Faber-Castell Gelatos: What To Do With Them?

We take a look at the water soluble crayon from Faber-Castell - are they worth the investment? What can you actually do with them? Let's see, shall we?
Dry-rub technique video: • Just Colouring - Hanna...
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[@annadarchi4021]

Loved your presentation!!! By the way, I bought a box of “complete” Gelatos about 4 years ago (they came in a very pretty Design Memory Craft box, with a water brush & 2 sponges which neither I used), then I had 2 deaths very close together. Needless to say, I put them away in storage in a sealed plastic box away from dust, light and moisture. It is not til a few hours ago that I retrieved the set of Gelatos & thought I would use them as crayons. To my horror the only 6 Gelatos I had used before storing them away, they were all crumbly & definitely not useful as crayons. I stumbled on your site and found that their only true use for my Gelatos now are as tools for watercolours. My problem: in your opinion/experience, am I likely to ever experience the Gelatos as crayons again? Can you recommend any method to restore their creaminess as crayons or should I resign myself that they are just very expensive water colour tools? Your feedback is much appreciated. Best wishes. 😊🌈

[@TheColourCave]

Hi Anna, thanks for your comment. I'm not sure if there is a way to re-bind Gelatos - due to their complicated composition it would be difficult to take an educated guess. I have heard of people complaining that their crayons 'leak' moisture over time, regardless of storage. This shows as beading of clear liquid droplets on top of the crayon. It results in poor pigment consistency/laydown and I supect will eventually lead to the situation you are in. I have fired an email over to Faber Castell to query this, if and when I get a response I will let you know under this comment. Sorry I can't be of more help right now!

[@angelashock9837]

Did you ever get a response from Fabre Castel?

[@TheColourCave]

I did, but it wasn’t very helpful. They didn’t really offer any real solutions to the problem, other than stating the conditions they should be kept in for storage 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@jscook54]

You are such a good teacher with a delightful personality.

[@TheColourCave]

What a lovely compliment! I'm blushing :) It is genuinely nice to hear someone say that, I always think that people find me a little overbearing or at least a bit too enthusiastic! Thank you for commenting.

[@deb.e.mixedmedia]

Hi, great over view of Gelatos! I need to start using them again. 😊💙

[@wendyellis6008]

Gem, this is a great video, i got some for Christmas and only knew one method to use them, so this is really helpful.

[@catherinecarlson6164]

This is more than I'd thought of or have ever seen done on there videos. I have about 27 of them and may take them out soon. Thank you for the inspiration.

[@ellym279]

I have learned a lot from you. Thank you.

[@angela_2653]

I love seeing the beautiful face that goes with my favourite accent ever 😊😊 keep up the wonderful work!

[@TheColourCave]

😊 thank you

[@lindseywarren44]

Once again Gem, you've taught me how to use a new art medium in a delightful way. I was gifted the Iridescent set of these and had never used them. Thank you so much for this! I'm excited to experiment! Blessings, xo

[@TheColourCave]

You are so welcome!

[@evenichols3517]

Great video Anna. I like the idea of using them rather than doing backgrounds with pencils. Your video was really informative as I am new to coloring. Thanks so much. Hope to see more of your videos!

[@TheColourCave]

Hi, thanks for watching and I'm glad you found it helpful 😊, my name isn't Anna... have you got me confused with someone else?

[@sovereign_night]

Don't forget to use clear gesso to prep your pages. It works wonders on thin pages.

[@callmecali]

I just bought some of these Gelatos and was wondering how to use them , thank you! 😃

[@TheColourCave]

Ta-daa! Glad to be of help. 😊

[@hollydawsonjames1999]

love your video, you did a great job. I also bought a large box of the Gelato about 5 years ago, I have barely used them, your right they last forever because the colors are so intense.

[@pjlewisful]

I love your upbeat attitude as well as your voice & (Scottish?) accent. In the U.S., we have a brand of these called KINGART that is much better packaged, more affordable, but a little less pigmented. The textured grip and shape feel great in the hand and the tops snap on to the ends so they don't get lost. They provide a great case to keep them in as well!

