My review of Tombow Dual Brush Pens, from @tombowusa. Reposting from @calligraphyhowto
This is the “Bright Palette” set of 10 — nine colors, plus a blending pen (“color” N00), which does exactly what it sounds like: rub it over one or more colors for an effect almost like a light watercolor wash.
Less flexible than true brush tips, so easier for beginners to control.
Plus I think there are some advantages to starting large. For one thing, you can see the shapes of the letters more easily at a larger size (though *too* large becomes much more difficult to control). As with most brush markers I’ve tried, the “writability” varies from color to color. I found the yellow and greens easiest to manage — most flexible, springy tip, and most forgiving point.
Pros: – Relatively easy to get started with for beginning calligraphers.
– Pretty easy to find (they’re at most art stores, I think).
– Vibrant colors.
– Blendable! (you can even “draw” with a darker color on a shiny surface, like the backing from a sticker, to deposit some color, then “draw” over that color with the tip of a lighter color pen, to create duo-tone/blended color strokes! Check out some of the videos further down on my IG feed for examples of this technique in action).
– Self-cleaning! If you blend colors, the pens will revert to their original color fairly quickly, so you don’t have to worry about ruining them!
– Duo-tips: the other side of the pen has a fine ripe marker in the same color — nifty!
– Odorless and acid-free.
Cons:
– They tend to wear out rather quickly. The nib starts to get ragged before the color dries up, though if you stick with smooth papers (like the Rhodia pad used here), they will probably last longer.
– Unknown lightfastness. Do not use for any work you want to hang on the wall and not fade away!
– These can be tricky to get a good thin (or “hairline”) stroke out of, though this varies depending on the color.
Upshot: for color-blending fun, Tombows ROCK!
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