I am very new to markers and have been struggling with streaks and making everything smooth. I did not realize that you can use a blending pen to smooth the streaks-I have some tombows that come with blending pens and. I can’t wait to try this technique!
When I was a kid, there were no such blending markers, so I used to use rubbing alcohol with a Q-Tip. The results weren't great, but I always had fun manipulating markers. Blending pens take a lot of practice to get good with, but for many marker artists, they are a must! Enjoy and thank you so much for your feedback! ~ Mark
Being around younger people really is infectious. What a thoughtful young lady! I'm not a big fan of markers either, but they are helpful for tidying up a painting etc. Really nice demonstration! The blending marker really made it come together. Helpful video and thorough. :)
You can always rely on Faber Castell to make great supplies, it really is something I've noticed haha. Great video Mark and it's no surprise to me that a student would gift a great teacher like you. Have a good week!
This is my favorite kind of marker, and pretty much the only kind I use because they are lightfast! Great review! I just wanted to mention that they do put out a smaller fine liner than you have here. They have an extra small that comes in their larger set, but can also be bought separately. I hope Sabrina see's this! Working with students must be so fulfilling!
Thank you, Caution: Artist at Play! I will have to seek out the smaller pen, now, as a few folks have mentioned it. Sabrina has seen this and commented on social media how excited she was to see it, which of course, made my day. :) Thank you so much for checking this one out! :)
I order the XS pen from Dick Blick. PITT pens work great with watercolor washes. They are great for airline travel when you don’t want to fly with fountain pens. I know some artists prefer Micron pens, but I find they have a scratchy feel when you draw with them. PITT pens glide across the page for me. If I could only have one set of brush pens, I’d get the shades of gray set. Great for doing value studies. The set includes several values of warm grays and cool grays. Glad you are making videos again, Mark!
Thank you, C0raBr0wn! I was looking at the Shades of Gray set, but went for the Skin Tones, instead! Too funny. I can see myself picking up the blue and gray sets in the future, but not anytime right away. I just don't use these kinds of pens often enough, but I could get used to them! lol! Thank you for watching and your kind feedback! I'm grateful. And though I'm not on Instagram too often, I adore seeing your work every time I am! Always a treat to see your work! Cheers! :)
Thanks, Mark. It always makes me happy to get a like from you, Maybe sometime you could do an inspirational video about how to spend more time making art instead of being addicted to social media!
I remember these! I’m not a fan of how patchy they can be, but I used them for my sketching for a little while and really liked the results. Made me loosen up!
Love, love love this video! I really enjoy drawing/colouring fish. My home is filled with bright and cheery fish things (not the live ones). Thanks for another enjoyable video ❣️🇦🇺
lol! Thank you SO much, MissChelle! I'm delighted you enjoyed this one and love hearing that you fill your home with bright, cheery fish things. Hoping you are well! ~ Mark
Your video was excellent . I am getting into Zentangle, and your reviews of art materials assists me about what to purchase when adding color to my tangles. I am sure you were an excellent teacher. I am a retired teacher myself. Your explanations are right on target.
Thank you, Barbara Middleton! Thank you both for your service as a teacher and for your kind words. I'm happy to know this video - and any others - are helpful. I do this for fun, not as a job, so if it's doing something good, then that makes me very happy! Stay well and I'm grateful for your time watching!
Hi there... I just discovered pens... I love Pitt pens. The colors are so vibrant. Beautiful. I ordered almost all the colors of Pitt pens, individually, from Jerry's Artarama. I also ordered a really cool, wooden, 3 drawer box to keep them in. It's small, the drawers are thin, and it's easy to carry around. Now, it's very easy to find the exact color I want. (I have them arranged by ROY-G-BIV.... Can you tell I'm a wee bit OCD?)
Too funny! I'm also a wee bit OCD, do I can totally relate! lol! I'm happy you've discovered pens! I grew up using almost nothing but pens and markers, until I discovered watercolors and gouache. And yes, the Pitt pens are my favorite, as well. I just wish I had more time in the day to use them! :)
What a sweet gift from Sabrina. She must be thrilled that you used her markers in a video!I really love the fish, the colour range and their goofy personalities. Thanks for another good one. Patricia
I started using my PITT pens during Inktober 2017 and I love them! They're also great for shading in mixed media ... once gel medium is totally dry (and if it isn't you'll stuff up your pens for good) you can use the PITT pens and smudge your lines - as they're indian ink there's only a very small window for doing this before they dry, but they add such depth to a project. I also find them really flexible with the mediums that they work on. I just love their intense colour and permanence. Glad you reviewed them :-)
i never used markers much outside of art classes both in college and in the community, but i enjoy them now, i have many brands, and use them all thx for the video, and i agree working with younger people with art is infectious , i do a lot of art projects with my grand daughter and i am never more inspired( she’s 7) lol
Very nice review of a special gift. It would be great if one day Sabrina does something with her art talent. I know we all need to encourage the next Picasso. It’s like my husband is always working to encourage people to play and grow tennis. As you make your drawing I told myself that I need to be on your Christmas card list. Who knows what you would come up with, if time allowed. I guess just being half way through watercolor month is making me a little crazy... Normally I do Christmas in July holiday cards. That way I get them out at Christmas and enjoy them before they go in the mail. Okay, rattling here, I like different mediums and its always great to see what others are doing. Take care, sorry you have the allergy voice, we all understand.
I really applaud you for taking on watercolor month! With shifting gears with work, it's been hectic to even think about doing any challenges, though I would love to have tried watercolor month! I'm hoping I have time to spend for the October challenge, but if not, well... I won't worry! I definitely like your idea of holiday cards, now. I should be doing that, as well. Ironically, I stopped drawing/painting cards several years ago, in favor of the family portraits while my kids are still young. I'll get back to them, eventually! Anyhow, thank you so much for your continued positive support and encouragement. Your time watching and your thoughts are always so greatly appreciated! I hope all is well with you and yours! :)
M.D. Campbell after inktober, i said never again. I guess never again is here. If i get down and dont finish I know the art police wont come. I am to the stage of just painting what comes to mind, so we will see. I always get tickled when people hype it up them dont do it. Thinking about Inktober, I need to get my t shirt out and wear it. Guess you could start one and call it...okay you know I dont. Take care and dont work too hard. When we were in business that was all we did do.
