Its amazing how many reviews I have watched for these blocks and your videos showcased them far better than all the others combined. your swatch style videos showcase paints so well and you are so thorough! Thank you and please keep swatching for us. It helps me spend my very limited budget without fear of regret.
I find it quite funny that they were reduced because one of the blocks broke. They break if you look at them a bit sternly 😂. I have a handful of these and all the pencils and I find them fun to play with in sketchbooks
I have the Inktense pans that come with the water brush. Colors are vibrant but it is more of an ink. I find they work better for filling in a line and wash type thing versus trying to use them as a watercolor. Plus once you lay down the color, it isn’t going anywhere.
I love the Inktense pencils for line and wash / urban sketching or fun illustrations - the moment they are activated and burst into their vibrant colours is amazing! They also layer well for mixing colours. I just find they are better for smaller areas as they dry so quickly and then are permanent, so larger areas are difficult to fill without them looking patchy. I have a few blocks from an art subscription box but I didn’t get on with them. There is lightfast information on the Derwent website but I would probably do my own tests before using them for professional work.
I have been using the pencil set for many years, they definitely are my “comfort” art medium to play with. My most used colors are deep indigo and the entire bottom row. I use them a lot in sketchbooks/artwork I scan and print in larger sizes. I am a bit skeptical about using them in artwork that is going to be exposed since we don’t know what pigments are used. I hope you find a use for them, the blocks seem really fun and versatile. You can draw with the flat side and spray water on the drawing, or scrape them with a file/sandpaper and sprinkle the shavings on wet paper. They say you can use them to paint on fabric too but I haven’t tried that yet.
“Maybe just ugly” 🤣 ouch. I’ve got the bigger pan set and I’m quite a fan, I’m looking to add a few blocks and the iris blue and bark are speaking to me here. I hadn’t noticed opacity with mine, but I’ve used them with more water so far. I like the ease of the ink drying for layering, and blocks etc vs bottled ink cos I find that a faff to use. Still love watercolours, but these are lovely too.
I have the 72 set of pencils and they're brilliant, but they are *not* lightfast whatsoever; the reds, pinks, and purples faded especially badly after only a few months of exposure to indoor light in an office building! There were windows, but I wasn't sat close to them. The places where I used the pinkish, reddish range had faded all the way back to the white of the paper like I'd never colored them at all, it was TRAGIC. 🤣
It was nice seeing them swatched out. I refrained from purchasing any art supplies lately, so it feels so satisfying watching you swatch while I use the supplies I already have to actually draw something. I have had the pencils before I had any real watercolors, uses them a little, but they look so dull compared to watercolors. So, While I love collecting, I don't use them much. Hope to change that.
The artist who did the turtles on the tin has lots of videos on using these in a variety of ways if you want some ideas about strengths and limitations. Her name is Lisa Clough, her channel is Lachri Fine Art. One of the advantages of them is the ability to scan or photograph well with no sheen but accurate colour, much like gouache, so if that is something important to you it is worth exploring as a medium. They are good for illustrations for this reason and cheaper than water colour. I’ve had great success using them on fabric in conjunction with fabric medium and water and then heat setting, they seem to last well through lots of washing cycles. They are available open stock which is necessary if you are using in any quantity. There are a couple of colours available in pans which aren’t in pencils or sticks, and that annoys me because they are ones I want as a stick, I’m always after something I can’t have! Prices seem to vary a lot across the world. They are fairly affordable in the U.K. as long as you wait for offers. They don’t behave quite like anything else, you do need to get to know them for what they are - good or bad.
From the inktense range it's the most difficult to use, they're chalky, opposed to the pencils that are lovely vibrant and way less clumpy. I got my way doing a loooot of layers so it became almost gouache like, they really stand very opaque on the paper, that can be a bad or a good thing, it depends on what you're looking for.
I have the graphitint watercolor palette and I like it, especially for on the go. The Van Gogh dusk colors are nicer though. Thanks for swatching these. I think I'll get the Inktense 12 pencils set over these blocks though.
I have the pencils and pans. The blocks have never appealed that much to me, but they are fabulous for fabric painting- I have used them in a workshop. The blocks and pans are more opaque than the pencils - probably just because it’s easier to lay down the ink easier. And these are ink, a powdered form of acrylic ink, at least that’s what one Derwent artist said in a class I took. Dont know if that is correct or not. They have a big drying shift, but multiple layers make them really intense. They are great for mixed media, but don’t behave like watercolor, and mixing them can be a little tricksy. Another person mentioned shaving them and spraying, that’s actually a lot of fun.
Wow, thanks, that's very helpful to hear your thoughts on all three versions! I was watching a Kindra video where she tried to make homemade Brusho, and someone suggested the shaved inktense blocks might work - sounds like they do!
Lovely colors. I've enjoyed using the pencils in the past. There is some question of lightfastness once water is added. I've never tested them to see how they would hold up. Maybe I'll do that when I find time. lol
I've been curious about these. There's a video of the artist doing the cover art here on RUclips, it's called "Painting the Sea Turtle cover for the new Inktense Blocks - Lachri" I have one Derwent Inktense pencil I bought when I wanted to do something fluorescent green (color not in this set). It's definitely different from other watercolor pencils and I didn't realize this when I bought it. Not sure if pencils and blocks contain the same formula.
