So, some of you might remember me moaning about markers a while back. I bought a packet of cheap ones ($15.00) until I can work up to spending on good ones. Last night, I decided to do a bit of drawing, and the first thing I discover? The 005 marker is bone dry. Doesn’t work at all. Art supplies are just so gosh darn fun.
Heh, for a moment there I thought that was the same set of pens I occasionally play with — and which I haven’t used in awhile so wasn’t too sure of the current condition. I just tried them, and they are all Ok.
And I was mistaken, it’s not the same set. Mine (chosen entirely on the basis of price & easy availability) is the Faber-Castell PITT artist pens (black India Ink). Amusingly, my set doesn’t have an 005 (0.20mm) pen, but it does have 0.10 and 0.30mm pens.
Whether or not they are rat-approved I have no idea. The mildly deranged penguin is largely indifferent, but then again, she prefers using compressed air sprayguns, steam cleaners, and flamethrowers. Just for the initial sketches, mind you…
Yeah, I have a set of the Faber-Castell PITTs. Most of them have given out though, just a couple of them work these days. Hence my moaning about having to replace markers.
That’s awful. I’ve never used that type… I have some called Pigma Micron that I got at the “local” (that is such a relative term…) art store that I try to support when I can. So far I’ve been very happy with them, but I do know that if I got home and one was totally dried out, the owner would very cheerfully either refund or replace.
I was excited to see what you were doing with them, really sucks that it did not work straight out of the box. I hate that.
Yeah, I have an ancient set of Pigma Micron’s too, a few of those still work! Well, not having the 005 is a piss, but it’s not vital to doing lines, so I am back to working on them again. I’m trying to do the title appended to one of the earlier pieces by rq -- Ghosts of Winter in Love. I’m in love with that title, so…
I’m sure I could take these back and get a replacement, but I can’t be arsed. I’m in the middle of a “clean every single thing ground up” in my studio, and I don’t need any excuses to not get that done. “Oh hey, I gotta go all the way to town to complain about these markers! Cleaning will have to wait!”
*And for the arseholes reading, no, I didn’t get them at Hobby Lobby. Made the purchase at Barnes & Noble.
Arrgh that is frustrating! I wonder if they are water-based or alcohol? (usually methanol) -- I suppose since the marker is already dead you could drill a wee little hole in the side at the top, and use a hypo to add some alcohol or water, then tape it over.
PS -- fiebings’ leather dye, injected into a sharpie, will keep it going for ages. And make it smell good again.
Oh, alcohol based, I’m sure. You have pay much money for all the alcohol free ones these days, and I’ve never used them.
Hmmm… unless there is a crack or a bad seal on the barrel I wouldn’t expect a pen with a .2mm tip to dry out. Have you tried a bit of rubbing alcohol on the tip? And store it tip down for a while.
They were stored upright (tip down) in the store, and I always store them that way. Tried the alcohol, it’s dead.
: (
Had to ask.
Last resort is to pull the thing apart and take out the ink sponge to drip some alcohol into it.
Last last resort is to save the alcohol for yourself, count to ten, and buy a new one :)
I use Copic SP fineline markers. You can change the tips and replace the ink refills, but…
Stupid expensive. Even more so in Australia.
I know, all the good ones are stupid expensive, but you get what you pay for. Art Supply, guaranteed to stick it to the artist.