Love your review video and the aquatic "usual suspects line-up (+ hidden octo) is too cute. Agree with you on the streakiness of markers, which has made me avoid them as well, so thanks for the tip about the blender pen--I had no idea. I'll give my markers a try again now. :)
Thank you, Judy Mason! I'm glad you enjoyed this one and I kinda like the little octopus, as well! hehe! I don't use markers often, but I keep a fairly large set in my regular travel case, to help promote myself in using them. :)
Great demonstration of these pens. I'm not surprised that a student would honor you with a gift - you're a great teacher. Although they are called brush pens, these are really markers. I use a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for sketching. It has a true brush, with bristles that come to a point, and refillable with waterproof ink cartridges. Pentel also makes Color Brush Pens, which are water soluble. Have you ever used one of these? You can get fantastic line variation, and the ink just flows beautifully.
Thank you so much, Sharon! You're words are very kind! I agree with the assessment that these are markers. Seems like companies wanted to give them a more professional sounding name. lol! I have not tried the Pentel brush pens, mainly because I don't use brush pens too often. I do enjoy their water brushes, which I fill with ink and use that way. But, I am definitely going to look into them since you mentioned them! Thank you! Hope all is well on your end! :)
Whenever I buy my pitt pens, I always buy the set that has the XS pen in it, so I’m actually surprised that your set doesn’t have one! I don’t go out do my way to do it, they just always seem to be there. Faber castell is a pretty decent brand, to me. They seem reliable for the most part, but I’m never super in love with them enough to rant and rave. They just work they way I expect a pen to work, which I supposed given the number of bad pens I’ve tried for videos maybe I should be ranting and raving more. =>.
Thank you, Meow Meow Kapow for watching and commenting. One thing I realized that got cut from the edit - completely unintentionally - was the actual colored pen test!!!! I watched it after uploading and realized, "omg! I somehow cut out the whole pen test segment!" I've been kicking myself since. ugh. I figured you'd appreciate that blunder! lol! But wow - I didn't realize there was an XS tip for these pens. I've never seen one! That's really good to know and I'll keep my eye out now. To be honest, though, I always reach for my Copic Multiliner pens before all other when it comes to my work. These I keep in my travel kit, so if I lose them then I won't be too bummed out. And I can completely relate to your point about not loving them enough to rant/rave, but that they've always been good enough for my needs. That's really an excellent point. Glad I have them and the way they came to me was sheer generosity, so I'll definitely make the best use of them! I hope all is well in your world! Cheers! :)
Hi everyone! We just finished creating a video about our Pitt Artist Pens and the available nib sizes. Check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/ck-OuAKmDPY/v-deo.html. We hope that you enjoy it and thank you for the kind words! :)
A lot of my mixed media artist friends use them on acrylic paint (when dry) as they work well on that and they stay moist for a little longer which allows them to smudge the colour. This can create some interesting lining, pops of colour and highlights.
It's a good question, JayElle Art - Janice. I don't have an exact answer for you, but I will say that I don't think the impact would be noticeable, as lightfastness applies to the color in the pigment of the ink, and the blender does not have any pigment or ink, for that matter; it's a clear formula which would affect the ink of the PITT pens, which if they are lightfast, should remain lightfast. Again, though, that's not a final answer, but it would be my safest bet. Cheers! ~ Mark
Faber Castell has the XS black pen. I recently got the whole set of 8 Pitt Artist Pens (Black) including XS, S, F, M, B, SC, SB and (1,5) pens. And thank you so much for this nice video! :)
How kind of you and such a generous comment! Thank you so much for watching and taking your time to check the channel out, Sanny H. I am grateful you enjoy my work! Cheers! :)
Haha, me too! :) I wish I had some micron pens that worked as well as his... I had a set and they basically exploded. They all started leaking all over the place and when I took the cap off one of them to line something, it splattered ink all over the drawing. ;_;
I wish I would know an art teacher that could help me get into art a bit more seriously. And maybe exchange ideas and stuff like that. Anyway, thank you for informing us about these brush pens. I want to start using something more effective than colored pencils and I'm trying to decide between these and a 60 brush marker set (Zig Clean Color). If you know what those are about, maybe you could advise me which would be better for a beginner like me.
I'm autistic Native American LGBT female Savant. My art teachers saved my life. I remember my 3rd grade teacher pointing out my prodigious art skills. I'm a math prodigy but I'm a minority so zero opportunities & deal.with nonstop gaslighting. But, my art teachers were honest & made sure I knew I was gifted & talented. They were like that with all their students. They made sure they taught my fellow students that talent can be learned. They were often intimidated by my natural skills & thought they were bad artists because they had to study & practice a lot more. I was fast & my teachers had me helping the others. Only classes I loved. I actually hated math. It was boring AF. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us. I am now a federal investigator in the field on the Epstein investigation. It's horrific & I am reconnecting with my art to deal with the horrors I see. I am literally blown away by all the wonderful art instructors helping us learn different mediums, substrates, etc. I love my black pitt pen wallet & just ordered the sepia wallet & Gray scale wallet. They don't bleed on cheap journal paper from Dollar Tree blank journals. That says a lot. I will likely get the whole set.
Thank you for sharing your story and experiences! Wow. You've had an amazing journey so far and it sounds like it's an evolving adventure for you, especially with the investigative career. That's wild! I'm glad you've had such positive encounters in your creative journey, as well! Enjoy those Pitt pens! I often see the sepia ones and think, "I need those!" lol! Cheers and again, thank you! ~ Mark
That's a lovely gift, and I hope you'll get another chance to go back to teaching someday, even another temporary gig. :D And Faber Castell does make finer tip pens within the Ecco Pigment series. I remember starting out with those and loving them, waterproof and with a 1-6 tip range. When I finished the ink I tried to buy them again but could only find them online, so I tried some Sakuras instead and... Nope, I have a heavy hand and the tip of the Sakura just consumes before I can finish the ink, so it's a wasted pen. Too bad, because I like their 005 size.
