Chalkola review...

...part 2.

So I wanted to try the Chalkola ink markers on some different surfaces. I had already had a play on the whiteboards at work so now I wanted to try some glass and acetate.

One clean and dry jam jar at the ready and I was all set to see what I could do...

 ...the two packs of pens that I was sent - 'Earth' and 'Party' - provided a good selection of colours.
Starting with a white pen I created some 'snow' around the base of the jar...

 ...I wasn't sure what would be the best way of applying the colour - circle motion or straight strokes - it didn't really matter as the white gave a good coverage using either method.
Having let the white dry for a few moments...

 ...I had a go at adding a bare tree. Then a house...

 ...and I thought a fir tree was also needed. I added the green first of all...

 ...leaving gaps where the 'snow' would sit and then added the white to complete the look.
A second fir tree put in an appearance and then I let loose with the snow fall...

 ...the large bullet nib on the pens is perfect for applying the random dots...

 ...creating a pretty Winter scene ready to house a t-light.

The next thing I wanted to try with the pens was to see just how detailed an image I could get.

This adorable stamp is one I bought a while ago...

 ...and this is what it looks like coloured with my normal medium of choice - Copics...

 ...and as you can see, the shading is easy when you have almost 200 shades to chose from.
I placed a sheet of acetate over the stamped image and started to apply the Chalkola colours...

 ...starting with the hat. The pen sets I have been sent contain white but no grey so I used the pale blue to give texture to the fur trim - leaving the white to dry before adding the blue. The moisture of the pen ink does pick up a little of the previous colour but a quick scribble on a piece of scrap paper soon cleans that off. Across the two packs of pens there were two purples of different shades which helped to complete the hat. Having just one brown I had to use the cream coloured pen for the highlighted areas of the fur. I applied the cream first and when dry, went back with the brown. A bit of black & white for the nose & eyes and I was all done.
I found that by flipping the acetate over...

 ...the image from the reverse was more pleasing.
As for the t-light holder...

...not too bad is it.

The ink in the Chalkola pens applies smoothly and as long as you don't over prime the pens to get the ink flowing they give a nice even coverage. I found it easier to let each colour dry before moving on to the next colour - there will still be a bit of transference (especially on glass or acetate) but the lovely thing about these pens is that if you really don't like what has happened...grab a wet tissue or a wet-wipe and clean it off ready to start again.

The limited colours mean you have to think outside of the box a little bit. Users of Promarkers, Spectrum Noir or Copics will be used to having a much wider colour range at their finger tips but even with these limited colours it is still possible to create something quite detailed. You are not blending like you would with alcohol pens but laying the colours side by side. A little bit of blending does take place where colours overlap but I found things looked a bit messy if you tried to blend things on purpose - perhaps I just need a bit more practice but I feel these pens work best as they are.

Not sure what type of surface - it might even be a chalkboard.....................................................