Pen Line Width

It is understood that western and Japanese fountain pen nibs have different line widths for the same nib size. However, I was not prepared to understand the differences in numbering for fineliners and technical pens too. So here is a table I’ve created from manufacturer or measured line width differences by brand.

For drawing, start with a set of three sizes:

• 0.2mm (or 01): For fine details and delicate cross-hatching.
• 0.4mm (or 03/04): For general-purpose outlining and sketching.
• 0.8mm (or 08): For bold, heavy outlines or filling in small areas.