I generally use off-brand biros with a really fine tip and they work just fine for me, but with one caveat: while normally I write in cursive and then I prefer pens with a thicker tip, on postcards I write only in print letters so that other users can read my handwriting easier. Printing slows me down and maybe for this reason I can write better and neater on glossier surfaces, whereas if I wrote cursive on such a surface, it would be very messy. So maybe it is also a consideration whether you prefer to write in cursive or print, when you choose the pen.
Another option I didnāt see mentioned (though I am not sure how widely available they are) is the BIC Intensity Ultra Fine Tip Permanent Markers. I have 12 colors and they write nicely on all the shiny cards I have tried them on. They do have a tendency to feather on more porous papers.
Because of your suggestion, I recently ordered a trio. They definitely work very well! I love the fact that the trio comes in 01, 03, and 05! Thank You!
I tend to use Staedtler permanent ink fineliners, although the line is about 0.7mm to 1.0mm depending on the pressure used to write with, so they tend to write quite wide lines despite being fine point pens.
It seems as though some Pilot G2 ballpoint pens can write fairly well on glossy cards, although it is best to leave it a moment for the ink to dry just in case!
Faber Castell Ecco Pigment fine line pens have also been good in my experience, although again, give it a moment to dry before moving the cards around.
I hope that is helpful for someone! Lots of good suggestions in this thread.
Bic ballpoint pens are ideal for writing on shiny postcards.
Talking about these Disney Villains cards, Iāve just had a thank you message for one. The card had arrived with no stamp! Sounds like itās not just pen that doesnāt stick to them, lickable stamps also wonāt hold.
Maybe itās best to not send these cards at all.
@elanlei I already suspected that. I used a sticker stamp. Unfortunately, we only have a few of them (and no pretty ones) in Austria. But I will continue to use the self-adhesive stamps for these cards. Itās a real pity, because the box is really nice otherwise.
Staedtler lumocolor! Theyāre relatively quick drying and my favourite part is that on shiny cards some of them have a contrasting colour āsheenā like sheening fountain pen ink
To the guillotine with the Sharpies. Thereās a new champion pen and itās the Zebra Sarasa Dry X20. (Thanks to everyone who recommended it.)
When I was using Sharpies, a pitfall was that they didnāt do great with fluid writing. Fine for block letters with distinct start/stop, but if you like to connect letters in a lazy script as I do, the Sharpies didnāt handle the turns very well. So my handwriting never looked as pretty as it does with other pens. Plus, they were fully pointless on matte cards, so I had to switch pens depending on card type.
Enter the Sarasa. Crisp and fluid on matte. Dries in a flash on glossy. Nice traction on both. No feathering. Tons of colors and very midrange in price. Iām going to be so disappointed if I come across duds, but for now, Iām a convert!
If you want to write on a smooth surface, you can use a marker or paint pen.