroduced, and inevitably they'd float around the building to use to sign off on paperwork, and on occasion you'd find some in your pockets after you got home. I genuinely really liked the pens so having a few around was pleasant.In terms of writing, these are oil based, and less prone to smearing. Accidental water spillage didn't mess up what you wrote down, and a good fine point pen is incredibly nice to have around. These also don't 'skip', and are just beautifully smooth. But after I left my position, I didn't find that I had as much reason to write, so I just kind of kept some around for the rare occasion I needed to jot something down.Fast-forward a couple of years, I got back into art, but had reached a plateau and wanted to go back to basics. I have an iPad but find that it's better to learn to draw traditionally, so I can better understand line weight and flow and all that fun stuff. I would usually reach for a pencil, but I'm sort of heavy-handed, so the graphite inevitably smears. I prefer a traditional pencil over mechanical, but I don't find that my lines aren't as visible as I like, in addition to constantly sharpening them. I also wanted to be looser in my sketching, and not worry so much about being perfect. In addition to my perfectionism was the inclination to erase marks that weren't perfect, so I wanted to eliminate the desire to erase "mistakes" and reached for one of these pens I had around instead.These have been absolutely instrumental in my anatomy studies for all the reasons listed above. They respond extremely well to varying pressure. The lines don't skip, allowing for lightweight sketching that can be built upon with ease. I'm better able to see my lines and recognize how my hand moves, and the weight/ shape/ size of the object/ model I'm studying. I'm able to be loose since the pens glide so easily. Because the ink doesn't smear everywhere, I can look back on previous drawings and not have to gauge what I was doing through a bunch of smudges. And since the lines are so fine, I can better register what I'm seeing as my lines aren't being obscured by drawing over them as I do gestures. These are also teaching me to be more mindful of the amount of pressure I apply, as I'm guilty of digging pencils into paper and leaving those unsightly grooves. I genuinely credit these pens for the astronomical strides I've made in such a short amount of time, and I could go on and on about how great these are. For both artists and the casual writer. These given me the ability to trust in what I'm drawing again, and I've fallen back in love with doing art.I thought I was being crazy in how fond I am of these pens, but I see a fellow artist echoing similar sentiments, and I thought I ought to throw my two cents in there. I may update this listing with some of my sketches, but especially for artists who are into sketching, anatomy studies, doodling, what-have-you: these are top notch. I've tried a lot of different brands over the years and these have been my absolute favorites. I didn't even know it was possible to have favorite pens, but I've been proven wrong. And these are quite affordable. If you do art then you know how crazy expensive art supplies can be. I would add these to your repertoire.So if any of my complaints when drawing sound familiar to you, I'd suggest giving these a try. Pencils have their place and I won't knock them, but if you're a heavy-handed perfectionist, these may help you like they have me. Happy drawing!

I don’t know how many people have to have a certain pen with a certain tip to write but this fine point black is my ideal pen! I did discover that my Bible Study teacher has the same love of this pen and also buys them by the box!! But not because I loose them! I have to have 2 in each purse or tote bag!

Fine point pans never smudge. The only negative is that they are not very comfortable. They are hard and very slender and are hard to get a good grip on. The fact that they write so well outweighs the comfort issue.

I’ve many pens but this one is hands down my favorite.

I was looking for regular fine ballpoint pens that do not smear. I don't know why Papermate is not available anymore, they were perfect.These are good as they don't smear (for the most part; they do sometimes), but I am used to regular/traditional pens where you have to press harder and I prefer that. With these Pilot pens, you only need to touch the paper lightly.

I Love these pens, I have been using them for 20 yrs. Fine tip pen for clear writing filling out forms and logs. Grooves on grip makes it easy to hold. No rubber to get stuck putting it in shirt pocket or clip board holder.

If you like a fine point pen, this is the pen for you. I have used this brand for years. It is the “perfect” pen.

this was a very simple and straightforward order