In my Patreon community recently, we got talking about fineliner pens – specifically how some claim to be waterproof and smudge-proof, but then absolutely are not. You follow the package instructions and still end up with muddy lines and faded ink.
So I tested five of the most popular black fineliners: Staedtler Pigment Liners, Tombow Mono Drawing Pens, Micron Pens (my long-time favourite), Ohuhu Fine Line Drawing Pens, and Uni-Pin Fine Line Drawing Pens. I wanted to see which ones actually live up to their claims.
Supplies Used
- Strathmore Bristol Paper
- Canson Watercolour Paper
- Staedtler Pigment Liners
- Tombow Mono Drawing Pens
- Micron Pens (my long-time favourite)
- Ohuhu Fine Line Drawing Pens
- Uni-Pin Fine Line Drawing Pens
Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!
Let’s Get Started!
I used the same three sizes across all five brands (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mm) and tested them with markers, water, and erasers on both smooth Bristol paper and textured watercolour paper. They all claim to be waterproof, skip-free, and smudge-proof – exactly what matters when you’re layering techniques.
What I Found
The Tombow and Micron had the darkest ink. The Ohuhu felt bulky and the 0.1 mm tip bent immediately when I pressed down – I’m a heavy-handed writer and that flimsy tip was a dealbreaker. The Uni-Pin felt light and delicate, which I liked.
The Marker Test
This is where things got interesting. I drew a line with each pen and then coloured over it with a Tombow brush pen to see what would smudge or fade.
The Tombow fineliner smudged a bit – not a ton, but enough to be noticeable. The Staedtler didn’t smudge, but the line faded and became much less visible underneath the marker, which honestly isn’t much better. Micron smudged a little bit too, though not as much as the Tombow.
The Ohuhu? No smudge at all, just a tiny bit of fade. It actually held up the best in this test. The Uni also had a little bit of smudge. At this point, Ohuhu was winning for colouring over, but Staedtler was already falling behind because of how much it faded.
The Eraser Test
I erased over the second line on each pen with the same amount of pressure. The Tombow, Ohuhu, and Uni were all completely unaffected. Micron faded a tiny bit, but not enough to really matter. The Staedtler faded noticeably again – it was becoming a pattern.
The Water Test
I added water with a paintbrush to see if any of the lines would smudge or bleed. On the Bristol paper, most of them held up pretty well. The Tombow, Staedtler, Micron, and Ohuhu didn’t smudge at all. The Uni picked up a bit – I could see some of the ink coming off into the water – but it didn’t smudge the line itself, just darkened the water a little.
At this point, I eliminated two from the running. The Staedtler kept fading in multiple tests, which made it unreliable. The Ohuhu held up well in most tests, but that flimsy 0.1 mm tip and the bulkier body weren’t working for me. I wanted to see how the remaining three – Tombow Mono, Micron, and Uni-Pin – would perform on watercolour paper.
The Watercolour Paper Test
Watercolour paper has more texture and tooth, so it’s a bit more challenging for pens. I drew a little flower with each one (more fun than just scribbles, right?) and tested them the same way – adding marker and then water.
Here’s where things really surprised me. When I added watercolour over the Micron lines, the black ink started muddying everything. The green turned into this murky, greyish colour instead of staying bright. The Tombow Mono and Uni-Pin both held up better – the colours stayed cleaner and the black didn’t bleed into them nearly as much.
I also tested drawing with the marker first and then adding the fineliner on top, followed by water. The Tombow Mono came out the cleanest – it didn’t muddy the water or drag the black into the colour at all. The Micron was better than I expected in this test but still looked a bit greyer. The Uni dragged some ink too.
That’s a Wrap – The Winner!
Based on these tests, the Tombow Mono came out on top. I’m actually shocked by that – I’ve been loyal to Micron pens for years, even used them constantly in university for drafting architectural plans. But this showed me that Microns do smudge under water and sometimes fade when erased. For mixed-media work, the Tombow Mono and Uni-Pin handle water and layering more gracefully.
That said, all of these pens are good and pretty similar in many ways. If you can only find one brand and it’s not my top pick, don’t stress. The differences are noticeable when you’re testing, but not dramatic enough to warrant a hunt. I just wanted to show that even though they all make similar claims on the packaging, they’re not created exactly equal.
Have you noticed differences between fineliner brands when layering techniques? I’d be curious to know if you’ve had similar experiences.
And if you’re looking for more supply battles, check out this one!
And finally, your dad joke…
Why do mushrooms always get invited to parties?
Because they’re such fungis. 🍄
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