Product Comparison: Derwent Inktense, Caran D'Ache Neocolor II, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer

[@chopsticks51]

Thank you for this lovely demonstration, it’s super useful for someone like me who is hoping to get back into a bit of arting and also not looking to spend a big amount right away (if ever lol) A video comparing these 3 type of products is actually very useful and exactly what I need. After watching many videos already out there, I do get these 3 are very different type of products, but that’s exactly why I needed a comparison of them in one place. Long long ago I did some watercolors but now am intimidated at setting out the palette & mixing & making mistakes that are hard to correct. I find my ADHD tendencies means I don’t have the patience for color pencils. I do like the intensity of the Inktense but they have more issues than watercolors in some ways. I think water soluble crayons seems to hit the sweet spot of dry/wet, get most pigment fast onto paper/medium, and good range of colors and mixing options. Bonus, it seems to sit in a very comforting spot between watercolor and gouache 😅It’s nice to have the additional feature of the opacity. So thank you so very much for making this video, never mind the presumptuous busy bodies who think others don’t know the difference between the respective products. You’ve helped me decide for the crayons, and while Lyra brand gets just as good reviews, considering these crayons last pretty much forever, I will get the big Caran d’ache set, as the sayin goes, buy only the best so you can cry only once. Much much appreciate the thought and effort you put into this and other videos. Thank you.

[@miklosnemeth8566]

I have both Albrecht Dürer and Inktense, and I prefer Inktense, noticeably softer and more vivid colors. I simply love it along with Graphitint. But, Albrech Dürer can be made as vivid as Inktense if you wet the paper and wet the pencil tip, too, wet pencil on wet paper gives great vivid, fully pigmented colors and you can wash the marks (wet on dry is no-no, wet on wet works great). This technique works with Inktense, too, of course, but with inktense two dry on dry layers produces vivid colors. With Albreacht, that wet on wet produced vivid enough colors.

[@deeman524]

A tip about derwent inktense: put down the pencil strokes lightly opposite of the brush stroke and use just a pinch water at a time, this will keep from streaking.

[@ChristinaTodd1970]

A dry pencil on wet or damp paper will scribe the paper, causing the pigment to seep into the line you created with the pencil. Thats why the pigment wont smooth out. Wet or damp paper is fragile, even robust watercolor paper. Scraping and scribing are watercolor techniques used when you want either texture, or detail.

[@vegasrenie]

My experience with the Inktensive has been that very light strokes on hot press watercolor paper and ensuring that each layer is thoroughly activated, means that the ink remains permanently on the paper and doesn't reactivate. I have made many layers (not necessarily *good* layers, lol) and never reactivated it once I realized that it was not going to happen on cold press or other paper with texture/tooth.

[@laceandbits]

I completely agree. When people complain about Inktense reactivating it's because they almost certainly put on too thick a layer initially so all the ink wasn't activated. It's nothing at all to do with it 'supposedly being dry'. It doesn't need much water to activate thin layers and dries to the point where you can start layering reasonably quickly. On the other hand, if there is a thick layer, some of which has never been reached by the water, it doesn't matter how long you leave it to dry - when that gets wet, it will activate and bleed up into what's on top. There is no need to put it on as thickly as Ginger was simply because you can add more layers if you want more intense colour. Just the fact that this one out of all three tried here can also be used as a fabric colourant demonstrates how colourfast it is - used properly.

[@marjimiller3985]

Thank you ginger for taking the time to show this very helpful comparison. Hugs and blessings.

[@spookysoo1828]

Thanks for this! I was having a hard time deciding and this made me choose Inktense. :)

[@cassandrabriggs9133]

Thank you so much for this! I have been looking at art materials and had narrowed my search down to exactly these three. I was so happy to find your video to help guide my choice! Very helpful.

[@JordanHunter333]

Thanks so much! Such a complete and succinct review and demo. . Like so many other commenters, this was exactly the comparison I needed. I wonder how many people you've helped over these 5 years! 🙏

[@GingerUmali]

Wow! You're so kind! Thanks for making my day with your beautiful comment. It's words like yours that encourage me to keep going even if being a content creator is a tough and often thankless job. Thanks for visiting this tiny channel.

