--- title: "Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen: Brush Tips & India Ink" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen/" description: "Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush explained: lightfast pigmented India ink, 1–5 mm brush line, Soft and Big Brush versions, 138 mm size, 59 colors and origin." category: "Pens" type: "Brush pen" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 13 products: - name: "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_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany" model: "PITT Artist Pen Brush" mpn: "167499" sku: "800012" gtin: "4005401674993" url: "https://www.faber-castell.de/produkte/PittArtistPenBrushTuschestiftschwarz/167499" --- # 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. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Side view of a capped Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush in 199 black, drawn to scale at 138 mm (5.4 in) long: a dark gray barrel with silver printing, a dark gray cap with its clip, and a black end plug and cap top, with a close-up of the brush tip and a 1 to 5 mm stroke](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-16x9.png) *The PITT Artist Pen Brush in 199 black, drawn to scale from JetPens' 13.8 cm capped length.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush (B), 199 black | Faber-Castell (by Faber-Castell AG, Stein, Germany) | Germany | Germany | Plastic barrel and cap, felt brush tip, pigmented India ink | – | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush (B), 199 black): 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: https://officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-black-199-fa54167499 ## 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. ![Three black strokes drawn to scale: PITT Soft Brush from 0.5 to 5 mm, Brush from 1 to 5 mm and Big Brush from 1 to 8 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-line-widths.svg) *The three PITT brush tips, from their thinnest to their widest line, at 1 mm = 14 px.* 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](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/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](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/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](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-pocket-brush-pen/) | [Tombow Fudenosuke](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/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](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/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)](https://www.faber-castell.de/produkte/PittArtistPenBrushTuschestiftschwarz/167499) - [Faber-Castell (Germany): Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush Tuschestift, schwarz (Big Brush, black: highest lightfastness, thick brush tip)](https://www.faber-castell.de/produkte/PittArtistPenBigBrushTuschestiftschwarz/167699) - [Faber-Castell (US): Pitt Artist Pen, Brush, 199 Black, item 800012 (1 to 5 mm line)](https://www.fabercastell.com/products/pitt-artist-pen-brush-199-black-800012) - [Faber-Castell (US): Pitt Artist Pen, Soft Brush, 199 Black, item 800124 (0.5 to 5 mm line; page since removed)](https://www.fabercastell.com/products/pitt-artist-pen-soft-brush-199-black-800124) - [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)](https://fabercastell.com/collections/art-graphic/products/pitt-artist-pen-big-brush-199-black-167699) - [Faber-Castell: Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush India ink pen (pigmented India ink, highest lightfastness, waterproof, acid-free, pH neutral)](https://www.faber-castell.com/products/IndiainkPittArtistPenBigBrushblack/167699) - [Faber-Castell (EU): Pitt Artist Pen Brush India ink pen, wallet of 6](https://www.faber-castell.eu/products/PittArtistPenBrushIndiainkpenwalletof6Colouring/267196) - [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)](https://www.jetpens.com/Faber-Castell-PITT-Artist-Pen-Brush-Cold-Grey-III-232/pd/17011) - [Officeworks: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen black 199, 167499 (country of manufacture Germany)](https://officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-black-199-fa54167499) - [Swiss Post shop: Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Brush 167499 black](https://shop.post.ch/en/stationery/writing-utensils/calligraphy-brush-pens/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-brush-2-5mm-167499-schwarz/p/807439) - [T.N. Lawrence: Faber-Castell PITT Artist's Brush Pen set of 6, Terra](https://www.tnlawrence.com/faber-castell-pitt-artists-brush-pen-set-of-6-terra) - [LarryPOST: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen 6 brushes, Landscape](https://www.larrypost.com.au/products/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)](https://www.jennibick.com/products/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen-wallet-black-6-assorted-nibs)