Gel pens are a wonderful option if you like the smooth, fun look of using ink with a rollerball pen. Gel pens, also known as gel ink pens, are notorious for being smooth and carrying lots of ink.
Some artists’ burning question when experimenting with a new pen is, ‘Does it bleed?’ It is unusual for gel pens to bleed through paper. Bleeding occurs when the ink is so saturated into the paper that it has no choice but to soak through the entire sheet.
The ink in a gel pen is thicker and more viscous than the ink in a ballpoint pen. It’s also usually loaded with pigments that help prevent bleeding.
When working as an artist, especially a sketch artist or journalist, you’ll appreciate the smooth flow of ink provided by gel pens. These rollerball pens don’t skip when you’re drawing or writing.
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Gelly-like writing implements were once reserved only for children and young adults. They quickly became popular among those who enjoyed writing and drawing in a non-tangible medium. Artists quickly realized the gel pen’s ability to write and draw in a non-tangible medium and its convenience, versatility and reliability.
What is Bleeding?
Ink bleeding occurs when applying pen ink to a surface. In some cases, the ink will seep through to the back of the page, and in other cases, the ink will reach below the surface of the paper onto the color surface below the page. Bleeding happens because of the chemical composition of the ink.
Coloring pages can be messy. Some of the messier items that can get into your paper include, but aren’t limited to, crayons, crumbs, juice, and spills. And while some pens have extra features to help you avoid bleeding, others don’t.
If you want to be able to use your new gel pen, choose a paper that’s not too shiny and has some texture to it. Smooth papers are better for gel pens. Gel pens can be oil-based or water-based.
This refers to the ink that takes substantially less time to dry on the paper than pens that contain oil. If you put a cup of water next to a cup of oil on a counter, the water will evaporate much faster than the oil sitting next to it.
Pens work the same way, and gel pens are a convenient and easy way to write. Gel pens dry faster than most of the other pen options available, so they’re a good choice if you’re looking to speed things up.
What Makes a Pen Bleed?
When the colorist uses the wrong kind of paper with the pen, it can bleed. Make sure the paper you are using is compatible with the pen so the ink will stay on top of the tooth of the paper.
It’s better to steer clear of thick or absorbent papers for ink that sits on the surface of the paper. Thick paper tends to soak up too much ink and bleed through to the other side, while absorbent paper will soak up the ink and not let it dry.
Do Gel Pens Bleed? The Ultimate Truth
The gel pen, an essential innovation for left-handed artists, has become ubiquitous. It is a great way to avoid smears and smudges.
Favorite for their variety and dependability, gel pens are low-maintenance and easy to use. Gel pens rarely skip or blot. They can be counted on for consistency, too. We love gels. I’ve never met a gel pen I didn’t like.
I love gel pens, but when I use a gel pen, I find that the ink dries too quickly. It’s almost like the ink evaporates too fast. You can’t beat a regular pen for color variety.
Gel pens come in every shade of every color imaginable- even neon and metallic ones. Gels are the only ink that can also contain glitter. Now that’s variety!
Gel pens dry quickly, which makes them a great choice for left-handed artists. It’s this quick drying time that limits smearing and bleeding when using gel pens. Although gel pens can be a little expensive if you’re looking for versatility, they are worth the cost.
If you are interested in using gel pens for adult coloring books, you’re not alone. Gel pens are a common choice for coloring enthusiasts, especially when looking to highlight a particular area, introduce a metallic ink, or glittered ink to a piece.
Many people think gel pens are similar to felt-tipped pens, but gel pens offer a dizzying array of colors from which to choose, plus they don’t bleed like felt-tipped pens. Our favorites are Fiskars.
Here Are a Few Tips for Using a Gel Pen
Ink is the most stubborn substance in the world, so to keep it under control, use thicker paper. If the paper is lightweight or glossy, it will not absorb ink. The artists I’ve worked with recommend Bristol paper, Rhodia classic, and Tomoe River paper.
High-viscosity ink is best. Usually, a thick ink absorbs more quickly without too much worry about smearing or bleeding. Use a barrier paper and put a piece of paper behind what you’re working on to prevent the bleeding from transferring to pages behind the current page.
Use a thicker paper. Thicker papers absorb ink better than thinner papers. Use a high-viscosity ink.
Use thin ink and a thinner paper when you want your pen to last longer. If you like your pen and don’t want to change the paper, put another piece of paper behind what you’re working on to prevent the ink from bleeding onto the back page.
The downside of the Gel Pen is that if you were making a pros and cons list about gel pens, you’d undoubtedly have way more pros than cons. However, there are always preferences. You should choose the pen that suits you best.
Ballpoint pens are extremely versatile, and are a lot less expensive than fountain pens. However, they don’t always produce the kind of results that you can achieve with a fine fountain pen.
