Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections - they may also appear in recommendations and other places. This means that when applying very quick vigorous strokes, you can see the individual hairs in the marks as you lift the pen. They come in two sizes and are designed with a wider diameter, making them easier to hold, and have a softer core so the pencil moves smoothly across the page. A few minutes at bedtime with this journal will give parents a precious peek into their little ones’ imaginations.

The literal translation of fudenosuke is ‘brush assistant’ – literally assisting you with your beautiful drawings and writing! By changing the pressure applied by the pen to paper, the user can adjust the thickness of the lines they paint, an effect that cannot be replicated using ballpoint pens or felt tip markers. Wider marker pen style barrels of around 15mm might become more uncomfortable in the hand if being used over a long period of time, and especially so if you are making controlled marks. It’s full of fun facts, activities and 90 diary entries to complete, and embraces mindfulness and a positive mind-set.Lisa Takahashi has been a contributor to the blog since 2013 and a Jackson's team member since 2006. All Western pens tend to have a felt nib, while a portion of Eastern pens have a nib made of fine synthetic hairs. Personalised presents are a huge market, and I think independent retailers especially will love the small-run personalisation option. Ideal for drawing and writing this Japanese brush pen has a soft felt nib which replicates the feel of writing with a traditional brush.

They also produce handwriting practice books full of fun and engaging activities to help children learn letter and word formation, build pencil control and establish a solid writing foundation. Pentel, Copic, Kuretake, Molotow and ShinHan all offer refillable pens, some of which also have replaceable nibs.

Thoughtfulness has gone into every detail - for instance, the wipe-clean cover, a great feature for a kid’s journal - and the thick paper which would cope with even children’s heavy-handed scribbles. It’s taken a lot of work behind the scenes to bring my idea of a brush tip that's compatible with a fountain pen to life. Luckily the nib is reversible, and so when one end starts to dull, you can flip it over and keep going. We must say a huge thank you to our LaunchPad judges - Amanda Walker of Cult Pens, Chris Lambert of ScrawlrBox and Holly Probert of Scriptum - who took the time to review and discuss each of the entries.