thanks Jenny! I was wondering about them. I think it looks like the opacity might be filler because it looked mor white than colorful. I love my carandache neo2 crayons. I use them thickly on colored backgrounds for an opaque effect. nice comparison;)
I totally agree about the filler! And I like my Inktense pencils/blocks for most everything on watercolor paper, but it's interesting the effects you can get with the scribble sticks. It's also worth noting that Ranger markets their products for more of the craft/mixed media market rather than as "fine art products."
Just a heads-up: I can't speak as to the others, but Derwent Inktense pencils and art sticks are HIGHLY fugitive (which mean they are not at all color stable. They will fade severely after even short term exposure to light). This is not necessarily a problem if your work will remain sandwiched between sheets of paper in an art journal, or in a drawer, but it is not advised that you frame your work created with these inks sticks and hang them under normal lighting circumstances. This is true of most inks. Pigments tend to be much more light stable, though even some of them, also have long been known to be highly fugitive. The Inktense, being an ink in stick form, offers the brightness, intensity and transparency we all find so dazzling, so there's absolutely no need to ditch them. Just be aware of their limitations if you're looking to frame your art.
Even though this is coming 2years later...Thank you for the info. I was really disappointed to find that, in spite of what the manufacturers say, they are NOT waterproof when dried. I returned mine for that reason.
I have all the mediums but I add my brush to the color them IBM to paper. Derwent is my favorite. Great job showing the comparisons. Keep up the fabulous work you do for us.
Great video Jenny. Thank you! I didn't think I was going to have to buy the scribble sticks but now I think I just might! Also, duh moment for me, I was actually quite surprised at the difference of intensity in color between the watercolor paper and card stock. Great learning moment. Thank you! 🌷
Thank you for the comparisons. I usually take brush to crayon or Inktense rather than laying the color down directly, then I'm sure I won't get marks that don't dissolve. Eager to try out the Scribble Sticks - thanks again!
That was the first think I thought of was the ink tense when I seen her video of the scribble sticks. I like that you are doing a video on them all. Thanks.
Dina Wakely has come up with some new colors this year. I love them myself, so I'm really looking forward to the new colors. Thanks for this comparison!!
I’m so glad you compared the neos with the inktense! Even though they are ink vs. watercolor I was wondering if I should get the Caran d’Ache crayons even though I have the inktense colorpencils!
Neo II's are beautiful to use. I love them. This demo didn't do them justice because this set is all pastel, which means they have white in them and it makes them milky. The other colours are fabulous. I never use my Inktense really. But I love the Neo's.
THANK YOU for this excellent video that anticipated all my questions as a multi-media type artist. ^_^ I learned a lot from your vid, as well as the comments!
Thanks for your tutorial here. Just thought you might like to know that it is pronounced Caran “Dash “. That’s how it sounds although that is not how it’s spelt. I live in Quebec Canada with a strong French influence and just thought you may like to know that.
So, you mispronounced Caran d'ache ( Karen-dache) and said Dyan instead of Dina ( they both sell for Ranger and have a "D" and 4 letters in their first names, so, similarities there...)but the fact that you took three water soluble products and did a comparison with them, I liked the video very much, subscribe to you and like that you give "a show and share" with a lot of art products, and that helps with deciding if one wants to obtain and use them. You do great reviews and I watch you frequently to get inspiration and you don't disappoint!! 👍🏻
Thanks for this test. I'm pretty sure I want the Derwent for what I do, even though the Caran D'arche are easier to find. This video helped me determine it'll be worth the wait! I see someone below made a claim that Derwent aren't lightfast, but that's incorrect; they are actually one of the better choices for lightfastness in this type of media. Derwent has extensive color charts and the vast majority of these are in the 7-8 range (very lightfast) with very few in the 6 or below range. With any colored drawing media, lightfastness can vary though and that has to do with pigments in general. With *any* brand of colored drawing media always watch out for the lightfastness on some reds, shades with yellow-ish tones, some very pale blues, and hot or very pale pinks. Also important in lightfastness performance: how sheer you make them matters and proper sealing with a UV spray.
At the current time it seems Caren D'Ache Neoocolor II are all the rage, most colourful and have excellent lightfastness. Most buy them starting off for backgrounds but they are also good for colouring images in colouring books and don't bleed through. In fact Caren d'ache recommend spraying them with water.
