Question about using a regular pen for watercolor in my journal

I tried to do a quick watercolor wash on a page in my bullet journal last week. I used my normal ballpoint pen for the writing first, thinking it would be fine. The ink from the pen started to bleed and spread out as soon as the watercolor touched it, making all my notes blurry. I learned that you really need to use a waterproof pen if you plan to add any wet media. Has anyone found a good pen that dries fast and doesn't smudge?

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3 Comments

taylor.susan6mo ago

Feel your pain, my own notes turned into a blurry mess once.

6

oscarmurphy6mo ago

My last bullet journal looked like a crime scene after I tried that... all my Monday meeting notes just dissolved into a sad blue puddle. I switched to those Sakura Pigma Micron pens and they actually survive a watercolor attack. It's a pretty common rookie mistake, but now I just keep a separate watercolor sketchbook for the messy stuff.

5

wood.noah5mo ago

I used to mix them until my ink bled like that too, now I keep them apart.

5