Their Favourite Drawing Instruments
Roz Chast : Rapidograph pen
Roz Chast ’ s anxious characters have captivated readers of The New Yorker since 1979 , when she was hired as the first female staff cartoonist there .
“ I went to the World ’ s Fair when I was 8 , and the only thing I remember was the Parker Pen Pavilion , which was very , very cool . Then my cousin gave me a Rapidograph when I was 12 . I was in love . As a leftie cartoonist , dip pens are always a problem because we push the pen and righties pull it . With some other pens , that clip gets in the way . And ink that doesn ’ t dry immediately is always problematic for lefties , because of the smearing factor .
Illustration by Roz Chast
My first Rapidograph was black and heavy-barreled . It had a double zero point so you could really get a lot of detail . Even though it clogged all the time , I didn ’ t care . Then they discontinued it . So I switched to the white Rapidograph but I wasn ’ t totally in love – the line seemed a little scratchy . I like a very black line because I put water color wash over it . So I tried the Rotring Rapidoliner and fell in love again . Then they stopped making that . I bought a bunch that I am slowly using up , but should have bought the whole factory . I am in mourning for my discontinued pens and also jealous of righties because they get to dip .”
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