My favourite water-soluble pen
Posted: January 15, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: fountain pen, paint tubes, Preppy pen 16 CommentsLast year I discovered the Platinum Preppy pen at my local pen shop. It’s an inexpensive fountain pen —$10.50 CDN at my local shop — but it now has a permanent spot in my sketch kit. It’s a pen that feels great in the hand, flows beautifully on paper, has a stainless steel nib (I use EF) that responds to pressure and best of all, the cartridges are filled with water-soluble ink. It’s a great complement to my other fountain pens which are filled with permanent ink.
So when would I use this? Besides this little sketch that I did in studio today, it’s a wonderful pen for airport sketching. All I need to keep it company is a small sketchbook and a waterbrush pen. My favourite feature of the water-soluble ink is that it dissolves completely when you brush it with water. So if I want a really black area, I do some cross-hatching and then go over it with the water brush. If I want a lighter grey area, I use the residual ink on the waterbrush pen to get a paler grey. And so far, it has not leaked on an airplane like my Platinum desk pen, the cartridges hold lots of ink and it’s maintenance free.
I too discovered the preppy pen and found it to be magical. It’s affordable and the cartridges are easy to pop in. I love the way it works, I can change pressure easily and it works especially well in my Talons Art Creation sketch book, which is my favourite on the go sketchbook.
Maureen, I think everyone likes that pen!!
Well, Dick Blick just sold out of those after your post! I think I got two of the last EF ones! Thanks for the tip, I look forward to giving them a try. I’ve been sketching just with ink (no color) in my latest sketch book, to focus on composition. I also got some watercolor grey markers in a spectrum of shades, which are great, but bleed thru some papers.
Linda, I hope you like the pens as much as I do!
I do the same thing with that brand and an EF nib. Such fun when I can’t carry a full sketch kit. Just a small moleskine and my preppy.
I think I have the EF nib too but the pen is so inexpensive I could have a few different nib sizes!
Great tips. Love your typography here.
In the plane, keep your fountain pens nib end up to prevent leaking. Works for me, even with the platinum pen. So I have pens in a bag I know I can keep upright by my feet. Glad you were able to draw today!
Thanks Alison. Good news about the Preppy pen. It doesn’t leak on the plane!
I too really enjoy my Preppy EF! What watersoluble ink did you use? I usually keep mine filled with a Platinum carbon ink cartridge but would love to try watersoluble ink.
HI Ginny,
I use the proprietary cartridges: https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Black-Ink-2-Cartridges/pd/1456
And they come in many colours!
Shari
Thank you! One thing I really like about the Preppy is that the cap posts. I love the feel of my Platinum desk pen but worry I’ll misplace the cap. No problem with the Preppy! I have a Preppy EF for waterproof Platinum carbon ink and will now need one for watersoluble cartidges.
Love these sketches Shari!
I have many pens in my studio. This past week I purchased a Platinum Preppy. What a discovery! It’s my new favorite pen for all the same reasons you describe. I’ve ordered several more for other family members. Just a really great all-around pen. So fun to see my favorite artist ratifying my excitement!
Thanks Tim! Glad you like it too!!
I love the simplicity of this black and white sketch. It says so much without any added color. I used the Platinum Preppy pens for a while but they seem to have disappeared from my collection. I’ve been thinking about getting a few lately, so your post may give me the added incentive. I had filled mine with permanent ink, but it is a great idea to use them with the cartridges they come with and make the most of that feature of the water-soluble ink in sketches.
Hi Joan,
I still love my preppy pen. I took it along with me to Tucson for very quick drawings!
Shari