Product Review: Akashiya Keicho Double-Sided Brush Pen

12/6/17 The Akashiya Keicho's black and gray tones were used for different areas of shading.

In the interest of my ongoing quest to simplify and lighten my sketch kit, I recently got a new brush pen: the Akashiya Keicho double-sided pen. With black ink on one end and gray on the other, it would take care of most of my monochrome shading needs, all in one compact pen. I’ve tried many, many brush pens with the same type of spongy, formed, non-hairy tips, but this one was new to me.

Akashiya Keicho double-sided brush pen

I haven’t been using the Akashiya long enough to mush down the tips – a frequent problem for my heavy hand with most spongy-tipped brush pens – but I’m optimistic because the material looks very similar to those that hold up well. They flex a bit, but in general, the tips are firm.

The gray side is significantly smaller than the black side. Since all brush pen tips can be held vertically to get a narrow stroke and held more horizontally to get a wider stroke – a variable motion I’m accustomed to from using fude fountain pens – I’m not sure why the gray side is smaller. I sometimes need a broad gray stroke, and the smaller tip is a bit narrower than I would like.

 

Black tip

Gray tip

As is true for most brush pens I’ve tried, the Akashiya Keicho contains water-soluble inks. Especially when sketching people, it’s handy to use a water-soluble ink that I can swipe quickly and easily with a waterbrush for soft shading, and I enjoy using the Akashiya this way. I also like to use the black brush to draw, and then use the gray side for shading – another fast and easy approach.

Ink scribbles and waterbrush swipes made on Stillman & Birn Alpha paper.

11/11/17 Black brush used to draw, then washed with
water for shading. The drinking glass was drawn with the
gray brush pen. (detail)

I wish Akashiya made the same type of double-sided pen with waterproof inks for the times when I want to also use watercolor pencils. My current sketch kit contains a couple of gray tones of Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens (I’ve been using them more since I took Don Colley’s workshop) for those times, but one brush pen performing double duty would be even better. 

Unless the tips end up mushing down over time (I’ll amend this review if they do), the double-sided Akashiya Keicho is a keeper in my bag for its compact versatility. 

12/2/17 Black brush washed with water for shading. (Detail)

12/7/17 Black brush used for drawing; gray brush for shading.