Uni-ball pens review and giveaway

I have always loved writing and doodling. Having decent pens is important though. I always feel like my thoughts flow better if my pen flows smoothly and cleanly across the page. I’m picky about the pens that I use for drawing too. They need to give clean lines without smudging and the colours need to be just right. In the quest to find the perfect pens, I’ve tested a few different makes although had yet to try any from the Uni-ball range until I was recently contacted to test a variety of pens and markers out.

 

 

POSCA markers

POSCA markers can be used on almost any surface – ceramic, glass, metal, paper, plastic, wood, fabric etc. They are water-based and can be easily removed from glass. The marker produces a vibrant poster paint-like colour which does not bleed through paper. They are ideal for making personalised gifts. We used ours to decorate some jars which were then filled with chocolate chip and orange biscuits to make teacher gifts.

 

 

I’ve painted on glass before but not tried using marker pens. They were much easier to use than paints. The marker is activated by shaking and then pressing the tip down on the paper or surface required until the ink appears in the tip. I’d recommend doing this on a scrap piece of paper as the first ink flow was a little heavier than I needed. The ink flowed smoothly once it had filled the tip and the pen was easy to use.

 

Although the ink can be easily removed from glass. I found it stayed in place quite well when being washed as long as I used a soft sponge or cloth rather than anything abrasive. It also managed to stay in place on a glass that went through the dishwasher although I suspect it might not survive multiple washes in the dishwasher.

 

 

Uni Chalk markers

Like the POSCA markers, the Uni Chalk markers give a vibrant colour when being used. They are activated in the same way as the POSCA markers (shake and then press the tip down on a piece of paper until the ink flows into the tip). The Uni Chalk markers can be used on glass, metal, paper or plastic and can be easily removed from non-porous surfaces with a damp cloth.

 

 

I used them to decorate a glass vase. The chalk drawings dried quickly and stayed in place well without smudging. I found them quick and easy to remove with a wet wipe.

 

Paint Marker pen

The Paint Marker pen is permanent on most surfaces. It is heat-resistant and waterproof and can be used on paper, metal, glass, fabric, plastic, wood and stone. The pen is easy to use. Like the other markers, it is activated by shaking and pressing the tip down until the ink flows.

 

 

I used it to draw hearts on a metallic vase. They stayed in place well when the vase was washed and I didn’t feel the need to be as careful as I was when washing the glass which had been decorated using POSCA markers.

 

Uni PIN fine-tip drawing pens

The ink in the Uni PIN fine-tip drawing pens is water-resistant and fade-resistant. I found the ink flowed smoothly and easily without smudging. The pens are perfect for line drawing. The black pen is currently my favourite pen for inking in the outlines on my cartoon drawings. The ink dries quickly and doesn’t smudge when I erase the pencil marks.

 

 

Signo sparkling gel pens

I was sent a red and silver sparkling gel pen from this range. The red pen was perfect for the labels for Jessica’s teachers’ gifts – the colour was vibrant and the ink flowed smoothly. The silver pen is a little faint when used on white paper but works quite well on black.

 

 

Uni-ball Air

The Uni-ball Air pen is designed to write like a fountain pen, without leaking. It’s a lovely pen to write with – the ink flows smoothly and the pen is comfortable to hold.

 

Signo TSI Erasable pen

We all make mistakes every now and then when writing. The trouble with ink is that it’s harder to erase those mistakes. The Signo TSI pen has an eraser at the end of the pen and on the cap which rub out the ink. I’ve found ink erasers that I’ve used before tend to be quite abrasive on the paper and rarely rub out the ink cleanly. The eraser on the TSI completely rubs out the ink without damaging the paper though.

 

Overall, I’m very happy with the pens and markers from Uni-ball. I can see the POSCA and Uni Chalk markers getting a lot of use in arts and crafts projects and the Uni PIN fine-tip pens are already being used regularly in my drawings.

 

I have a bundle of Uniball pens to give away to one lucky reader. The bundle includes the following:

 

• Uni Chalk Markers x8
• Posca 1M Multipack x1
• Posca 5M Multipack x1
• Posca 1MR Gold/Silver Pack x1
• Uni Pin Drawing Pens x3
• Signo Gel Pens Silver/sparkling silver x2
• Uni-ball Air x1
• Uni-ball TSI Erasable pen x1

 

 

To be in with a chance to win, please enter through the Gleam form below. The competition is open to entrants from the UK only. The winner will be chosen at random after the competition closes at 23.59pm on 6th August 2017. For full terms and conditions, please click the link on the Gleam widget. Good luck!

 

Win a bundle of Uni-ball pens