What types of watercolor pens are there?

Children's Stationery Watercolor Pens

These watercolor pens are designed specifically for children’s drawing and writing, offering vibrant colors and ease of use. They typically fall into the following categories:

Single-Color Pens:
The most basic style, with each pen containing only one ink color. The barrel, nib, and refill are simple in structure, making them suitable for everyday doodling and basic line drawing.

Two-Color Pens:
The nib and refill are divided into two sections, allowing two colors to be written simultaneously. The strokes produce a layered, three-dimensional effect, making them ideal for calligraphy, decorative artwork, or children’s handwriting practice while inspiring creativity.

Multicolor Pens:
Three or more refills are built into a single nib and secured through injection molding. These pens write in multiple colors without mixing, making them ideal for art studios, classroom teaching, or situations that require frequent color switching.

Features:
Most pens use plastic barrels with sponge-filled reservoirs for water retention. They are affordable but hold limited ink, making them unsuitable for large-format paintings. Some styles use wooden nibs, which require gentle pressure to avoid damage.

Professional Fine Art Watercolor Brushes

These brushes are crafted specifically for watercolor painting, emphasizing absorbency, elasticity, and expressive brushwork. Common types include:

Round-Point Brushes:
Featuring a soft, rounded tip that gathers to a fine point, these brushes are ideal for outlines, gradients, detail work, and broad color application. They come in sizes ranging from #000 to #30—smaller sizes for detailing and larger ones for quick washes.

Flat-Point Brushes:
With a flat, rectangular tip and sharp edges, these brushes excel at painting straight lines and geometric shapes, such as buildings. The side of the brush can create fine lines or textured effects. They are commonly used for sketching, base color application, and structured subjects.

Fan-Point Brushes:
With a fan-shaped tip, these brushes combine the functions of flat and round brushes. They are perfect for painting textures like grass, foliage, hair, and feathers, producing natural, layered strokes.

Mop Brushes:
Featuring large, soft bristles with excellent water retention, they have a rounded, slightly pointed shape. Ideal for quickly covering large areas with washes or creating soft gradients. The tip can also handle finer details, making it perfect for creating atmospheric, fluid effects.

Pointed Brush (Liner):
Characterized by long, thin bristles with excellent elasticity, this brush is suitable for fine outlines such as hair, leaf veins, edges, and highlights, requiring high precision and control.

Chicken Spur Brush:
A traditional watercolor brush with a full body and a slender pointed tip resembling a chicken spur. It is ideal for both wash applications and detailed work, making it suitable for traditional techniques or artworks requiring delicate transitions.

Paper Brush:
With a flat, wide head similar to a paste brush, it is used for wetting paper, applying background washes, or evenly spreading water when stretching paper. It is an essential tool for large-scale paintings or background preparation.

Specialty Brushes:
Examples include oval brushes (cat-tongue brushes), which swell and form a controlled point when wet—ideal for fine textures or tight strokes; and hazel brushes, known for strong elasticity, suitable for mixed media or heavy-texture techniques.