[@_brooklyn90]

Thank you so much for this video! I was looking for a video comparing these exact 3 products as I currently have coming in the mail the Neo 40- full set of inktense (currently have the 36 ct.) & 12ish A.D. I couldn't make my mind up days ago & still can't after this video. I'm in love with them all. 😍🥰

[@GingerUmali]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for visiting my channel Brooklyn90 :)

[@nattyw495]

Enjoyed review of each of these different art supplies...

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks so much, Natty 😊

[@orkidbox]

Very thorough and clear comparison. Thanks, they all look great. I have to admit having a Durer's on the top of my wishlist though.

[@UTleochi]

Lovely comparison! My favourites are definitely the Albrecht Durer because of their superior lightfastness compared to the Neocolor. It's also a bit sad that Caran d'Ache discontinued their full range of Neocolor 1 with only 40 colours remaining, and they also reduced the number of Neocolor 2 to 84 instead of 126 colours. ;-;

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for dropping by my channel, HerculePoirot. I'm so glad to have you here. I was disappointed too when I couldn't find the Neocolor set of 126. I thought the stores I went to just didn't carry them. I didn't know it was discontinued.

[@UTleochi]

@@GingerUmali Yes, sadly the larger sets were discontinued a couple of years ago. Caran d'Ache also stopped making their larger Neo-Art watersoluble pastels completely. Being a rather expensive brand, they probably only concentrate on the ranges that are more popular with the customers.

[@SalveMonesvol]

Albrecht Durer seems so vivid in person, now I have to try Derwent, which seems even more pigmented.

[@susanbernier9399]

Thanks, this was very well done. Your colour choices are very close and I think a good comparison. 💕

[@GingerUmali]

Oh thank you, Susan. Glad you liked the video. I hope you get to watch my other videos too. Have a great day :)

[@Pararaios]

This video was perfect to me, because I was tryng to compare the Albretch Durer with the Derkwent. I think that I'm going to buy a Albretch 24 pencils and a Derwent 12 blocks. Thanks a lot :-)

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks too for watching, Luis. I'm glad you found this video helpful. I have other product review videos, so feel free to browse and watch anytime.

[@nettiemoss324]

Inktense are more like a gouache than regular watercolour - so won't react as the other other two - need to check manufacturers descriptions. You are comparing watercolour with Ink! Helpful vid for beginners as long as they realise the difference!

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for watching, Nettie!

[@watercolourartincapetown2919]

I love the inktense and the favor castell, I still have to try the neocolor. Although I have the museum aquarelle and that’s highly saturated and lightfast

[@franswey2]

Thank you for sharing this comparison.

[@GingerUmali]

My pleasure! Thanks too for visiting my channel.

[@sandrabryant341]

Thanks for the demonstration!

[@GingerUmali]

You're welcome. Thanks too for watching.

[@aliiljah8224]

Ginger hello, I have all three of these products. My favorite is the Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer pencils, the colors are beautiful and I find them easier to use but, if I want to reflect on my childhood, I like Caran D'Ache. With the Derwent, the colors are vivid but I have the same problem you do, the pencil marks will not go away, if you try too much you can rough up the paper too much, which isn't nice. I think your comparison was excellent, Thank you Ps. The Caran D'Ache crayons have the color name at the tip, so as you use them and tear off the paper the color name gets ripped off, then you don't know the color.

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Alicia! Welcome to my channel. I only got to read your comment now. Sorry for the delay in responding. I didn't notice the placement of color names in the Caran d'Ache crayons. What a great observation! Thanks again for visiting. I hope you linger around and watch my other painting videos too. Take care!

[@laceandbits]

Use the Inktense more gently, in thinner layers then you won't get pencil marks and also you can activate all the colour you have put down. Not much water is needed so they dry quite quickly to become colour fast and be able to add layers.

[@kreativbienchen7828]

I have Faber castell Aquacolor penciles and Caran D‘Ache Crayons and I like it very much to draw

[@leesanchez8432]

Try using these water based mediums on hot pressed water color. The smoother surface can still accept water but it is easier to apply colorslightly and not have streaks.

