Hello!
I've got to give credit to the legendary 'Posca pen' for starting the trend of acrylic markers. But let's be real, they're pretty pricey. It's no wonder not many people are willing to give them a try.
However, other brands like 'Arrtx' have adopted the formula for these markers, and they're more affordable than the original 'Posca' pens. Then there's 'Languo', a relatively new player in the market that's won over artists with its affordability and quality.
I was skeptical about trying 'Languo' at first. I'd heard some good things about them, but also one not-so-glowing review. Still, the price caught my attention, so let's get down to business and see if this product is worth its value.
What's in the box:
Box24 markersColoring cardPrice: 1464 rubles
You can buy this set on any marketplace or Aliexpress (I bought it on Ozon, but I'm guessing you'll find more options on the original Aliexpress, since the brand is Chinese).
Country of origin: China
boxFirst impressionsThe box with 24 colors is super convenient. It's tightly closed and has a handle, but it doesn't have a base, which makes it easy to attach new sets you've purchased and create a single large box.
The markers themselves look like old fineliners or pens. They're not as thick as the 'Posca' pens, but not as thin as gel pens. By the way, 'Languo' also has gel pen sets that artists love. Apparently, they look like kids' gel pens, but write smoothly, almost like these markers.
markersThe tips are nice and flexible, and you don't need to press or tap them to activate them, unlike the 'Posca' pens. However, the very tip of the brush is not super thin and can get a bit crushed, making it harder to write thin lines. I'm guessing this is a common issue with markers that have brush tips.
brush tipFirst impressionsThe color palette is nice and bright, but a bit limited. I got the standard palette, and I'll mention why it's a problem later on. There's something weird about these markers. They're supposed to be matte, but a few colors start to shine when mixed with other colors.
These markers are really opaque. Even the lightest colors and white blend perfectly with darker shades. They may not cover up completely on the first layer, but they'll be vibrant on the second and third layers.
coloringColoringI'll get into the details of their properties now. First of all, what I want to point out is that to draw a really detailed piece, you'll definitely need to use a lot of colors. Since the markers don't blend well on their own, and the material isn't really meant for blending, you can't create a full-color piece with just 24 colors. Luckily, Languo has small sets of six to nine markers with different palettes for around 300-400 rubles, which you'll never find at Posca.
drawingI drew a pretty simple character with a lot of fur, thanks to the brush tip. I also deliberately chose a smaller format and drew the girl's face very small to test how well these markers would allow me to get fine details.
I have to say, the markers did resist blending a bit, but I still tried to do it and even attempted to show some reflections and light effects. To my surprise, the brush tip allowed me to get incredibly fine details, which probably wouldn't have been possible with a regular fine brush and acrylic paints.
Conclusion
I liked the material, and the most important thing to emphasize is that the Languo company didn't ruin my impression of the whole concept of acrylic markers. Personally, I was really scared of them due to their price.
For people who've seen acrylic markers but are afraid to try them because of the price, I'd suggest giving Languo a shot. The cost is pretty reasonable for a try-out. But, of course, for detailed work, you'll need to use a lot of colors, which is probably true for solvent markers as well, and something I don't like about the concept of this material in general.
I also want to mention that this set is perfect for coloring. Not just for kids, either. And I've heard that many people use these markers for coloring. Plus, almost any type of acrylic marker is great for decorative purposes. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is using them to paint wood, rocks, or figurines, because I suspect you could damage the brush tip. It's better to use a felt tip for those purposes.
But again, many people struggle to control paints, and some people find these markers much easier to use for highlighting and other purposes than dealing with water, a palette, and a cloth.
I'll be using this set myself. I'll probably end up buying more colors, because 24 is really, really not enough.
The colors are really vibrant and richThe packaging is super convenientI was blown away by the value for money in this setThe colors blend together really wellThere's no repetition or similarity between the colorsOn the downside:
You'll need a lot of colors to get the full effectThe glossy finish can sometimes get a bit messy when mixingThe colors don't mix too willinglyI'd definitely recommend this to readers!