These Grabie paint markers are wonderful! The colors are bright and bold, the pigment dries almost instantly and they are just plain fun to color with.
Click on picture to link to product.
Click on picture to link to product.
Click on picture to link to product.
Set of 12 Black Micro-Pen Fineliner Ink Pens - Waterproof Archival ink Fine Point Micro Pen for Multiliner, Sketching, Brush Lettering, Artist Illustration, Technical Drawing, Calligraphy, Scrapbooking
Perfect for defining the lines of your drawings.
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Reviews
I received a message asking me what gel pens I use to color so I thought I'd do a review of the pens I use. The first set I purchased was the Shuttle Art pack of 360*. They were about $38.00 but when I saw they not only included regular colors, but neon colors and glitter colors, the price was comparable to purchasing separate packages to get the same variety.
For the most part I really like these pens. They are not my favorite but they get the job done. I love the color choices, and the regular ink flows great. My big dislike is the glitter pen tips tend to clog up with the little glitter particles and I have to dampen the tip and scribble on blank paper quite a bit to get it unclogged and the ink flowing again. It never fails that I have to do it with every coloring session. I do think it is because the tips of these pens are very fine and too small for the glitter. Perhaps with a less fine tip the clogging would be better.
I have also just recently purchased the Pilot Frixion gel pens * and these are amazing, but pricy (see full review below). My only wish is if there was a yellow in the Frixion collection. These are my favorite to color with but smooth ink application also means more ink used and will need to refill sooner than the others. I found a happy medium with Amazon's answer to a set of gel pens, Amazon Basics Gel Pens*. The price on this set was certainly more reasonable at around $9.00 and there was a yellow!
They colored pretty well, much like the Shuttle Art pens, but not as good as the Frixion pens.
All in all, For a large set. I think the Shuttle Art pens were the most affordable, most practical and offered the most variety for the cost. The Amazon Basics are a good starter set if you are not sure you will like gel pens. But by far, the Frixion were the best and most expensive, but lacking yellow.
I'm finally getting around to writing a review on The Frixion Gel Pens by Pilot* that I purchased several months ago. I purchased the 15 color pack because...well...I like color.
These gel pens did not disappoint. The roller was smooth and the ink went on beautifully. I did find I had to wait for it to dry before I did any touch ups otherwise the ink streaked. Other than that I was pleased with the results. The colors are bright and bold as you can see by my example, and the pack contained a good variety of colors. I do, however, wish there was a yellow. Each pen has an eraser top which I did not use, as these erasers just remove the top fibers of the paper leaving it rough. Frixion gel pens are refillable as well, which is a bonus if you are doing a lot of drawing with them. These pens are a bit on the pricey side, but like all art supplies, you get what you pay for. Would I recommend? Yes, but maybe not for younger artists. There are better options out there for them. I purchased them through Amazon.
I Blame Crayola Crayons!
One of my fondest and earliest childhood memories is receiving a brand new box of 64 Crayola Crayons, the ones with the sharpener in the back! I still remember the feeling of elation upon opening that little yellow box and seeing all those colors just calling to me. I felt the magic and inspiration of each and every one of those 64 hues and spent hours coloring. I have never forgotten that special feeling of anticipation to this day. Each and every time I purchase new drawing or painting or even clay supplies, I relive the joy of my five-year-old-self experiencing that same feeling of exhilaration and endless possibilities upon their arrival. I can honestly say this was a big part of why I became an art teacher. Yes, I blame Crayola!
When I had my classroom I always made it a point to have crayons and coloring pages available for my students for when they finished their art projects. Was coloring fine art? No, but what it did was provided a time when my kiddos could slow down, use their imagination, without rules or instructions, and see how good it felt to just be in the moment of creating something. That, in my opinion, was a very good thing. Judging by the amount of students I would see coloring on any given day told me the magic of those little colored wax sticks was still there and hopefully inspiring future artists.
I owe a lot to that little yellow box, and although crayons are no longer my primary drawing tool, every now and then I pull out my box (yes, I still have crayons in my art supplies) and color in my coloring books with them just as a reminder of how far I've come.
Thank you Crayola for being such a big part of my life and inspiring me even to this day!
If you are interested in inspiring a child (or adult) here is a link for Crayola Crayons and other Crayola products. *
* I participate in Amazon's Associate Program. By using the links provided on the listed products, I will make a small percentage from your purchase. The price of the item does not change nor will you pay more for the product. The small monetary amount will help support this website. Thank you for your support.