My experience with inktense blocks wasn't great. After dried on paper, it feels chalky, super easy to lift and dusty like soft pastels, it was messy. The only way I could work in transparent layers with them (and avoid the dustiness) was painting over paper preped with gesso.
I have a set of 72 (pencil variant) and now I kinda want to bust them out..In that set there is a dupe for quin gold (gorgeous and rich) and even quin burnt orange,though their's is much brighter than a typical quin burnt orange. It was my obsession with those two shades that made me buy the actual watercolors :D Shiraz and Dusky purple are two other favorites. Thank you for a new video!
I purchased some inktense pencils and generally speaking these pencils make more intense color than traditional watercolor, just a thin layer of color can make a rich swatch. The purples, blues and greens are really lovely, and some of these greens are quite useful for painting foliages. From this video these colors seem more opaque than transparent watercolor?
The inktense pans are exactly like watercolor, I love them much more now, although I also disliked these, but they need a lot of water and with that colour intensity can be added to that previous colour application as for watercolor, but with this you can work the same amount of water with more colour intensity as used with previous layer to add deeper colour value even when it's sort of wet to dry on the previous layer applied, it wont make funny marks as like watercolor when applying more wet on almost dry.. Try it, it is not exactly as watercolor, you might find it not so bad after all, biggest secret, make it nice and watery or juicy as they would say.. I really hope I could help some... Good luck..
As I've turned a bit into a pigment geek since getting into watercolors, no information about pigments and the use of fantasy color names means I would never buy this product. Especially as it's rather high end. The swatches look allright though.
I have the blocks and I absolutely love them.
Its amazing how many reviews I have watched for these blocks and your videos showcased them far better than all the others combined. your swatch style videos showcase paints so well and you are so thorough! Thank you and please keep swatching for us. It helps me spend my very limited budget without fear of regret.
I find it quite funny that they were reduced because one of the blocks broke. They break if you look at them a bit sternly 😂. I have a handful of these and all the pencils and I find them fun to play with in sketchbooks
I was reading reviews for conte crayons, and some people complained they break immediately and others explained you're actually meant to break them! 😂
I have the Inktense pans that come with the water brush. Colors are vibrant but it is more of an ink. I find they work better for filling in a line and wash type thing versus trying to use them as a watercolor. Plus once you lay down the color, it isn’t going anywhere.
I love the Inktense pencils for line and wash / urban sketching or fun illustrations - the moment they are activated and burst into their vibrant colours is amazing! They also layer well for mixing colours. I just find they are better for smaller areas as they dry so quickly and then are permanent, so larger areas are difficult to fill without them looking patchy. I have a few blocks from an art subscription box but I didn’t get on with them. There is lightfast information on the Derwent website but I would probably do my own tests before using them for professional work.
Do you know if the pencils and the blocks are the same stuff??
I use both the 100 pencils and i got the 72 set of blocks for a bargain. Thoroughly love them used alone or together ❤❤❤
I have been using the pencil set for many years, they definitely are my “comfort” art medium to play with. My most used colors are deep indigo and the entire bottom row. I use them a lot in sketchbooks/artwork I scan and print in larger sizes. I am a bit skeptical about using them in artwork that is going to be exposed since we don’t know what pigments are used. I hope you find a use for them, the blocks seem really fun and versatile. You can draw with the flat side and spray water on the drawing, or scrape them with a file/sandpaper and sprinkle the shavings on wet paper. They say you can use them to paint on fabric too but I haven’t tried that yet.
“Maybe just ugly” 🤣 ouch. I’ve got the bigger pan set and I’m quite a fan, I’m looking to add a few blocks and the iris blue and bark are speaking to me here. I hadn’t noticed opacity with mine, but I’ve used them with more water so far. I like the ease of the ink drying for layering, and blocks etc vs bottled ink cos I find that a faff to use. Still love watercolours, but these are lovely too.
🤣
Dang…. I like these a lot!!
I’m buying some FOR SURE.
Thanx for swatching them for us‼️
I have the 72 set of pencils and they're brilliant, but they are *not* lightfast whatsoever; the reds, pinks, and purples faded especially badly after only a few months of exposure to indoor light in an office building! There were windows, but I wasn't sat close to them. The places where I used the pinkish, reddish range had faded all the way back to the white of the paper like I'd never colored them at all, it was TRAGIC. 🤣
It was nice seeing them swatched out. I refrained from purchasing any art supplies lately, so it feels so satisfying watching you swatch while I use the supplies I already have to actually draw something. I have had the pencils before I had any real watercolors, uses them a little, but they look so dull compared to watercolors. So, While I love collecting, I don't use them much. Hope to change that.
The artist who did the turtles on the tin has lots of videos on using these in a variety of ways if you want some ideas about strengths and limitations. Her name is Lisa Clough, her channel is Lachri Fine Art.
