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When I decided to publish a few more advanced coloring books that had gray scale images, such as the Herbs and Plants, Camping, Trolls in a Jar, Treehouses, Dragons, and Magical Mushroom Forest I wasn't sure what medium I was going to like with this style of coloring book. I think the LBW Brutfuner Metallic Color Pencils I purchased from Amazon did an amazing job coloring with the gray scale images.I love the variety of colors and how well they colored light or dark. If you are looking for a nice set of metallic colored pencils, this is it. They come in a pack of 50 or 72. I am now wishing I purchased the 72.
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 purchased these Brutfuner pastel colored pencils* back in March and I've only recently had a chance to really use them. Initially I was attracted to the vast color choices but wasn't too sure about the "oily" in their description. I thought perhaps they would be a bit too much like oil pastels for my liking. I am happy to say they are NOT like oil pastels. They color smooth but dont smear. They blend really nicely as well if you start light. If you are heavy handed and color dark, blending is difficult. The pigment is on the thicker side and I found I had to go over my black lines when I was done. I purchased the bigger set of 72 for a little over $23.00 on Amazon, but there is a smaller set available. I am really glad I purchased them. They are a nice addition to my color pencil collection which is my favorite medium for coloring book coloring.
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. *
Sharpie Creative Markers *I purchased the new Sharpie Creative Markers recently and wanted to see how they held up to coloring on paper. The name is a bit misleading as they are more of a paint pen than marker. Having said that, they drew on paper like a marker but with a much thicker coat of pigment. True to their claim they didn't bleed through the paper at all. I did find that I had to go over every black line in the coloring book with a regular black sharpie after I finished adding the color. The black marker did bleed a bit but putting a piece of light cardboard beneath the page solved that. Sharpie Creative Markers does have a brush tip that might be better for tight places and smaller drawings. The colors are beautiful and bold and according to Sharpie can be used on paper, metal, wood, ceramic, glass, rock, and canvas. I decided to try using them on an old pair of shoes I was ready to toss. They did well, but how well they hold up to water or rain remains to be seen. I'm not sure if this is Sharpie's answer to alcohol markers or paint pens but over all they are a fun product. For coloring books? They are ok, if you don't mind going over your colored picture with a black sharpie when you are done.
* 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.
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