Cricut machines use pens to perform various tasks like illustrations, coloring pages, drawing and writing text, doodles, illustration, and more. They also have a pen for marking fabrics and cutting if you have a Cricut Maker machine. In this blog, we will discuss in detail what the Cricut Pens are used for, various types of pens, and how to load and download pens in your Cricut machine for different Cricut machines.
The good news is that all the latest machines nowadays use pens, including Cricut Maker, Explore series machine, and Cricut Joy. The Cricut Explore and Cricut Maker have interchangeable pens, and you can use all the pens in both machines. At the same time, Cricut has its segment of smaller pens, which you cannot use the pens in other machines and vice versa.
Cricut makes a vast collection of markers and pens to use with the Cricut machine. Cricut has elegantly designed the barrels and end caps of the pens, which helps you differentiate between different pens on your Cricut pen’s rack. Here is the list of different types of pens that comes with Cricut machines:
Fine Point Pens
Extra Fine Point Pens
Pen/Markers
Gel Pens
Glitter Gel Pens
Calligraphy Pens
Fabric Marker
Infusible Ink Pens
Infusible Ink Markers
Yes, there are many Non-Cricut pens that you can use in your Cricut machines, like Cricut Maker and Explore machines, with the help of specialized adapters.
Following is the procedure to load the pen into your Cricut machine.
Cricut Explore and Marker: Insert your uncapped pen in the auxiliary Clamp A, hold the bottom of the tool holder as you insert it, and then push down on the pen until it clicks. Ensure that your pen is perfectly fitted into the rack.
Cricut Joy: Like the other Cricut machines, there isn’t a separate clamp on the Cricut Joy for the pen. You need to set the pen in and close the clamp when you’re good to write. Unlike the other Cricut machines, you do not need to press the pen down.
There are a lot of images that you will find in the Design Space library as writing images. You can search for drawable images by filtering for the “draw only” images that can be designed using the pen. After searching for the drawable images, you will see three search results for hedgehogs drawn with the pen.
Go to the draw in the Layers Panel on the left-hand side and the line type selection dropdown at the Top of the Edit Toolbar.
Now click on the colored square box next to the dropdown. Now select the pen you’re using. Then you will see the letter matches the pen end cap labels.
In this blog, we have discussed what the Cricut pens used are, and we have tried to answer all the possible queries related to Cricut pens. Below is our frequently asked questions section.
Cricut markers and pens can write on any material a regular pen can write on, like cardboard, textured cardstock, paper, etc. Before using a pen or marker on any surface, always check the test sample so the ink does not spill off.
A variety of pens are available with Cricut, like thin, thick, calligraphy, etc. Cricut pens come in many colors, but you don’t necessarily need them for every project you make. In some projects, the pen doesn’t even come in use.
Infusible pens/ markers last for a minimum of four full 8.5 in x 11 in drawing and writing pages.
Anything you write on the Smart label vinyl will never fade over time, and the ink stays permanent when dried.
You must insert the text you want to write to get your Cricut machine to write instead of cutting. Now select the text you want to write and choose the pen operation instead of cut. If you’re using the design space app, select the text, choose the edit option, and then scroll to the right, where you get to line type and select draw.
Visit: Cricut.com/setup
Source: https://cricutdesign6cut.wordpress.com/2023/02/21/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cricut-pens/