One of the advantages of them is the ability to scan or photograph well with no sheen but accurate colour, much like gouache, so if that is something important to you it is worth exploring as a medium. They are good for illustrations for this reason and cheaper than water colour.
I’ve had great success using them on fabric in conjunction with fabric medium and water and then heat setting, they seem to last well through lots of washing cycles.
They are available open stock which is necessary if you are using in any quantity.
There are a couple of colours available in pans which aren’t in pencils or sticks, and that annoys me because they are ones I want as a stick, I’m always after something I can’t have!
Prices seem to vary a lot across the world. They are fairly affordable in the U.K. as long as you wait for offers.
They don’t behave quite like anything else, you do need to get to know them for what they are - good or bad.
From the inktense range it's the most difficult to use, they're chalky, opposed to the pencils that are lovely vibrant and way less clumpy. I got my way doing a loooot of layers so it became almost gouache like, they really stand very opaque on the paper, that can be a bad or a good thing, it depends on what you're looking for.
Like the way it looks on here.
I do own the Mustard pencil.
The Puppy red is my kind of red.
I was reading this before watching the swatch and was wondering what "Puppy Red" would look like 🤣
I have the graphitint watercolor palette and I like it, especially for on the go. The Van Gogh dusk colors are nicer though. Thanks for swatching these. I think I'll get the Inktense 12 pencils set over these blocks though.
I have the pencils and pans. The blocks have never appealed that much to me, but they are fabulous for fabric painting- I have used them in a workshop. The blocks and pans are more opaque than the pencils - probably just because it’s easier to lay down the ink easier. And these are ink, a powdered form of acrylic ink, at least that’s what one Derwent artist said in a class I took. Dont know if that is correct or not. They have a big drying shift, but multiple layers make them really intense. They are great for mixed media, but don’t behave like watercolor, and mixing them can be a little tricksy. Another person mentioned shaving them and spraying, that’s actually a lot of fun.
Wow, thanks, that's very helpful to hear your thoughts on all three versions! I was watching a Kindra video where she tried to make homemade Brusho, and someone suggested the shaved inktense blocks might work - sounds like they do!
Lovely colors. I've enjoyed using the pencils in the past. There is some question of lightfastness once water is added. I've never tested them to see how they would hold up. Maybe I'll do that when I find time. lol
I've been curious about these. There's a video of the artist doing the cover art here on RUclips, it's called "Painting the Sea Turtle cover for the new Inktense Blocks - Lachri" I have one Derwent Inktense pencil I bought when I wanted to do something fluorescent green (color not in this set). It's definitely different from other watercolor pencils and I didn't realize this when I bought it. Not sure if pencils and blocks contain the same formula.
I love Inktense, but I admit it's not for everyone. Especially for ones who prefer to work in very transparent light layers
My experience with inktense blocks wasn't great. After dried on paper, it feels chalky, super easy to lift and dusty like soft pastels, it was messy. The only way I could work in transparent layers with them (and avoid the dustiness) was painting over paper preped with gesso.
I have a set of 72 (pencil variant) and now I kinda want to bust them out..In that set there is a dupe for quin gold (gorgeous and rich) and even quin burnt orange,though their's is much brighter than a typical quin burnt orange. It was my obsession with those two shades that made me buy the actual watercolors :D Shiraz and Dusky purple are two other favorites. Thank you for a new video!
Shiraz looks like it might be made with Perelyne Violet, yumm, my new fave pigment
I have the pencils which are also very pigmented, and I love them. I don't think they are as opaque as the blocks.
I purchased some inktense pencils and generally speaking these pencils make more intense color than traditional watercolor, just a thin layer of color can make a rich swatch. The purples, blues and greens are really lovely, and some of these greens are quite useful for painting foliages. From this video these colors seem more opaque than transparent watercolor?
The Shiraz and the Bark are eye-catching. But I am glad I didn't splurge on these blocks.
They’re probably my two favourite as well
The inktense pans are exactly like watercolor, I love them much more now, although I also disliked these, but they need a lot of water and with that colour intensity can be added to that previous colour application as for watercolor, but with this you can work the same amount of water with more colour intensity as used with previous layer to add deeper colour value even when it's sort of wet to dry on the previous layer applied, it wont make funny marks as like watercolor when applying more wet on almost dry.. Try it, it is not exactly as watercolor, you might find it not so bad after all, biggest secret, make it nice and watery or juicy as they would say.. I really hope I could help some... Good luck..
I have never seen anyone call that deep brown olive a "leaf" green! It's interesting there's no ultramarine shade.
I chuckled at 'maybe its just ugly..... when wet it did look like some mud sprinkled with dirt, lol.
So has anyone tried using the blocks straight on the paper?
As I've turned a bit into a pigment geek since getting into watercolors, no information about pigments and the use of fantasy color names means I would never buy this product. Especially as it's rather high end.
The swatches look allright though.
🎨🥰🖌💖
First first first!
🍻
My God! I go to bed and you all take my place!! That’s it, I quit sleeping. Never more 🥱 will waste any morfgfdr 😴💤