A Colorful Twist on Classic Pens, but Not Quite Right for Artists
check_circleVorteile
- The pens are incredibly affordable, making them a great value for everyday use.
- The variety of colors is a great feature for those who like to mix and match their writing experience.
- The material is interesting and unique, adding a fun twist to the classic pen design.
- The pens are easy to use and write smoothly, making them a great choice for casual writing.
- The price point is very competitive, making them a great option for those on a budget.
- The packaging is simple, but effective, making it easy to store and transport the pens.
- The pens are a great choice for those who want a fun and colorful writing experience.
- The ink flow is generally smooth, making it easy to write with these pens.
cancelNachteile
- The repetitive color scheme gets old quickly, making it hard to choose a favorite.
- The pens can be finicky and may not write smoothly, especially with thicker lines.
- The build quality is mediocre, making the pens feel cheap and flimsy.
- The usability issues make it hard to use the pens for precise line work or artistic purposes.
- The ink flow can be inconsistent, making it hard to get a smooth writing experience.
- The pens may not be the best choice for left-handed writers, as the ink can bleed and feather.
- The pens don't have a lot of durability, making them prone to breaking.
- The color-changing feature can be a bit gimmicky and not very practical.
Editor's Summary
I was excited to try these colorful pens from Languo, but they didn't quite live up to my expectations. They're a fun twist on the classic writing experience, but the repetitive color scheme and finicky writing experience hold them back. The six pens and variety of colors are perfect for everyday use, but the usability issues and mediocre build quality keep me from fully recommending them. I appreciate the affordable price point and interesting material, but it's hard to overlook the flaws. If you're looking for a fun novelty, these pens might be a good choice, but if you need precise line work or artistic purposes, you might want to look elsewhere.
Specifications
A Colorful Twist on Classic Pens, but Not Quite Right for Artists
Hello!
I'm sure many of us are familiar with those awesome pens that have multiple switchable ink colors from a young age. They're just the sweetest thing to fill up personal journals or decorations with. But did you know that the company 'Languo' produces such pens for artists too? Let's take a closer look at this interesting product!
setWhat's in the box:
6 pensPrice: 355 rubles
You can buy this set on AliExpress or on our marketplaces (Wildberries or Ozon. I bought it on Ozon)
Country of origin: China
Languo is known for its affordable yet interesting materials, like their famous acrylic markers with brush tips. But, in my opinion, these pens are even more interesting because, unlike markers and their gel pens with thick ink, these pens are simply ballpoint pens... just like those colorful pens from our childhood. What surprised me, if I'm being honest.
Design
The pens have thin nibs, the pens themselves are thin, and each one has 10 colors. So, when you buy six pens, you automatically get 60 colors - and that's not just a marketing gimmick on the packaging; it's really the case.
nibDesign-wise, the pens are way ahead of their counterparts - those colorful ballpoint pens from companies that aren't art supplies, but office supplies. For comparison, I took my old pen from the fixed price range (the pink one with unicorns) and a pen that a friend sent me from Germany (the blue one with a grey horse). As you can see, even with its more solid-looking sibling, this one looks like a real art supply - the Chinese didn't mess up.
comparison of pen design with regular colorful pensIn contrast to their similar counterparts, these pens have a special button on the body that resets the color. Their siblings reset the ink only if you choose another one together.
color reset buttonHowever, unlike the one from Germany, which has gel ink, our Chinese pen is a ballpoint pen. And that's a significant, if not the main, minus.
First impressions
Let's talk about the colors. They're pretty, rich, and even layered. And that's True. But with a huge 'but'. To really get those colors to pop, you need to either press down hard on the pen or apply multiple layers. Luckily, the tip won't damage the paper, even the worst stuff, and it layers nicely. But the fact that you need to do that to get a decent color is already a bit of a bummer.
The pen itselfThe pens have a few similar shades, I think it's clear from the swatch (which is weird, because each one has a black nib!). But I guess it's because each pen is sold individually on the manufacturer's site (and in online stores). So, it's implied that each one will have a black nib. Maybe it's just not cost-effective for the company to make specific colors for sets. But I do think it would've been nice to have at least one or two pens with black nibs.
On the other hand, the nibs are short and run out quickly, so it's good to have spares, especially black ones, which you'll likely use the most.
The drawing
But in practice, we hit a pretty familiar question: 'What's the point of this awesome Chinese tech, anyway?' Now, I'm not dissing the country of origin. I've actually noticed over the past few years that I really trust Asian materials for drawing. I think countries that value art, manga, and all that stuff really understand how to simplify or improve the process for artists. After all, manga artists draw a ton every day – it's their job.
However, the direction of these pens is a bit unclear to me. Using them as accents on finished work? Maybe... just not on stuff like gesso or acrylic, because these pens are ballpoint and can just smudge the layer underneath. For varying shades on skin tones or browns? Maybe, because those shades look really nice and subtle... just make sure the underdrawing isn't done with a soft pencil, or the pen will just smudge the graphite and mess things up. Honestly, I didn't expect that.
I use colored pencils from Uni, and they make Posca pens, which are pretty soft and end up smudging the underlying sketch (I've switched to colored sketches with graphite gray lately). As a test, I chose light sketches with small formats to see how well I could get fine details and how different these pens are from Languo's acrylic markers, which have super fine tips but just can't get fine lines. That's why the character on the right has such an unfinished face, compared to the eye on the left.
SketchbookI've found that these markers are okay for doing washes, but the lines are still visible. Oh, and it turns out these markers also print onto the page they touch, so keep that in mind. I don't open this sketchbook very often, it's a small format from 'Sketchmarker' that I use for quick sketches outside the house. The fact that the ink printed onto another page when I'd just started using it isn't a great sign. These markers can also smudge easily and some colors need to be primed before using, so be aware of that too.
Conclusion
I'm not sure what these markers are meant for. The colors are really nice and interesting, but drawing with them and sketching is a real challenge, to be honest.
I can imagine they'd be great for kids' creative play, as the manufacturer - a Chinese company - markets them as 'childhood markers'. However, in principle, they could be used for artistic purposes, like I mentioned earlier, making great striations with colored ink, even if it's tricky to do and sometimes hazardous.
The price isn't too high, I think everyone will find a use for these markers. Maybe not as a set, but possibly each one individually. I'd definitely call that a plus - buying one to try and getting ten colors is a great deal, and I'd recommend it to anyone curious about what they're like. I'll probably keep using them, but I'm not sure if I'll be doing full-on projects with them.
Lots of colors and varietyVery affordable priceSix markers with many colorsKids will love these bright markersInteresting, nostalgic materialCons:
Markers are ballpointCan smudge and write poorlyToo many repeating colorsNot sure how to use themI'm not sure if I'd recommend this set to readers. I think trying them individually is a good idea, but whether to buy the set or not is up to you!
