Winsor & Newton Pigment Marker (Set of 36)

I love these markers. I will say, it took me a while to get used to them. But I was determined to try because I don't like non-archival art supplies. And I like markers.They don't blend smoothly and they're not meant to, otherwise they would be alcohol-based, and they're not. These are designed for expressive, "painterly" art with "brush" strokes showing. Not photo-realism. (Although, if your art subject has a lot of texture, you may very well be able to get photo-realistic results). If you want some great demonstrations for these, YouTube search "Lachri pigment markers". She has some great examples on how to work with these markers. W&N should be PAYING her for these videos because she's one of the very few YouTube artists that has figured out how to use them.The trick is understanding their limitations. You must use them on non-porous surfaces.Again. Most important.Choose the correct paper/surface.Gessoed surfaces, yupo, the BACK of bleed-proof marker paper, the actual paper W&N designed for these markers. I've actually used the fingerpaint paper I bought for my son. Those all work great. If you use a porous surface like drawing paper, the paper will absorb the pigment and they will not blend out. You will essentially have to use it like a non-blendable ink pen.Then you have to learn the individual markers. Some pigments do what I call "lifting" more than "laying down." All will lay down color on paper that does not already have color on it, but if you try to layer on top of other areas already colored in, you may get a "lifting" experience where the marker will actually lift color already put down, and then lay down a blended version of the color in the marker and the color previously on the paper. It lifts first, THEN lays down. This happens on some, but not most. If you have such a marker, just mark it with some tape or something so you know that marker has a lifting pigment.A great example of this is the colorless blender. I call it my magic eraser. It lifts color, then lays down what it has lifted up. This is a PRO not a con. Because if you need to blend some colors off paper, lay them down on a non-porous surface, then use your colorless blender to mix them as well as lift them "load them" onto the colorless blender marker, and then you can use the blender to lay that blended color down on your artwork like a regular marker. OR you can use it to just erase or "lift" a small area you messed up in. If you are using a strong surface like yupo and not the thin marker paper, you can use water on a cotton swab to also lift up your mistakes.The white blender smooths out and blends colors beautifully. It doesn't "lift" first, just blends. The problem is it also turns every color it blends out into a pastel. If you want to blend without decreasing the saturation of your color, blend with the colored markers into each other.These don't do smooth surfaces well. Like portraits. If you want "streak-free" smooth and flawless skin, you may need to really practice out a technique because I have no idea what it is. Possibly using a saturated version of the skin-tone color, and then de-saturating with the white blender, since that marker does smooth out the pigments decently well. Idk. But if you like hatched and expressive portraits with line-work, these will work great. YouTube "Laovaan pigment markers". On the other hand, if you like mixed media, wax-based colored pencils layered on top will help smooth unwanted marks.Finally, don't streak your markers all over a paper to "clean" the tips. You will waste sooo much pigment. Use a baby wipe to gently wipe off the marker tip and it cleans faster with less waste.Patience is key with these. Work slow till you get the hang of them. Treat them similar to ink. Don't expect to easily correct mistakes. Work light values first to darkest values on the top layer for the least amount of frustration. Don't expect to do a lot of layering on top of layers. Too easily makes mud or just a mess. Minimize layers.The problem people have is they treat them like copics or pens. They're not. They're not watercolor. They're not ink. They're not alcohol-based. Quite frankly, I don't know WHAT they are. But they are rather fun. Treat them like an entirely new media that has to be learned.My only "whine" is I would like a brush tip instead of a chiseled tip. I hate chiseled tips. But I hardly consider that a flaw, just a preference, and so didn't take off a star.I attached an image of a flower close-up so you can see the "brush marks" I'm talking about

Editing!! I have called out where my opinion changed.Changing from 2 to 4 stars. It could go to 5 as I practice more. My first post said that the paper that Winsor & Newton recommends is thin and piles up extremely easily. True, but now that I've practiced, just have a light hand! You do need a very light touch to not damage the paper. It's 90 lb. My first post said: The colorless blender seems useless to me so far, but the white blender is fun. Not true, on the colorless blender. The colorless blender is required, if you don't want a change in tone and for subtle blending.It is impossible to make smooth, flat color overall, which is only a problem if you don't want a painterly effect. New: THESE ARE NOT COPICS. Please don't judge them as such. Winsor and Newton should consider a different marketing strategy. These are more like paint in a pen.A big issue is the delicate nib. The paper must be smooth, but also, BE CAREFUL PUTTING THE CAP BACK ON THE CHISEL TIP. If you don't get it on correctly, the nib splits right in two. New: I am practiced now - still an issue, but I don't have to think about it much now. I know to be gentle.

Ink was great, blended we'll when wet, and vibrant colors....But the caps are poorly designed and damage the tips when replaced. They have to be carefully and blindly lined up with no room for error to not smash the tips.Problem #2 is that at least the white blender started to dry out after only one use and very little uncapped time. The ink is not refillable so I just don't think these are worth the money yet. Making some adjustments to the caps and possibly being refillable would bring my rating to a 5 star. But without those adjustments 3 stars is all I can give.

Great Markers. Very Vivid Colors. I got the 36 marker set and I've not been disappointed at all.

I have been using Letraet Promarkers since realizing I had a small amount of talent, emphasis on small lol, for the past 4yrs. Lately, I've had a difficult time finding the ultra fine tips anywhere, including their own website. I own just about every color they make, over 200. While looking for the ultra fine tips & sets of their markers that contained the most colors I'm low on or use the most of I came upon these. I pondered for hours as to whether to buy this set because there is honestly not much information given here, but finally did purchase them. I looked at several other Winsor sets as well. They haven't arrived yet & I hope I'm not disappointed with them, there were no reviews to go on, not even on other sets. But I also noticed Winsor has a line of Promarkers that have the same name for colors as Letraset Promarkers. Curious to know if there is a relationship there. I'm also curious as to the difference between your Promarker line & this pigment marker set I just purchased other than price. These have the look of being a top of the line quality marker. I will surely be a many times over repeat customer if they perform well. FOR READERS, I'm sorry this wasn't a review on the product, but I will most definitely edit my questions I've put in a form of a review as soon as I receive them. You know how little characters Amazon gives for questions, so this is the reason for doing so in this manner. I hope to hear back from Winsor.JANUARY 7, 2016 - I received the markers today & can only say how incredibly disappointed I am. These are poor quality markers at best. They rough up card stock, streak horribly, & leave the artwork as if done by a child with crayons. I'm sending them back right away. I only hope this is not a reflection of the Promarker line that was Letraset but is now Winsor Promarkers. I'm going to purchase one of those sets to see if they left the fantastic formula Letraset has always used alone when the company changed hands. I cannot in good conscience encourage anyone to buy these.

Beautiful, bold, and quality markers. Nice feel.