ARTKURE PENS - The arty pens with a crafty application!
A range of watercolour brush pens and water brushes that will appeal to artists and crafters alike. Originally designed to be an easy to use watercolour system, the pens have proved to be a fantastic tool for card makers in particular rubber stampers. If you have rubber stamps that are lingering at the bottom of your box because you’ve used them every way possible, think again and see how different the Artkure treatment is.
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OUR VERDICT
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTIONS
The emphasis using Artkure pens is creativity – let your imagination run wild! The only technical instructions needed are how to prime the pens ready for first use and there is a leaflet to explain this inside the packaging for each brush. To help, below* are a few ideas to get you started. Pick up one of the latest leaflets which gives some further information and examples to get your creative juices going.
COMPLEXITY
Artkure Pens are simple to use and this is the particular appeal. Achieving a delicate watercolour style image using rubber stamps is quick and easy with the minimum of fuss and tools. The same is true of watercolour style sketches or pen and wash. Instead of carrying a bag of equipment in case you stumble across a lovely view to paint, you can get away with just one colour pen, a water brush and some paper. Cleaning the brushes couldn’t be easier – if they get contaminated with another colour, simply ‘scribble’ on a scrap piece of paper until the brush tips get clean.
PRODUCT RANGE
There are 30 colour brush pens and 4 water brush pens in the basic range. New on the market is a specially designed range of rubber stamps (as we write this, we are awaiting delivery of a selection of these). The colour range is very good. Our only comment is that the colour selection lacks a really good strong Christmas red, which has been a little frustrating when creating traditional card images, but probably of lesser importance to the artist users. Our favourite colour is ‘Blue’ (no. 30) which in particular will appeal to the artist as the dye breaks down in water into a range of blues, turquoises and pinks. There are also sets of 4 (3 colours and a water brush) which make lovely starter sets or presents however, for those who have already started collecting colours, these have less appeal as once you have a water brush, you don’t need more – better to collect the individual colours that suit your needs best. For those who really get the bug, there are further products like cases with ‘built-in’ sketching pads and storage solutions.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Although on the face of it, the colour pens seem pricey at £5.99 each, we haven’t yet run out of colour in any of our demonstrator brushes and the results are so different that the excitement of what you can create quickly overcomes the price tag. The water brushes are very reasonably priced at £3.99, as they are valuable for a whole range of uses and are filled up with water from your own tap. Particularly brilliant for tearing mulberry paper (especially when your table top gets covered over and you forget that pot of water you were using until it’s too late and you drown your evenings work!) also for other watersoluble mediums such as watercolour pencils.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Everyone who has seen these pens demonstrated is fascinated and wants to have a go. Once they get the pens in their hands they get the bug. The images that can be created are endless and each one is totally unique. There are a number of different techniques which keep your interest alive as you experiment to achieve different results. Although originally created for Artists, this product range seems to have a greater appeal to card makers many of whom are gradually collecting the whole range. We are all hooked at Inside Art!
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TIP!
A brilliant way of recycling the square plastic packaging tube the pens come in – use it to store your craft knife in, much safer than an uncovered blade in your tool box.
* The main ways we like to use the brushes are as follows:-
- simply draw with the colour pens and then wash the colours together using the water brush,
- paint a little area of each colour on a scrap of paper to create a colour palette – use your water brush to dip into these colours like you would a paintbrush and conventional paint.
- colour your rubber stamp in one or more colours, stamp the image and then use the water brush to soften areas. After stamping your image the first time, dampen an area on your paper big enough to take your stamped image - you don’t need to re-ink your stamp, just stamp onto the damp paper and watch the image ‘paint itself’.
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RATINGS Excellent |
Past Product Tests
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