BrokenBulbArts: Review: Fluently Illustration Markers

Price: $1.50/$1.99 for pack of two markers           $15.00/$19.90 for all twenty markers           for sale at DaisoIt has been a while since I’ve written a review, hasn’t it?  Next up is another inexpensive alcohol marker alternative the Fluently Illustration Marker for sale at Daiso.  Depending upon whether your Daiso charges $1.50 or $1.99 for the bulk of its goods, each marker averages to $0.75 to $1.00 prior to tax.  While this is not as inexpensive as Ohuhu Art Markers, which average $0.55 per marker, this is still much more affordable than individual Copic Sketch markers, which are currently going for $5.85 to $11.27 on .These markers are sold in packs of two, ten different packs in total.  The grouping of colors is always the same in these packs, and are as follows:pink-redyellow-orangelight green-greenwater blue-ultra marine (sic)pale orange-light purpleyellow ocher (sic)-dark browncool light gray-warm light graycool  medium gray-warm medium  graycool dark gray-warm dark grayclear blender-blackIn fact these packs are also numbered, but due to me only having the packaging for one set, number 10 (clear blender-black), I do not know the corresponding numbers at this time.  (I shall update this review as I learn the numbering in the future.)  The packaging for these markers consists of narrow plastic sleeves with holes at the top so that they can be hung from shelf pegs.Because of the slightly inconsistent nature of Daiso’s stock, obtaining all packs of markers at once can be challenging.  These markers are a popular item and tend to get picked over quickly.  For that matter, I was unaware that pack number 10 had existed for the longest time and assumed that there was no black or colorless blender as alcohol marker sets sometimes omit these markers.  Don’t be surprised if it takes several months to complete your set and visiting different store locations.Like many inexpensive alcohol markers, these feature a chisel nib (which is touted to be 7.0mm wide) and a bullet nib (which the packing claims to be 1.0mm wide).  Both nibs are sturdy and hold up well to drawing.  Something annoying that I had noticed with some of the unused chisel nibs is that small, excess fibers were on the surface, so be prepared to pull those off and get your fingertips inky in the process.Also, like many other inexpensive alcohol markers, these markers do not have ink refills or replacement nibs.  I do not know of any other brands of ink that could work as a refill in these at this time or corresponding Copic ink shades.These markers are black and are square like in shape.  While this shape is excellent for not rolling off of flat surfaces, it is not the most comfortable shape to grip.  The square shape felt slightly bulky in my hands.  The bullet nib end is delineated by a grey line between the cap and barrel. The colors are noted by their colored bases and color names.  (There is no numbering system for these colors.)  There is no indication of colors on the barrels themselves, so it is best not to remove both caps while using multiple markers to prevent mix-ups of marker colors later on.  Open caps do fit on the unused ends of markers, albeit not tightly.Naturally, creating a swatch chart for these markers is a wise idea (and is a good idea for any art supply despite how tedious of a process it can be).  Some of the shades match the marker caps, whereas other shades are completely off.  (Pale orange seems to be the worst contender.)  Like many cheap alcohol marker sets, mid-tones seem to be the most prominent shades. The odor of these markers is a tiny bit stronger than that of the Ohuhu Art Markers.  I found that the odor actually seemed to vary a bit for shades.  While I did not have an issue with drawing with them considering that I can suffer from migraines triggered by noxious odors, I could definitely see these being problematic for someone who is more sensitive to odors than me.  Use these in a well-ventilated room if you have odor sensitivities if you are willing to take a risk with these markers.The removal of the markers’ caps can be a bit challenging and requires some strength.  I could see these being a challenge to open for someone who has arthritis.  Interestingly enough, replacing the caps is not effort-free: you have to make extra certain that the cap clicks into place or else the caps may be loose.Like just about any alcohol-based marker, these bleed through the paper.  Placing a scrap piece of paper under your project before coloring is an intelligent move.  Even bleeding should be expected when using so-called bleedproof paper.The amount of ink in new Fluently Illustration Markers seems to be just right.  I didn’t experience any bleeding nibs when I first opened the markers.  Nor did any of the markers seem to be on the dry side when I drew with them.  Granted, the dark-colored body of the markers makes finding excess ink a bit more difficult on the chisel end (as the bullet end is grey).Because these markers lack a brush nib, blending with these is more challenging than blending with a Copic Sketch/Copic Ciao marker (or so I’ve been lead to believe).  Blending still can be done with them, but it is a bit of a learning curve. Would a recommend these markers?  Despite the cons I’ve mentioned, they really are not too bad.  They are sturdy, inexpensive, and perform their job well.  They are not a bad purchase to get if you are someone who does not like buying items online and prefer shopping in brick and mortar stores.  The variety of greys and colorless blender helps make up for the lack of shades of other colors as you can blend and perform other techniques with these to produce more colors on your projects.  I could actually see myself using these in combination with my Ohuhu Art Markers as some of Fluently Illustration Marker shades aren’t available in the Ohuhu set.Oh, and a point I would like to bring up before I conclude this review: if one these markers runs out of ink, you only have to purchase it in addition to one other marker as these are sold in sets of two.  (You’re not stuck buying a whole collection of markers just to get one marker!)  Though, good luck finding that particular set considering the ever-so-quickly-shifting inventory of Daiso.PROSInexpensiveGood quality for low priceOpen caps are placeable on unused ends of markersOnly would need to buy two markers if in need of replacement markerCONSSome colors don’t match capsCaps hard to remove/replaceDesign of barrel is not particularly ergonomicNo numbering systemOnly available for sale at DaisoINCLUDES PROMOTIONAL LINKS | REVIEW NOT SPONSORED—PRODUCTS PURCHASED WITH OWN FUNDING | LIKED THIS REVIEW? 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