--- title: "Sakura Pigma Brush: Archival Ink Brush Pen Guide" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sakura-pigma-brush/" description: "Sakura Pigma Brush explained: a felt brush pen with waterproof, fade-resistant Pigma ink, 0.75–3 mm strokes, 135 mm size, colors, and the Professional Brush." category: "Pens" type: "Brush pen" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 10 products: - name: "Sakura Pigma Brush pen, black (XSDK-BR #49)" brand: "Sakura" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Plastic barrel and cap, felt brush tip, water-based pigment ink" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America" model: "Pigma Brush (black: XSDK-BR #49)" mpn: "XSDK-BR#49" url: "https://www.sakuraofamerica.com/product/pigma-brush/" --- # Sakura Pigma Brush: Archival Ink Brush Pen Guide > The Sakura Pigma Brush is a felt-tip brush pen filled with the same archival Pigma pigment ink as the Pigma Micron. Sakura says the ink is waterproof and fade resistant and won't bleed through most papers. JetPens lists the pen at 135 mm capped, an Australian retailer gives 0.75–3 mm strokes, and it's in our $ band. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sakura-pigma-brush/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Capped Sakura Pigma Brush pen drawn to scale at 135 mm, beige barrel and black cap, with an inset of the felt brush tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/sakura-pigma-brush-16x9.png) *The Sakura Pigma Brush, 135 mm capped per JetPens (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).* Original drawing (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) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Sakura Pigma Brush pen, black (XSDK-BR #49) | Sakura (by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America) | Japan | Japan | Plastic barrel and cap, felt brush tip, water-based pigment ink | – | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Sakura Pigma Brush pen, black (XSDK-BR #49)): Japan. A Muziker listing for the Pigma Brush in Sepia Dark (XSDKBR117) gives Japan as the country of manufacture; we saw it in a search listing on October 22, 2026. Sakura's US and Japanese pages don't state a country. Source: https://www.muziker.ee/sakura-pigma-brush-sepia ### Sakura Pigma Brush pen, black (XSDK-BR #49) colors - Ink colors (11 standard, 0 special edition): Black; Blue; Brown; Sepia; Green; Cool Gray; Light Cool Gray; Orange; Rose; Purple; Red. - Per Royal Talens (Sakura) (https://www.royaltalens.com/products/sakura-pigma-brush), checked 2026-10-24. Royal Talens, Sakura's European company, lists 11 Pigma Brush colors with Sakura color numbers and hex codes; the tints are those hex codes. Sakura of America's Pigma brochure lists 9 of them (no grays) and calls No. 21 Rose, where Royal Talens says Pink. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Sakura of America says it invented and patented Pigma ink in 1982; the Pigma Brush uses that pigment ink. - JetPens lists 135 mm (5.3 in) capped, 164 mm posted, an 8.1 mm grip and a 10.4 mm maximum diameter. - Officeworks gives the black Pigma Brush (XSDK-BR #49) a stroke from 0.75 to 3 mm. - Sakura says the ink is waterproof and fade resistant, so watercolor or markers can go over dry lines. - The black 4-pack showed 400+ bought in the past month on Amazon US on October 22, 2026. ## What is the Sakura Pigma Brush? **It's a brush pen with a flexible felt tip, filled with Sakura's archival Pigma pigment ink.** Sakura of America says the tip responds instantly to changes in pressure or direction, so one pen draws thin lines and broad strokes. It belongs to the same family as the [Sakura Pigma Micron](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sakura-pigma-micron/). Sakura says Pigma ink, invented and patented in 1982, is more complex and stable than dye-based ink. ## How popular is it? **On October 22, 2026, a black 4-pack showed 400+ bought in the past month on Amazon US.** The newer Pigma Professional Brush 3-pack had about 1,200 ratings and 300+ bought in the past month. Comic artists use it for inking and calligraphers for brush lettering, both uses Sakura names. ## Sakura Pigma Brush specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Sakura Color Products Corporation, Osaka | | Type | Brush pen, felt tip, capped, with clip | | Ink | Pigma pigment: waterproof, fade resistant | | Stroke | 0.75–3 mm (Officeworks, black) | | Length | 135 mm (5.3 in) capped, 164 mm posted (JetPens) | | Diameter | 8.1 mm grip, 10.4 mm max (JetPens) | | Black | XSDK-BR #49 | | Made in | Japan (Muziker) | JetPens measured the purple version; the pens share one body. ![Sakura Pigma Brush drawn to scale: 135 mm capped, 8.1 mm grip and 10.4 mm maximum diameter](https://stationerytimes.com/images/sakura-pigma-brush-size.svg) *The Pigma Brush at 1 mm = 3.4 px, from JetPens' measurements.* ## Is the ink really waterproof? **Yes, once dry: Sakura says Pigma ink is chemically stable, waterproof and fade resistant, and won't smear, feather or bleed through most papers.** That's why it's used under watercolor and in scrapbooks and certificates meant to last. A brush lays down more ink than a fine Micron point, so give heavy strokes a little longer to dry before painting over them. ## What is it used for? **Sakura lists calligraphy, brush lettering, scrapbooks, awards and certificates, graphic art and illustration, and rubber-stamp and decorative fabric projects.