Hi friends! Today we are going to take a look at the Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Markers Made by Faber Castell. The "want monster" has been after these since they came out about 3 years ago and after completing a rather large freelance job I decided to treat myself to them. I paid $88 for the full set of 30 at Blick which works out to about $3 per marker. I took them with me to an open studio to paint last weekend and created this:
When it comes to watercolor markers, there are a lot of options available in the market. However, very few brands are lightfast. The only two I can think of are Winsor & Newton and Faber Castell. In this video, we will take a closer look at the Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Markers and see what makes them a popular choice for artists. We will also compare them to the Winsor & Newton Watercolor Markers (Now called Watercolor Promarkers.)
One of the standout features of these watercolor markers is their high lightfastness rating. This means that the colors will not fade, even after prolonged exposure to light. This is important for artists who want their artwork to stand the test of time. Another great feature is that the ink is water-soluble, meaning it can be blended and softened with water. This allows for a more painterly look and the ability to create smooth, flowing transitions between colors. You can draw directly on the paper with them, soften and blend them with water, scribble on a palette, and pick them up with a brush to apply and they even respond to the salt technique.
As promised in the video, here is a photo of the Hyacinth plant I drew from. Feel free to use as a reference if you like.
In terms of handling, the Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Markers are comfortable to grip, thanks to their ergonomic design. The caps have a ribbed matte finish and are easy to remove. I also prefer these caps to the W&N marker because the way they're designed makes them impossible to accidentally damage the nib (an issue I have with the Winsor & Newton caps.) The brush nib is a compressed felt nib that will likely wear if used on rough papers and the bullet nib is hard and not as fine as the W&N. Although the markers will blend out easily with water the bullet nib lines may leave some ghosting of the original marks. Use the bullet end of the marker if you want some subtle lines to remain. The bullet nibs are also nice as-is for final details. While you can use these markers on wet paper I don't recommend it as the nib tends to draw up wanted and you may pill the paper.
Perhaps the only downside to these markers is their price but they are about the same as Winsor & Newton. Cheaper watercolor markers use dyes that will fade more easily when exposed to light which is fine if you are only working in a sketchbook, but if you want to display your art it makes sense to choose a lightfast option. Another downside is that unlike W&N Faber Castell does not disclose the pigments used in the markers. Let's take a final look at the pros and cons of the Faber Castell Albrecht Drurer Watercolor Markers:
Pros:
- Lightfast colors
- Rewets well on watercolor paper
- Blends well
- Mixes well
- Very bright clean colors
- Price: I paid $88 on blick for the complete set of 30 making them under $3 per marker, I thought that was fair
- Open stock available
- Lightfast info available
- Outstanding build quality
- Colors match other green box Faber Castell Products
- Made in Germany
Cons:
- No pigment info given
- They are not refillable
- I noticed the bullet tip color is darker than the brush tip upon first use but I have been storing them flat so we can see if it evens out in today's review.
Bottom Line: Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Markers made by Faber Castell are an excellent choice for artists who want high-quality, versatile, and long-lasting watercolor markers. The colors are bold and vibrant, the ink is water-soluble and lightfast, and the ergonomic design allows for easy handling. While they may be a bit pricey, compared to dye-based markers, their quality and longevity is unsurpassed. I really enjoyed creating this painting of cocktails with them. I don't think they will replace my watercolor paint (I am much slower with markers) but they are a fun, artsy fling to have once in a while! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
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