Platinum SF #3776 fountain pen for drawing



Today I'm reviewing a pen I bought in October - the Platinum #3776 model with a soft fine nib. Isn't it pretty?




   The pen itself is very lightweight and the nib is pretty. It features a 14K gold nib. I was most interested in the soft fine nib (as I am always looking for line variety) as I felt like it was a good alternative as a sketching pen to the elusive Pilot Falcon pen or the Pilot FA nib, since it's a wee bit cheaper than either.

 However.

I barely could get drawings to really work while drawing with this pen and trying to "flex". I feel that the Platinum soft fine isn't really able to keep up with heavy duty drawing or line art that a brush pen could do. Below is an example I really had to push and re - ink my pen; the yellow ink (Platinum Citrus Black) you can see me struggle to get it to work.


 The month and a half I've had this pen I've flushed it and changed ink multiple times but alas - the way I draw and how I want my pens to perform do not go well with what this pen is capable of. I think it's a fabulous pen for writing as it's pencil-y, but because that's not my original intention I am afraid I just might spring this nib out of habit of what I know the Pilot Falcon is capable of or my vintage flex pens.
Here's a more direct comparison. I feel that the SF nib on the Pilot is softer and has a better bounce back than the Platinum. There's no struggle for the Pilot to keep up with my particular needs.



This is another drawing I did without much effort in terms of getting line variation and the circles indicate where the pen just railroads. I am very frustrated about it because I am not trying to get heavy duty variation and yet it goes out.


In terms of flexing for line art and art making in general, I am disappointed. I don't think this experience would really stop me from getting another #3776 though (as I am potentially selling this one), but my expectations are now very different. The pen is beautiful and the slip-and-seal mechanism is very good at preventing ink evaporation. My opinion of Platinum is now higher than it was before now that I have some experience with this model; but I think maybe I'd pick an UEF, or EF nib next time, and I recommend the #3776 model for artists who are looking for nibs thin enough to accommodate detailed ink work.

Cheers!
Amy

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