Thanks so much for watching and for your kind words. I can see me teaching again some day, but just not as a permanent role. As for the Micron pens, I agree that with a heavy hand, they don't last long at all. I do love the Copic Multiliners, though... sort of a middle ground pen and usually reliable, though they do lean toward the Micron side. I hope all is well on your end! Cheers! :)
Mark, again great video, highly informative and right to the point. I love FC products and I am sharing with you all the pros using it. Could you please mentioned the cons of using markers? Thanks again for these high quality level of videos.
I am looking for a White Pitt pen Comparison review, Amazon does not really give exact nib size on the “Big Brush pen”,I am trying to decide which sizes of the whites, I can afford and will use the most.... Thank you so much, loved your vid.
Really nice demonstration, I love your art style. I have had the same experience with cheap markers and always found that they fall apart sometimes even sticking to your artwork meaning that when you try to remove it it smudges. For that reason I tend to avoid markers but the higher brand ones seem good so maybe I will try them some day 😊
whaaaaat!!! an alcohol marker blender with non-alcoholic markers?!?? i gotta try this immediately. i've never had good results using the blender with my alcohol markers so it would be rad to find a use for it with my pitt pens!!
Pixie I had no idea either. I can't wait to try it, considering I use my Pitt pens far more than I use my alcohol markers. I never get good results with using them for my alcohol markers.
I watched a lot of your videos and I'm wondering if you could start an art class may be at a library or something on the weekend when you're not working where you could work with young people and teach them art?
Thanks for watching my videos, Deborah viner. That was already something I've done in my life, many years ago. Not sure I'd be interested in revisiting that in my life, at this time. But, I really appreciate the idea and support! Cheers! :)
Love these Amazing FC Brush Pen, i have the Full set + Sanguine, Sepia and These Black pens as different nibs on and i use them a lot! How sweet is She Sabrina's do the best things to tell you how She enjoyed the class with you Mark, whe could easilly seen how you love Teaching this class on your videos,so came back to these supplies great review Mark and i hope you will use them more offend, you might start to like these Markers enough to added a touch of markers on your Artwork! lol! Thank You so much Mark for the great review, love your Sketc and the colouring, if you are not on the sschool as a teacher anymore, well you still a wonderful teacher here on utube, i always learn somethings very Handy on each videos you`ve produce. Thank You Mark! xx
Sylvie Dufour, your words are always filled with kindness and positive support - thank you so much for that! I will definitely use the markers more often than I expected. I have put them in a cup right on my desk, so they are right within reach when I just feel like doodling. Again, thank you so much for all your generous words. It's always a treat to have your feedback! Thank you! :)
You're so very welcome Mark, thank you for your kind words to me Mark, and it's not my Business but your Brush pens dosen't like being on a cup at all they need to sleep all the time to achive the best result of your ink so or you pull down your cup or you do what is best for you i just wan't to let you know if they stay up on your ncup the life of your pen would be very short LOL! with my affection Mark xx
I thought Pit markers are water soluble same as Tombows dual brush pens you can probably just use water brush for blending. I blend tombows with water.
Thank you so much, Lisa! Yeah, I was really humbled when she gave them to me. A very unique young woman, for sure, and a skilled artist! Cheers and I hope all is well! :)
Wonderful video! And a really great tip with the copic blending marker! I'm eager to try that soon. I really need to subcripe to your channel. Have seen two videos now and I have to say, I really love them!
I guess I'm partial, Amberle Silencia, and really believe you should definitely subscribe to the channel! lol! But seriously, after 30 years of being a professional artist and designer, I've got lots of little tips and tricks that I toss in - that I don't even know are tips or tricks, to be honest! lol! In my recent video of Silver Black Velvet brushes, a lot of folks were delighted with my little "do it yourself" drying rack for my brushes! I had no idea it would be a hit. Heck, I might do a video just on that! hehe!! Anyhow, thank you for watching and leaving your kind thoughts. If you should subscribe, I'd enjoy bringing you more video content like this. Cheers! :)
Already subcribed! I need more of this content! Hehe. But I have a lot of videos to catch up with! Thank you for sharing all the good stuff and your experiences with us!
That's fabulous! Thank you so much! And I admit, I enjoy sharing. I'm in this for that exact reason, not to make a buck or give up my day job! lol! I hope what I deliver lives up to your expectations! Best wishes, Amberle Silencia! :)
I agree. Luckily, they aren't terribly expensive and do last quite a long time, if not used exhaustively, of course! Thank you for checking this out, kitse_xiii and for commenting! Cheers! :)
I recently bought these - original set of 24 & 11 colors as open stock. They are pigment based and have some advantages over dye based brush pens like Tombow and Sakura - they are light fast and water proof. And their smaller tips can be used to fill in small details easily. But I found a big problem which is that many of these pens display ink color/saturation that is quite different from the Faber Castell color chart. In my original set, Sky blue, Purple violet, Magenta and Orange glaze are quite dull vs. the color chart and the color that is shown in the official product videos. The open stock pens are much worse - all of them are pale and dull vs. both the color chart and the pens from the original set. I contacted Faber Castell Germany hoping to get free replacement under their product guarantee but they gave me a cold shoulder, denying any responsibility for the subpar color saturation of my pens. They told me that the most likely reasons for the pale & dull color were 1. Expiry of the shelf life (note that the retailer or the customer can't tell if this is true as there is no Best Before date on the pens) 2. Pens had been stored vertically for a long time before I bought them (note that no customer can tell if this is true before the purchase) Either way, Faber Castell Germany chose to blame other people in their supply chain and even the customer rather than helping him even though he had invested a fortune in these expensive pens. You can go for these if their virtues are important to your art work, otherwise any customer is taking a big risk when purchasing them because there is a high probability that they will display pale and dull pigment saturation due to the factors Faber Castell told me themselves.
Are these waterbased or alcohol based ink.. i enjoy watching you work.. i know the video is sped up but was courios as to how long it truely takes for you to do these drawings.. enjoy watching your videos..
