The Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot is the marker I didn’t know I needed.
A few months ago, Kuretake reached out to me to see if I wanted to test out their Ink-Café Ink Mixing Kit, and of course my answer was YES! I had a blast mixing inks on Twitch, ending up with some very on-brand colors to use in markers and brush pens. I need to test them in fountain pens next.
Unbeknownst to me, Kuretake would add a few extra items to my swag bag, including these Color Dot markers. I’m a fan of Kuretake products already, and I thought “Oh cool, some markers to play with. Wait, they do what?”
The Color Dot series isn’t simply a set of double-sided markers with one side featuring a broad tip, and the opposite side a fine tip. Yes, it is that, but the broad tip is round and squishy, allowing for pressure sensitive line variation ranging from 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm line widths.
Also, the squishy round tip makes perfect circles when using the pen like a stamp. This is what I am here for.
While not marketed as a highlighter, these markers are a perfect compliment to any type of journal or planner. Headers, highlights, checkboxes, underlines - all in cool colors - make these markers fun, and functional. That’s my favorite category of stationery.
I have a # and —> habit in my planner that is tough to break. Main topics start with a #, with sub-topics leading with an —>. It’s a functional way of writing for how I process things. If I wanted to add color to my page (I always want to add color, I rarely do,) I could swap those marks with various dot widths. The dots could be used for task lists as well, with a colorful dot marked through with a pen or pencil when completed. I just need to be willing to use multiple pens when I’m focusing on writing. It’s a process.
Box instructions are something I rarely discuss, but Kuretake went out of their way to include all kinds of details on the packaging, and on the pens themselves. There are visuals for pressing the tip on the page to show the range of dot sizes, a caution not to press too hard or the ink might bleed through the page, and even a “Keep Horizontal” note on the pen barrel so you don’t have to question how to store them when not in use. There is even a QR code to scan for additional tips and techniques for the Clean Color Dot series of markers.
Yes, its a lot of information, and yes, the barrels are loaded with text as well, but at least the details are pertinent and proper.
If there was any hammer to drop, it would be the price. $3.45 individually, or as low as $2.05 when bought in sets (This 6-color set is easily the best deal.) That’s expensive on a single pen basis, but fine for a single pen test. If you like them, individually would not be the way to go, unless you wanted to add in some of the Metallic options.
Overall, I’m impressed. I would have never bought these myself, but Kuretake’s sneak attack got me good! I love the dot variability they offer, plus the great marker colors. Consider me Clean Color Dot convert.
(Kuretake provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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