Gels can be a budget saver. They’re used for painting or calligraphy, so you’ll only need to use the gel once. Because refills cost less, they’re a good way to cut costs.
A gel pen can’t be used unless the paper is dry. If you make a mistake – don’t use it, because the ink will be permanent. If you’re not confident with using a gel pen, you can use other ink and eraser combinations, but only for short periods of time.
It is impossible to buy a gel pen that won’t leave an annoying mark behind. Plus, it’s important to know which pen is the best tool to use for the task at hand. Not all pens are created equally.
Rollerball pens use ballpoint writing mechanisms, and their ink is usually water-based or gel. Typically, the ink saturates deeply and quickly, dispersing ink over the writing point of the tiny rollerball writing mechanism.
Notably, gel pens are considered roller ball pens. Because the gel ink is pigmented, the color variations are countless. Uncapped roller ball pens tend to dry out quickly, so they are highly recommended to be stored capped.
Another disadvantage to rollerball pens is that they disperse ink in greater quantities than ballpoint. Consequently, they run out of ink more quickly.
Ballpoint pens are more durable than fountain pens. With ink made from a paste, they’re easier to clean and hold more ink. They’re available in two models: Disposable and refillable.
This dye clumps, so it should be cleaned up regularly. There’s nothing too glamorous about it; it just gets the job done. That is its claim to fame.
Rollerball pens use ballpoint writing mechanisms, but their ink is water-based or gelled, unlike the ballpoint. Usually, they have an ink reservoir that saturates the nib with ink after the pen is used. The ballpoint pen, the cheapest pen available, is the most popular writing instrument in the world.
Cleaner and more comfortable to handle than a fountain or dip pen, the ballpoint is a paste form. With about 30% dye, the ballpoint ink has a paste consistency.
If the pens you use clump, take a damp cloth and carefully wipe the tip off. This will remove any build up and get the ballpoint back to doing its job, which is making your writing more accurate.
Now let me ask you a question. Why do fountain pens need to be sharpened every few months? If you frequently use a fountain pen, or if your favorite nib becomes worn, you should sharpen it every few months to prevent the metal nib from wearing down.
This is a great way to get ink to stay on the page. It’s called ‘ghosting.’ This term may be new to you. Ghosting is when the ink doesn’t bleed through the page, but you can see the ink on the other side.
It’s only an issue if you want to use both sides of the paper. Typically, the ghosting is ignored because it doesn’t really exist.
Inking is the pigmentation suspended in thick ink. Even though this is usually thicker than ink in a fountain pen, it can still leak out of a refill capsule.
The clear (or sometimes light yellow) stopper fluid is inserted to prevent leaks. Gel pens are not considered to be toxic, but it’s best to avoid putting them in your mouth.
Anyone who has ever been splattered with black or red marker would know that when the pen cartridge has run out, it can be extremely painful. Don’t panic if you swallow ink; at worst, your mouth will sport an inky lip for a while.
Do Gel Pens Bleed Through Paper
Gel pens are a popular writing tool due to their vibrant colors and smooth ink flow. However, many people wonder whether these pens will bleed through the paper they use. The good news is that gel pens do not typically bleed through paper, as long as you choose the right type of paper. Some higher-quality papers designed specifically for gel pens do not bleed through, while lower-quality papers such as copy paper may show some ink transfer.
If you do experience bleeding with your gel pens, it is usually due to using the wrong type of paper. If you want to avoid this problem, be sure to do your research and choose a quality paper that is designed specifically for use with gel pens. With the right paper, you can enjoy all of the benefits of using these fun and vibrant writing tools without worrying about ink transfer or bleeding through your paper.
Why Choose Gel Pens?
As a coloring enthusiast, you’ll love gel pens for their vibrant colors and long lasting effects. In fact, the gel ink in gel pens is so permanent that some artists even use them for fine-art painting. They also come in a variety of sizes.
Gel pens come in a multitude of color choices. They are fun to use, and their thick ink can add glimmers and flicks of glitter to a paper. Because the ink is thicker, it can even be used to top other types of inks or pigments.
This ink allows for details that can’t be attained while using other inks. Gel pens apply to paper smoothly, making them a good choice for people who find that their wrists and hands ache while coloring for extended periods of time.
These pens create a smooth, flowing line when used on black paper, so they’re ideal for coloring in detail on black paper. They also work great with other colors, so they make an excellent choice for coloring in details.
Ink can easily bleed through to other papers and documents, so if you use a water-based pen you might want to use heavy duty or coated paper.
Once the pen is out of ink, the quality of the mark you make isn’t going to change. No matter how much felt tips wear out, your lines are still going to look good once the ink runs out.
This is why gel pens are such a popular choice for artists everywhere. With this method you never have to worry about throwing away a messy or wet paintbrush.
