What are Gel Pens?
Gel pens are specialized writing instruments favored by many graphic artists and teachers for their bold colors and solid lines. Gel pens use the same basic mechanism as roller-type ballpoint pens, but the ink inside is noticeably thicker than standard ballpoint ink. The bright inks used in gel pens are often augmented with aluminum sparkles for added visual punch. The first gel pens were marketed by the Sakura Color Products Corporation of Osaka, Japan in 1984. Sakura also developed the first water-based gel inks, seeking a modern recreation of the free-flowing inks used in fountain pens. Gel pens soon became popular among graphic artists and architects, who could use the control of a ballpoint pen while getting the brilliant colors of a marker.
