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I debated and debated on buying the right markers-trying to be smart and make a good purchase but right now I'm feeling so bummed out I'm just ready to toss them! I just bought the whole set of Memento markers and I cannot work with them at all!
I really thought they were just like Tombows and they are sooo not! They don't color well on paper and you can't blend them like Tombows, their only function that I can see is direct coloring on the stamp itself. Not what I wanted
I am so sorry. I can relate to your feelings. I've made a few purchases that really disappointed me after I got them home and tried them.
For what it's worth, I never found any water-based markers that I really liked for coloring images. I didn't ever try the Tombows, but also tried the Mementos and had no luck. I don't do the style of stamping with different colors directly on the stamp, so I didn't even use them for that.
I've finally settled on a motley collection that didn't cost an arm and a leg, but I enjoy coloring with the markers I have.
I have a few Copics in pale colors, a good sized set of Shinhan Touch Twin markers, a set of Sharpies and a set of Bics. Between them all, I have the colors I like to use.
They are all alcohol based markers and I use them with each other. My style of coloring is not very elaborate as far as shading goes, just a lighter shade inside, and darker shadows around the edges.
I enjoy using the alcohol based markers so much more than the water-based ones, even for the simple style of coloring I do.
Hope you find something that works for you.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
You are not alone!!
I sympathize with you. I know it is so disappointing to wait to buy something and then find it doesn't work as you expected.
Like Bugga I never found any water based makers that worked for me. My coloring looked like a pre-schooler did it and I would never send anyone a card that looked like that
I tried Memento, a set of SU In-colors from the clearance rack, Marvy LePlumes and even Crayola markers . Nada!
Then I found Copics and fell in love with them. Alcohol markers blend beautifully on paper and you can use them tip to tip to get different colors or shades
Bic also has alcohol markers. They have them in a large set at Walmart for around $16. I bought a set of those and they work very well too.
The only techniques I can do with my water based markers is color directly on the rubber or scribble them on a tile and pick up the color with a water brush to get a subtle color wash .
I also found I can do nice water coloring with Distress inks . So those are my two coloring mediums .
EDIT: My coloring is also a disaster with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol Thank goodness I only bought 6 individual pencils
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Last edited by Barbara Jay; 07-01-2012 at 08:09 PM..
I know everybody so far is saying that they never found water-based markers to colour well. They're not something I use much, but I think that with practice and the right paper they CAN look good. Go and look in Karen B Barber's gallery and she has some stunning stuff coloured with markers (OK, I know they have to be SU, not Memento), and I know I've received cards from a friend that have amazed me. I would feel that if you'd made an investment it might be worth persevering a bit longer.
I have Marvy Le Plume and while I mostly wanted them for direct to rubber usage, I found that when I started using watercolour paper I could colour with them a lot better than on plain card.
You are not alone!!
I sympathize with you. I know it is so disappointing to wait to buy something and then find it doesn't work as you expected.
Like Bugga I never found any water based makers that worked for me. My coloring looked like a pre-schooler did it and I would never send anyone a card that looked like that
I tried Memento, a set of SU In-colors from the clearance rack, Marvy LePlumes and even Crayola markers . Nada!
Then I found Copics and fell in love with them. Alcohol markers blend beautifully on paper and you can use them tip to tip to get different colors or shades
Bic also has alcohol markers. They have them in a large set at Walmart for around $16. I bought a set of those and they work very well too.
The only techniques I can do with my water based markers is color directly on the rubber or scribble them on a tile and pick up the color with a water brush to get a subtle color wash .
I also found I can do nice water coloring with Distress inks . So those are my two coloring mediums .
EDIT: My coloring is also a disaster with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol Thank goodness I only bought 6 individual pencils
Do you need a blender with Bics? I have only used SU markers with a water brush. I have never tried Bics or Copics.
Aww...thanks y'all, for the encouraging comments. It's good to know I'm not alone!
I am facing the fact that while I love, love the look of colored images I just stink at coloring !! I recently bought a set of Prismacolor colored pencils and have found I am not very good with those either.
I've tried the Bic markers without much success...maybe coloring just isn't my thing- hahaha it's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole!!
So the morning light brings more functioning brain cells...hahaha! Anyway, I found an old sample pad of Judikins MatteKote paper and tried using the Memento markers with it. What I learned (probably most of you know already, I'm just slow!) :
Coated paper works much better with Memento markers
Heat embossing is a must! I tried stamping my image with Memento Tuxedo black ink, heat set it, then colored the stamped image with the Memento markers...wrong. The black ink smeared.
But heat embossing the image first (you can do this with the Memento ink on coated paper) and then coloring worked so much better. Duh!
So maybe I won't be "throwing the baby out with the bath water" just yet!
So glad you're finding a solution Kathy! I was about to agree with Sabrina that watercolour paper would be worth a try for you - it sounds like you're finding the same thing with a coated cardstock.
If you don't want to heat emboss, either Stazon or Versafine should give you a good outline without smearing when you colour with a water-based medium (if you use Versafine, test first to make sure it will dry on the paper you're using).
I think colouring is like just about any other skill - you're unlikely to get instantly good results, it takes some practise!
Well I guess I wasn't meant to sell them either!! Not one bite on the FSOT board Hahaha...it's just as well. I have decided they are not so bad...certainly not able to blend them well but I have discovered I like the sort of water-color effect they give. Not watery, but sort of streaky and I'm kinda liking that look. Still not feeling anything I color is postworthy yet.
Happy Fourth Y'all!!
Well I guess I wasn't meant to sell them either!! Not one bite on the FSOT board Hahaha...it's just as well. I have decided they are not so bad...certainly not able to blend them well but I have discovered I like the sort of water-color effect they give. Not watery, but sort of streaky and I'm kinda liking that look. Still not feeling anything I color is postworthy yet.
Happy Fourth Y'all!!
Have you tried scribbling the marker(s) onto a pallet (like your nonstick sheet) and then using a waterbrush to pick up the ink and color that way?
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
Have you tried scribbling the marker(s) onto a pallet (like your nonstick sheet) and then using a waterbrush to pick up the ink and color that way?
Thank you for the input. Yes, I did finally try that and it works quite well. But I have continued to play with these markers and have discovered that I rather like the streaky image when I color it directly on the paper...as long as I don't continually go over and over it and cause the paper to pill badly.
I also found that these markers work pretty well on coated paper so I ordered some Ranger specialty paper and am waiting for that to arrive. I'm sure these markers will get plenty of use now that I've found a few options.:cool:
I bought the Memento markers, but I mainly use them to fill in missing spots when using solid rubber stamps that may not transfer 100% perfect. Or to add scene lines to a image to create grass/sky lines.
I also use dye based markers like the ones sold by SU or LePlume for the Art Impressions watercolor technique.
Maybe you can find a class at an Local stamp store. I am thinking about taking the plunge with some Copics (like I need another money pit) and found a local store that Offers classes. I just need to find the timE and cash.
Last edited by karjor; 07-18-2012 at 08:09 PM..
Reason: Not finished
I'm about ready to toss my brand new markers!
