I'm a relative newcomer to gel pens. I've been using colored pencils for so long to draw and, in recent years, color in adult coloring books, but I've come back to mandalas and it's been recommended that I try gel pens for those. Since Shuttle makes such wonderful professional colored pencils (I really can't say enough good things about their pencils), I decided this would be a good place to start.
In terms of dealing with the seller, I once again had a seamless experience. The pens arrived, in perfect condition, on time (2 days). The packaging is great, with the pens in order by shade and type (pastel, glitter, metallic, etc), in 4 separate packets, held together with a stretchy cord - I don't know what else to call it - making them easy to store and keep together.
Other reviews complain about difficulty starting ink flow; I didn't have that problem with any of these pens. I though I did with the white one, then I realized that I just wasn't seeing the ink on the scrap paper, the paper being white and all. I noticed it when I saw the ink smeared all over my hand. Lol? The ink flows quickly, almost too quickly for a noob like myself so I would suggest that if you're not used to gel pens you practice a little on a piece of paper until you get the hang of it. Also, I find that blotting the tip on a piece of scrap helps me control the flow. But again, I'm brand new to the medium so other, more experienced users may not have the same issue.
The colors are vibrant and clear, and I haven't had any issue with them bleeding through good quality paper in a coloring book I'm using them in, nor on 160 lb card stock and heavy sketch pad paper. I would imagine they would work well on watercolor pads as well, although I can see them being streaky on that kind of paper. I haven't had any issue with streaking on the aforementioned papers, though. I read a review that stated that the colors dry to a different shade than the one that comes out of the pen; I haven't found that to necessarily be true. Ink always comes out a slightly darker shade and dries somewhat lighter, in my experience. That's also true of most paint. These pens don't dry noticeably lighter, although I haven't put down a super heavy amount of ink that would be that much darker when wet so that might be why I haven't noticed that issue. I have no idea if they blend or layer because, again, I'm a complete novice with this medium and I haven't tried to do anything other than get the ink on the paper, but they do that very well.
As far as the colors, I would be happier with some darker shades, but the shades that came are exactly the ones that are advertised. I'm not too sure what the purpose is with the swirl pens; only one color comes out at a time, and I would imagine that if it DID mix, it would be kind of muddy. As it stands, the colors that come out are pretty.
The pens themselves are well made. I haven't had a problem with any kind of breakage or caps falling apart. The packaging is sturdy and the pens are well made. I have no complaints whatsoever about the construction and packaging. The only thing I can see being an issue is that the ink flows so quickly that the pens will probably run out relatively fast. However, the price point makes it feasible for me to replace the set if that does happen. Not sure if that would be a problem for others, though, so I thought I should make mention.
Overall, very pleased with this purchase. Again, kudos to the Shuttle Art Store.
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Living my teenage dream
I’m in the hospital for a few months so to prepare for my stay I order these gel pens and so far I’m loving them!! Many great colors, I love the glittery ones and so many options! And so far they have worked very well I’ve been able to use them for multiple pages in my mandala book and no problems. Keep lids on them and stand up if possible, my kids used some and didn’t put the lid on and it leaked out a little bit still worked fine.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2024
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2024
I was pleasantly surprised how well these pens work. The ink doesn’t smear or bleed, the pen ball is very smooth and the ink flows so nicely, and the color is very bright and vivid. I tried to use as many colors as I could on this design just to test the colors and ink style. You get a little bit of everything in this package. I’m really impressed with the glitter and the neon colors specifically. The price point is amazing for the actual quality you get with these as well. I will be buying the refills when these run out.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2024
Top reviews from other countries
Paint AF
Lots of colours, cheap pens, decent ink
Reviewed in Canada on September 12, 2024
Joanna
A Vibrant Artist’s Dream!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2024
