Silhouette Sketch pens will of course run out of ink over time and require replacement, but if you otherwise encounter concerns with being able to sketch properly, you can try the following recommendations below.
Checking Pen
If your sketch pen is not drawing well, where the lines are faint, skipping, or not present at all, try the following:
- Taking your sketch pen out of your Silhouette machine
- Make a few scribble marks on a blank sheet of plain printer paper
NOTE: This usually re-starts the ink flow - If sketching on a regular sheet of printer paper works, test on your specific material type that you are trying to use
NOTE: Some surface types are not conducive for use with sketch pens
Check Proper Setup
When loading the sketch pen into your Silhouette machine, make sure to push the pen all the way down into the holder prior to locking it into place. You can twist the pen slightly back and forth prior to locking into place to make sure it is fully loaded into the holder.
We also recommend to use a cutting mat, if you are not already doing so. The cutting mat provides a firm backing to produce better sketching results. Check your cutting mat adhesive strength to make sure it is holding your material in place well enough during the sketching action.
Finally, ensure you are selecting Sketch for your 'Action'.
Other 'Action' options will not push the pen down properly to produce the intended 'Sketch' result.