The ink is listed as India Ink and odor-free, which is traditionally water-based. If they were alcohol based, like the Copic Blender, there would definitely be a smell to them. As for the time it takes to do the drawings, it often depends on how complex the drawing is. This particular one, I believe, was drawn in about 15 minutes and another 25 minutes or so spent coloring. So, I'd average it at about an 45-60 minutes, including set up and clean up. Sometimes, though, it can take a lot longer, depending on the medium. Anyhow, thank you, Naomi Campbell, for your kind feedback, question, and time taken to watch this. Stay well! :)
Hello! I am not familiar with some of the terms...what does medium lightfastness mean? And what does the masking pen do? Thank you so much! I enjoyed your video!
Great video Mark! 😁 I love the fishies... lol 😉 I'm going to have to keep these markers in mind. I didn't realize they are lightfast, so this video was definitely helpful along with being interesting. I hope Sabrina sees your msg. 😃 I hope you are doing well my fiend take care!
Thank you, as always, Valarie! As I stated, I'm not that much of a marker fan, so to try these and have them in my arsenal of supplies is a treat. It's nice to break away from traditional and familiar and immerse into something new. Who knows, maybe one day I'll break out my pyrography gear and start making videos called, "MarkOnFire" because that's what would happen!! lol! Hmm... now, where did I store all that stuff 25 years ago... ;)
M.D. Campbell LMBO!!! 😂 It couldn't be that bad if you tried to burn again. 😆 Let me know if you decide to pull your old burner... maybe we could figure something out. 😉 I still have my original hot as hell burner from 12.5 years ago.
No you can't... It even says on the market itself "wasserfest" =waterproof. You can use them with water as long as the ink isn't dry yet, but as soon as it is you won't be able to lift the ink from the paper with water.
While these pens aren't advertised to be used with water, you can apply water with a water brush, but this needs to be applied almost immediately, in order to achieve a transparent color/wash. * Pitt Artist pens are actually Indian Ink based not water based *
I am really surprised by your technique, mixing Pitt markers with this Copic blender. I haven't seen it elsewhere and wonder why Faber Castell didn't release a "pitt blender marker" of their own. Have you noticed any degradation of quality, color shifting or, maybe, a reduction in lightfastness with this technique? Because I think Pitt markers can be especially difficult to use and this technique seems too good to be true!
Thank you for taking your time to watch this, Yuri Pimenta ilustra and for your thoughtful reply. I have not seen any negative reaction in this combination and still use it, even now. Granted, when I complete a piece I scan it, so for me, even if it were to degrade a bit over time, it doesn't affect my end-use. For anyone displaying their work in a sun-rich environment, I'd suggest testing first to see how it holds up. Stay well! ~ Mark
Yeah, john-nx4xn... it's pretty humbling. But, I'm sure throughout history, artists have had similar reactions to new technologies and methods. I recall when Adobe Streamline first came out, we all thought it was going to put illustrators out of business. Funny how years later, it simply became a feature tool (called Image Trace) in Adobe Illustrator and Streamline had little impact. With AI, it's sad because I see a lot of folks posting their "art" on social media and take credit for something they had very little to do with beyond typing in a few key words. I use AI myself for reference photos and it's an absolutely incredible tool - but if people use it to call themselves "artists," well, they're really only kidding themselves unless they are able to produce something so unique that it warrants the accolade of being "art." I've seen some really impressive work done by _real_ AI artists that simply could not be achieved in traditional mediums... and _that's_ what I'm excited about - to see new kinds of creative expression done in a way that's never been achievable until now. I just don't want to see a watercolor painting that is just an AI rendition of a watercolor painting. To me that defeats the whole point of the medium. Just my opinion, of course! Cheers and thank you for the comment. Nice to hear! ~ Mark
Must be OLD version of these pens! First: Stop complaing about not having an XS, when it is you who have choosen not to buy it. There is an XS I just have the 6 PITT artist pens black-pack, that (and other sets) have an XS... oh! and all of them have the size on each pen like this: XS 0.1, S 0.3, F 0.5, M 0.7 And on the side of the pack there is also that list of size in mm and letters (XS, S, F, M, C, B) - - - - It is sad you have this video online. I have seen and enjoyed many of your videos, but this does not give you any street cred.
wow never thought of using masking fluid with markers. What a great tip Mark, thank you!
I am very new to markers and have been struggling with streaks and making everything smooth. I did not realize that you can use a blending pen to smooth the streaks-I have some tombows that come with blending pens and. I can’t wait to try this technique!
When I was a kid, there were no such blending markers, so I used to use rubbing alcohol with a Q-Tip. The results weren't great, but I always had fun manipulating markers. Blending pens take a lot of practice to get good with, but for many marker artists, they are a must! Enjoy and thank you so much for your feedback! ~ Mark
Being around younger people really is infectious. What a thoughtful young lady! I'm not a big fan of markers either, but they are helpful for tidying up a painting etc. Really nice demonstration! The blending marker really made it come together. Helpful video and thorough. :)
Beautiful vibrant artwork. A treat to watch.
Thank you, firdyk!
You can always rely on Faber Castell to make great supplies, it really is something I've noticed haha. Great video Mark and it's no surprise to me that a student would gift a great teacher like you. Have a good week!
This is my favorite kind of marker, and pretty much the only kind I use because they are lightfast! Great review! I just wanted to mention that they do put out a smaller fine liner than you have here. They have an extra small that comes in their larger set, but can also be bought separately. I hope Sabrina see's this! Working with students must be so fulfilling!
Thank you, Caution: Artist at Play! I will have to seek out the smaller pen, now, as a few folks have mentioned it. Sabrina has seen this and commented on social media how excited she was to see it, which of course, made my day. :) Thank you so much for checking this one out! :)
I order the XS pen from Dick Blick. PITT pens work great with watercolor washes. They are great for airline travel when you don’t want to fly with fountain pens. I know some artists prefer Micron pens, but I find they have a scratchy feel when you draw with them. PITT pens glide across the page for me. If I could only have one set of brush pens, I’d get the shades of gray set. Great for doing value studies. The set includes several values of warm grays and cool grays. Glad you are making videos again, Mark!