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks Lee! You're right. I do love working on Arches hot pressed paper. It's a very reliable brand.

[@flarose97]

This was a very well produced and also very thorough. I have some of each product and agree with your conclusions. Nice job from a new subscriber. ❤️

[@GingerUmali]

Thank you so much, BellaRoseArts. I'm glad you found me. Welcome to this channel. I hope you find more useful content and encouraging messages here. Thanks too for subscribing. I appreciate it so much! Blessings to you :)

[@Rockymtnbloom]

This is a great comparison, thank you!

[@deeman524]

1st off: Inktense pencils and Neo2s are 2totally different animals,(2) inktense pencils are more like acrylic and neocolor 2 is more like pastels, (3) Neo 2 is very friendly with various papers; inktense pencils work best on heavy watercolor paper like Canson XL (no streak no pencil marks)

[@marcwheeler4406]

Thank you for making this video I've always used Farrell wcp and wanted to get into doing fabric art and wanted to really know if I could use the derwent on WC paper as well that way I could get my money's worth from a expansive product...mikelle newyork strong mom 😷✌🕊👋🎨

[@diannedupuis2960]

Excellent video! Thank you.

[@GingerUmali]

Glad you enjoyed it, Dianne!

[@bethmegansmith4642]

Thank you for this video ,very helpful

[@julieo8017]

The main difference to be aware of is that inktense cannot be reactivated once it dries, as others have mentioned it is ink not watercolour The other is a watercolour crayon and can be reactivated this blended or lifted as watercolour can. Of course there are staining colours that will lighten but not lift completely I should add that Derwent has watercolour pencils including graphites Thank you for demonstration

[@GingerUmali]

For a short while, I thought that Derwent Inktense was permanent. But after repeated accidents in my art, I discovered the inks can be reactivated even when fully dried previously. You may want to check up another video I made about this. Here's a quick link ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5_Gnn59eK6eY5o

[@judithf9297]

Very nice comparison, I think the Neocolor II wins,even if the Inktense is very saturated. I wanted to ask what paper did you use here? Thank you

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Judith. Sorry for the late reply. Honestly, I've forgotten what paper I used here. But I can help narrow down the choices since I only basically use either Strathmore or Aches, or very rarely, Canson. From the video, it looks like this is cold-pressed paper. 90% of the time, I use Arches hot pressed. So for this video comparison, I most likely used Strathmore. Sorry for the roundabout way of answering your question :)

[@judithf9297]

@@GingerUmali Ginger,thank you for your reply,don’t worry if it was late, I know everyone is busy. Yes if I use Arches, I use the hot press because the cold press is too rough. Strathmore and Canson Aquarelle are not bad. I am not an artist,just colorist, I bought once Winsor &Newton cold press block it was on sale, I really like that paper. In your video the paper did really well with the pencils and the Neocolor II, I thought it’s a more expensive paper, but I guess it doesn’t have to be. Would enjoy more videos from you, I really like how you explain and present,very nice 😊

[@GingerUmali]

@@judithf9297 I've never tried W&N paper before. Ever since I fell in love with Arches and Strathmore, I didn't want to experiment with anything else. But I did buy a Fabriano Artistico recently which I want to test out. They're more expensive than Arches so I'm not sure if it'll be sustainable for me to keep using it. Thanks for the nice compliment. You're so sweet! I guess the homeschool teacher side of me always comes through when I explain stuff in my videos.

[@waymire01]

What is the lightfastness of the neocolor? I know the inktense have many fugitive colors including basically all of the reds. As someone who has used watercolor pencils extensively in the past I'm just blown away by the increase in pigmentation, vibrancy, and dilution compared to the older products.

[@GingerUmali]

I haven't done a lightfastness test for Neocolor, but based on Caran d'Ache's chart, most of the colors have a rating of 3 stars (excellent) or 2 (very good). I did a lightfastness test for Caran d'Ache Luminance and the pencils performed extremely well. This just tells me that you can trust whatever Caran d'Ache claims for its rankings. If you want to check the results of that 3-month-long sun exposure test, you can watch my video here ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2HGfZmIgb-saJY

[@jasonpos1537]

Very interesting, thank you.