[@TheColourCave]

Yes, Scottish :) Thanks for the info and also thanks for watching!

[@MelS184]

Thank you for making this video!! I have my eye on getting some of these but was wondering what to do with them. Now I know 🙂

[@DieterPrivate]

Thanks for this great overview. I was looking for permanent oil pastel like medium to do backgrounds in my bullet journal, and these seem really great for that. Ordered some to try them out. Great to see all the ways they can be used. Great voice, tone and pace.

[@TheColourCave]

Hey Dieter, glad you found this video helpful. Thanks for stopping by to comment!

[@joe-annataylor4159]

Thank you! I had some Gelatos and used them as crayons, and some smearing, too...but actually had no clue as to their use. Yeah! Now I will be using them...

[@TheColourCave]

Glad you found this video helpful!

[@gigglegal1988]

I had never heard of these until I saw your video, and they look like something I might use. Thank you for the comprehensive review, super helpful!

[@TheColourCave]

You are welcome! If you decide to buy them, I hope you get good use out of them.

[@HIKATHY777]

Thanks so much watching this January 14.2021 pulled out my few colors,, to color with finally and answer,,how to dry them spray fixative,,and don’t need to buy anything Whooooo,,, Sending hugs from California 💗😂🇺🇸

[@reeniebell871]

Thank you for the great overview. I was fortunate to buy a large number of these on FB marketplace recently. I now know a lot more ways to use them. I have also applied them to backgrounds by brushing on using the same technique as Distressed Ink which worked nicely. Definitely appreciate my well priced FB marketplace buy a lot more now.

[@AurorasArtWorld]

I had never heard of these before until now! Definitely a medium I would love to try! 💖

[@sued5012]

Hi Gem, you did this in Hanna Karlzon’s book Daydreams as a background 😊. I have since bought the pastel set so thank you for this video! Cheers Susan D

[@TheColourCave]

Hi Sue, yes, I remembered! I did put a link in the description but you reminded me I never put the link in the card on-screen, so thank you! Glad you found the video helpful - happy colouring!

[@koyosensebe8027]

This is a very nice tutorial!

[@AlexialexisD]

Wow ! Thanks for sharing,love it 😊

[@rainforme1850]

Wow what a clear presentation with precise instruction what is your clear paintbrush

[@TheColourCave]

It is a Kuretake Zig H2O water brush - they come in different sizes, but I think you can still get them in packs. :)

[@rainforme1850]

Thanks

[@maureenrobertson350]

I could listen to you read dictionary! I LOVE your accent. The tutorial was great as well. 😊

[@TheBlackbutterfly62]

Thanks for video tutorial. Been wanting to try these for so long. Definitely going to have to give them a try now. Thanks for sharing. JuliAnn

[@siddhichopra6623]

Great video😍

[@vernaraney9870]

I love the gelatos I use the water brushes and I use them like water colors

[@bethcrawford4896]

Gah! Why am I always 2 days behind! I’m not getting notifications even though the little bell is checked. These gelatos look quite interesting.

[@TheColourCave]

You aren't the only one @Beth Crawford .... Lots of people just lately have been complaining about the same thing. I don't think there is anything we can do about it?

[@BatzieKun666]

Love your videos

[@judithh1259]

Thanks for sharing, LOVE the accent ( says the American from northwest) 😊

[@TheColourCave]

Most welcome, and I'm glad I can please people by just letting words fall out my mouth 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@SharkLizard]

Never mind your accent - I'm here for the info. This is a great intro to an art supply I've had for years and thought I knew. :) Thanks for the video.

[@smccarter64]

I use these on my polymer clay veneers. You can make a beautiful watercolor look.

[@TheColourCave]

Now THAT sounds like fun!

[@julieheudebourck]

I have used these on Bible paper and they do not show through. I use them with baby wipes and let them dry. Great for backgrounds.

[@minkgin3370]

I also use them only for backgrounds.

[@andreamarvin9817]

Love the tutorial, thanks, I’m guessing these have lost some popularity, I just bought a bunch for 25 cents each off a clearance table at my local art supply store.