Thank you, C0raBr0wn! I was looking at the Shades of Gray set, but went for the Skin Tones, instead! Too funny. I can see myself picking up the blue and gray sets in the future, but not anytime right away. I just don't use these kinds of pens often enough, but I could get used to them! lol! Thank you for watching and your kind feedback! I'm grateful. And though I'm not on Instagram too often, I adore seeing your work every time I am! Always a treat to see your work! Cheers! :)
Thanks, Mark. It always makes me happy to get a like from you, Maybe sometime you could do an inspirational video about how to spend more time making art instead of being addicted to social media!
I just recently got a set of Pitt brush markers when I found them on clearance. Good to know you can use a blending marker with them.
I remember these! I’m not a fan of how patchy they can be, but I used them for my sketching for a little while and really liked the results. Made me loosen up!
Love, love love this video! I really enjoy drawing/colouring fish. My home is filled with bright and cheery fish things (not the live ones). Thanks for another enjoyable video ❣️🇦🇺
lol! Thank you SO much, MissChelle! I'm delighted you enjoyed this one and love hearing that you fill your home with bright, cheery fish things. Hoping you are well! ~ Mark
Your video was excellent . I am getting into Zentangle, and your reviews of art materials assists me about what to purchase when adding color to my tangles. I am sure you were an excellent teacher. I am a retired teacher myself. Your explanations are right on target.
Thank you, Barbara Middleton! Thank you both for your service as a teacher and for your kind words. I'm happy to know this video - and any others - are helpful. I do this for fun, not as a job, so if it's doing something good, then that makes me very happy! Stay well and I'm grateful for your time watching!
Mark, Love your ability to Draw so easily. I love the Pitt pens and have the set. Love coloring with them.
Hi there... I just discovered pens... I love Pitt pens. The colors are so vibrant. Beautiful. I ordered almost all the colors of Pitt pens, individually, from Jerry's Artarama. I also ordered a really cool, wooden, 3 drawer box to keep them in. It's small, the drawers are thin, and it's easy to carry around. Now, it's very easy to find the exact color I want. (I have them arranged by ROY-G-BIV.... Can you tell I'm a wee bit OCD?)
Too funny! I'm also a wee bit OCD, do I can totally relate! lol! I'm happy you've discovered pens! I grew up using almost nothing but pens and markers, until I discovered watercolors and gouache. And yes, the Pitt pens are my favorite, as well. I just wish I had more time in the day to use them! :)
What a sweet gift from Sabrina. She must be thrilled that you used her markers in a video!I really love the fish, the colour range and their goofy personalities. Thanks for another good one. Patricia
Thank you, Patricia! I think the goofiness of the fish might resemble my own personality, a little! I hope you're doing well! :)
I started using my PITT pens during Inktober 2017 and I love them! They're also great for shading in mixed media ... once gel medium is totally dry (and if it isn't you'll stuff up your pens for good) you can use the PITT pens and smudge your lines - as they're indian ink there's only a very small window for doing this before they dry, but they add such depth to a project. I also find them really flexible with the mediums that they work on. I just love their intense colour and permanence. Glad you reviewed them :-)
i never used markers much outside of art classes both in college and in the community, but i enjoy them now, i have many brands, and use them all thx for the video, and i agree working with younger people with art is infectious , i do a lot of art projects with my grand daughter and i am never more inspired( she’s 7) lol
Very nice review of a special gift. It would be great if one day Sabrina does something with her art talent. I know we all need to encourage the next Picasso. It’s like my husband is always working to encourage people to play and grow tennis. As you make your drawing I told myself that I need to be on your Christmas card list. Who knows what you would come up with, if time allowed. I guess just being half way through watercolor month is making me a little crazy... Normally I do Christmas in July holiday cards. That way I get them out at Christmas and enjoy them before they go in the mail. Okay, rattling here, I like different mediums and its always great to see what others are doing. Take care, sorry you have the allergy voice, we all understand.
I really applaud you for taking on watercolor month! With shifting gears with work, it's been hectic to even think about doing any challenges, though I would love to have tried watercolor month! I'm hoping I have time to spend for the October challenge, but if not, well... I won't worry! I definitely like your idea of holiday cards, now. I should be doing that, as well. Ironically, I stopped drawing/painting cards several years ago, in favor of the family portraits while my kids are still young. I'll get back to them, eventually! Anyhow, thank you so much for your continued positive support and encouragement. Your time watching and your thoughts are always so greatly appreciated! I hope all is well with you and yours! :)
M.D. Campbell after inktober, i said never again. I guess never again is here. If i get down and dont finish I know the art police wont come. I am to the stage of just painting what comes to mind, so we will see. I always get tickled when people hype it up them dont do it. Thinking about Inktober, I need to get my t shirt out and wear it. Guess you could start one and call it...okay you know I dont. Take care and dont work too hard. When we were in business that was all we did do.
Love your review video and the aquatic "usual suspects line-up (+ hidden octo) is too cute. Agree with you on the streakiness of markers, which has made me avoid them as well, so thanks for the tip about the blender pen--I had no idea. I'll give my markers a try again now. :)
Thank you, Judy Mason! I'm glad you enjoyed this one and I kinda like the little octopus, as well! hehe! I don't use markers often, but I keep a fairly large set in my regular travel case, to help promote myself in using them. :)
Great demonstration of these pens. I'm not surprised that a student would honor you with a gift - you're a great teacher. Although they are called brush pens, these are really markers. I use a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for sketching. It has a true brush, with bristles that come to a point, and refillable with waterproof ink cartridges. Pentel also makes Color Brush Pens, which are water soluble. Have you ever used one of these? You can get fantastic line variation, and the ink just flows beautifully.
Thank you so much, Sharon! You're words are very kind! I agree with the assessment that these are markers. Seems like companies wanted to give them a more professional sounding name. lol! I have not tried the Pentel brush pens, mainly because I don't use brush pens too often. I do enjoy their water brushes, which I fill with ink and use that way. But, I am definitely going to look into them since you mentioned them! Thank you! Hope all is well on your end! :)
Whenever I buy my pitt pens, I always buy the set that has the XS pen in it, so I’m actually surprised that your set doesn’t have one! I don’t go out do my way to do it, they just always seem to be there.
