Artist's Loft Watercolor Markers Video Review

Curious to know how the Artist’s Loft Watercolor Markers compare to the Tombow Dual Brush Tip pens? Read or watch this review to find out.

This is the fifth video in my pen review series. This month I’m talking about the Artist’s Loft Watercolor Brush Tip Markers that are sold at Michael’s. They are very similar to the Tombow Dual Brush Pens that I’ve already reviewed. Read or watch the Artist’s Loft Watercolor Marker review below!

It’s important to note that this review, as well as the other reviews, is not sponsored by the companies. These reviews are purely my own opinion and the brush pens were purchased with my own money to test out. The links below, however, are affiliate links. That means is if you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn a commission. What it doesn’t mean is that the products cost you any more, or that there is anything hidden.

Hand holding a few Artists Loft markers in cool colors

Artist’s Loft Watercolor Markers

If you’ve ever wandered the aisles of Michael’s, you may have stumbled across their extensive marker selection. It has only grown exponentially since hand lettering and brush lettering have become so popular in recent years.

One of their own brands, Artist’s Loft, has a water-based brush tip marker that rivals the ever-popular Tombow Dual Tip markers. The Artist’s Loft Watercolor Markers are similar in many ways to Tombow but do have a few of their own unique quirks. They are sold in multiple packs as of writing this article. Here are some of the most common sets:

I recently discovered they are also for sale on Amazon too! Now I have not personally purchased from Amazon, so I cannot speak to the quality but you can shop here.

Nib and Control

Just like the Tombow Dual tip markers, the Artist’s loft pens also have two different tips. One side is a felt bullet tip good for more detailed work or to use in your bullet journal. The other side is a broad, tapered felt tip that is flexible.

Here is where I notice the most difference between the Tombow and the Artist’s Loft markers. The Artist’s Loft tip is easier for me to control. It’s bouncier, and stiffer making it easier to switch between thick and thin strokes. It’s especially great for those (ie, me) that sometimes get in a hurry with brush lettering.

The tips are also self-cleaning, just like the Tombow pens. This is great for creating ombre effects in lettering pieces, without ruining the tips with another color. It is important to note that the Artist’s Loft markers do not come with a blender as the Tombow packs do. However, I have used the Tombow blender with the Artist’s Loft markers with no issues.

Demonstrating the self cleaning tips on Artists Loft markers

Just like with the Tombow Brush Pens, Artist’s Loft Watercolor markers do fray easily if used with the wrong paper. HOWEVER, I am way more relaxed about my Artist’s Loft collection and have used them on some rough watercolor paper. The tips hold up to that a bit better than the Tombow brush tips do. If you need a recommendation on the best paper to use, I like to use Rhodia Pads and HP Premium 32 paper. Canson Marker paper is another favorite.

Colors and Ink

There are 48 different colors within the Artist’s Loft collection, which is much less than Tombow. I will also note that some of the colors are very similar, and sometimes it’s near impossible to see the difference between two colors. Another issue I have with the Artist’s Loft colors is that the pen cap can vary wildly from the actual marker color. Maybe this doesn’t matter to you but it’s a big pet peeve of mine.

Overhead screen grab of color choices in Artists loft

Like many brush tips markers I’ve reviewed so far, the ink is water-based. That means the colors can easily blend just like with the Tombow dual tip pens. I will be doing some videos soon of how to blend, and comparing the two different markers on blendability so make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel or email newsletter so you don’t miss it!

Price Point

Obviously one of the big draws to the Artist’s Loft Brush Tip Markers is their price. They are much more affordable at the regular price compared to Tombow, making them a great starter marker if you want to try but not break the bank. I scored a Black Friday deal on the 48 count pack for $25! That’s like $0.52 per pen! I have never gotten that much of a steal on Tombow, so definitely watch for sales at Michaels.