[@GingerUmali]

Glad you enjoyed it, Jason. Thanks for watching.

[@ericwilliams2122]

TIP: INKTENSE is waterproof when dry. So no smudging which is perfect for pen and wash style artwork

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks, Eric! So glad you visited this channel.

[@anapalma2906]

That was a great comparison, thanks for that! I have the Albrecht Durer (watercolour) pencils and Derwent Inktense blocks and pencils (ink). I prefer the colours of Inktense because they are more vibrant. I was interested in the colour saturation of Caran d'Ache against the other two and it was great to see the swatches you made. As you say though, they are all great products. Thanks again for the great video.

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Ana. Thanks for dropping in. I'm so glad you found my channel. If you want to read more about the three water-soluble products I talked about in this video, may I recommend that you visit my website. I wrote a comprehensive blog post about Derwent, Caran d'Ache, and Albrecht Durer. Here's the link ... gingerumali.com/product-comparison-caran-dache-neocolor-vs-derwent-inktense-vs-faber-castell-albrecht-durer/

[@smilesalotc7]

What is the best paper to use with caran d’ache neocolor 2??? I haven’t used much, but I keep finding they leave marks like a crayon and not blend completely out.

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Christa. Thanks for dropping by. I'm glad you're in my channel. The type of paper I use for Caran D'ache depends on what effect I want to produce in my art. If I want a watercolor painting effect where all the pigments are diluted, I use Arches hot-press paper which has a smoother surface. If I do mixed media paintings and add Neocolor to produce texture using dry crayon marks, then cold-press or mixed media paper with more tooth does the trick. Neocolor is so versatile. I even use it on sketchbooks and on thin bible paper and they perform well. If you want to learn more about paper, I have another video in this channel that discusses what types of paper to use for different types of media. You may want to check it out ... here's a quick link ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHmynYVqppZroJo

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

Hello Ginger. Wow, your comparison video is exactly what I am looking for 😀 It is very helpful 👍🏻 could you please spell the name of your watercolour paper? I have had some trouble with watercolour papers, they got rub up and destroyed… another Problem is, no matter which paper I used, the Albrecht Dürer get dull when dried, milky, chalky, unsaturated, less vibrant. I made a colour swatch of the dry colour and other watercolor (from block) to compare. In your sample it isn’t so… I don’t know why. Or were all of the three brands maybe still wet in the end of the video?

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Emily. Forgive me for getting to your message only now. Been really busy. Thanks for watching and for asking too. I've tried all sorts of paper for watercolor like Canson, Strathmore, and Arches but the best of them all is the Arches. Whether it's cold-pressed, hot-pressed, or rough, Arches' performance is topnotch. If you want to learn more, I made a video specifically about paper since many of my viewers asked me about what type of paper they can use for certain projects. Here's a quick link to that video ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHmynYVqppZroJo

[@GingerUmali]

Arches is a bit pricey and is not readily available in some countries. So if you find it difficult to buy it, you won't go wrong with Strathmore. I use the Strathmore Mixed Media or the Strathmore Watercolor... in both cases, I only use the 400 series. I always go for 300 gsm paper since I tend to put loads of water when I paint and thinner paper will warp with excessive water.

[@GingerUmali]

The performance of any art medium relies heavily on the quality of the paper you use and the paper's ability to absorb pigments. In the video I showed, all 3 brands dried up towards the end of the video so whatever I presented there is actually what the saturation level should be. If I may ask, what paper did you use with your Albrecht Durer?

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

@@GingerUmali Hello Ginger, I thank you very much for your answer! I dont come along with watercolour pencils. My results are poor, very blotchy. So I tried neocolor, the vibrancy is much better. I am happy with the vibrancy and pigmentation of neocolor. I bought the big set but this was no good idea because I have another big problem that makes me very desperate. I tried some extensive paper from Hahnemühle 450 g, also Hahnemühle mould made, Clairefontaine, Canson, now even Pastelmat. Always the same problem with wet in wet. The surface always peels of if I brush over a wet area!! I guess the Arches surface is the same sensitive? Maybe I should give it up…

[@dweamy1]

Loved your video, but really wish no music as my ears get confused/overwhelmed with sounds versus voice.

