Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen: Brush Tips & India Ink
The Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush is a felt brush-tip pen filled with pigmented India ink that Faber-Castell calls waterproof, acid-free and highly lightfast. It gives a 1 to 5 mm line and comes in 59 colors. JetPens lists it at 13.8 cm (5.4 in) capped, and Officeworks lists the black 199 as made in Germany.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush (B), 199 black
- Brand
- Faber-Castell
- Brand origin
- Germany
- Made in
- Germany*
- Material
- Plastic barrel and cap, felt brush tip, pigmented India ink
- Price range
- $under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany. Made in Germany: Officeworks lists Germany as the country of manufacture for the black PITT Artist Pen Brush, item 167499. Faber-Castell's German and US product pages don't state a country, and we didn't find origin for other colors, so check the pen. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Faber-Castell gives the standard Brush a 1 to 5 mm line, the Soft Brush 0.5 to 5 mm and the Big Brush 1 to 8 mm.
- JetPens lists the Brush at 13.8 cm (5.4 in) capped, 13.5 cm uncapped and 18.1 cm posted.
- The ink is pigmented India ink that Faber-Castell's German site calls waterproof, permanent, acid-free and pH neutral, with high lightfastness (the Big Brush: highest).
- Faber-Castell's German site lists the Brush in 59 color variants; black 199 is item 167499, EAN 4005401674993.
- Officeworks lists the black Brush (167499) as made in Germany, where Faber-Castell is based.
What is the Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush?
It’s a felt brush-tip pen filled with pigmented India ink, made for drawing, illustration and lettering. Faber-Castell, based in Stein, Germany, sells PITT Artist Pens with several tips; the Brush, marked B, is the most popular.
Faber-Castell’s German site describes the ink as waterproof, permanent, odorless, acid-free and pH neutral, with high lightfastness, and says it doesn’t strike through paper. That makes the pen a choice for artwork that will be painted over, framed or kept.
PITT Artist Pen Brush specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Faber-Castell AG (Stein, Germany) |
| Tip | Felt brush, non-replaceable (JetPens) |
| Line width | 1 to 5 mm (Faber-Castell) |
| Ink | Pigmented India ink; waterproof, acid-free, pH neutral |
| Lightfastness | High (Faber-Castell Germany); Big Brush: highest |
| Length | 13.8 cm (5.4 in) capped; 13.5 cm uncapped; 18.1 cm (7.1 in) posted |
| Tip length | 0.7 cm (0.3 in) |
| Black item numbers | 167499 (EAN 4005401674993); US 800012 (UPC 092633304693) |
| Colors | 59 (Faber-Castell Germany) |
| Made in | Germany (Officeworks, black 167499) |
The sizes are from JetPens’ listing for Cold Grey III; Faber-Castell doesn’t publish them in the sources we found. Retailers disagree on a single tip size (Officeworks says 1.5 mm, Swiss Post 2.5 mm), so we use Faber-Castell’s 1 to 5 mm range.
Brush, Soft Brush or Big Brush: which should you choose?
Choose the Brush for general drawing and lettering, the Soft Brush for more flex and thinner hairlines, and the Big Brush for large areas. Faber-Castell’s US site listed the Soft Brush at 0.5 to 5 mm (that page has since been removed) and gives the Big Brush 1 to 8 mm, with 4 times the ink of a standard PITT pen.
The PITT range also includes fineliner tips, from XXS (0.05 mm) to M (0.7 mm) per Jenni Bick, and a 1.5 mm bullet, in the same ink. Many artists outline with those and fill with the Brush.
Is PITT ink waterproof and lightfast?
Yes: Faber-Castell calls the pigmented India ink waterproof and permanent, with high lightfastness. Its German site reserves “highest lightfastness” for the Big Brush, which the US site puts at 100+ years; JetPens rates the Brush in its top lightfastness tier.
India ink is a pigment ink, so once dry it doesn’t reactivate with water, unlike the dye ink in a Tombow Dual Brush Pen. We haven’t run our own wash test yet. For a bristle-tip brush pen with blendable dye ink, see the Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Real Brush.
How many colors are there?
Faber-Castell’s German site lists 59 color variants of the Brush. Faber-Castell also sells brush sets by theme, such as Shades of Grey, Basic, Landscape and Terra, and wallets of 6 colors.
Each color has a number: black is 199, Cold Grey III is 232.
How does it compare to other pigment brush pens?
