Hand-drawn Mind Map Tools of the Trade

A larger version of this Mind Map can be downloaded from the Free Articles page at the Mind Map Inspiration Website as an image or PDF

Here is a look inside my mindmapping kit at the materials I use:

Storage:

• Clear art boxes, wooden paint boxes & racks, clear video cases

Stencils:

• Circles, Ovals, Shapes, Mathematical & Scientific, Collection of plastic lids and self-made items

Paints:

• Acrylic paints, acrylic inks, watercolours

Pencils:

• Staedtler Noris 122-HB plus erasers and pencil end erasers
• Pitt Pastel Pencils – such as grey and black for shading
• Derwent Inktense Watercolour Pencils

Colour Pens:

• Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent Dry Safe – Fine
• Staedtler Lumocolor Duo Permanent – Medium and Fine
• Staedtler Lumocolor Whiteboard Pens – Medium
• Sharpie Twin tip Permanent markers – Fine/Ultra Fine
• Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens – Shades of Grey Brush tip – Bold
• Stabilo Point 88 Fine

Colouring Pens:

• Staedtler Triplus Fineliners 0.3mm
• Staedtler Triplus Color Fibre-tips 1.0mm

Black ink pens:

• Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens – Medium and Bold
• Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush – Bold
• Pentel Maxiflo Permanent Marker – Fine
• Staedtler Pigment Liners 0.1 through to 0.8 (Most used 0.2)

If you wish to try these pens start small and see which ones you prefer. I gathered this collection slowly starting with single items. If you find a pen or pencil you like it makes sense to purchase in packs where possible to reduce costs, although check prices – sometimes individual purchases are no dearer.

Overall my favourite ink pen is the Staedtler Pigment Liner. A brilliant all-rounder; indelible, waterproof on paper, lightfast, permanent and an 18 Hour cap off feature! (Personally, if the cap’s off I write or draw!)

There are many other brilliant products on the market; experiment and discover what suits you best.

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Ideal Mind Mapping Pens

Two great Mind Mapping pens for ink work: Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens and Staedtler Pigment Liner

These pens have Waterproof and lightfast ink; perfect for black line work

They come in both fine line and thicker line:

The Faber-Castell “F” and Staedtler “0.2″ are versatile sizes, ideal for drawing and lettering

Personally, I like to use black ink then add colour – these pens are great for that.

There are many excellent examples of colour and colour pens being used, such as Josephine Moon and Roberta Buzzacchino 

See the links section for others including:

Topicscape Mind Map Directory 

and

Mappio Mind Map Directory

Further brilliant uses of colour by Adam Sicinski can be seen at the IQ Matrix

More about the use of colour in my E-Book “Drawing Tips for Mind Mapping”