Writing Implement Test Sheet in PDF

So, Tricia’s recent post on Brush Pens debuted the “Official StickersAndDonuts.com Writing Implement Test Sheet” (as seen above). I got a handful of requests for a pdf version of the test sheet, which I am presenting to you above (download it and you will see it’s a full, printable page). Feel free to test away with your various pens and pencils. (If you need help figuring out what to test, check out Tricia’s ever-popular guide to Pens and Pencils).

CLICK on this gift guide to see more about each product!
(Pages open in new window.)

Writers use everything from paper to pens to keyboards to typewriters, which is why it’s so much fun to get them gifts: there’s so much to choose from. They usually love irony and sarcastic humor, which makes them prime targets for gifts like shot glasses containing the faces and quotes of alcoholic writers. They’re usually quirky and unique, so it’s not weird to get them a USB drive or pencil sharpener with a face on it.

What are some of my favorites from the above list?

I love the NaNoWriMo Merit Badges (if you don’t know about National Novel Writing Month, check out the web-site! it’s a super-fun way to spend the month of November, and at the end you can proudly say: I wrote a novel!).

I also love the story wallet, a collaboration between Poketo and McSweeney’s 826 writing centers for kids. (The kids made the stories, Poketo made the wallets.)

If you want to get the writer in your life actual books, especially if they are an artsily-inclined writer, try Penguin’s Book Sets or McSweeney’s literary magazine subscription.

Hello friends! In my very first issue of currently obsessed, I’d like to share some things that I’ve recently been consuming/listening to/lusting for. As you can tell from all the picks, I am in study mode. Non-mechanical #2 pencils? Check! Candy and coffee? Double check! (Note: My productivity is correlated with candy consumption. Legit.  Kind of like Felicity’s pre-med roommate and her M&Ms, minus the pre-med part.  Or, Michael from the Princess Diaries and HIS M&Ms. ) The Life Aquatic violates this set from being completely study-related (I can only intake a limited amount of David Bowie. Especially when I’m trying to “critically” read.), but this is currently obsessed…so no discrimination allowed. Ciao!

• I got a pack of Ticonderoga tri-writes last month. They are wonderful! I hold writing utensils awkwardly and incorrectly (it’s not my fault!) (my hand basically looks like it is itching to punch someone…I know you were trying to picture my awkward-looking hand…). They sharpen very well (I love my Maped sharpener!). As the name implies, the pencil is triangular- a built in pencil grip! Also, these pencils don’t run away when you throw them down in frustration. How obedient!
• Trader Darwin (Joe)’s Gummi Vites are the best! I have a really difficult time taking vitamins. I never remember, and when I do, I cringe when I see the submarine-sized pills. Bleh. These make taking vitamins so much fun! They might be too much fun, however, because I have definitely been taking more than the recommended amount. :( Trader Joe’s, $4.99 for a bottle of 70.
• Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about Bill Murray. As part of the Chicago Air & Water Show a month ago, he jumped out of a plane. I thought it was particularly funny that the Chicago Tribune chronicled his jump, minute by minute. The search feature of the Chicago Tribune website is stumping me right now (as is Chicago Tribune’s distasteful usa-todayification…which re-affirms the New York Times’ superiority…REALLY? DO YOU THINK I’M AN IDIOT AND NEED A PAGE-BAR TO NAVIGATE A NEWSPAPER?), but here’s the gawker article that mocks the Chicago Tribune’s Murray coverage. Just last week, Bill Murray was in the news again in regards to his apparent approval of an upcoming Ghostbusters film. Anyways, with all this Bill Murray nonsense, I realized that I still did not have the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic. I have been listening to it since I got it this past weekend, and it’s pretty good. I’m not ready to declare where it falls in my personal Wes-Anderson-soundtrack rankings (Royal Tennebaums and Rushmore are exceptionally tight), but this one is great.
• At Trader Joe’s they sell this licorice in 1lb tubs. When you put a twisty chunk in your mouth? Utter bliss. Inspired by this post on Mindy Ephron’s blog, I went searching for a tub of Kookaburra at Trader Joe’s.  Although it may not be Kookaburra, the licorice still tastes like the best masticated-fruit roll up ever.  I can finish a tub, by myself, in less than a day. :( Trader Joe’s, $3.99 for a 1lb tub.
• This is one of the most clever devices that I have ever seen. The Pentel Handy-lineS Memorization Aid Highlighter Set (whew! what a name) includes a green highlighter, an eraser marker, and a piece of red film. As you can already tell, this is not a normal highlighter. So let’s say that you have this monstrous exam on world capitals. You have in your notes, “Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan.” While you’re studying, you highlight “Thimphu,” because you want to make sure it is ingrained in your head. Also, highlighting keeps you from falling asleep. After you’ve reached Zimbabwe on your list, you’d like to test yourself to see how much you’ve retained. Instead of awkwardly covering up your highlighted capitals with your fingers, all you have to do is cover your notes with the red film. Result? The film masks your highlighted text, and you can’t read it! Test away! When you’re done studying, you can even un-highlight test using the eraser. MAGIC! Available at JetPens, $5.70
• Moonstruck Chocolate Company is one of the best chocolatiers. They make really great truffles, and their chocolates are always well-balanced and not too alcoholicy (like Godiva). There used to be a lovely company-owned Moonstruck Cafe on Michigan Ave., but it closed. Womp womp. As a result, one of the only places you can get Moonstruck chocolates downtown is Macy’s. Moonstruck has a few cute signatures, including their ice cream cone collection, cupcake truffle collection, AND critter truffle collection. Similar to their iconic critter truffles, “Election Collection 08″ features elephant and donkey truffles! How patriotic! The elephant is a dark chocolate extra-bittersweet ganache, and the donkey features Moonstruck’s Mayan Ganache (milk chocolate, almonds, cinnamon). Also of note, the last time I was at the State Street Macy’s, the only election truffles left were elephants. I find this amusing and very telling. Available at Moonstruck, $15 for a collection of four.
• Sometimes I go to Caffe Rom twice a day. It has gotten so excessive, that I feel like they know me pretty well. I think I’m on my way from becoming “medium americano girl” to “Tricia.” This graduation is sort of exciting, and sort of embarassing. However, this is one of my favorite places to get coffee. It reminds me of my ex-barista days, and the espresso is good. I gave Intelligentsia a chance (actually two chances), and it was pretty gross. Unwelcomingly sour. And, whenever I go to Starbucks, I always spill. Probably because the hippie free trade coffee gods are trying to punish me. Karma is a bitch when you are wearing something non-black.

