Watercolor Crayons Looking Bad? It Could be Your Brush!

Struggling to get those watercolor crayons to activate in your adult coloring books or watercolor sketchbooks? It might be because you're using the wrong brush -- I was! Today I'm testing a few different brush options for activating watercolor crayons so you can decide which is best for you.
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👉Princeton Snap Brush: amzn.to/3ogZYse
#review #watercolorcrayon #watercolor #paintbrushes
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[@ArtandDiamondsWithEskies]

I had personally found the same thing to be true with my neocolor 2. I also found that to be accurate with most watercolor pencils in coloring books.

[@deana9550]

I always use waterbrushes with my Neocolor II and watercolor pencils.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Yeah, they need a stiffer brush where the bristles can actually move the pigment.

[@saral6978]

I've never had great results using watercolor brushes with these mediums. Water brushes are the way to go for them. 😊 Thanks for doing the comparison to confirm that!

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

I haven't either, but I have seen artists use their brushes at times, but most of the time they are using a nylon brush.

[@MrsBarnabas]

Hi, Kori! Wow, I admire your persistence!!! A couple of things to add, but only relevant outside of colouring book usage - I really do appreciate that this series is primarily aimed at colouring book folk! Disclaimer: I haven't used the water-soluble crayons, so I'm only talking about watercolour pencils (with or without wood, but not the small wax-crayon sized, like Neo II) Your findings won't apply across the board. The paper being used and the subject being painted is also going to influence outcome. I'm primarily a landscape artist / urban sketcher using 100% cotton, 300gsm watercolour paper, or the quality, 160gsm wood-based paper in my W&N sketchbook, which has a slight tooth. I've used watercolour pencils for at least 25 years in a lot of what I do. I have found that water brushes just don't do the job. I'd been using my Kolinsky brushes, but decided the water-brushes looked fun and easy. Oops! That isn't so in my experience (and obviously, I can only speak from my own experience). So it's back to my usual watercolour brushes. However, i can see that with small swatches / colouring areas, a water brush could be better, because it's such a small space. For larger work, I need the pigment to be picked up and moved around as with watercolour, and it does that with a Kolinsky brush. The thing is, for this sort of work, we do a lot of layering, as you would with coloured pencils or watercolour paint. But *one big tip* : Whether with a water brush or a watercolour brush, a way to get the best dissolve, just add two drops (about 2ml) of *vegetable glycerine* to 100mls (about 3.5 fluid ounces) water, or one drop to the water brush's tank. The result is, truly, magic! I'd be deeply interested to see how it worked with the most stubborn colours in your sets. Glycerine here in Europe is easy to find in our pharmacies, where (surprisingly!) it's cheaper than elsewhere. On Amazon France,, best price is Lubrisolve but it's a 1L bottle, so unless you have other uses (it does have other uses!) it's a lot. The US is similar, but there are some sensible prices if you scroll through. Now Solutions on Amazon US and Canada is the best and is well-reviewed. Oops! Missed off "Glycerine" in the first part of the tip paragraph!

[@MrsBarnabas]

Just to add the Amazon UK findings: Naissance vegetable glycerine or or (simple title, lots of reviews) Vegetable glycerine liquid. Also, I've edited in a missing word in the original post - and consequently, seem to have lost Kori's heart response!

[@MrsBarnabas]

Kori, *thank you* for restoring the heart on my first comment! It means a lot to me, because of the content on my comment. 🤗

[@Msboochie2]

I feel a little guilty. I have been wanting to say something during the whole series. I thought you needed a firmer synthetic brush, water brush, or Tombow style blender marker to dissolve some of the crayons. You were already getting remarks about the brushes, so I didn’t want to add to the pressure and confusion. The Caran Dache felt tip brush is good for dissolving water soluble media as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this series because I am obsessed with water soluble media. Thank you

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Yes, I had several mean comments to use a brush. So I did. However, I decided this will just resolve it all for everyone.

