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| My new favourite pen |
For years, I
have always used and prefer the so called Lucky Pen for making
sketches, especially quick sketches. However, recently, that type of pen is
getting scarce. Most people who use it (for writing) dislike the fact that, if
you apply pressure when writing, the tip tends to break, so they bought it less
and it reduced in price and circulation (at least where I stay, it seems so).
Yet, over the
past three years or so, I have also discovered a new brand that has become my
favourite. It is the HPI Eureka pen (made in Nigeria by Hassan PLastics Industries LTD). I so love the way it
both write and draw that; twice, I have bought a whole set of it.
Here are ten
reasons I personally would be drawing with a Eureka ballpoint pen. In fact, I haven’t discovered a disadvantage to this
brand yet.
1) It Feels Like Mechanical Pencil
The
circumference is about the same size as a mechanical pencil. For those of us
who are used to drawing with that type of pencil, it would be an easy
transition switching to Eureka pen.
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| The tip of Mechanical Pencil |
One of the
major reasons why I LOVE it is because it has a sharp and thin tip. The sharp tip makes it easy to draw a more accurate/specific mark (identical to technical
engineering drawing). The sharp tip makes it easy for the artist to make
precise dots, marks and lines.
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| Mechanical Pencil |
Most
ballpoint pen has a wider tip than Eureka thereby giving the sketch a blurry
crayon type of effect. For the artist to make thinner lines, he would have to graze
the surface of the paper softly (barely touching the paper). Even the infamous
BIC has a wider tip compare to Eureka. I absolutely love it!
2) Some Might Prefer It Simple Design
(Similar to a Wooden Pencil)
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| Traditional Wooden Pencil |
Yes, I know
it sounds like contradiction but it’s not. Holding the pen in your hand
sometimes feels like you are holding a wooden pencil but trying to sketch with
it would give you a mechanical pencil effect/feeling. The body of Eureka pen is
smooth with no definite grip, just like a wooden pencil. It's design is such
that it can roll around your hand easily. Sometimes when I am wiping the tip
with tissue (to remove excess ink), the motion I make is like I am simulating
the shaping of a pencil. Those who habitually roll their pencils in their
finger when they are drawing or preparing to draw would find using this pen a
more pleasant transition in comparison to other ballpoint pen in the market.
Of course
not all pencils are smooth, most professional pencil set have a pentagonal
shape so it would not roll off from the drawing table. The HPI-Eureka pen has a lid that prevent the pen from rolling over on a flat table (if the lid is placed at the end or tip of the pen).
3) Durable Ink
Before I
discovered this pen, my favourite pen (for making sketches) was Lucky. However,
the ink in Lucky sometimes seems to just vaporise. I remember writing a few
receipt and noticing that the ink level had dropped drastically. The ink in
Eureka doesn’t drain down as fast as Lucky. You could easily use a single pen
to make a 16 x 20 inches work and still have ink left in the tube. Indeed,
the ink last longer. The ink doesn’t finish as quickly as the other once.
4) Strong Body That Doesn't Break
Well, I have
NEVER seen a broken Eureka pen. I think tomorrow, I am going to try and break
one to see what is inside.
The pen is
sealed in a thick and flexible plastic. I think you can drive a car across it
and it won’t break. In contrast, the more known ballpoint pen brands would
probably break if dropped or sited upon. I know that Lucky often cracks at the
tip if the person who use it to write apply’s too much pressure (it has happen
many times).
It is almost
impossible to find yourself in a situation where you are struggling to
write/draw with a very flexible ink tube because the shell accidentally got
broken.
5) Very Cheap
Let me just
say you can’t get it cheaper than this. Even if it is just an insignificant ten
naira difference, it is the cheapest pen out there which is good news to the
‘starving artist’. I can buy as much as I want without breaking the bank. After
pencil, this particular pen is the cheapest tool for making drawing/marks. It
is about N30 (Thirty naira), that is like dividing a dollar into ten equal
unites and one of that unit would still be greater than N30. It is really one
of those mass-produced ‘deification’.
6) Light weight (portability)
This is a
general advantage of using pen to draw. It is light weight and portable. It was
specifically designed to be carried around as an instrument of writing. There
is always space in my pocket or bag for my pen. Especially if you are wearing
jeans, it is easy to forget you have a pen on you. It has what traditional
wooden lead pencil doesn’t have, that is a hock to hang in pockets like most
mechanical pencils, so it is easy to carry along anywhere you are going.
7) It Never Overflows or Stains Cloths
There are
some ballpoint pens that if you put them in your pocket upside-down, after a
while, they would overflow and stain your cloth. This particular pen is sealed
tight and I have NEVER see one who’s ink flouted out. Of course when sketching,
the tip emits more ink than usual but never to the point of making a significant
mess (wiping the tip with a tissue paper would prevent slight stains on the
hand). Once again, I have never seen a Eureka pen who ink leaked out of the
tube creating a mess, never, ever.
8) It Is In Circulation, Easy To Get
And Not Scarce
They can be
found just about anywhere (at least where I live in Nigeria). The average
bookshop has them and even some roadside stores. Its not going to be difficult
finding one to buy.
9) They Come In 2 Types; The One With
A Light Blue Ink And Those With A Dark Purple Ink
I use to
assume one might be fake. Before I bought the pack, I noticed that sometimes, I
buy or pick one that has light blue ink and some other times I come across once with a darker blue ink. After I got
the pack/set, I noticed that the one with a bold blue line painted on the side of
the pen had light ink, while the one with a thin blue line painted on the side
of the pen had a darker ink.
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| HPI Eureka Superflo Gel Ballpoint Pens |
10) Non Detachable
The fact
that it is non detachable reduce the chances of it being damaged which is in
agreement with number 4 on this list.
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| HPI Eureka pen |
CONCLUTION:
I would like
to stress that this post is just a personal preference. I have used
many brands of ballpoint pen in the past, it’s just this is my personal favourites (at this moment). I would
recommend you should experiment with as many pens that you can get your hands
on, and discover your own preference.
