How to Choose Art Markers and Fineliners (Without Buying Twice)

November 28, 2025

Art Noise’s Markers and Precision Pens collection brings together art markers, brush pens, fineliners, and lettering sets for drawing, illustration, and calligraphy. Use this guide to pick the right tip type, ink style, and set size for your projects. You will also learn how to pair pens and markers with the right paper to reduce feathering and bleed-through.

Paper and Pads Drawing Supplies Calligraphy Pens

Pitt Artist Pen - Dual Marker - Sets - Art Noise Pitt Artist Pen - Dual Marker - Sets Faber-Castell product_type art-noise.myshopify.com pitt-artist-pen-dual-marker-sets

What this collection is, and who it is for

If you have ever bought “a marker” and it did not behave the way you expected, you are not alone. The Markers and Precision Pens collection at Art Noise brings together markers, brush pens, fineliners, and lettering sets for drawing, illustration, and calligraphy, so you can choose tools that match your actual project.

This collection is best for sketchers, illustrators, journalers, letterers, and students who want cleaner lines, better control, and fewer surprises when ink hits paper. You will see multiple brands and tool “families” in one place (including fineliner tip sizes and assorted sets), which is great for building a small, reliable kit instead of random singles.

Before you pick anything, decide what you need most: linework (fineliner), expressive strokes (brush pen), colour fills (markers), or sparkle and accents (gel pens). If you already know you want marker-friendly paper, start by browsing Paper and Pads at the same time.

Shop the Collection

Shop All

Faber-Castell - PITT Artist pen - Brush Tip - Black, White and Greys

$3.70 CAD

$3.70 CAD ~~$3.20 CAD~~

Faber-Castell - Albrecht Dürer Artists‘ Watercolour Marker - Individual Marker

From $6.10 CAD

Faber-Castell - Pitt Artist Pen - Soft Brush tip - Individual Marker

$3.40 CAD

Faber-Castell - Ecco Pigment Fineliner Pens - Black

$4.10 CAD

Faber-Castell - Pitt Artist Pen - Superfine Fineliner tip - Individual Marker

From $3.20 CAD

Faber-Castell - PITT artist pen - Brush tip - Blues and Greens

From $3.20 CAD

Faber-Castell - PITT Artist Pen - Bullet tip -Metallic

From $3.70 CAD

Staedtler-Mars - Pigment Liner Fineliner

$4.75 CAD

How to choose art markers and fineliners (4 decisions) + 5 shopper paths

Decision 1: What job are you hiring the pen or marker to do? Outlining, colouring, headings, tiny notes, travel sketching, or mixed media can each point you to a different tip style.

Decision 2: Tip type matters more than brand at first. Brush tips give thick-to-thin strokes. Fineliners give consistent widths (often listed in mm). Dual-tip markers combine two tools in one.

Decision 3: Choose sets when you want consistency, choose singles when you want refills. Sets help you learn a system faster. Singles help you replace favourites without rebuying everything.

Decision 4 (often ignored): paper pairing. For cleaner edges and less bleed-through, match your tool to the right surface. If you are unsure, browse Paper and Pads and test a small swatch before committing to a full spread (general guidance).

Shopper path 1: “I need crisp linework for sketching and outlining”

Start with a fineliner set that gives you a few line widths, then you can pick a favourite size later. A good example is Faber-Castell Ecco Pigment Fineliner Pens (set of 4). After that, add drawing essentials from Drawing Supplies.

Shopper path 2: “I want brush lettering and clean headings”

Go directly to a lettering-focused brush pen set like Tombow Fudenosuke Calligraphy Brush Pens (3-pack), then browse Calligraphy Pens if you want to expand into more lettering tools.

Shopper path 3: “I want colour, plus I still need details”

Dual-tip formats are a great shortcut because one end can handle broader strokes while the other handles details. If you want water-soluble effects, look at Goldfaber Aqua Dual watercolour marker sets.

Shopper path 4: “I journal, plan, and want fun accents”

Gel pens are perfect for titles, accent lines, and a little flair. For glittery colour, check OOLY Radiant Writers glitter gel pens.

Shopper path 5: “I want a ready-made travel kit”

If you would rather start with a complete workflow instead of piecing it together, choose a kit like the Urban Sketching Set, then add paper you love from Paper and Pads.

Good / Better / Best picks + common mistakes + quick checklist

Good: everyday colour and basic writing tools

Choose this tier if you are practising, colour-coding, or building a general-purpose set. For example, Faber-Castell Standard Markers (box of 24) cover lots of colours, and OOLY Radiant Writers glitter gel pens add expressive accents for journaling and cards.

Better: purpose-built tools for cleaner results

Pick this tier when you care about line quality, control, and repeatable results. A fineliner set like Ecco Pigment Fineliners supports detailed linework, and water-soluble dual-tip options like Goldfaber Aqua Dual can give you marker plus wash effects.

Best: a complete “start now” kit

Choose this tier if you want the shortest path from purchase to finished sketch. The Urban Sketching Set is built around an end-to-end sketching workflow, so you spend less time guessing and more time drawing.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Buying tip sizes blind: if you want detail, start with a fineliner set that includes a few widths.
Expecting any marker to behave on any paper: paper is half the result (general guidance). Start with Paper and Pads.
Mixing project goals: if you want bold fills and tiny details, choose dual-tip formats or pair markers with fineliners.
Skipping the “supporting tools”: keep basics handy from Drawing Supplies (erasers, sharpeners, rulers, and so on).

Quick checklist (screenshot this)

My main job is: linework, lettering, colouring, journaling, or travel sketching.
I want: brush tip, fineliner tip size (mm), bullet tip, or dual-tip.
I am choosing: a set to start, or singles to refill.
I am pairing with paper that suits markers and pens (general guidance).
I will test a small swatch before committing to a full page (general guidance).

What to pair with your pens and markers (and how to shop with confidence)

Want fewer surprises and better results? Pair your picks with the right supporting categories: start with Paper and Pads for marker-friendly surfaces, and Drawing Supplies for the small essentials that keep a kit working smoothly.

If your projects move beyond ink into opaque marks and mixed media, browse Acrylic Paint Markers. If you are focused on lettering and script practice, explore Calligraphy Pens.

When you are ready, shop the full art markers and fineliners collection, then check the Shipping Policy and Refund Policy so you know what to expect. If you are local, you can also learn more about Art Noise in Kingston, Ontario.