Stabilo Metal Wallet – Creative set, Arty Review

Reviewed by Sian Manning

I was really pleased to get picked for this review as my son (9) loves to draw and is incredibly arty. So this is an amazing set of pens and pencils for him to work with.

I really like to buy him the best quality I can afford when it comes to art supplies as I strongly believe you get what you pay for and Stabilo has always been a brand we have bought from for this reason.

The set arrived well packaged and ready to gift, the metal case is wrapped in a polythene bag with 2 hanging loops – how it would hang in a shop – I’d prefer less plastic but that’s me. Once out of the plastic you can see the bold, colourful design in all its glory. Depicted on the front is what you will find in the tin, 36 items, consisting of 8 brush pens in an assortment of colours, 16 water colour pencils and 12 fine liner pens. The image on the left of the case displays one of each item full size for reference. There are also guides to the nib sizes and how the pens will draw. At the bottom on the front of the lid you can see a few example drawings too.

On the reverse of the metal wallet is a brief overview of the items included – pen 68 brush, a flexible brush tip for thick and thin lines. STABILO aquacolor, for beautiful water colour techniques. Point 88 for precise drawing and contouring. This brief write up is in a number of languages too, so don’t worry if you or the intended recipient doesn’t speak English.

There is a safety warning – not suitable for under 3’s due to small parts. Also on the back is an illustration of the three product types and their lines they can draw and the other bits and pieces you would expect to see on a product for sale, barcode, trademark info, logos etc.

Opening the lid, you see the beautifully lined up pens and pencils, a rare triple stationary rainbow if you will. The inside of the metal case is a shiny but mat silver colour, the pens are beautifully nestled in a black plastic cradle to hold them in place and to stop them jumbling up in transit.

Each pen has a colour corresponding lid and pen end, they have their colour information and pen type printed on them. The brush pens are white with black stripes going down them and the fine liners are orange with white lines down them. The lid fits nicely on the end when you are using it so that it hopefully doesn’t end up on the floor or lost. The pencils are painted in matching colour to their ‘lead’ so you know quickly and easily the colour that you are picking up.

Next up – trying the stationary, the brush pens first, the pens are thin to hold, I prefer something chunkier but for my son they are perfect. The nibs are as you would expect longer and if you write at different angles, you get different thickness in your lines and drawings. The colours are bold and strong, and the ink holds well on a number of different paper and card stock. Word of warning – don’t try the black on the back of your hand for the first time, it stains, and I now have “hi” on the back of my hand and a few wavy lines for good measure!

Fine liners, these pens are a lovely smooth draw, they give a nice thin, but bold line and are great for finer details and outlining. The colours match the brush pens with a couple of extras too and are nice and bold and strong.
The pencils are lovely to colour with, they are smooth and deep, the colours are true to what is shown and give good coverage. They blend well and hold their colour on paper and card alike. When water is added they turn into water colour paints that are bright and vibrant and easier to control than regular paints and a brush. They also sharpen well and aren’t super soft, so they don’t blunt too quickly.

All in all, a lovely set for a budding artist young or old, to start a set or add to one. The pens and pencils are lovely quality and will last and keep you going in lots of drawing and creativity. Such a beautiful gift for anyone in your life that enjoys an arty pursuit, pop one in your basket for a Christmas gift that is sure to be well received. They are on the pricier side, but quality does cost more, and the results really do speak for themselves.

Rating: 4.5/5

RRP: £45.94

You can purchase this item here.