What Are The Differences Between A Rapidograph And Isograph Pen

Differences Between Rapidograph And Isograph Pens

 Wednesday 29 May 2019  -   Sandra M

Use Rapidograph & Isograph Pens for drawing.

The Rapidograph takes cartridges & the Isograph is refilled with bottled ink.

What Are Rotring Rapidograph And Isograph Pens?

Rotring Rapidograph and Isograph Pens are steel nibbed Technical Pens for drawing on tracing paper, vellum and lineboard. Both Rapidograph and Isograph Pens have been used for years by draughtsmen and engineers to make lines of a constant width. When enlarging or reducing a technical plan drawn with a Rapidograph or Isograph Pen, the lines will stay to scale.

Rotring’s winning formula of technical precision and range has ensured their continued appeal with today’s architects, students, designers, illustrators and artists.


Gregoire Lepeigneux is an artist and illustrator based in Paris. He says:

“The Rotring Isograph 0.1 is a technical pen which helps me to produce exactly what I want. Its deep black ink, its fine line width and its fluidity allows me to work in the same way as I would work on an engraving. I can perfect my style thanks to it. It is the perfect drawing pen for me.”


Rotring Drawing Pen Artist

Artist Gregoire Lepeigneux sketches with an Isograph 0.1 Pen.


What Is The Difference Between Rapidograph And Isograph Pens?

The Rapidograph Pen uses Rotring’s innovative capillary cartridge including the ink helix. Each time you change the cartridge you get a new clean ink helix and pressure equalisation system. You never have to clean the ink helix! This makes the Rapidograph Pen the more popular of the two as it is a lot less messy and is less likely to get clogged up.

The extra-large volume of the ink helix and the location of the ventilation opening allows for improved temperature stability. The ink can therefore be used right down to the last drop!


                                 Rotring Rapidograph Pen


The Isograph Pen features a refillable ink reservoir. The patented push-on sleeve allows for easy access to and fast cleaning of the ink helix, even when the reservoir is full. The Isograph is ideal for frequent drawing using bottled inks. This means that your colour range is more versatile with an Isograph Pen as you refill it yourself.

Both the Rapidograph and Isograph Pens come in 13 different line widths and feature chrome plated thin nibs allowing you to create highly detailed work.


                                 Rotring Isograph Pen


What Ink Do I Use In Rapidograph And Isograph Pens?

Rotring’s technical pen ink is suitable for use on tracing paper, vellum, drawing paper and lineboard. It is lightfast, fast-drying, waterproof and smudge free once dry. The high density of the pigment gives it high opacity and the sharpness and adhesion of the line is superior.

This ink is often used by tattoo artists for tracing the work onto the skin and in their initial sketches. Rotring’s technical ink gives you the densest, blackest line on the market.

The Rotring technical pen ink cannot be erased with Rotring pencil erasers B20 or B30. The coloured inks can be inter-mixed with each other.


Rapidograph Ink Cartridges are available in black, blue and red ink. You get 3 replacement ink cartridges in a pack.


Isograph Ink is available in 23ml Bottles in black, blue, red and white ink. Black ink is also available in a 250ml bottle.


Rapidograph And Isograph Inks.jpg

What Nib Sizes Are Available For The Rapidograph & Isograph Pens?

Both the Rapidograph and Isograph Pens are available in precision line widths from 0.10 to 1.0mm. This gives you a wide range to choose from whether requiring a continuous width of line for technical drawing or a greater choice for tonal and shading work.

Replacement Rapidograph Nibs and Isograph Nibs are available in the following sizes: 0.10, 0.13, 0.18, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, 0.35, 0.40, 0.50, 0.70, 0.80 & 1.00.

Nibs for Rapidograph and Isograph Pens are long lasting and easy to replace, but the finer the nib the more quickly it tends to wear down.


Helpful Tips For Maintaining Rapidograph And Isograph Pen Nibs:

If you feel the nib is slightly blocked just leave in warm water with a little fairy liquid overnight. Make sure that the nib is not touching the bottom of a surface as this could damage it. If this doesn’t do the trick then ask in store for Rotring Cleaner sachets.


Are Rapidograph And Isograph Pens Available In Sets?

We stock Rapidograph And Isograph Pens in College Sets. These sets are ideal if you need a range of pen sizes or if you are about to start an Architecture or Interior Design Course. They offer a great saving on the single pens!

The Rapidograph College Set contains:

3 Rapidograph Pens (0.25, 0.35, 0.5) , 1 rotring Tikky Pencil 0.5, 12 hi-polymer HB leads, 1 B20 eraser, 3 pen stands, 3 black ink cartridges & 1 compass technical pen attachment.

The Isograph College Set contains:

3 Isograph Pens (0.25,0.35,0.5), 1 rotring Tikky Pencil 0.5, 12 hi-polymer HB leads, 1 B20 eraser, 1 bottle of black ink 23ml & 1 compass technical pen attachment.


                                       Artist Using Isograph Pen


So, for precision in your artwork and designs, make sure that you use Rotring Rapidograph and Isograph Pens.


Are you starting an architecture or design course? Buy your Rapidograph and Isograph Technical Drawing Pens along with other technical Art Supplies from Pullingers Art Shop.

Show us your artwork using Rapidograph and Isograph Pens!



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Comments

Indian Artzone commented 1977 days ago

Really informative thanks for sharing

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