[@pjlewisful]

wow! you got a deal!!!!

[@KitarraChaosWeaver]

Oooo. Love that dragon. Sooo pretty. So what would be the difference between say.....a gelato and like an inktense or another kind of water activated pencil?

[@TheColourCave]

Apart from the obvious, you can’t compare them really. I’d say a gelato is more like an oil pastel, Inktense are made from India ink and behave more like a ‘strong’ watercolour.

[@Weasel0539]

That's odd. I've got a few and they are old and in the more solid packaging which you said is newer. I've just ordered 4 sets of 15 for £38 in a sale. Looking forward to the iridescent and translucent sets

[@TheColourCave]

Hi Angie, I think you are right - I had contacted FC a long time ago (this is quite an old video!) and I think I had my wires crossed when reading their reply. I don't have the email any more unfortunately to double-check. Hope you enjoy your imminent Gelatos haul 😊

[@Rachierooh]

Omg!!! That eraser!!! Lol. I haven't found anywhere that sells them separately as there a couple of colours I am after. There all in the states and I am in the UK xx

[@TheColourCave]

I had luck on eBay at one stage, but they seem to be getting harder to come by these days.

[@sueallen952]

I'm in the UK, amazon and ebay have them all the time

[@kathrynsargent5769]

Thanks so much!

[@traciemoore4620]

Thank you! New to gelatos. This was very helpful. And you are too cute! LOL. I consider "rubby finger" a technical term! LOL 😂

[@TheColourCave]

I'm Scottish... I don't know what 'too cute' means! And yes, 'rubby finger' is most definitely a technical term :)

[@angelashock9837]

She loves your sense of humor!

[@Tschij]

Thanks for your video! 👍 I really like your accent, too. Where do you live?

[@TheColourCave]

Thank you! I live in the north-east of Scotland.

[@cdssweetpea]

I just bought these today..got a great deal on them! Wasn't sure how to use them until I found this video. Thanks so much!! Also, where did you get the dragon picture from? :-)

[@TheColourCave]

Most welcome! The dragon was a freebie from Bennett Klein. If you haven’t seen some of his books (he has a lot) check out my flip through of a couple here : kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGG1o2V5ZtakY9k Also check out his shopify: bennett-klein-art.myshopify.com/collections/all

[@nokiot9]

You’d think for what these cost they’d be fully fugitive in water. They leave behind pretty heavy ghosting where your original stroke is. Marbu makes some that are half the price, twice the size, more colors, but they don’t fully melt either with water. Gelatos cost more than neocolor 2 do and almost all of that value is in the plastic lipstick case it’s in.

[@carlamarlene2927]

why did you not cover the dragon with clear gesso before you painted?

[@MaryPrasadArt]

I wanted to add some comments about the product itself but first I would like to say thank you for showing the different uses you have discovered. I am sure people will appreciate the information. In general, I really do not recommend Faber-Castell Gelatos - the pigmentation is lacking, they are not lightfast, they are overpriced, and they can’t even be layered easily. If you want a comparable but better product, I would check out the Tim Holtz Distress Crayons. They have more pigment, eventually do dry so may be layered more easily, and in general are a better product. The Neocolor II sticks are professional grade, much more lightfast, highly pigmented, and are definitely superior to Gelatos. If you are creating works of art to sell or even for your own display, use professional/artist grade materials. Art made from Gelatos will not last. I also find that Gelatos can be blotchy and some colors do not dissolve well in water; the other products I mentioned perform much better.

[@TheColourCave]

Thanks for the comments, some nice points you’ve made.

[@MaryPrasadArt]

Thanks!

[@quiettornado1970]

I am an artist but not interested in selling my work and not interested when they said that an artist must use Lightfast tools to prevent fading of artwork

[@zoniesis]

Where did you buy your brushes and what brand are they?

[@TheColourCave]

Hi Diane! 👋 Do you mean my paint brush or brush pen?