I think you may like the inktense block more if you wet the brush in a dissolved pan of the color - it is a water-base ink not a crayon, I don't think the grainy texture will show. Visit some of the other video sites on use of this ink block. I would rather see a test on yupo and an absorbent ground rather than on gesso [which is not compatible with watercolor]. I enjoyed your presentation and experimentation. Thanks!
Thank you! I have wanted the neo color 2. Watching this I think I am quite happy with my Lyras. I won't be buying any of them. The thank you is honest, NOT sarcastic! I have decided to buy some Distress Crayons and I will put my budget there. I know they have gotten a lot of bad reviews but I have so many of the distress inks that I decided I wanted the crayons in the same color scheme. I bought the Reccolections watercolor crayons after watching your video on them. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Two weeks ago I pulled them out for a friend to play with and it reminded me how much I love them!
Hi Jesse, just wanted to add my two cents about Distress Crayons. I was pretty 'meh' about them after reviews and watching demos. But, I picked up a set in a kit after seeing some drawbacks in gelato durability, and had a 55% off coupon burning a hole in my wallet. After playing around, I really, REALLY enjoy them. For me, their colour is so intense, and they work really well with my style of mixed media. I like that I'm not worried about them wearing off my layouts the way I was with thicker gelato colour application, and find it easier to build up layers with them that retain the integrity of the original marks (vs gelato, which for me just smeared away as I laid down colour on top of them). I hope you are pleasantly surprised by the distress crayons. :)
Madmelvelous THANK YOU! I am a card maker but I LOVE doing interesting backgrounds and such. More than 90 percent of my card fronts are on white paper that I have inked, painted, stamped, embossed or otherwise played with
Jesse b they are very good but have to use them different,directly with the waterbrush on the sticks or blocks but ofcours they have. to be waterseluble 😉😉😉
Thank you for this. Especially the black background example, I also would have thought the neo2 would have great opacity. hmmm, live and learn (thanks to you).
I would love to see a comparison between Neocolor watersoluble crayons and Tim Holtz distress crayons if you are able to do so. I've seen a lot of folks comparing Neocolors with Gelatos and I don't understand why they would even be considered in the same class. I understand that Gelatos are watersoluble, but I use them myself so I know they dry with a different finish than Neocolors. You can't draw on top of it very well and gluing stuff to that Gelatos finish is a nightmare. Whereas it appears that neocolors are very similar to TH distress crayons. I'm trying to decide if it's better to buy TH crayons or spend the extra money for the Neocolors but I haven't found a single comparison demo on the two sadly. Thank you so much if you are in a position to make a comparison on these two.
Thank you Jenny for this comparison - I already have the Inktense Blocks and was wondering if I needed the Scribble Sticks - would they be any different? In fact your samples show how different they are, so I think I do need them to work with too as I'll be using them over gesso quite a bit. Many thanks :-)
Inktense are ink, necolour are water colour, 2 different things, they have a completely different base, you cant compare them to each other because they are no where near being the same product. The neocolour and the scribbles however are the same and can be compared fairly against each other, the scribbles are a Dina not a Dyan product also.
Gotpaintinmyhair I believe I did point out that the inktense are ink based. I was very clear about that in the video. The reason why I included them is because people have been asking. And while they have different bases, all three react very similarly with water on watercolor paper, card stock, and even dark paper. So I feel like it was a fair inclusion.
Very thorough demo ..I have the Neocolor 2 and I also have Lyra watercolor crayons they too come with high reviews also . have you tried them ? they are much more affordable 😉 .
i use them different, with a better result. ....... try to go with the waterbrush directly on each kind of blocks or stick and collor then on the paper😊😊😊😉😉😉
Katie S there is no light fast information for Scribble sticks, so I felt it wasn't fair to bring that in. Also- Ranger is being marketed in the craft department, not necessarily fine art.
To the contrary, I believe Derwent Inktense comment, Inktense has very good lightfast ratings. Source: Derwent, and other independent tests. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I always apply intense "wet" or "wet on wet." Sorry, to me this isn't a fair or thorough comparison. Just me
According to Derwent, at least half the Inktense colours are very lightfast. They suffer in the reds, pinks, oranges, and purples, where most of those colours are much less lightfast.