Faber castell is a pretty decent brand, to me. They seem reliable for the most part, but I’m never super in love with them enough to rant and rave. They just work they way I expect a pen to work, which I supposed given the number of bad pens I’ve tried for videos maybe I should be ranting and raving more. =>.
Thank you, Meow Meow Kapow for watching and commenting. One thing I realized that got cut from the edit - completely unintentionally - was the actual colored pen test!!!! I watched it after uploading and realized, "omg! I somehow cut out the whole pen test segment!" I've been kicking myself since. ugh. I figured you'd appreciate that blunder! lol! But wow - I didn't realize there was an XS tip for these pens. I've never seen one! That's really good to know and I'll keep my eye out now. To be honest, though, I always reach for my Copic Multiliner pens before all other when it comes to my work. These I keep in my travel kit, so if I lose them then I won't be too bummed out. And I can completely relate to your point about not loving them enough to rant/rave, but that they've always been good enough for my needs. That's really an excellent point. Glad I have them and the way they came to me was sheer generosity, so I'll definitely make the best use of them! I hope all is well in your world! Cheers! :)
Faber Castell is also starting to sell individual pen sizes in stores. They also have a small brush pen which I love!!
Meow Meow Kapow yes when i bought the set i like it came with the xs as well as the four shown... i wonder why ...
Hi everyone! We just finished creating a video about our Pitt Artist Pens and the available nib sizes. Check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/ck-OuAKmDPY/v-deo.html. We hope that you enjoy it and thank you for the kind words! :)
You can flip over the tip by pulling it out and turning it over when it is frayed,to extend the life of these markers
Thanks for the tip on the tip, Alvin Jorge Tolentino! :)
Great review. They do have an XS size in these pens, by the way. Apologies if it was already mentioned.
So strange! I've never seen one. I must be shopping in the wrong places! lol! Thank yoU!
A lot of my mixed media artist friends use them on acrylic paint (when dry) as they work well on that and they stay moist for a little longer which allows them to smudge the colour. This can create some interesting lining, pops of colour and highlights.
My set of these drawing pens has B, F, S, & XS, and I think they are great. I am intend to purchase an M as soon as I can. 🇦🇺
That for the review. QUESTION: copics are not lightfast so using the blender with these would it affect the lightfast mess of the Pitt markers.
It's a good question, JayElle Art - Janice. I don't have an exact answer for you, but I will say that I don't think the impact would be noticeable, as lightfastness applies to the color in the pigment of the ink, and the blender does not have any pigment or ink, for that matter; it's a clear formula which would affect the ink of the PITT pens, which if they are lightfast, should remain lightfast. Again, though, that's not a final answer, but it would be my safest bet. Cheers! ~ Mark
Wow, this is the first video I could find which actually show what these markers can do!
Faber Castell has the XS black pen. I recently got the whole set of 8 Pitt Artist Pens (Black) including XS, S, F, M, B, SC, SB and (1,5) pens.
And thank you so much for this nice video! :)
Just discovered your channel and now I'm binge watching all of your videos, great work and really good advises! Thank you for your hard work!
How kind of you and such a generous comment! Thank you so much for watching and taking your time to check the channel out, Sanny H. I am grateful you enjoy my work! Cheers! :)
Haha, me too! :) I wish I had some micron pens that worked as well as his... I had a set and they basically exploded. They all started leaking all over the place and when I took the cap off one of them to line something, it splattered ink all over the drawing. ;_;
Great demo as always, Mark! My issue with the PITT drawing pens is that they bleed through the paper in the sketchbooks I use.
They don't bleed through printer paper so what kind of sketchbook do you use?
I wish I would know an art teacher that could help me get into art a bit more seriously. And maybe exchange ideas and stuff like that. Anyway, thank you for informing us about these brush pens. I want to start using something more effective than colored pencils and I'm trying to decide between these and a 60 brush marker set (Zig Clean Color). If you know what those are about, maybe you could advise me which would be better for a beginner like me.
I'm autistic Native American LGBT female Savant. My art teachers saved my life. I remember my 3rd grade teacher pointing out my prodigious art skills. I'm a math prodigy but I'm a minority so zero opportunities & deal.with nonstop gaslighting. But, my art teachers were honest & made sure I knew I was gifted & talented. They were like that with all their students. They made sure they taught my fellow students that talent can be learned. They were often intimidated by my natural skills & thought they were bad artists because they had to study & practice a lot more. I was fast & my teachers had me helping the others. Only classes I loved. I actually hated math. It was boring AF.
Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us. I am now a federal investigator in the field on the Epstein investigation. It's horrific & I am reconnecting with my art to deal with the horrors I see. I am literally blown away by all the wonderful art instructors helping us learn different mediums, substrates, etc. I love my black pitt pen wallet & just ordered the sepia wallet & Gray scale wallet. They don't bleed on cheap journal paper from Dollar Tree blank journals. That says a lot. I will likely get the whole set.
Thank you for sharing your story and experiences! Wow. You've had an amazing journey so far and it sounds like it's an evolving adventure for you, especially with the investigative career. That's wild! I'm glad you've had such positive encounters in your creative journey, as well! Enjoy those Pitt pens! I often see the sepia ones and think, "I need those!" lol! Cheers and again, thank you! ~ Mark
Nice review..., So nice to being an teacher, i also teach students..👍👍👏👏
That's a lovely gift, and I hope you'll get another chance to go back to teaching someday, even another temporary gig. :D And Faber Castell does make finer tip pens within the Ecco Pigment series. I remember starting out with those and loving them, waterproof and with a 1-6 tip range. When I finished the ink I tried to buy them again but could only find them online, so I tried some Sakuras instead and... Nope, I have a heavy hand and the tip of the Sakura just consumes before I can finish the ink, so it's a wasted pen. Too bad, because I like their 005 size.
Thanks so much for watching and for your kind words. I can see me teaching again some day, but just not as a permanent role. As for the Micron pens, I agree that with a heavy hand, they don't last long at all. I do love the Copic Multiliners, though... sort of a middle ground pen and usually reliable, though they do lean toward the Micron side. I hope all is well on your end! Cheers! :)
Mark, again great video, highly informative and right to the point. I love FC products and I am sharing with you all the pros using it. Could you please mentioned the cons of using markers? Thanks again for these high quality level of videos.