It’s the lightfast, many-color felt brush; the Pocket Brush is a refillable bristle brush and the Fudenosuke a small lettering brush.
| PITT Artist Pen Brush | Pentel Pocket Brush Pen | Tombow Fudenosuke | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tip | Felt brush | Nylon bristles | Felt brush, hard or soft |
| Line | 1–5 mm | Not stated | Not stated |
| Ink | Pigmented India ink | Pigment, cartridges | Water-based pigment |
| Colors | 59 (Faber-Castell) | Black, gray, sepia, sanguine | Black, plus colored sets |
| Made in | Germany (black) | Japan | Japan (hard tip) |
For even fine lines in the same kind of ink, the Sakura Pigma Micron is the usual partner.
Where is the PITT Artist Pen made?
Officeworks lists the black Brush, item 167499, as made in Germany. Faber-Castell is based in Stein, near Nuremberg; we didn’t find origin for other colors.
How much does it cost?
A single Brush pen falls in our lowest band, $ (under $5). Sets usually work out to a similar price per pen; the Big Brush costs more.
Frequently asked questions
Are PITT Artist Pens waterproof?
Yes, once dry. Faber-Castell describes the pigmented India ink as waterproof and permanent, so you can paint watercolor over it. We haven't timed the drying ourselves yet.
What do the letters on PITT Artist Pens mean?
They're tip sizes. B is the standard Brush (1 to 5 mm per Faber-Castell), SB the Soft Brush (0.5 to 5 mm), and Jenni Bick lists the fineliner tips from XXS (0.05 mm) and XS (0.1 mm) to M (0.7 mm), plus a 1.5 mm bullet.
Are PITT Artist Pens lightfast?
Faber-Castell's German site gives the Brush high lightfastness and the Big Brush its highest, which Faber-Castell's US site puts at 100+ years. That's why artists use them for work that will be framed or displayed.
What's the difference between the PITT Brush, Soft Brush and Big Brush?
Faber-Castell gives the Brush a 1 to 5 mm line and listed the Soft Brush at 0.5 to 5 mm, with a more flexible tip. The Big Brush is a larger pen with 4 times the ink of a standard PITT Artist Pen and draws 1 to 8 mm.
How many colors do PITT Artist Pen Brushes come in?
Faber-Castell's German site lists 59 color variants of the Brush, and Faber-Castell sells themed sets such as Shades of Grey. Check the current range in your country before buying a single color.
How long is a PITT Artist Pen?
JetPens lists the Brush at 13.8 cm (5.4 in) capped, 13.5 cm (5.3 in) uncapped and 18.1 cm (7.1 in) with the cap posted, with a 0.7 cm tip.
Where are PITT Artist Pens made?
Officeworks lists the black Brush, item 167499, as made in Germany. Faber-Castell is based in Stein, near Nuremberg.
PITT Artist Pen or Sakura Pigma Micron?
Both use pigment ink. Pick the PITT Brush for brush strokes and a wide color range, and the Micron for fine, even outlines from 003 to 12.
Sources
- Faber-Castell (Germany): Pitt Artist Pen Brush Tuschestift, schwarz (India ink pen, black: item 167499, 59 colors, pigmented ink, high lightfastness, waterproof, acid-free, pH neutral)
- Faber-Castell (Germany): Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush Tuschestift, schwarz (Big Brush, black: highest lightfastness, thick brush tip)
- Faber-Castell (US): Pitt Artist Pen, Brush, 199 Black, item 800012 (1 to 5 mm line)
- Faber-Castell (US): Pitt Artist Pen, Soft Brush, 199 Black, item 800124 (0.5 to 5 mm line; page since removed)
- Faber-Castell (US): Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush 199 Black, box of 4, item 167699 (1 to 8 mm, 4 times the ink, maximum lightfastness 100+ years)
- Faber-Castell: Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush India ink pen (pigmented India ink, highest lightfastness, waterproof, acid-free, pH neutral)
- Faber-Castell (EU): Pitt Artist Pen Brush India ink pen, wallet of 6
- JetPens: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush, Cold Grey III 232 (13.8 cm capped, 13.5 cm uncapped, 18.1 cm posted, 1–5 mm)
- Officeworks: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen black 199, 167499 (country of manufacture Germany)
- Swiss Post shop: Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Brush 167499 black
- T.N. Lawrence: Faber-Castell PITT Artist's Brush Pen set of 6, Terra
- LarryPOST: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen 6 brushes, Landscape
- Jenni Bick: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen wallet, black, 6 assorted nibs (XXS 0.05 mm to 1.5 mm bullet)