How to Stop a Gel Pen from Leaking
If you have purchased a large set of pens, you will most likely find some that are malfunctioning. It’s not possible for the brands that I love most to deliver consistently awesome pens 100% of the time. In one such set from Tanmit, one of my favorite brands, I found the following inconsistencies:
- Incorrect cap color,
- Brand-new pens with little or no ink, and
- Pens that leave white lines or marks when trying to fill a space in a set.
The worst problem for me is a set of gel pens where the majority of them leak and smudge. The gel pen that leaks all over your page is more likely to disrupt your journal, drawing or coloring than any other writing utensil. There are some tricks that can be used to help. In this post, I am going to talk about how to stop a gel pen from leaking. There are some things that you can attempt.
Wipe the Nib with a Paper Towel
Sometimes wiping up the excess ink a few times on a clean paper towel is all you need to stop the leaking of the gel pen. You can try to write with the gel pen again once the ink stops flowing and streaking onto the paper towel. Before you return to your notebook, sketch pad or coloring book, I would suggest testing it out on some scratch paper. Make sure you wash your hands before you continue because if you smudge any more ink on your page, you won’t be able to use your fingers anymore.
Check to Make Sure the Tip Isn’t Loose
Gel pens leak when the tip is not tightly screwed on. The tip does not allow for much control when drawing or writing. After using a paper towel to wipe up excess ink with the tip of the pen facing you, twist the cap clockwise to make sure its fit with the barrel. If you have excess ink on your hands or fingers, be sure to wash them.
Allow the Ink to Dry Before Continuing
If you’re working on a drawing or a coloring book page and it’s filling up too fast, you can wait for the ink to dry before continuing, especially if you’re filling a large area.
When it comes to drawing and coloring, you need to wait until you’re completely finished before continuing to color. You should continue filling in color only after your sketch is complete.
Even if you move to a different place on the page, you can still accidentally smear ink. You’ll want to take precautions so that your finger or hand doesn’t touch the paper where the ink is still wet.
To avoid this problem, either stop using pens or get yourself a new pen altogether. For writing, you don’t need to worry about this.
A book that’s too big will cause the pages to slip and slide together as you turn them. It might be a good idea to try another book.
Store Your Pens Correctly
In spite of the fact that many people report that they can store their gel pens flat without any issues, the best practice is to store them horizontally. The reason that this can be confusing is that pens from manufacturers often come with a case that requires vertical storage.
The disadvantage, however, of storing pens vertically is that it will put extra pressure on the tip and force the ink toward the end of the barrel, causing it to flow more quickly than intended. The best way to prevent this from happening is to keep your pens on a flat surface. This will prevent this from happening and will even improve the life of your pens.
If All Else Fails, Ask for a Refund
There will be times when you will get a bad set of gel pens, despite your best efforts to research a brand carefully. This is an issue with any mass-produced product, which is why you will often see rave reviews followed by someone who had a terrible experience. If the product does not perform up to expectations, it can be enough to end your relationship with the brand. Vendors want their customers to have a great experience and will provide refunds if their product is not up to par.
If more than 20% of the gel pens don’t write or leak, then you are justified in asking for a refunds. If you want to ask for a refund, you should include photos of the faulty merchandise, such as an image taken with your phone showing that the pen leaked all over your blank page, if you can. It is recommended that you be as polite as possible when describing the issues. If you are kind to the customer service staff, you will be more likely to get a favorable outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the viscosity of a pen’s ink?
You can think of viscosity as the thickness of the ink that comes out of a pen. If you want to use a pen with a lower viscosity, you don’t need to push it against the paper as hard as you would with a higher one because the ink comes out of the tip with ease. The thicker the liquid, the more pressure needs to be put on the pen to keep the ink from flowing out.
Are There Downsides to Gel Pens?
Gel pens are awesome for more experienced adult coloring artists, but there are a few downsides to keep in mind before you choose these coloring utensils. Gel pens are permanent, so if you make a mistake, it’ll stay in your coloring masterpiece for good.
There are two main reasons why these are not recommended for most people. They are expensive and can easily clog up if they are allowed to dry out, making them useless if you leave them uncapped for any length of time. So make sure to take good care of your gel pens and avoid wasting your money on tools that become defunct through neglect.
If you have gel pens, do not leave them in direct sunlight, as the water-based ink can dry up inside of the pen and render it useless.
Final Thoughts
Having said all, it is important to understand that ordering a set of 100 gel pens and having them all work perfectly is a very rare event. The chances of an issue occurring with around 10% of your pens is pretty good. It is, however, entirely possible to make a claim for a refund if you find that among the 100 pens you have, at least 15 leak from the barrel. Especially if you reach that conclusion on a regular basis, you can make a case for a refund.
It is my hope that this post has been helpful to you and that it has given you a better understanding of what to expect when purchasing a large set of gel pens. The chances are that you will not have a perfect set, but luckily there are a few things you can do to reduce the number of leaks that occur from your gel pens.