I think if you're going to do demos of other peoples products you should at least get their names right...scribble sticks are Dina Wakley products NOT Dyan Reaveley's
Love those new scribble sticks! Just a tip for you, the brand for the Neo color II is pronounced like Karen Dosh (the o makes an ah sound, like D-ah-sh) hope that helps :)
I have gotten a quite a bit of flack for my pronunciation. I did the best I could with my diction training- and as it turns out, it's a Danish pronunciation. I guess I'm quite worldly! HA!
CraftTestDummies oh I'm sorry hun, I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, just trying to help out. No one is perfect and I say way stupid stuff all the time, no worries. If someone is really giving you a hard time over pronunciation, they've just got nothing better to do, or want ppl to be as upset as they are. Try to let it roll off ya, you're doing just fine 😊👍🏻
I've gotten lovely results with gesso OVER neo color on fabric. The gesso just melts the color and blends easily.
thanks Jenny! I was wondering about them. I think it looks like the opacity might be filler because it looked mor white than colorful. I love my carandache neo2 crayons. I use them thickly on colored backgrounds for an opaque effect. nice comparison;)
I totally agree about the filler! And I like my Inktense pencils/blocks for most everything on watercolor paper, but it's interesting the effects you can get with the scribble sticks. It's also worth noting that Ranger markets their products for more of the craft/mixed media market rather than as "fine art products."
CraftTestDummies t
Just a heads-up: I can't speak as to the others, but Derwent Inktense pencils and art sticks are HIGHLY fugitive (which mean they are not at all color stable. They will fade severely after even short term exposure to light). This is not necessarily a problem if your work will remain sandwiched between sheets of paper in an art journal, or in a drawer, but it is not advised that you frame your work created with these inks sticks and hang them under normal lighting circumstances. This is true of most inks. Pigments tend to be much more light stable, though even some of them, also have long been known to be highly fugitive. The Inktense, being an ink in stick form, offers the brightness, intensity and transparency we all find so dazzling, so there's absolutely no need to ditch them. Just be aware of their limitations if you're looking to frame your art.
Even though this is coming 2years later...Thank you for the info. I was really disappointed to find that, in spite of what the manufacturers say, they are NOT waterproof when dried. I returned mine for that reason.
I have all the mediums but I add my brush to the color them IBM to paper. Derwent is my favorite. Great job showing the comparisons. Keep up the fabulous work you do for us.
Really good video because you have camera zoomed in so I can see! Great comparison
Thank you for the comparison. I have Inktense pencils but not the other mediums so I was glad to see them perform.
Great video Jenny. Thank you! I didn't think I was going to have to buy the scribble sticks but now I think I just might! Also, duh moment for me, I was actually quite surprised at the difference of intensity in color between the watercolor paper and card stock. Great learning moment. Thank you! 🌷
Thank you for the comparisons. I usually take brush to crayon or Inktense rather than laying the color down directly, then I'm sure I won't get marks that don't dissolve. Eager to try out the Scribble Sticks - thanks again!
That's what I do too, never a problem, I love my NeoColors so much, wouldn't trade them for the world
That was the first think I thought of was the ink tense when I seen her video of the scribble sticks. I like that you are doing a video on them all. Thanks.
Dina Wakely has come up with some new colors this year. I love them myself, so I'm really looking forward to the new colors. Thanks for this comparison!!
I’m so glad you compared the neos with the inktense! Even though they are ink vs. watercolor I was wondering if I should get the Caran d’Ache crayons even though I have the inktense colorpencils!
Neo II's are beautiful to use. I love them. This demo didn't do them justice because this set is all pastel, which means they have white in them and it makes them milky. The other colours are fabulous. I never use my Inktense really. But I love the Neo's.
no accent on the last "e". its pronounced "Karen Dash" which means "pencil" in russian. My favorite of all time. nothing better.
That was an interesting and useful comparison. I have inktense but I like the look of the neo colours too. Thanks !!
Thank you for this review! I've already pre-ordered the scribble sticks and this just makes me more excited for their arrival. 😍
THANK YOU for this excellent video that anticipated all my questions as a multi-media type artist. ^_^ I learned a lot from your vid, as well as the comments!
Thanks! You made my day. :)
Thanks for your tutorial here. Just thought you might like to know that it is pronounced Caran “Dash “. That’s how it sounds although that is not how it’s spelt. I live in Quebec Canada with a strong French influence and just thought you may like to know that.
Aren't the scribble sticks by Dina Wakely- Dyan Reavely... oops
That's what i was saying.