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for the feedback, Bimse. I'll try my best to improve next time. Take care :)

[@helenschaefer1167]

Beautiful review, thank you.

[@ravenwolf1637]

Thank you Ginger

[@GingerUmali]

You're most welcome Raven Wolf. Thank you for your support. I appreciate it a lot :)

[@fv3503]

What is your favorite out of 3 ? I can’t seem to decide on what brand I should buy ? I am new to coloring and just want to get one best set there is !

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for asking. Personally, I love Caran D'Ache Neocolor and I use it more often than the others. I'm now looking to upgrade my set to the largest tin size but it does require an investment which I think is worth the money anyway. But that's just my own preference. You won't go wrong with any of these other brands, so if you're new to colouring and would be more comfortable with a pointed tip, you may go with Derwent instead.

[@macCALICOmac]

Wonderful thought out review. Thank you so much

[@fazestorm4441]

I wanted to mention that when you try removing if your ink is set with a dry iron it should not reactivate after it has dried that's whether it's on paper or fabric watercolor artist is doesn't want to put an iron to their paper but if you do dry out with an iron it will not reactivate after you've dried it was an iron or heat set it so try that and see if it works

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for the tip. I've never tried ironing my art before. I'll probably make an experiment and see how that works.

[@delphinegentilhomme3317]

Hello Ginger, I ‘ve just Deco er your Channel and will subscribe. Thanks a lot for your pencils comparaison. 😊💚

[@GingerUmali]

Thank you so much, Delphine Gentilhomme and welcome to the channel. I'm pleased to meet you. Thanks for watching and for all the love and support. Take care 😊

[@cesarcontrerashumar4647]

What paper and marker (the one you wrote the colour names) are you using? Both looks great

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Luis Humar. Thanks for the question and for watching my video. I'm glad you found my channel. I use Strathmore cold press watercolor paper. Sometimes I use Canson too especially for my mixed media art journals. Both are very reliable brands. I always opt for the 140 lb sheets (300 g/m2) or anything heavier. For the pens, I think I used the Sakura Pigma Micron for the labeling in this video. I have another video that explores pens. You may want to check it out. Here's the link ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4O1nqZvrdKfbtE

[@TwistedArtdesigns]

Odd comparing these products when they are not similar. All of them are fun products to use though! All are water soluble but that is the only thing. Very different products.

[@GingerUmali]

The premise for the comparison was stated at the very start of the video at time stamp 0:40 to 0:49

[@suzanneweisskopf-biggs6736]

I had just been studying Neocolor 2 on Amazon. Immediately afterwards I saw your review on KZbin, without even looking for a review! Excellent timing!😋 Thank you for a great and thorough review❣️🤗

[@GingerUmali]

I'm so blessed by your visit to my channel. Thanks Suzanne! If you want to see Neocolor 2 at work, you may want to check out a couple of videos in my channel. Here are some art journal process video links ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGHceYyMi6upn68 and kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKGTmJ-BqrWGeKc

[@GodsSmile]

the same just happened to me ! :)

[@claudettemonty4077]

Is the 3 company can paint on fabric without risk of bleeding when washing??

[@GingerUmali]

Hi Claudette Monty... I'm sorry I have no answer to that. I've never tried these products on fabric and don't know if they are permanent even after repeated washes.

[@thaop7220]

Inktense work on textile, once dry the ink is permanent.

[@deb8262]

I'm new to these media. Do you know, can any of these water soluble media be blended with mineral spirits like Gamsol, or should you only use water? Thank you if you know.

[@GingerUmali]

Hi @Deb Kajer ... I'm sorry, I've never tried mineral spirits with any of these media. Water was good enough to do the job for me. Sorry, I'm not much help.

[@DrummerGrrrl]

These only need water for blending. Mineral oil is good for oil pastels and oil paint.

