The Best Coloured Pens for Note Taking

November 15, 2020 Nadya Corscadden

I get asked this question all the time, but, truth be told, I’m not a coloured pen person. Since my printing’s horrible and I don’t want to stress myself out by adding coloured pens into the mix, I tend to bring colour into my notes by using highlighters galore. They’re like coloured pens, but for less talented people.

BUT - if you’re brave enough to hop on the coloured pen train, you’re still probably hoping I’ll tell you:

The Best Coloured Pens for Note Taking

*As an Amazon Associate, I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

After some asking around, I found an artistic friend who just got these, and she’s OBSESSED (like, seriously, you’d think she’s never seen a coloured PEN before):

Click here to check out the Best Coloured Pens on Amazon

Fineliner Color Pens for Drawing Writing Journaling Coloring, 0.4mm

Apparently they’re nice and fine and the colours are super vibrant. They also dry quickly, and they don’t seem to smudge or leak through the page (though the reviews said they can leak through some paper, so be careful on this one!).

If you use coloured pens and love them, tag me on insta - I’d love to see other people with talent use these things!

*UPDATE - I NOW OWN THE PENS!

I never thought I’d go so far as to actually use these pens, but I was gifted them over the holidays, and they 100% live up to the buzz!

So far, I have used them to plan and organize my schedule for the next few months, and now I’m searching for other projects to use them for. As far as my schedule, it’s so nice that everything can be categorized by colour: 24 pens give you SO many category options! They absolutely did NOT bleed through the pages, and some of the colours in particular make me smile just by looking at them.

The only downside is that they don’t fix my printing or my artistic ability. The nerve!! The colours DO make things easier to read, though, even if the writing’s messy…so it helps in that department.

I also successfully got ink all over my hands…but this is not new for me, so I don’t think it’s a reflection on the pens. I think it’s more a reflection of my own ability to use higher tools. I’m also one to get highlighter on my face and pen stains on my hands on a daily basis. There’s a reason why I opt for pencils whenever humanly possible…

If you’d rather take the easy route, join me in the colourful land of highlighters

For those of you who are less artistically inclined, it’s WAY easier to make your stuff look vibrant with highlighters. Take notes in a regular colour (as I’ve said before, pencil is totally my jam because I mess up all the time…and get pen everywhere), and then highlight sections that need a touch of colour!

These ones are my absolute favourite:

Check out my FAVOURITE highlighters on Amazon here

Sharpie ACCENT Highlighter, RETRACTABLE

They last for a really long time and they don’t tend to smudge pen/pencil underneath. It’s always a good day when I decide to refresh my package and get some nice shiny new ones :-)

I also love the fact that they’re retractable because I’m stellar at losing lids…

Let me know on Insta if you’re on team coloured pen or team highlighter!

I’m a huge fan of adding colour to your notes whenever you can because it helps you memorize them faster. There’s nothing more intimidating than staring at a huge chunk of black and white text and trying to decode it in your brain. If you colour-code your notes and break up them up into multiple categories and sub-categries, you’ll create a way more inviting atmosphere for your brain to absorb everything. Make it easy, and don’t overwhelm your brain!

Why don’t you just type everything and do all the colour coding on the computer? While this is certainly the fastest and cleanest way of doing things, it’s not as useful as physically writing everything out. Adding a kinetic element to the learning process will help you understand things on another level, and will, again, speed up comprehension. And before you say typing is also kinetic, and its better because it’s faster, think again. Faster has its perks, but slowing down prolongs the amount of time working with the material, and can be a beneficial use of your time.

Want More Study Tips?

If you’re still looking for tips to get you through homeschooling, check out the A+ Academics at Home book linked below. I was once a new home learner myself, and I TOTALLY get the struggles that come along with it. It was one of the best learning experiences of my life, though, and it completely changed the way I view education. I want to help you on this journey to discover the excitement that comes with learning something on your own!

A+ Academics at Home - Finding Success Through Distance Learning

If you want to keep reading, here are some other articles you might find interesting:

Who is Nadya Corscadden?

Nadya holds an MA in Musical Theatre and is no stranger to the home learning scene. Having spent a good chunk of her younger years in distance education (and opting for some correspondence electives at university), she has accumulated many tricks to help maintain focus and inspiration. She has a passion for independent learning and wants to help anyone and everyone find their stride in this atmosphere whether it’s homeschooling or simply studying for that next big test!

She is also a triple threat singer, dancer and actress….and can’t wait until stages are alive again!