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Author Topic: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints  (Read 34581 times)

JeffKohn

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #20 on: August 14, 2012, 07:17:31 pm »

I use pencil on matte papers as well; those Pigma Micron pens don't seem to work well on papers like Hahnemuhle Photo Rag, something about the surface dries/clogs up the pens almost instantly (though I suppose this could partly be a flaw in the Pigma pens, I'm going to try some of the other brands mentioned here for signing fiber-gloss prints since I've been disappointed in the lifetime of the Pigma pens in general).
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Jeff Kohn
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jimtron

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #21 on: April 09, 2013, 07:22:29 pm »

I've got a bunch of Pigma Micron, Zig, and Prismacolor Premier pens. With Epson PGP and Exhibition Fiber, these pens work fine for signing a couple prints, but very quickly stop working smoothly--as the last post indicated, something about these glossy papers seems to cause difficulties with the pens.

Anyone have any other suggestions for archival pens that will work for more than a few prints on the above mentioned paper? I'm very frustrated as I keep buying pens and ruining prints when the pen stops working midway through signing or titling.
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hugowolf

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #22 on: April 09, 2013, 07:54:14 pm »

I think the inkjet receptive coating dries out the ink. I use the Pigma pens, but I have a whole pack of the same size, and rotate them. I only sign one print with each, so I am on the seventh print when I reuse the first pen.

I think you will have the same problem with any water based ink. The coating is designed to aid drying.

Brian A
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #23 on: April 09, 2013, 09:09:32 pm »

What about signing on canvas?  I'm having a heck of a time finding something that doesn't just soak into the canvas. Tried signing with a lighter colour on a dark image and even though it was coloured, it practically disappeared into the canvas. 
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Mike Guilbault

JohnBrew

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #24 on: April 09, 2013, 09:11:34 pm »

I use pencil on matte papers as well; those Pigma Micron pens don't seem to work well on papers like Hahnemuhle Photo Rag, something about the surface dries/clogs up the pens almost instantly (though I suppose this could partly be a flaw in the Pigma pens, I'm going to try some of the other brands mentioned here for signing fiber-gloss prints since I've been disappointed in the lifetime of the Pigma pens in general).

Yep, I've had the same problem. You have to write real slow and steady and hope the ink flow is sufficient. I, too, will try some of the others mentioned.

bill t.

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #25 on: April 09, 2013, 09:50:04 pm »

Sakura "Gelly Roll Metallic" in Silver signs nicely on matte or glossy canvas.  Can coat it with Glamour II immediately after signing, no smearing.  Every graphics arts supplier carries them, also Hob Lob, Michaels, etc.  Go slow on rough surfaces, and start it off with a swipe on a waste piece of canvas.  One pen is good for a few hundred Epson Exhibition Gloss signatures, and it never gushes surprise floods of ink like some other metallic markers I have known.  Did you know that if you make a conscious effort to sign your name absolutely as slowly as possible you will re-create your grade school signature?  True story, so watch out.

Makes a relatively inconspicuous signature that is not very noticeable in many types of light, but can be easily found if somebody looks.

http://www.quickship.com/bruynzeel-sakura-gelly-roll-metallic-gel-ink-pen
« Last Edit: April 09, 2013, 09:52:18 pm by bill t. »
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #26 on: April 09, 2013, 11:33:45 pm »

Thanks Bill... I'll check those out.
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Mike Guilbault

bgphoto

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #27 on: April 11, 2013, 06:12:40 pm »

About a month ago I went through the pain of finding a way to sign a bunch of prints printed on Epson Premium Luster paper. I found that a Staedtler Mars Lumograph 7B pencil will write on the face of the paper without any problems but will not write on the back. The 4B and 6B will write on the back.

I did not attempt to use any other brand of pencil due to the set I purchased from Staples was made by Staedtler.
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Iluvmycam

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #28 on: April 11, 2013, 07:09:30 pm »

Exhibition Fiber is a microporous paper and as you mentioned only a pen will work.

Many who sign works on microporous papers use Pigma pens.

Pigma pens are pigment based and acid free.

More info in the link below.

I learned the hard way to be cautious of pens that are only labeled as "permanent".  In some cases, "permanent" refers only to waterfastness, not lightfastness.

http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/Pen-Archival/

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt
Marketing Manager
Epson America, Inc.




That is what I use.

For other papers test it, for it will never dry on the reverse of some papers
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John Caldwell

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #29 on: April 11, 2013, 08:39:33 pm »

I've given up on the Pigma pens because they dry out so quickly, in my hands. Nothing but graphite seems to be acceptable on MK papers. So I've gone the inkjet route, meaning my signature - and sometimes my handwritten captions - are printed along with the image, at inkjet time. PNG files, created with a Wacom tablet in PS, are the source of the handwritten content. LR assembles the composite in the Print module. This is fine for my purposes, and I don't mean to suggest this method to all artists.

John Caldwell
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Jim Cole

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #30 on: April 12, 2013, 01:43:17 pm »

I've used Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens for almost 10 years.
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Jim Cole
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #31 on: April 12, 2013, 10:35:59 pm »

I'm thinking of going the inkjet route for Canvas.  Having trouble finding something that will write on the texture and not be soaked up by the canvas. 
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Mike Guilbault

Mike Guilbault

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #32 on: April 16, 2013, 07:58:44 pm »

Just tried one of the Faber-Castell PITT Artists pen and it works great on canvas (1.5 size in gold). It's pigmented India Ink and claims to be acid-free, light-fast and waterproof.  I'll have to try their other ones on the other papers.
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Mike Guilbault

Jason DiMichele

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Re: Best Pen or Pencil to use to sign Prints
« Reply #33 on: April 19, 2013, 10:46:42 pm »

The ink pens that I'm using to sign both my canvas prints (Hahnemuhle Daguerre) and paper prints (on the matte) is the Pigma Micron archival ink pens. I purchase mine at Currys Art Store. They come in a variety of sizes.

Cheers,
Jay
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Jason DiMichele
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