** Those are all jobs where a line has to stay put and not fade. Sakura also says the pen delivers ink to the sides as well as the tip of the brush, which is meant to keep broad strokes, laid with the side of the brush, evenly inked. That matters for filling shapes in comics and for the downstrokes of brush lettering. ## What colors are there? **Black is the core color, and retailers list others such as purple (No. 24) and dark sepia (No. 117).** JetPens measured the purple pen and Muziker lists the dark sepia; Spectrum Store lists the range with black as XSDK-BR #49. Sakura's archival claims are made for Pigma ink in general; a sepia brush suits vintage-style lettering and journal pages. ## Pigma Brush or Pigma Professional Brush? **The Pigma Brush is the original single-size pen; the Professional Brush comes in fine, medium and bold.** Amazon sells the Professional Brush as a 3-pack, and its listing calls it a brush pen with the same archival black ink. If you want one pen for lettering and inking, the original Pigma Brush is the simpler choice. If you need very fine brush lines as well as bold fills, the Professional set covers more range. ## How does it compare with other brush pens? **Choose the Pigma Brush for waterproof archival black, the Fudenosuke for small lettering, and a bristle pen for the most expressive strokes.** | | Sakura Pigma Brush | [Tombow Fudenosuke](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-fudenosuke/) | [Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Brush](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-pitt-artist-pen/) | |---|---|---|---| | Tip | Felt brush | Felt, hard or soft | Felt brush | | Ink | Pigment, waterproof | Water-based pigment | Pigmented India ink | | Stroke | 0.75–3 mm | Small | Broad | | Best for | Lettering, inking under paint | Small brush lettering | Lightfast illustration | Our [best brush pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-brush-pens/) roundup compares more. ## Where is the Sakura Pigma Brush made? **In Japan, according to a Muziker retailer listing for the Sepia Dark color.** Sakura's US and Japanese pages don't state a country; Sakura Color Products is based in Osaka. Our [Sakura history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/sakura-color-products-history/) covers how the company came to invent Pigma ink in 1982. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Sakura Pigma Brush waterproof? Yes, once dry. Sakura says Pigma ink is chemically stable, waterproof and fade resistant, so you can paint watercolor over your lines. ### What's the difference between the Pigma Brush and the Pigma Micron? Same archival pigment ink, different tip: the Micron has a fine fiber point for even lines, while the Pigma Brush has a flexible felt brush whose stroke changes with pressure. ### How thick a line does the Pigma Brush make? Officeworks lists the black Pigma Brush at 0.75 to 3 mm, from a light touch to full pressure. ### What is the Pigma Professional Brush? A separate Sakura line sold in fine, medium and bold brush sizes, often as a 3-pack. The original Pigma Brush covered here is a single size. ### Is the Pigma Brush good for brush lettering? Yes. Sakura lists calligraphy and brush lettering among its uses, and the firm felt tip is easier to control than a bristle brush. ### Is the Sakura Pigma Brush made in Japan? Yes, according to a Muziker retailer listing for the Sepia Dark color. Sakura's own US and Japanese pages don't state a country. ## Sources - [Sakura of America: Pigma Brush (Pigma ink invented and patented 1982; flexible brush tip; waterproof, fade resistant; won't smear, feather or bleed through most papers; uses)](https://www.sakuraofamerica.com/product/pigma-brush/) - [サクラクレパス: ピグマ (Sakura Japan Pigma page: ピグマブラッシュ in the lineup)](https://craypas.com/products/regular/pigma) - [JetPens: Sakura Pigma Brush Pen, Purple Ink (13.5 cm capped, 13.3 uncapped, 16.4 posted; 8.1 mm grip, 10.4 mm max; seen in a search listing)](https://www.jetpens.com/Sakura-Pigma-Brush-Pen-Purple-Ink/pd/2371) - [Officeworks: Sakura Pigma Brush Pen Black (XSDKBR49, 0.75–3 mm brush nib)](https://officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/sakura-pigma-brush-pen-black-xpxsdkbr49) - [Spectrum Store: Sakura Pigma Brush (colors including Purple XSDK-BR-024 and Black XSDK-BR-049; seen in a search listing)](https://spectrumstore.com/en-ww/products/sakura-pigma-brush) - [Muziker: Sakura Pigma Brush Sepia Dark (XSDKBR117, made in Japan; seen in a search listing)](https://www.muziker.ee/sakura-pigma-brush-sepia) - [Amazon: Sakura Pigma Micron Brush Black Pen, Pack of 4 (400+ bought in past month, 4.6 stars, read October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XZ1KXCM) - [Amazon: Sakura Pigma Professional Brush Pens, Black, 3 Pack (fine, medium, bold; about 1,200 ratings)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RGFVXPI) - [Royal Talens: Sakura Pigma Brush (11 colors with Sakura color numbers and hex codes)](https://www.royaltalens.com/products/sakura-pigma-brush) - [Sakura of America: Pigma product brochure (stock list: Pigma Brush in 9 colors, Rose No. 21)](https://www.sakuraofamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Pigma-small.pdf)