T
caran d'ache was mispronounced as well where were u
So, you mispronounced Caran d'ache ( Karen-dache) and said Dyan instead of Dina ( they both sell for Ranger and have a "D" and 4 letters in their first names, so, similarities there...)but the fact that you took three water soluble products and did a comparison with them, I liked the video very much, subscribe to you and like that you give "a show and share" with a lot of art products, and that helps with deciding if one wants to obtain and use them. You do great reviews and I watch you frequently to get inspiration and you don't disappoint!! 👍🏻
love inktense both pencil and blocks blend beautifully for me. and they turn into permanent ink something you did not mention
I'm not surprised by how well the Scribble Sticks did on gesso considering they're from Dina and she LOVES her gesso :)
Thanks for this test. I'm pretty sure I want the Derwent for what I do, even though the Caran D'arche are easier to find. This video helped me determine it'll be worth the wait!
I see someone below made a claim that Derwent aren't lightfast, but that's incorrect; they are actually one of the better choices for lightfastness in this type of media. Derwent has extensive color charts and the vast majority of these are in the 7-8 range (very lightfast) with very few in the 6 or below range. With any colored drawing media, lightfastness can vary though and that has to do with pigments in general. With *any* brand of colored drawing media always watch out for the lightfastness on some reds, shades with yellow-ish tones, some very pale blues, and hot or very pale pinks. Also important in lightfastness performance: how sheer you make them matters and proper sealing with a UV spray.
Thanks for the review Jenny, always like to know how things compare before I decide to buy.
At the current time it seems Caren D'Ache Neoocolor II are all the rage, most colourful and have excellent lightfastness. Most buy them starting off for backgrounds but they are also good for colouring images in colouring books and don't bleed through. In fact Caren d'ache recommend spraying them with water.
I think you may like the inktense block more if you wet the brush in a dissolved pan of the color - it is a water-base ink not a crayon, I don't think the grainy texture will show. Visit some of the other video sites on use of this ink block. I would rather see a test on yupo and an absorbent ground rather than on gesso [which is not compatible with watercolor]. I enjoyed your presentation and experimentation. Thanks!
Now I feel like buying any of those, maybe the scribble...
Thank you! I have wanted the neo color 2. Watching this I think I am quite happy with my Lyras. I won't be buying any of them. The thank you is honest, NOT sarcastic!
I have decided to buy some Distress Crayons and I will put my budget there. I know they have gotten a lot of bad reviews but I have so many of the distress inks that I decided I wanted the crayons in the same color scheme.
I bought the Reccolections watercolor crayons after watching your video on them. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Two weeks ago I pulled them out for a friend to play with and it reminded me how much I love them!
Hi Jesse, just wanted to add my two cents about Distress Crayons. I was pretty 'meh' about them after reviews and watching demos. But, I picked up a set in a kit after seeing some drawbacks in gelato durability, and had a 55% off coupon burning a hole in my wallet.
After playing around, I really, REALLY enjoy them. For me, their colour is so intense, and they work really well with my style of mixed media. I like that I'm not worried about them wearing off my layouts the way I was with thicker gelato colour application, and find it easier to build up layers with them that retain the integrity of the original marks (vs gelato, which for me just smeared away as I laid down colour on top of them).
I hope you are pleasantly surprised by the distress crayons. :)
Madmelvelous THANK YOU! I am a card maker but I LOVE doing interesting backgrounds and such. More than 90 percent of my card fronts are on white paper that I have inked, painted, stamped, embossed or otherwise played with
Jesse b they are very good but have to use them different,directly with the waterbrush on the sticks or blocks but ofcours they have. to be waterseluble 😉😉😉
Thank you for this. Especially the black background example, I also would have thought the neo2 would have great opacity. hmmm, live and learn (thanks to you).
Very informative video! Thank you 🙏 and hello from Houston Texas USA 🇺🇸
Hello there!
Great comparison! Thank you
Great comparison! I bought the scribble sticks and love them!
Great review. Thank you!
I would love to see a comparison between Neocolor watersoluble crayons and Tim Holtz distress crayons if you are able to do so. I've seen a lot of folks comparing Neocolors with Gelatos and I don't understand why they would even be considered in the same class. I understand that Gelatos are watersoluble, but I use them myself so I know they dry with a different finish than Neocolors. You can't draw on top of it very well and gluing stuff to that Gelatos finish is a nightmare. Whereas it appears that neocolors are very similar to TH distress crayons. I'm trying to decide if it's better to buy TH crayons or spend the extra money for the Neocolors but I haven't found a single comparison demo on the two sadly. Thank you so much if you are in a position to make a comparison on these two.
