Excellent range of colors,...
November 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Excellent range of colors, average watercolor quality and nibs.
I very much appreciate the excellent diversity of colors available in the dual
brush pens. There are great subtle lighter shades of grey-green, ochre, and
dusty pinks and golds that are hard to find in many brands. However, the
brighter colors like vermillions and saffrons tend to be a little washed-out and
less saturated looking than a top-quality watercolor pen like the Royal Talens
Ecolines.
As markers, they are very serviceable and I often use them for backgrounds or
getting a specific color into a piece. The fine nib is nice for touch-ups and
quick sketches.
As watercolors, they are so-so. They do not move around as smoothly as I would
like with water. The colors also wash out quickly, so there is not a long
gradient between full strength ink and a very pale wash. The brush nibs fray
pretty quickly, and they aren't replaceable so you might be stuck with a pen
full of ink but no working brush nib, which is frustrating.
While I often use one or two Tombows on a piece, I don't use JUST Tombows to
complete anything more involved than a sketch. They're not bad - better than
many alternatives - but I would not recommend them for daily heavy users or as
your only watercolor pen.