I am looking for a White Pitt pen Comparison review, Amazon does not really give exact nib size on the “Big Brush pen”,I am trying to decide which sizes of the whites, I can afford and will use the most.... Thank you so much, loved your vid.
Really nice demonstration, I love your art style. I have had the same experience with cheap markers and always found that they fall apart sometimes even sticking to your artwork meaning that when you try to remove it it smudges. For that reason I tend to avoid markers but the higher brand ones seem good so maybe I will try them some day 😊
whaaaaat!!! an alcohol marker blender with non-alcoholic markers?!?? i gotta try this immediately. i've never had good results using the blender with my alcohol markers so it would be rad to find a use for it with my pitt pens!!
Pixie I had no idea either. I can't wait to try it, considering I use my Pitt pens far more than I use my alcohol markers. I never get good results with using them for my alcohol markers.
I had bought these a few months back and I didn't care for them. Now I got to see your opinion
I can understand how they may not be for everyone. :)
I watched a lot of your videos and I'm wondering if you could start an art class may be at a library or something on the weekend when you're not working where you could work with young people and teach them art?
Thanks for watching my videos, Deborah viner. That was already something I've done in my life, many years ago. Not sure I'd be interested in revisiting that in my life, at this time. But, I really appreciate the idea and support! Cheers! :)
Love these Amazing FC Brush Pen, i have the Full set + Sanguine, Sepia and These Black pens as different nibs on and i use them a lot! How sweet is She Sabrina's do the best things to tell you how She enjoyed the class with you Mark, whe could easilly seen how you love Teaching this class on your videos,so came back to these supplies great review Mark and i hope you will use them more offend, you might start to like these Markers enough to added a touch of markers on your Artwork! lol! Thank You so much Mark for the great review, love your Sketc and the colouring, if you are not on the sschool as a teacher anymore, well you still a wonderful teacher here on utube, i always learn somethings very Handy on each videos you`ve produce. Thank You Mark! xx
Sylvie Dufour, your words are always filled with kindness and positive support - thank you so much for that! I will definitely use the markers more often than I expected. I have put them in a cup right on my desk, so they are right within reach when I just feel like doodling. Again, thank you so much for all your generous words. It's always a treat to have your feedback! Thank you! :)
You're so very welcome Mark, thank you for your kind words to me Mark, and it's not my Business but your Brush pens dosen't like being on a cup at all they need to sleep all the time to achive the best result of your ink so or you pull down your cup or you do what is best for you i just wan't to let you know if they stay up on your ncup the life of your pen would be very short LOL! with my affection Mark xx
You're the best!! Thank you! :)
My Pleasure Mark, Thank You! :-)
I thought Pit markers are water soluble same as Tombows dual brush pens you can probably just use water brush for blending. I blend tombows with water.
In my experience, the PITT brush pens are not water soluble and don't activate when used with water. I wish they did, of course! lol!
I think you have and older pack of pitt-pens because the newer pack come with an extra small pen. However they dont have the brush pen.
This is interesting. They're definitely something I've had for a while, so I'm happy to know the newer packages include the XS. Very cool! :)
Thank you for this educational video! Can you use these markers on Art board if it is sealed with a medium?
You are an amazing artist 😸😸😸
Thats extremely kind of you to say, Kathy stankiewicz! Thank you so much! :)
Great review Mark! And what a terrific gift! 😃👍
Thank you so much, Lisa! Yeah, I was really humbled when she gave them to me. A very unique young woman, for sure, and a skilled artist! Cheers and I hope all is well! :)
Great review thanks, Mark and I really love your sketch :)
You are too kind, Azzu Paris! Thank you so much for watching and your generous comments! Be well! :)
I was wondering if bristol board in general would be best for the pitt pens?
Thanks so much for the review - there are the exact sets I bought so this vid is perfect
Great review
Thank you so much, Taynan Nataly! I appreciate that!
Wonderful video! And a really great tip with the copic blending marker! I'm eager to try that soon. I really need to subcripe to your channel. Have seen two videos now and I have to say, I really love them!
I guess I'm partial, Amberle Silencia, and really believe you should definitely subscribe to the channel! lol! But seriously, after 30 years of being a professional artist and designer, I've got lots of little tips and tricks that I toss in - that I don't even know are tips or tricks, to be honest! lol! In my recent video of Silver Black Velvet brushes, a lot of folks were delighted with my little "do it yourself" drying rack for my brushes! I had no idea it would be a hit. Heck, I might do a video just on that! hehe!! Anyhow, thank you for watching and leaving your kind thoughts. If you should subscribe, I'd enjoy bringing you more video content like this. Cheers! :)
Already subcribed! I need more of this content! Hehe. But I have a lot of videos to catch up with! Thank you for sharing all the good stuff and your experiences with us!
That's fabulous! Thank you so much! And I admit, I enjoy sharing. I'm in this for that exact reason, not to make a buck or give up my day job! lol! I hope what I deliver lives up to your expectations! Best wishes, Amberle Silencia! :)
I love these pens! The only downside, I think, is that they aren't refillable or that they have no replaceable nibs.
I agree. Luckily, they aren't terribly expensive and do last quite a long time, if not used exhaustively, of course! Thank you for checking this out, kitse_xiii and for commenting! Cheers! :)
I recently bought these - original set of 24 & 11 colors as open stock. They are pigment based and have some advantages over dye based brush pens like Tombow and Sakura - they are light fast and water proof. And their smaller tips can be used to fill in small details easily. But I found a big problem which is that many of these pens display ink color/saturation that is quite different from the Faber Castell color chart. In my original set, Sky blue, Purple violet, Magenta and Orange glaze are quite dull vs. the color chart and the color that is shown in the official product videos. The open stock pens are much worse - all of them are pale and dull vs. both the color chart and the pens from the original set. I contacted Faber Castell Germany hoping to get free replacement under their product guarantee but they gave me a cold shoulder, denying any responsibility for the subpar color saturation of my pens. They told me that the most likely reasons for the pale & dull color were
1. Expiry of the shelf life (note that the retailer or the customer can't tell if this is true as there is no Best Before date on the pens)
2. Pens had been stored vertically for a long time before I bought them (note that no customer can tell if this is true before the purchase)
Either way, Faber Castell Germany chose to blame other people in their supply chain and even the customer rather than helping him even though he had invested a fortune in these expensive pens. You can go for these if their virtues are important to your art work, otherwise any customer is taking a big risk when purchasing them because there is a high probability that they will display pale and dull pigment saturation due to the factors Faber Castell told me themselves.
