TouchFive Markers Reviews from Customers
1
I ordered the 80 pack of pens and I was most definitely not disappointed. I love each and every pen. They provide easy, smooth color and feel very nice in the hand. I love that each cap not only shows the pen number, but a swatch of the color so that no matter which side is up in the bag, you'll be able to find the pen you're looking for. I did, however, have some issues the first time I was using the pens. With 3 of the pens, ink began immediately dripping from the bullet tip. I've provided pictures of the ink spilling from the tip and the drops that ended up on the paper. The problem was fixed very quickly without me having to adjust anything so I chock this up to some issue with the shipping process and seeing as how they write perfectly fine afterwards, I haven't docked any stars. I do, however, recommending creating a color chart as I have so that you can ensure your next drawing doesn't suffer giant drips of ink falls upon it. If you're wondering how I can speak so highly of pens that have a mere 3 star average, it's because the vast majority of people giving this product a bad review didn't take the time to look at the chart provided on the product page and then gave the item low stars because the color selection wasn't what they wanted. It's a huge shame since these are lovely pens.
2
If you are looking for replacement alcohol markers to replace the higher priced markers out there, these are fantastic.
These met all of my expectations, except one, in the beginning. I like a brush tip, and as stated, these have a broad chisel tip instead of brush tip. That being written, I am really enjoying using these markers. The broad chisel tip blends easily with smooth blending from color to color and fills larger areas quickly. Adjusting to using the chisel tip was easy. Being able to rotate the chisel tip to obtain different thickness of lines and filling spaces was also easy. So, the chisel tip, no problem. For some uses, I actually liked it better than a brush tip. The smaller bullet point is small enough that it can be used for drawing, filling, and shading smaller areas. When using for stamped images, you have plenty of room for blending and shading between different shades of markers. Blending is no problem with these markers. They blend beautifully!
A key to blending with alcohol markers also depends on the paper. I blended these on the marker paper included. I thought that they blended with ease from color to color. Alcohol markers do have a tendency to bleed through paper. I always put paper underneath what I am working on to protect my surface. This is normal. When coloring an image these didn't feather past the line I was coloring. The TouchNew did great. For me, and my purposes for using an alcohol markers, these are wonderful.
These markers have a great color selection! Light, vibrant, dark and neutral colors are included in this set making it easy to pick blending combinations. It is true that some of the colors do not match their cap exactly; however, I have found this with most marker sets I own. I always make a color coded swatch chart on the paper that I use for alcohol markers and store it with the markers. Doing this is a great time saver and enables me to pick blending combinations quickly. The few colors with a lighter or darker shade cap shade than the swatch color for me is not a big deal, I just look for the number. If you are use to a number system from light to dark, a lot of these are the opposite. For example, 52 green is darker that 54 and 55 and 24 orange is darker than 25 and 26.. There are some that go the other direction. Cool grey ranges from light to dark. Again, with a swatch chart, I just look for the number and can pick out color combinations quickly. For some people this may seem like a con but for me with a color coded swatch chart doesn't make a difference.
The caps on these are removable without excessive effort. Twist slightly and it comes off. The barrel has a gray line on one side for the smaller bullet tip. There is also an illustration on the barrel showing which tip is which. The number and color are listed on each end of the marker. This marker feels great when holding in your hand. The shape causes the markers stay in place when you set it down so it doesn't roll off the desk.
The price point for these markers is fantastic. Blending is wonderful. Color choice is great. The few cons were fixed with a swatch chart. The marker paper that is included with this set does bleed through like a lot of papers do with alcohol markers; however, DID NOT seem to feather across the drawn line. I would definitely order these markers again. For stampers who use alcohol markers and the proper ink to stamp your image, these are great alcohol marker and cost point.
Shipping was very very quick. I received it way before the date expected. There was a minor problem when my order arrived, I did exactly what the company requested and contacted them. I sent an email late at night and in the morning I had already received a response. This was NOT a computer generated response. It was an actual response from a person who already had handled the concern. I was very surprised and impressed with their customer service. I would definitely order from this company again.
3,
and with Copic which I rate overall as a 10.
Touchnew rates an 8 overall.
This 168 color set gives a wide scope of values of the primary colors to chose from.
The end cap colors on the markers DO NOT always replicate the same value of that color. The numbering system used on the pens have nothing to do with the values or tints of colors in terms of its color gradients.
MAKE a custom color swatch chart, and laminate it for marker selection color choice use.
Suggestion to the manufacturer, that they include a complete glossy paper COLOR chart to correspond with the markers in these kits.
Insert a blotter sheet underneath the Marker paper that is provided in this kit, as it is quite porous and bleeds through the paper.
Alcohol pens and inks should be kept in a cool humid temperature environment, preferably < than 70 F, away from UV & heat sources, as they all tend to dry out. Also these should be used weekly, as the top level elevated marker nibs will get totally dry from non-use over months sitting in an upright position. I recommend placing the entire carry bag inside a 2 gallon ziplock bag, and purge the air out before sealing, and turn the whole kit of markers horizontal (sideways), then Store ALL alcohol ink supplies in a cool, dry location.
These nibs can be easily removed if the marker "dries out" over time from non-use, or storing them in too hot of an environment and the alcohol has evaporated. Wear gloves. Note: this only works IF The ink pigment is still in the marker. Use only denatured alcohol with an eye dropper, add 3 ml. into the pen, and gently reinstall the nib. Once the nib swells up again with liquid, the marker can then be gently rotated or shaken, and the pigment dissolves again with the alcohol and the marker is as good as new. This of course will not work if you have USED up all the pigment in art projects.
The pens are rectangular in shape, and very ergonomic to hold, and I love that they do not roll on the work surface when placed down.
The nibs are firm, but become more flexible with repetitive use. Both Fine lines and fill-in of large areas are accomplished easily.
The Blending capability work time is short before the colors begin drying, but two colors can be blended evenly; one color edge into another, on medium weight marker paper, if you work swiftly. Once it is dried, it is harder to achieve that smooth gradient of blending, without scrubbing, and bubbling up the paper surface.
The Price point for this 168 pen set is awesome for the Marker color pallet provided and for their overall quality in manufacturing.
4
I love this set. I would definitely buy it again. It came with a surprise black inking pen that was double ended, and a white gel pen. The package came in good condition and the colors were diverse, vibrant, and beautiful. I really like the bag they came in and will continue to use it! They blend well, but the colors don't match the colors on the caps, which isn't a huge deal because any good artist knows to color swatch first anyways. They are similar in size to the Copic Sketch. My only complaint was the black inking pen that came with it was cracked, so when I went to open it and test it out I got black ink all over my hands.