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Hi, there! Has anyone tried the new Chameleon markers yet? They were a hot new product at a recent CHA�.
I just received my order of them�.you see, I�m a coloring addict, perhaps color hoarder is a better description! � don�t color as much as I should but own every version of coloring product that there is! (I�m sure some of you can identify! ;)) I am an experienced colorer (?) and am Copic Intermediate certified so not really a novice. (Not bragging, just setting the stage.) I was so excited to get them, thinking that I could easily blend coloring in one pen and save time switching out pens. Well, I�m not sure that I got what I was hoping for :(�but would love to hear your experience if you�ve tried them.
Here is my FIRST experience�.now admittedly, I only experimented with them ONE TIME so this is not necessarily a fair assessment but here�s what I�ve got so far: (and BTW I have only watched one video�there are more!)
The Good :smile::
� The barrel of the pen is fairly large around � I have carpel tunnel syndrome so it was easier to handle and my hand didn�t go numb
� The �Rich� colors are quite lovely! Pink and Yellow are quite lovely and are different from my other shades in this family
� I bought the set of 20 so it offers the potential of quite a color spectrum � and included an additional blending pen and a outline marker
� When adding the blender point it does give you a light to dark shading
The Not So Good :( :
� Despite my experience with alcohol pens, I feel there is going to be a learning curve for me! Practice! Practice! PRACTICE!
� You MUST hold the barrel very vertically to get the most lightening benefit - blender down to color up. And NOT color down to blending tip � it turns the blending point to the color of the marker color. (i.e. read the directions! LOLOL :lol
� You need to color fast! I mean FAST! Because the light shade goes to dark quickly and not always when expected. :shock:(there is some time but not much even after the 35 second match up)
� I didn�t find that it saved time because in order to get the lighter/est shade of your color you need to match ink to blender tip for about 35 seconds. :? Don�t think that is long � then try waiting 35 seconds till you pick up your next marker the next time you color and see what you think. Being the impatient soul that I am, it was a long time for me. I�m thinking that I have to plan ahead and ink/blend multiple pens at the same time.
� I wasn�t able to lighten a color once I laid it down on paper�.with Copics I can by using a lighter shade. Not Happy with try on a stamped face!
� I wasn�t able to blend as well as with Copics � this might be part of the practice/learning curve
� Because I tried going over with the lighter color, the paper became saturated and then bled beyond the stamp outline�.more than any of the others that I use.
� I don�t have the color control that I like!
� I haven�t tried them in conjunction with Copics so I don�t know how they react with them.
I�m not pleased so far so off to Practice! Practice! PRACTICE!!! Maybe it�s just me and maybe time will improve the experience�.Let�s HOPE so!
Would Love to hear your experience! PLEASE Share!
__________________ ChaosMom Thanks for visiting my: Gallery!
I've never tried them, but I did a bit of research on them. I thought they were a bit pricey. Obviously, if they were at this years CHA, they must be somewhat new. I saw a video or an advertisement on them and got very excited and started researching. I also seen in a few of the review videos that they tend to go through a lot of blender solution and it's hard to get the exact color each time you go for something off the chart so to speak and like you said you have to work very quick. I'm not a fast worker when it comes to that kind of stuff... I work a bit slower...lol
Unfortunately, I think this is something that I'm going to pass on for sure. I got very excited about them, but after seeing quite a few vids and reviews my I totally lost interest. That's rare!! lol I usually go into it with gangbusters.
I too thought the concept would be awesome,but after researching them myself I decided I wasn't talented or smart enough to use them!! Or I was just too old to even try!!lol
Maybe that's what was wrong with me.... I'm an old dog.... not able to learn a new trick. ChaosMom, I would really love to see if you find that you like them and show some of your work.
I wonder what the learning curve is like for a complete novice?. I'm interested in learning to use alcohol pens but feel a little overwhelmed with the vast selection of Copics and Spectrum Noirs.
I dont own these but i watched a few videos. My first thought was "oh thats so cool!" Then it seemed like you can only color in one direction, from light to dark, and if you go back over an area you would just lose the light shades you just put down. Like there is no room for a mistake. If you miss a light spot you would have to stop, do the blending solution thing, then go back and fix whatever area needed fixing , but...how do you know you are getting the right shade for that area? With other markers your light pink marker will always be the same light pink marker shade. not sure if this makes sense.
