I’m watercolouring everything in sight at the moment LOL. Today I went with the new Multifaceted set from Winnie & Walter. I wanted to experiment more with Zig Clean Color Markers and compare them to Distress Markers. I started with the Zig Carmine Red (number 22) available in the 12 pen starter pack and White heat embossed the Multifaceted background on watercolour card, washed the card with water and then started bringing the colour in. I concentrated the colour to one corner of each triangle and also aimed for an ombre effect with the deepest colour at the base of the panel and fading out towards the top. All this with just one colour – amazing!
Surprisingly for me, I love how vibrant the colour is, how easily it blended with the water and how the brush tip made it a cinch to apply the colour just where I wanted it. To finish the card I die cut the ‘happy’ from The Big, The Bold and The Happy cutaways and blended in Mint ink, again aiming for an ombre effect. The ‘birthday’ from Sugar Rush is White heat embossed on Slate card, trimmed out and mounted on the panel with a twist of silver thread behind. A few sequins and then the panel is mounted on a Fog card base.
So on to the masculine version of this card with the Distress Markers. I chose Wild Honey and Pumice Stone and completed the card in a similar way as I did above with the exception of enamel dots and a star to finish. The differences between the two? The more muted colours of the Distress Markers sits well with me, as a result I used more to give a richer depth to the colours. Again, the colour moved well with the water, however, I do prefer the brush tip of the Zig marker to that of the Distress.
Conclusion? Ask my friends; I’m laid back and indecisive LOL so it might come as no surprise that I love both the Zig and Distress! I can see me reaching for the Zig for their fresh colours and the way they mix together to create more lovely colours but can’t turn my back on my old friends, the Distress. Both move beautifully with water, but the brush of the Zig does win it for me. Would I recommend the Zig markers? Definitely, but if you want to try them I’d start with just one or two or the 12 pen Starter Pack. You can go a long way with just one or two of these pens :D
Supplies
You can find links to the supplies I’ve used below; click on the picture or wording to get taken directly to the product. Where available affiliate links are used which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support towards the costs of running this blog.
They are both gorgeous!
Both cards beautiful! I love the color on the first one!
Debby, love the comparison video. I about to order the Zig markers cause they look like so much fun (lots cheaper than Copics). Just wondered if any of your Distress markers have dried out. I’m having that issue with several of mine. I store them horizontally as suggested but to no avail. Any suggestions?
Angie, I had one or two dry ones when I first bought my set. I contacted the retailer who replaced those dry ones. Since then I’ve not had any trouble. I’d contact who you bought them from if I were you. Hope that helps.
I am very interested to see any reviews of the Zig pens as I am thinking about moving to them for my main watercolouring materials. I like the distress inks but think the pens are pretty poor, which is a shame as I like using them. The tips pill a lot and they seem to dry out very quickly. I often can’t get the fine tip to work at all even on fairly new pens, so I am looking for something better.
WOW this is such an amazing set of cards. Love what you have done with these markers. Thanks for sharing.
Love that you did the review I love my distress markers and use them all the time and I just ordered the zig markers glad after seeing this I will still use both hopefully
I’ve been holding out on the Zig water color markers, but I caved earlier today and got the set of 12. Thanks for the side-by-side comparison. I’ll probably use both!
Gorgeous!!!
Love your cards, they turned out so beautiful.
I am likewise water colouring everything at the moment.
hugs
Ela
When you used the Distress, did you color directly onto the dampened background? I usually scribble mine onto an acrylic block and then use Tim’s water brush from there. It seems like that water brush might have a similar brush tip to the Zig? If you’ve used it, is that true?
I don’t use my water brush much. I tend to reach for a paint brush, but yes I think you are right that a water brush does have a similar feel to the Zig. Do you have Wink of Stella? It’s very much like that. As for the way I coloured, I did go direct to the paper yes, then softened out with water :D