[@xXSquirticusMaximusXx]

man, I got four Gelatos at Michaels for .97 cents each... they look like the older ones though, idk if that has something to do with it

[@TheColourCave]

Sometimes I find them really cheap, but in limited colours. Other times they are so expensive! Sounds like you got a bargain 😊

[@xXSquirticusMaximusXx]

@@TheColourCave yeah, they were all individuals, so I got to pick out some neat colors.

[@vintage_meri8177]

I bought mine at Ross a pack of six for $1.99 with paint brush and a stamp

[@thequiltedkitchen]

I bought gelatos to make backgrounds for hand lettering ,you think this will work? and what spray you said to use? for sealing the color? thanks

[@TheColourCave]

Absolutely. They are perfect for backgrounds! You can use Krylon fixative - make sure you get the workable variety. That lets you seal the background then you can letter over the top. I use the Winsor & Newton fixative, just because it’s easy to buy in the UK. Hope this helps!

[@angelashock9837]

Do you think matte gel would work?

[@amandaw829]

I've been trying to decide if I want to try these or neocolors. Hhhmmmmm

[@TheColourCave]

If you go with the Neocolor, let me know how you like them!

[@amandaw829]

Will do

[@laurengilliland8355]

Your Irish accent??❤🥰😍

[@TheColourCave]

I'm not Irish, I'm Scottish...

[@TheRealMythril]

I got my self a set of the hobbycraft water soluble crayons a long while back to see if I liked the concept of the gelato type medium. I was cautious because I’m not a fan of pastels or oil pastels. I found for me they were too like oil pastels for me, to messy and hard to put things where you want them. I also found that when using them in a watercolour style that they just didn’t complete with actual watercolour. So the crayons were consigned to a box in the back of the cupboard, because even my son didn’t like the feel of them and how they behaved. Just not an item for me it seems!

[@TheColourCave]

They aren’t for everyone. Strangely, I don’t really like oil pastels either, but I like using the gelatos dry. It’s okay not to like mediums, though- at least you tried!

[@atticusfinch4266]

My daughter treated me to a set of polychromos. They should be here by Friday. I added these in the cart. I think that I got a set of 12 for $10. However I don't think I'm going to keep them. I was watching laartistino and she uses the chalk ones that you scrape off and then rub around but you also can't control where that goes either. Before the polychromos get here I got a deal on a set of 24 prismacolors. I don't like those either. They seem to be a step up from Crayola twistables.

[@kstewart3901]

Those things look like fun!

[@madusonkeeper]

There is a baby wipe technique as well

[@TheColourCave]

Sounds cool! Will need to check that out...

[@kathymcmanus1425]

What water brushes do you use?

[@TheColourCave]

I’m surprised you don’t know, I’m always banging on about them 😂 I use the Zig brushes by Kuretake- I’ve never found another one as good.

[@kathymcmanus1425]

@@TheColourCave . I have short term memory on things. I probably did know and forgot lol. Thanks

[@TheColourCave]

No problem :)

[@Mollyjean2014]

Can you use these on ceramic tiles?

[@TheColourCave]

I’ve never tried. I would imagine they would ‘stick’ but I don’t know how you would seal your work to stop it rubbing off. Sorry I can’t be much more help!

[@saffron1900]

CANADA 🇨🇦

[@dianneallen583]

They come in a cheap clear plastic box you cannot use again. They require a lot of water to spread the colors or blend. They are also too expensive for what you get.

[@miavos3610]

Don't like them. Bought the whole set, tried them out because I was super excited about them but they're just too hard to work with.

[@TheColourCave]

That's a shame. I like to either try before I buy, or buy a small set/open stock of art supplies when it's something new. What do you prefer instead?

[@miavos3610]

@@TheColourCave Nothing specific. I just thought they'd be nice to use on backgrounds. I think that was the mistake. I think they should be used on small areas like cards.

[@shariwanderer5761]

Not worth the money for me.

[@jenm4552]

It's v longwinded

[@TheColourCave]

You'll see this is an old video. At that point, I'd had my channel for just over six months. I've learned a lot since then! Thanks for the feedback all the same, and thank you for checking out the video.

[@kathymcmanus1425]

What water brushes do you use?