Edit to add: I would say they seem to be specific use only, not that that is a bad thing. And it might be effective if you scribble a nice gradient first then stamp over the area say with an open balloon image.
... off to Practice! Practice! PRACTICE!!! Maybe it�s just me and maybe time will improve the experience�.Let�s HOPE so!
Would Love to hear your experience! PLEASE Share!
Any updates? I'd love to hear how you feel now!
I'm also wondering how these would be for a novice... I've never used alcohol pens before, so I thought it might help that I don't have to 'unlearn' habits or technique to use these. Thoughts?
I got my deluxe set few weeks ago and love them. But there is learning curve and you need to experiment to get the effect you want. i do own all the Copics and Blendabilities so I am not new to alcohol markers. blended look is much easier to achieve with Chameleon pens, though.
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I got my deluxe set few weeks ago and love them. But there is learning curve and you need to experiment to get the effect you want. i do own all the Copics and Blendabilities so I am not new to alcohol markers. blended look is much easier to achieve with Chameleon pens, though.
That's good to know! I've just barely started using SU blender pens with chalk and ink, and so far I suck LOL! I do a little bit better with blending ink. Somehow I thought chalk would be easy, but my paper just gets too wet and makes little paper fuzz balls. :lol: I'm using Strathmore 300 Series Bristol, because I happened to have that on hand. Trying to be thrifty and all. ;) But I don't think it's the paper's fault!
That's good to know! I've just barely started using SU blender pens with chalk and ink, and so far I suck LOL! I do a little bit better with blending ink. Somehow I thought chalk would be easy, but my paper just gets too wet and makes little paper fuzz balls. :lol: I'm using Strathmore 300 Series Bristol, because I happened to have that on hand. Trying to be thrifty and all. ;) But I don't think it's the paper's fault!
If you use blender pens and ink, it's best to use watercolor paper.
Never liked blender pens with chalk. I use the chalk/pastels as dry medium or applying it over versamark ink.
__________________ Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni visit my blog
Maybe that's what was wrong with me.... I'm an old dog.... not able to learn a new trick. ChaosMom, I would really love to see if you find that you like them and show some of your work.
*************
Hi, Denverkat276!
I'm attaching an image that I colored using the 2 different pens - one Copic the other Chameleon -- like I had mentioned - this was a first attempt but I wasn't impressed enough to go back and use them since....Sorry to say that! but I needed to get some cards done and used my Copics.
I think you can see the ink overrun on my Chameleon test and get a feel for the gradation that I experimented with. I feel that I have more control with the Copics - especially in blending - longer and better gradation - at least IMHO. The photography may not be ideal but I think you can see a difference.
I have other Copic colorings in my gallery (you can check them out) -- all better than what I feel that I can get using the Chameleons -- I don't have time to practice now...maybe at some later date but it may just be a case of buyer's regret for me. :(
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.
__________________ ChaosMom Thanks for visiting my: Gallery!
I'm also wondering how these would be for a novice... I've never used alcohol pens before, so I thought it might help that I don't have to 'unlearn' habits or technique to use these. Thoughts?
***************************** I honestly have not been back to them -- a bit discouraging for me from the first go around -- I needed to get some projects done so I reverted to using my Copics.
I just attached an image that I colored 1 with Copics and and same with Chameleons in my reply above.... I feel that I have more control with the Copics - especially with blending.
I'm not new to using alcohol ink markers - used Copics, Shin Han, Spectrum Noir and Chromatix -- (sorry for any misspellings) - so far I like all of them better than these new ones.....like I mentioned earlier, there may be a learning curve with them but I don't have that luxury of time right now....sorry to say! :(
__________________ ChaosMom Thanks for visiting my: Gallery!
I definitely like the Copics better than the chameleons in the images. I'm not really that impressed with what I've seen from the chameleons online. Thank you for sharing them. I totally agree with you, they are not impressive at all.
I got a deal on an entire set of Spectrums, they should be here this week. I've used them before, I'm really looking forward to using them. I mainly have had tombows, american crafts, TH, and all types of others. I'm actually looking forward to having a set of keepers that I won't toss when I'm done with them.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the Chameleon pens, ChaosMom. I was all set to purchase them until I saw your two samples side by side. Copics are so much richer and had more gradation than these new pens. There is also no way I would be able to work that fast to get the colors.
Has Anyone else tried the Chameleon Markers?