[@diamondlee9034]

@@ColorfullyOptimistic 1st I would like to thank you for all of your great videos! these “cowards behind keyboards” never cease to amaze me and infuriate me. heres a thought; move on, shut up, and keep your ignorant opinions to yourself.

[@Mirrigold]

I've always used a waterbrush over a paintbrush & water for all my water dissolvable media like watercolour pencils, Inktense, Gelatos, NeoColor ii etc :) I admire your persistence in checking out both options!

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Thank you. I have used regular brushes for watercolor pencils but for the crayons I'm def sticking to the waterbrush

[@emmawheeler4624]

this is really interesting, i need to get me some water brushes!

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

They definitely do the job lol

[@deb.e.mixedmedia]

Great information! Thanks! 💜

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Thank you Deb! 💜

[@evemae6819]

Thank you for the demonstration. I have the Neocolor 2 and have the snap brushes and waterbrushes also.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Wonderful! The Neo work well with most, but there are certain brushes they do better with.

[@slateportraichu5416]

Oh, this is interesting. Gonna try is asap. Thank you so much for this tip=3

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

No problem at all. Hope it helps

[@yazosoyo]

It does make sense, very important for colorists.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Agree.

[@mycolouringquest5663]

Thank you, found this really helpful and saved me buying artist Brushes I don't need x

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

You’re welcome 😊

[@sonyaoart]

tbh I kinda questioned the reasoning of those people who told you to use watercolour brushes. I’d say these and cheaper watercolour pencils are the areas where waterbrushes are actually useful. So it’s fab you tested them side by side

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Yeah...try to please everyone...don't always win that battle lol 💜

[@alexandraemrick2799]

Hi, I just discovered your channel recently, you've got some great videos! I'm not sure yet what you mean by the battle, could you do a playlist for it? Have you or anyone else done a video comparing the water brushes? That could be a factor too. Thanks for all you do.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

I have planned one for the brushes. There should be a Playlist for the watercolor crayons battle

[@sarahwbs]

To be really accurate the swatches for the water brush should have been the same size as those for the watercolour brushes. You went over the larger swatches more than the smaller ones.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Honestly, this was just to show, but the size isn't a huge factor. I'm looking for whether they dissolve. This is also part of a long series -- if you watch the other parts of the series, it will make more sense.

[@thejamaicanhippie84]

Hello beautiful thanks for posting. Can't wait for the battle🎉🎉🎉

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

You are so welcome

[@JAMIES_LIFE_101]

Great Video

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Thank you so much!

[@JAMIES_LIFE_101]

@@ColorfullyOptimistic Yw ❤️

[@StarryDreamer28]

interesting theory! so is it really just the water output with the waterbrush so it seems? it is very nice having the chart comparison. I swatched out the crayola 24 watercolor pencils. the lighter colors don't show much on printer paper which is all I had but I've tried the darker ones on canvas & they're fine, if a shade lighter when wet. I'm sure all colors would show just fine on proper watercolor paper.

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

No, it's not just water output. It is the bristles. A waterbrush has nylon bristles which are stiffer than Kolinsky Sable, so they pick up and reactivate the color easier

[@StarryDreamer28]

@@ColorfullyOptimistic ahh ok. thanks for clarifying! I prefer nylon anyway

[@Emmawilliams83]

this was a brilliant upload kori.. would you believe it .. I wouldn’t can I ask what the pink water brush is that you are using in this video please tysmfs 🥰

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

I thought I mentioned it in the video, but could be wrong. It is a Prima Marketing one.

[@einzwei3364]

Thank you! Great info for beginners so that you get it right from the beginning. Would this be the same for watercolor pencils? I would guess so, but has anyone tested this yet?

[@ColorfullyOptimistic]

Actually, it would not (necessarily). I'm doing a similar series to this Watercolor Crayon Battle, but for pencils, only I have like over 30 sets of those, but the same rules don't apply to pencils when it comes to brushes.