pen 79: prismacolor premier chisel tip

i believe that i bought this pen as part of a set around a year or two ago. despite the fact that i love microns, and to a lesser degree, staedtlers (these were in my pre-copic-era days) i decided to sink invest waste around $15 on this prisma set based on the fact that i thought i liked the prismacolor pen line that i bought and used back in my college days.

sadly this purchase was the final straw and has soured me on the prismacolor brand.

since i'm not reviewing the chisel/fine marker until tomorrow i won't get into the frustrations that i experienced prematurely, but i will say that with the perspective of hindsight i really see that i probably should have not been so surprised.

so to start with the positive. these pens have good flow, they have no odor, they dry instantly and is a very clean pen. i should also mention that they don't have any noticeable bleed, including (mostly) through the paper. the felt tip of the chisel model is fairly rigid but wears quickly, especially with heavy use. the price for a single chisel tip pen on amazon is around $2, you can also find the sets for a fairly wide range of prices, but if you're under $15 you are probably doing ok (don't forget to figure shipping into the price, yo.)

sadly that's the limit of things that i can point out as positive features.

the ink is rather light, it takes a few passes to get a fully saturated color, in this case, black. its a good thing that it takes a lot to bleed through the paper - you really have to be trying hard to do so - because of the lightness of the ink. this pen, like the other chisel tipped pens that i have reviewed, is an äll or nothing" pen which is a little ironic in a way because the lack of deep color doesn't really translate as a useful shading technique... although that joust might be me and my skill level with inking. the other major flaw that i have noticed is that if you decide to erase the pencil marks you used as guides, the ink will rub off as well, requiring a second round of inking to touch-up parts that lightened during the cleaning process.

overall, i would not recommend this brand of pen to anyone, they are too expensive for what they are and there are other brands out there that cost the same and work so much better. if you are thinking of buying this for yourself or as a gift for a developing artist i would strongly urge you to go to an art supply store and pick up either a micron set or a staedtler set, it's not that much more and the pens are far more durable than the prismacolors. meh.

website:
www.prismacolor.com

what they say:

These markers have you covered no matter the task at hand. Take your pick from multiple tip sizes to experience paintbrush-like strokes in the convenience of a marker. Go with the fine tip for serious precision and control. Lettering, outlining and free form drawing look exceptional with the chisel tip. But why limit yourself? Pick up an assorted set with a variety of tip types for all your drawing needs.

These markers contain premium pigmented acid-free, archival ink that is lightfast, permanent, non-toxic, and water resistant. Use these markers for crisp, detail work in artistic and technical applications.