Drawing/inking EQUIPMENT in EUROPE

[IvkeBG]

What kind of equipment do those of you who live in EU use? What pencil brands, pen brands, ink brands? Which are the BEST, which are a good balance of QUALITY and PRICE?

I was very dissapointed using Staedtler pencils, they leave these little quirks of carbon on paper, and are very difficult to tone the drawing with. I also have Rotring rapidographs, but I guess they are not that good for drawing.
Can you give me any advice on the equipment?

Thanks.

[sone_one]

hi,

i ve been using mechanical pencils (mostly 0.9 staedtler with 2b lead or hb... dont know which brand), and copic multiliners to ink (look here (http://copicmarker.com/home/cm1/smartlist/22/0)).

[Gator]

I'm not a big fan of staedtler either. I used either Caran D'Ache or Faber-Castell pencils. Any decent vinyl eraser does the job for me; it so happens mine is also by Faber! :P
As for pens, my markers are Faber, my pens are either Rotring or Cross. I also have a Rotring mech-pencil. I try not to look at the price tags when equipment is concerened, though I'm lucky things these things aren't too expensive here in Portugal. Maybe except those Faber markers... 12E per set of 4 pens...
Hope this helps! Maybe go to a shop and ask to use different brands of pens/pencils, and see which types fit your style best.

[imager777]

My recomendation:
http://www.pilotpen.us/detail.asp?PenID=43

I haven't found anything better yet. Microns aren't too bad.

[IvkeBG]

Thanks for the replies, I'll check out those Copic multiliners, I saw the website and it looks very promising. I hope I can find them. And I'll switch to Faber Castel pencils, I'll try them out and see if they are better.