I got my set of 36 ink tense from amazon they were less than a dollar each. So you can find even better deals
Yes! I find better deals on sets, especially on Amazon. :)
Thank you Jenny for this comparison - I already have the Inktense Blocks and was wondering if I needed the Scribble Sticks - would they be any different? In fact your samples show how different they are, so I think I do need them to work with too as I'll be using them over gesso quite a bit. Many thanks :-)
Thanks. This video was very informative and it made me want to get my scribble sticks ASAP and start playing with them. Who's your secret supplier? :D
I got them from Ranger at the CHA tradeshow. Industry professional perks! ;)
Wakely, not Reavely. Great comparison. Thank you.
RANGER! LOL!
Inktense are ink, necolour are water colour, 2 different things, they have a completely different base, you cant compare them to each other because they are no where near being the same product. The neocolour and the scribbles however are the same and can be compared fairly against each other, the scribbles are a Dina not a Dyan product also.
Gotpaintinmyhair I believe I did point out that the inktense are ink based. I was very clear about that in the video. The reason why I included them is because people have been asking. And while they have different bases, all three react very similarly with water on watercolor paper, card stock, and even dark paper. So I feel like it was a fair inclusion.
I've been torn between Inktense and NeoColour IIs for years, so I was really glad to see a video that included the both of them.
Okay…it is Deena Wakeley and Karen Dash…that is the correct pronunciation!!!!
Great! Thank you; you answered all my questions.
Very thorough demo ..I have the Neocolor 2 and I also have Lyra watercolor crayons they too come with high reviews also . have you tried them ? they are much more affordable 😉 .
Tracy Lustick I love my Lyras!
Good to know , thank you 😊
i use them different, with a better result. ....... try to go with the waterbrush directly on each kind of blocks or stick and collor then on the paper😊😊😊😉😉😉
Wow! You've said Dylan Reaveley three times in the first 2 minutes of this video. Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks.
Yes...and I corrected that in the description. But good on you for counting!
Annette Green yes and the name is right in front of her!
care hunny
i love to work with all of them, but they have to be waterseluble ofcours
What about their lightfast qualities?
Katie S there is no light fast information for Scribble sticks, so I felt it wasn't fair to bring that in. Also- Ranger is being marketed in the craft department, not necessarily fine art.
CraftTestDummies Thank you! 🙂
Great vid and review but fyi it is pronounced karen darch .... those french they are tricky eh?
To the contrary, I believe Derwent Inktense comment, Inktense has very good lightfast ratings. Source: Derwent, and other independent tests.
I don't know if it makes a difference, but I always apply intense "wet" or "wet on wet."
Sorry, to me this isn't a fair or thorough comparison. Just me
Ignore my typos :-/
Use Neo II and Inktense
Is the black paper watercolor paper?
According to Derwent, at least half the Inktense colours are very lightfast. They suffer in the reds, pinks, oranges, and purples, where most of those colours are much less lightfast.
I think if you're going to do demos of other peoples products you should at least get their names right...scribble sticks are Dina Wakley products NOT Dyan Reaveley's
Love those new scribble sticks! Just a tip for you, the brand for the Neo color II is pronounced like Karen Dosh (the o makes an ah sound, like D-ah-sh) hope that helps :)
I have gotten a quite a bit of flack for my pronunciation. I did the best I could with my diction training- and as it turns out, it's a Danish pronunciation. I guess I'm quite worldly! HA!
CraftTestDummies oh I'm sorry hun, I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, just trying to help out. No one is perfect and I say way stupid stuff all the time, no worries. If someone is really giving you a hard time over pronunciation, they've just got nothing better to do, or want ppl to be as upset as they are. Try to let it roll off ya, you're doing just fine 😊👍🏻
Caran D’Ache is pronounced “Caron Dash”... other than the name mishaps great informative video :)
Karen Dosh (rhymes with gosh)
A
Dina Is pronounced...Deena, last name is pronounced Wakely, Caran D'ache is pronounced...Karen Daush. Great video!!! Thank you!
It's pronounced 'dash'
It's pronounced dash!!!!!! Silent e