Derwent Inktense XL Blocks 12 Tin, Set of 12, 60mm Extra-Large Block, Water-soluble, Ideal for Sketching, Drawing and Expressive Mark Making, Professional Quality, 2306162

These were a gift for my niece who is very artistic, always drawing and recently exploring more in water colours recently, and she is quite impressed with this set.She specifically has said the vibrant colours and the really nice tin are what she likes the most about this set and is very happy with the results when using them.Based on this I am happy to recommend this product.

I have just started painting, and watercolour has been the best bit of it so far. These watercolour blocks fro Derwent are absolutely brilliant. There are six colours inside. I've not tried using them as crayons, but use them with a wet brush. They're fab.The colours are rich and intense (as promised), and even if you get them muddied up on the blocks, they soon wash clean. They are really, really lovely. Plus they are a good length, so you can get a proper stroke of paint onto the brush. Only six colours, but you know that when you buy them. Recommended

In the past I've owned and used both the full set of Inktense pencils and the full set of original Inktense blocks, so I couldn't resist taking a look at these XL blocks.Like the pencils and original blocks, these arrive in a tin and the first thing which struck me when I saw it was the size of the tin, especially the depth. Whoever named this new iteration chose well because XL is exactly what these blocks are. I don't own the original blocks any more but each of these new ones must be at least 4 times the mass of an old one. Holding an XL block is easier but can be just as messy, while using a block to cover a large area with colour is much easier.Some people put down the colour on paper before activating with water and others pick up the colour from a block with a wet paintbrush. My preferred method used to be the latter because I found it gave me greater control but there's never been a right or wrong way to use Inktense products and the same applies to these XL blocks. I do feel that lifting colour, or grating the blocks, or indeed any way of using them, would be easier with this supersized version.This tin isn't cheap for 6 colours but given the amount you get of each one it still offers value. Recommended to all Inktense fans, or anyone looking for a good set to start them off.

Having not done hardly any art work since leaving school, I indulged myself for a couple of hours testing these out. I was so lost in creativity, those 2 hours passed in the blink of an eye. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. So much so, I’ve just treated myself in the Black Friday sales to another set of these in a tin of 72 smaller blocks.I absolutely love these blocks so much, and they have certainly reignited an old passion of mine. At first I thought they seemed quite expensive, but now I can see the value in them. When you compare them to the tiny squares of paint you get in an average paintbox set, these XL blocks are going to last you a very long time.I tried a few different methods to test them. Firstly I tried grating them onto paper with my mini kitchen grater. When you then add water, the tiny particles burst into life and can be spread out and blended in situ on the paper. I also tried layering up the colours onto the paper by holding the blocks in my hand like an oil pastel. With just these 6 colours, I found that you can create quite a good range of different shades. You can also greatly vary the intensity of colour by either shading very lightly, or pressing harder to add more pigment. If you layer to 2 different shades, the white stick can be used to blend those colours together. This can be without water, or you can add water to some, or all, of your colours.I then tried a quick landscape painting to see if I could achieve more shades using a brush with water, straight onto the blocks. Photo of this attached. I was feeling fairly pleased with my efforts. This could have been improved if I had spent longer on it, and added more details.I used the blocks again this morning, and found the very best colour mixes are achieved by wetting a brush and mixing brush strokes of your desired colour directly from the blocks, then before applying colour to your paper, mixing the shades you want in a plastic artists mixing palette. Luckily I already had an unused one of these at home, which I bought last year, when I decided I wanted to spend some time having a go at painting again, but never got round to it.To summarise, I think these blocks are absolutely amazing and so versatile. Even though I’ve now ordered a more comprehensive colour selection for myself, a vast array of different shades can still be achieved with just these 6 basic colours, so this is a great starting point for anyone who wants to have a go. The quality of colour is also very suitable for professional artists too.

I liked the idea of this set of 6 water soluble Derwent Inktense XL Blocks, but I have found it quite a struggle to get the ink-like effect I was hoping for.The blocks are described as water soluble and water does activate them, although the result seems to produce a textured effect when it dries, unless you completely soak the paper with water.When I try to blend the colours, I just end up with a murky brown colour, so I think you do need to be patient and wait for one colour to dry before applying another.The colours are nice and vibrant and I have been more successful when using these blocks as dry crayons.I suppose that it depends on what you are considering using these blocks for, and I am sure that some artists will find them very suitable. Unfortunately, they do not produce the crisp layers that I wanted to achieve, so this is not something that I can see myself using very often.I am determined to continue trying to work with these blocks in different ways to see if I can incorporate them into my art, because even though these are produced from a very well-known name, the current reduced price of £36.49 is still an expensive investment as far as I am concerned.

To use I grated a little off each stick and mixed with water. The resulting paste was very smooth and easy to apply by brush. The colours are really vivid, not at all like watercolours although you get the rapid drying meaning you can build up multiple layers in a single session.Derwent is known across the art world for quality and these paints are no exception. I'm looking forward to my next painting session to use them again!

Love wetting the paper and making big smears of colors. Just another way to put some marks on paper.

The tin box gets five stars.The crayons get also five stars.This product is only quality at its best.

Colores de lujo.

Me gustan mucho estas pinturas, tanto su textura como su cremosidad.Son exactamente lo que anuncian

These are just what I expected, Thank You!