1. Supposedly the world’s finest pen, I was extremely excited when I got this. And then I stupidly left it on the counter of the café I worked at and an architect snatched it up! Womp womp. It comes in 14 colors and writes surprisingly smooth (even though the tip is so tiny!), Uni-ball Signo Bit 0.18 mm Pen from JetPens, $3 each

2. Lead advance button = for old farts. Simply shake this pencil and the lead comes out! Watch it in action on YouTube!, Pilot 2020 Shaker Super Grip Pencil from JetPens, $3 each

3. I never liked erasable pens- I could never find one that wrote smoothly. This one is exceptionally magical because the ink is smooth AND thermosensitive. Rub your text with the rubber pen butt and it disappears! Plus, the name has a GIANT ‘X’…and you know everything sounds cooler with a capital X (ex: Xtreme), Pentel FriXion Erasable Pen from JetPens, $3 each

4. Hey, if you’re a crappy writer, at least your prose will smell good. Comes in three scents: Healing, Refresh, and Positive (ha!), Pentel Ain Supplio Nanotech Scented Mechanical Pencil from JetPens, $3 each

5. This is my absolute favorite pen. It comes in over 15 colors and in 0.25mm, 0.3mm, and 0.4mm tips. It never clogs, is silky smooth, and features a convenient ink barrel gauge (so you know when to get a new pen!), Pentel Slicci Pen from JetPens, $3 each

6. I used to secretly make fun of my classmates who would take notes with ten different colors of STABILO pens. And then I became one of them. Available in 25 colors!, STABILO Point 88 Pen from Dick Blick, $0.77 each

7. Do you find yourself silently cursing at those pesky finger-tapping-foot-shaking kids at the library? Psh! Be proactive! Shoot them…with the Nerf Dart Blaster Toy pen! (Side note: I have a friend who was in the aforementioned situation, and when the pest went to the bathroom, he stole the kid’s highlighters. Too bad he didn’t have a Nerf Dart pen.) PEW! PEW! PEW!, Nerf Dart Blaster Toy Pen from Amazon, $5.99 each

8. SCENARIO! You’re in class. Then you turn to the person sitting next to you and say, “Hey… soul mate. How do you feel about you…me…and some Connect Four?”, Connect Four Game Pen from Amazon, $5.99 each

9. My biggest “arrggghh” about fabric pens that I find in craft stores is that the pen tip is TOO FAT. And they BLEED. And they RUIN my artistic vision. HARRUMPH! These pens are great because they come in 0.4 mm, 0.7 mm, and 1.0 mm tip sizes, Pilot Fabric Marker Pen from Jet Pens, $1.80 each

10. I LOVE these pens. The ink dries glossy and 3-D. I received the 10 color set right before I began studying organic chemistry. After every class, I looked forward to going through my notes and underlining with these pens. I also used them to draw little arrows and electrons in my reaction mechanisms. Basically, I had the most baller and fun orgo notes ever. And I ended up doing pretty well in orgo too. Sakura Glaze Pen from Jet Pens, $3.95 for two

11. OK, I admit, the name? Negative cool points. And it kind of makes me uncomfortable. Pretend it’s named something cool…like…Silly String Pen….or Magical Moldy Growth Pen…and the pen instantaneously becomes 10x more acceptable! (Well, perhaps I’m the only one who thinks my names are super cool) Although completely impractical for any sort of schoolwork, these pens are great fun!#$!! After you write, the ink magically puffs up. Your words will transform into popcorny letters. Or at least look like E.coli that has been inoculating on super agar at an optimal temperature, Dong-A Popcorn Puffy Paint Pen from JetPens, $1.20 each

12. For the indecisive color-lover who loves to doodle. And oh man. Oh. Man. In addition to some rad packaging (Both the words “magic” AND “crazy” appear on the package), the pencils come in the following colors: “Original,” “Tropical,” “Neon”….and….wait for it……”AMERICAN & FIRE” (!@#!!!) I have always wanted to doodle with an “American & Fire” pencil, Koh-I-Noor Magic FX Pencil from PencilLovers, $12.05 for a set of 5

13. Remember when Pentel Milky pens were super popular (on the fad timeline it was right around Casio Baby-G watches and Smash Mouth)? These are like Milky pens 2.0 – the colors are more vibrant, the barrel is beefier, and they can write on many surfaces, Pilot Latte from JetPens, $1.80 each

Now that you possess a glorious new pencil trap, it’s time to start filling it with some pens and pencils. Although new Ticonderogas and Uni-ball Micros are great, these pens are amazing!!! I am obsessed with extra fine tipped writing utensils. As you can see, JetPens is my FAVORITE place to get new pens!!! I love an extra fine tip pen (my preferred tip size is 0.28mm), and there are very few retailers (in the US) that sell that size!

Extra note: For those of you who are really into pens, I recommend that you check out The Pen Addict.  It is the ultimate online authority on pens, and is packed with product reviews.

To see other school supplies posts, click here!