‘Rainbow Lion’ by Roseanna, Age 6

I have recently become a convert to using marker pens with children.  I must admit, I had previously tended to avoid felt tips etc as I felt that the result was somehow less authentic than using ‘proper’ art materials such as paint or pastels.  I am not ashamed to admit, though, that I have completely changed my opinion.

At the start of the term I purchased some ‘Yosoo Graphic Marker Pens’ in a beautiful variety of colours.  I wanted the younger children in my after school clubs to get immediate and satisfying results and I thought that these might do the job. They were delighted by them and it was nice to be able to offer them something that they wouldn’t usually have access to.  I was very pleased with the results.  They are not like using typical felt tips, they are much more subtle than that.  The colour, on first application is semi-translucent, allowing for the gradual build up of colours and shades.   This is great as older children can begin using them in more nuanced ways, developing their skills as they go. There are so many lovely colours that I find it hard to imagine a situation in which you wouldn’t be able to find what you wanted.  They are bright and vibrant and have both a thick and thin end which means children can really focus on being neat when it is called for.   They have made their recent pictures come to life and, because their basic use requires no specific skills or practice, even the youngest of children have been able to achieve results they are delighted with.  For topics in which the main learning goal is the development of drawing skills, these are ideal.  I will definitely be using them for many projects to come.