Which Erasable Color Pens or Markers for Brain Anatomy notes?

October 10, 2022 2:37 PM

I am taking what is essentially a neurobiology class, where I am learning and having to remember a lot of information on brain and nervous system anatomy and biological processes. I have discovered sketching is the best way so far for me to remember the boatload of information being thrown at me. I want to do the sketches using color, but with the ability to erase. I am currently using color mechanical pencils, but I stumbled upon colored pens and markers that claim to be erasable. And have no idea where to start.

I'm struggling with the "there are too many options" problem and I have no idea what I need. I found just because the lead in the color pencils keeps breaking, so I knew I'd need replacement lead soon and had no idea where to get. (And the color pencils are new to me as well).

Then blam, erasable color markers and pens shows up in related items. I didn't know such a thing existed, but I feel like it will solve the mechanical lead breaking issue that bugs me.

Using colored pencils is new to me as well, I started with pen while writing notes, realized that I had to move fast to draw while taking notes, so switched to pencil, but didn't like the pencil I had, and while browsing in a physical store, mechanical, erasable colored pencils caught my eye. Been using for a couple weeks. I love the color, I don't love the feel of the pencils.

Prior to that, I did experiment with some color pens I just happened to have with me in one of my classes, and it made my sketches in my notes readable in a way they weren't before.

I'm including some examples of sketches from my notes here: with pencils , with pens.
Dunno if that helps with recommendations based on usage.

The notes are just for me; although I enjoy how they look, it's more just a study tool. I'm interested in the erasability for mistakes, but also I'm finding sometimes erasing an area makes labels more visible. And when I'm taking notes in class, I erase a lot, so I am concerned if they leave anything behind.

Also a concern is if the ink smears or not. I started the semester with a pen that had slower drying ink and I constantly smeared notes.

I know i want at least two of each color, as I have been finding a desire to have say a dark green and a light green.

Any suggestions for erasable pens and markers? Either features and drawbacks I should be considering while I'm looking at which ones, or specific brands/models I should consider?

posted by [insert clever name here] to Education (6 answers total)

The Pentel Frixion pens don't smear (at least on standard paper--they do smear on Rocketbook pages) and do erase and are by far the best erasable pens I've ever used. However, it's not always easy to write over an area that you've just erased because the eraser doesn't actually pick up the ink, rather the heat from the eraser's friction causes the ink to become transparent. I do use them for Japanese homework and that's not too annoying, but I think it would be annoying if I were taking notes live. I haven't tried the Frixion markers, but I have tried (I think) all the other variants.
posted by hoyland at 2:50 PM on October 10, 2022 [4 favorites]

I have and like Pilot Frixions. The only knock I have against them is that the ink is not as saturated/dark as the non-erasable gel pens, although you can mitigate that by choosing thicker tip sizes, and if everything is written in Frixion ink it's not really a problem.

The Ball Slim Gels come in 20 colors and the refills for those fit into the Frixion Multipens, if you're so inclined. Do note that the Slim pens/refills have less ink than the normal pens/refills.
posted by meowzilla at 3:14 PM on October 10, 2022

This doesn't answer your question - but I've started using whiteboards for tons of stuff. They key supplies are these thin cardboard sheets with whiteboard coating I get from a store called Oomomo here, cut to desired size, very fine point (.7) multicolour whiteboard markers, and some other multi-colour whiteboard markers that are thicker and have sponges on the end that act as the erasers. There is this thin black whiteboard tape that I will use to create tables and headers of desired size. I have a folder with a clip to carry the smaller sized ones around in. I haven't found a good substitute for the cardboard sheets on Amazon, but that's where I get the rest.

To put on the walls, I've used command picture hanging strips, and also cut up pieces of magnet sheet to slap these on my bigger magnetic whiteboard.

I scan them with my phone, recently got these orange triangles from Rocket that enable a one click workflow for this.

Nothing has ever been easier than this to jot down thoughts fast. The sponge erasers are less effort than erasing a marker. I can use a variety of sizes and colors of marker. I can erase the whole sheet fast. Only hazard is accidental wiping off.
posted by lookoutbelow at 3:34 PM on October 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Armando Hasudungan Amazing anatomy website featuring hand created lessons. You can see how he works and he has tips on how to make anatomical drawings with colored elements. I hope you find it helpful.
posted by effluvia at 4:05 PM on October 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

> Either features and drawbacks I should be considering while I'm looking at which ones, or specific brands/models I should consider?

If you or your stuff are out in sub-freezing temperatures, then previously-erased Frixion pen markings can become visible again.
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:38 PM on October 10, 2022

Not sure about the Frixiion pens coming back when cold, but wanted to warn that leaving your book in a hot car might make all your notes vanish because the ink becomes transparent due to heat.

The other 'erasable ink' is just like thinned out and colored rubber cement, just a colored glue on the surface that can be rubbed off. Original 'erasable pen' technology.

Then there's laser printer which is about the same as the glue, colored plastic that is melted into place.

Ink as it were, soaks into the fibers of the paper. You can only remove it if your paper is thick and the ink goes shallow and you abrade away the paper that has ink absorbed in it.

Pencils on the other hand are softer than paper (paper is rather hard) and they just abrade away and stick to the paper. So it's easy to erase them, just put something stickier over them and pull those little particles out.

You just need to find an art store and learn about Drafting (Mechanical Drawing) pencils and sharpeners and erasers and erasing shields.

You make your drawings in the hardest and lightest thing you can see, Then you put down ink on the inkable parts, then you erase everything else.

What you really want and need (IMHO) is a bunch of colored pencils to do your draft, and a buncy of colored pens to do a second pass, and then a good eraser to remove to pencil and only leave the ink.

As far as I know, there is no 'erasable ink' that isn't problematic in one way or another. Three steps, sketch, ink, erase.
posted by zengargoyle at 11:43 PM on October 10, 2022 [1 favorite]