I have had...

...Pilot gel pens (on the right) a long time. But despite getting a couple of yellows initially, along with a couple of blacks, as well as the other colours, I used up the yellows very quickly and was unable to get more of the Pilot pens.

So, when I saw the Faber Castell range of gel pens (lined at the top) in the shop I bought some, because I thought their yellows would work with the Pilot pens, but they were only in sealed packs of 4 of a similar colour range. So I ended up buying a few packs, because it was quite expensive.

But at the same time there was another make of gel pens, Djeco, on the left. I was able to open the cap (unlike with the Faber Castell which were in sealed packs), and I could see the Djeco were nice and soft. Consequently I bought the whole range that was there.

I liked my original Pilot gel pens so much, that I wanted an alternative, seeing as I couldn't get them any more.

So, out of interest, because so much promotion of the Faber Castell gel pens, even on You Tube, I decided to compare them. And also what got me started on this was the gel plate printing, where someone demonstrating said you could use the Faber Castell gel pens for printing off a gel plate. When I tried I nearly damaged my gel plate because the Faber Castell gel pens were so scratchy, even using water with them as advised on You Tube.

So, I got all my 3 types of gel pens out and tested them on a piece of card to compare them. My original Pilot gel pens were so soft and creamy, they were an absolute delight to shade colour with them.

Then I tried the range of Djeco gel pens. They were almost as good as my older Pilot gel pens.

But when I tried the Faber Castell gel pens, they were scratchy by comparison to the other two, and they did not blend well at all with my fingers, or using the official blender. Even when adding water to them, it was not satisfactory, whereas it was very satisfactory with the other two makes of gel pens. I was very disappointed in the quality of the Faber Castell gelatos.

I looked online and I cannot get the Pilot gel pens unless I pay an absolutely extortionate price for them :(

So I looked for the Djeco gel pens. They were over £35 for a set of 12, and the postage and packing was something like £46. So over £80 for a set of 12 gel pens that I like :((

I then had a look at children's gel pens. Plenty of them. Also plenty grumbles from customers that the colour was no good and they were rubbish. Then I found a set of 24 which every reviewer said they were brilliant and the colour was intense, and one reviewer grumbled that the colour was so intense she couldn't get it out of settee, carpet, or walls...naughty toddler...

I thought that's the one for me. It doesn't cost very much, under £10 and free postage and packing. So I ordered it and it's coming tomorrow.

I love the Pilot and Djeco gel pens, so will these children's ones be okay? I am looking forward to my parcel...

The picture in the middle is where I put black gel pen over the areas of colours I had crayoned, and then scratched in it with a pin. I didn't want to waste my crayoning the colours. Then I remembered, do you remember using wax crayons for this type of thing when you were a child? Only with these gel pens it is much more delicate...

Thank you for looking in and take care x