So first off: Great Pens! A lot of fun and easy to use! But I'm not here to sell you these pens, instead if you are interested in buying these extra-fine tip paint pens like I was, you may be wondering 'what set should I get?' Well, let me help! I will go over which extra-fine tip sets have which colors and their overlaps, as well as the odd choice Artistro has made in naming the same color twice for two different sets (maybe their hoping you'll buy the same product twice?). Firstly, if you want all the colors (not including the extra metallic colors from the metallic set, and the glitter colors from the glitter set) then all you will need is the 42 box set! It's generally priced around a little more than a dollar a pen, which is a pretty good deal. I have shared a picture of the colors listed on the box for your reference as well as a picture of all the pens lined up in the same order. Next, you may notice the third picture I've shared is also pen colors from the side of a box; it is the 30 box set. Strangely enough these would appear to be very different colors! Oh, but not so! Almost every single "additional" color here is just renamed (I happen to like the majority of these names better, by the way) without an actual new addition to be found. (Also I'm not sure if the print settings were off when the packaging was produced, but their color swatches are very different.) So below is a list of the 30 colors from the 30 box set and their corresponding twin from the 42 box set: 30 box set 42 box set 1. Chartreuse = Bud Green 2. Spring Lemon = Yellow 3. Sunburst Yellow = Orange Yellow 4. Coral Orange = Orange 5. Scarlet Red = Red 6. Wine Red = Purple Red 7. Pale Pink = Sakura Pink 8. Pastel Violet = Light Purple 9. Light Violet = Purple 10. Violet = Dark Purple 11. Indian Blue = Blue 12. Sky Blue = Sky Blue 13. Light Turquoise = Shallow Green 14. Spruce Green = Dark Green 15. Walnut = Brown 16. Putty = Tan 17. Light Cream = Cream Yellow 18. Pale Yellow = Khaki 19. Gold = Gold 20. Cool Gray = Cold Grey 21. Warm Grey = Dark Grey 22. Silver = Silver 23. White = White 24. Black = Black 25. Turquoise = Jewel Green 26. Emerald Green = Green 27. Vivid pink = Pink 28. Baby Blue = Brilliant Blue 29. Extra White = Extra White 30. Extra Black = Extra Black So, if you are curious to know which other colors are actually in the 42 box set, but maybe don't want to do the work of searching and cross-checking the two pictures I provided, I will list them here: 31. Fluorescent Yellow (yup, that's what it is) 32. Emerald Green (it's brighter than the "Emerald" Green from the 30) 33. Melanie (it's a greenish blue-green color despite being named weird) 34. Sapphire (a little brighter than Sky Blue) 35. Purple Stars (blue-violet) 36. Pigeon Blue (a dark grey blue) 37. Tawny (a mix of orange and tan) 38. Camellia Red (a bright red, almost pink) 39. Dream Purple (a little warmer and darker than Light Purple) 40. Bright Pink (more natural in tone than Pink's neon look) 41. Run Red (it's a light orange cream color) 42. Pale Pinkish Grey (terrible name; it's very similar to Run Red, a little less bright) So, if you got the 30 box set and you decided you wanted the colors you are missing out on from the 42 box set, is there a way to get them without buying duplicates of all your 30 colors? Yes! Almost. Minus one: Fluorescent Yellow. The 15 box set called "Special Colors" here on Amazon, but labeled "Trending Colors" on its package actually has all your remaining colors needed sans that super bright yellow. You'll also get repeats of Chartreuse and Sunburst Yellow, as well as the ever-present White and Black. So not a bad buy if you just want to expand from your 30 box set. But maybe you're like, 'I just want some basic colors, why have you been wasting my time with all these fancy color names?' Well, you probably should just get the 12 box set then. It's very basic. It has Black, White, Gold, Silver, Pink, Dark Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, and Brown. Have fun! Read more
I really, really like these markers. I received a black one in the Artistro watercolor set I purchased about 8 months ago and I have been really happy with it. I find them much better than the well-known brand that leaks! The pigment is excellent quality, the black is very saturated. I do not yet own the white marker so I cant comment on the opacity but the others I have are very opaque and cover well, so I suspect the white one will too. Please note that the nib is hard, which is great for my line work. Always shake before use, wipe the nib after use, and store them horizontally. Yep, they are keepers! Read more
I create luminescent candle holders, and these pens are THE BEST. And I've purchased many different acrylic paint pen sets throughout the years, and these by far, are the BEST. My personal expectations of paint pens, have been a bit "marginal," in that no matter how well I might take care of them, etc...they tend to: Dry out quickly Clog up unexpectedly, then bleed profusely Give a "dry" gluey stroke THAT is my expectation (and personal experience) from paint pens, overall. I continue to use them, because they're freaking awesome when they DO deliver! So, now enter THESE paint pens: Paint arrives at tip fluidly The tip itself is quality and sensitive to everything The paint glides, even if you're not stopping every other second to shake it The colors are wonderful! It is paint pens such as these, which allows the artist to be able to confidently focus on their magic, INSTEAD of little annoying "glitches" from this type of paint pen. I work with a couple of mediums; but I mainly focus on creating candle holders. And these pens are IT!!! Read more
I paint rocks... I‘ve developed a love/hate relationship with these pens. They can be great or awful depending on the surface you’re working on The colors are fantastic and the pigment density/coverage can be very good. They take a little longer to shake/mix the other pens. If not shaken long enough the pigment doesn’t mix with its base and you’ll get a weird syrupy liquid that’s not true to its color. It usually winds up being much darker than it should be. This can create problems with inconsistencies and color that doesn’t match. So shake, shake shake and have a piece of paper handy to dab, dab dab! You’ll need to “milk” the pen to bleed off any unmixed color that collects at the nib. The paint is shiny which I didn’t expect & might be helpful for shoppers to know. When working on a hard, non porous surface the first coat of paint will dry quickly and peel as you’re still applying color. This leads to a terrible surface texture as little bits of paint flakes pull up and mix in leaving a lumpy, bumpy, ugly designs. I was ready to toss these in the garbage til I tried them on a new type of rock I purchased...then everything changed!! On the slightly more porous rocks they were incredible!! None of the same issues existed. They created an even, densely colored coat with no flaking issues! There’s one aspect to these pens that are superior to poscas. The nibs are harder (and maybe even smaller?) and the paint consistency slight different so you can get really thin lines and so some very precise work It might be wise to get a smaller set of these if available to try them first and see how they do on the surface you’re planning to work with. If it’s a match then you’ll really enjoy these pens and the colors offered I’ve attached a picture of a few of the rocks I’ve made. I mix media so keep in mind that not all the colors seen here are from the markers UPDATE: I’ve come back to update my review after working with these pens for a good length of time. I’m loving them! I never even use my expensive Posca pens anymore. The density of color and range of colors is fantastic! The “texture” of the paint is beautiful to work with. The only draw back is the shaking/mixing of the pens. It is difficult to mix them well....it takes a good bit of shaking and “milking” before you start to paint. It’s a small gripe but it’d be easier if they mixed quicker and more thoroughly. Originally I didn’t like the sheen of these pens since I was used to the Poscas but now I’ve come to hate the Poscas chalky finish which can create an uneven surface and clumps and looks dull in comparison. These pens make a nice even fluid coat I’ve added a few more pictures of my newer pieces. I love what these pens can do! Read more