[@YourMajesty143]

To really get the most out of Derwent, especially for projects like adult coloring books, try using an alcohol-based marker blender or a water brush filled with 91% rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol instead of water. Result: Marker-like smoothness, full richness of color with little to no page buckling. So far I've even noticed much less bleed through, but it is always better to test this out first before committing to any given coloring book or watercolor project.

[@barbarathompson2314]

I learned so much. Thank You

[@SuperExadidas]

Very good review....thanks.

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks willie cheng! So glad to have you here in my channel :)

[@SuperExadidas]

@@GingerUmali Thanks Ginger, I am really new in watercolor pencil, hoping to combine them with my watercolor painting. Do you know if Caran D'ache Supracolor is a water soluble? I am looking for best products from CDA. Luminance will be excluded in this type of purpose.

[@GingerUmali]

@@SuperExadidas Hi Willie. As far as I know, Supracolor is water soluble. You can either dip the tip of the pencil on water and apply it directly on your art or apply it dry then spread the colors using a wet brush. It's quite pricey, but I know some artists love it. Caran D'ache makes really good quality products. You can't go wrong with them.

[@hemjoo]

V useful. TFS!

[@caroldurst1855]

Thank you

[@GingerUmali]

Thank you too Carol. I'm glad you visited my channel.

[@jamiegossett]

Thre Derwent Inktense are NOT lightfast and are made with dyes, so they will fade eventually. just be mindful of that.

[@junecleary4449]

Why didn't you compare the faber castell crayons and the derwent inktense blocks with the caran d'ache crayons? Pencils perform differently to crayons.

[@GingerUmali]

Hi June Cleary! Thanks for watching my video. Welcome to my channel. I'm glad to meet you. You're right. Pencils and crayons are different in certain respects. I agree that there are tons of other media better suited for comparison. But like I mentioned, I chose these products for the review because they can be used as dry media but their hues are released more vibrantly when engaged with water. That's the premise for this video. I'd be happy to demonstrate the inktense blocks and Faber Castell crayons next time. Thanks for the idea.

[@DrummerGrrrl]

Derwent Inktense products are NOT watercolor. They're permanent INK.

[@hamerray]

That’s what happens when you hold a crayon to high and applying to much pressure it’s going to break.

[@MihaTV]

Hello world 😍

[@locoyo386]

Why the comparison of these 3 media? They are not within the same type of media.

[@GingerUmali]

The rationale for the comparison was stated at time stamp 0:40

[@Lukifah]

hola

[@GingerUmali]

Hola, Nikixos. Gracias. Thanks for visiting my channel!

[@ladyinblack3398]

Those are NOT comparable. The, are three different mediums, on a different basis.

[@GingerUmali]

If you listened carefully, you would have understood the basis for the comparison. It was stated in the beginning at time stamp 0:40 ("I chose these three painting tools because all of them can be used as dry media, but their best results show up when activated with water.") These items were not clumped together for any other reason (not water-based, oil based, lightfast, or whatnot) except that which was premised at time stamp 0:40.

[@claritzairosario68]

Inktense pencils are not watercolors, it's ink, but water soluble, you can't compare watercolors pencil or crayons with the Inktense pencils, it not the same. I have it, and I work with watercolors, and Inktense pencils are more intense than the watercolors and it's permanent. 😉

[@GingerUmali]

Thanks for watching Claritza. In the beginning, I stated the premise of the video. The 3 products were put together without regard to whether they're made of ink or wax. The comparison is based on the fact that all 3 can be used as dry media but their best features show up when activated with water. That's the premise of this video. There was a time I also thought Derwent Inktense was permanent until many accidents happened. I don't know if the company changed their formulation but it is not permanent anymore. You may want to check out this video where I made a test of the Inktense pencils... kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5_Gnn59eK6eY5o

[@claritzairosario68]

@@GingerUmali ok, I think I don't paid much attention to that part. And thanks for clarifying me, I'll see the other video. Thanks a lot!

[@Snickerszn]

Tbh I was looking for a video like this so they are comparable.