I love watching you draw. :-)
I had a set of Micron liners. THey exploded. Got ink all over the place. All of them started leaking and I've been afraid to try them again. :/
Just seeing your channel, Great video by the way
Nice fishes you got there mate
So kind of you to notice! lol! Thanks Ali Chapasi!
They do have an XS tip. It's about as fine as a 0.05.
Thank you for letting me know CarmenPHE... I will now seek it out, for sure! :)
Nice review and I like your art :3
Thank you, Fiorella Sandic, for your kind comment! I appreciate your time watching! Be well! :)
M.D. Campbell do you wellcome ;3
Are these waterbased or alcohol based ink.. i enjoy watching you work.. i know the video is sped up but was courios as to how long it truely takes for you to do these drawings.. enjoy watching your videos..
The ink is listed as India Ink and odor-free, which is traditionally water-based. If they were alcohol based, like the Copic Blender, there would definitely be a smell to them. As for the time it takes to do the drawings, it often depends on how complex the drawing is. This particular one, I believe, was drawn in about 15 minutes and another 25 minutes or so spent coloring. So, I'd average it at about an 45-60 minutes, including set up and clean up. Sometimes, though, it can take a lot longer, depending on the medium. Anyhow, thank you, Naomi Campbell, for your kind feedback, question, and time taken to watch this. Stay well! :)
Hello! I am not familiar with some of the terms...what does medium lightfastness mean? And what does the masking pen do? Thank you so much! I enjoyed your video!
Wondering why you call them markers.. ? They are india ink pens.
Nice
Wow. Sounds like you really suit being a teacher.
That's really kind of you to say! Thank you, Jessica balding! Cheers! :)
Great video Mark! 😁 I love the fishies... lol 😉 I'm going to have to keep these markers in mind. I didn't realize they are lightfast, so this video was definitely helpful along with being interesting. I hope Sabrina sees your msg. 😃 I hope you are doing well my fiend take care!
Thank you, as always, Valarie! As I stated, I'm not that much of a marker fan, so to try these and have them in my arsenal of supplies is a treat. It's nice to break away from traditional and familiar and immerse into something new. Who knows, maybe one day I'll break out my pyrography gear and start making videos called, "MarkOnFire" because that's what would happen!! lol! Hmm... now, where did I store all that stuff 25 years ago... ;)
M.D. Campbell LMBO!!! 😂 It couldn't be that bad if you tried to burn again. 😆 Let me know if you decide to pull your old burner... maybe we could figure something out. 😉 I still have my original hot as hell burner from 12.5 years ago.
Wow ! you are very talented :-)
The Pitt Artist Brush pens are water based, so you can use them with water.
No you can't... It even says on the market itself "wasserfest" =waterproof. You can use them with water as long as the ink isn't dry yet, but as soon as it is you won't be able to lift the ink from the paper with water.
While these pens aren't advertised to be used with water, you can apply water with a water brush, but this needs to be applied almost immediately, in order to achieve a transparent color/wash.
* Pitt Artist pens are actually Indian Ink based not water based *
I am really surprised by your technique, mixing Pitt markers with this Copic blender. I haven't seen it elsewhere and wonder why Faber Castell didn't release a "pitt blender marker" of their own.
Have you noticed any degradation of quality, color shifting or, maybe, a reduction in lightfastness with this technique? Because I think Pitt markers can be especially difficult to use and this technique seems too good to be true!
Thank you for taking your time to watch this, Yuri Pimenta ilustra and for your thoughtful reply. I have not seen any negative reaction in this combination and still use it, even now. Granted, when I complete a piece I scan it, so for me, even if it were to degrade a bit over time, it doesn't affect my end-use. For anyone displaying their work in a sun-rich environment, I'd suggest testing first to see how it holds up. Stay well! ~ Mark
@@MDCampbell Thanks for your response! I'll definitely try it later.
❤️
And now AI can do anything in no time. It makes me sad. 😢
Yeah, john-nx4xn... it's pretty humbling. But, I'm sure throughout history, artists have had similar reactions to new technologies and methods. I recall when Adobe Streamline first came out, we all thought it was going to put illustrators out of business. Funny how years later, it simply became a feature tool (called Image Trace) in Adobe Illustrator and Streamline had little impact. With AI, it's sad because I see a lot of folks posting their "art" on social media and take credit for something they had very little to do with beyond typing in a few key words. I use AI myself for reference photos and it's an absolutely incredible tool - but if people use it to call themselves "artists," well, they're really only kidding themselves unless they are able to produce something so unique that it warrants the accolade of being "art." I've seen some really impressive work done by _real_ AI artists that simply could not be achieved in traditional mediums... and _that's_ what I'm excited about - to see new kinds of creative expression done in a way that's never been achievable until now. I just don't want to see a watercolor painting that is just an AI rendition of a watercolor painting. To me that defeats the whole point of the medium. Just my opinion, of course! Cheers and thank you for the comment. Nice to hear! ~ Mark
Must be OLD version of these pens!
First: Stop complaing about not having an XS, when it is you who have choosen not to buy it. There is an XS
I just have the 6 PITT artist pens black-pack, that (and other sets) have an XS... oh! and all of them have the size on each pen like this: XS 0.1, S 0.3, F 0.5, M 0.7
And on the side of the pack there is also that list of size in mm and letters (XS, S, F, M, C, B)
- - - -
It is sad you have this video online. I have seen and enjoyed many of your videos, but this does not give you any street cred.
That's a 5 yr old video ... they didn't mark them and with some, they still don't mark them.