There’s a reason why Molotow Blackliner is the first brand I’m reviewing. First and foremost, they’re the markers I’ve used the longest — pretty much since they became widely available in Finland. Before that, I used whatever fineliner I could get my hands on, without giving it much thought. But back then, I didn’t sketch or draw nearly as much as I do now. I was more focused on graffiti and canvases, with little interest in large-scale sketching.
That all changed when I got my hands on these markers — it was a game changer! From that moment on, Molotow Blackliners became the standard by which I judged all other markers.
So, out of all the markers I’m about to review, I can already confidently declare Molotow Blackliners as The overall Winner. For many reasons. I wish one of those reasons was that Molotow sponsors me — but unfortunately, that’s only in my dreams.
The real reasons? Black is black, not grey. It’s not the absolute darkest, but it gets the job done. It dries fast, covers well over paint markers, and — better yet — can be painted over with paint markers without bleeding through (very important, I’ll explain later). The ink is water-based. The 1.0 tip wears out quickly (as in quicker than the thinner tips) and becomes “brush-like,” making it useless for precise drawing. But even then it’s not totally useless. Not even close! Since the ink lasts a long time, I use these “worn-out” markers for filling large areas. But in all honesty, I really don’t find anything to complain about these markers. And in most cases that itself is enough.
Since Molotow is more than just fineliners, I highly recommend checking them out. Their product range is vast, and most of their tools are compatible with each other. They invest heavily in product development — and it shows. If you’re interested in seeing what’s possible with their products, they have plenty of videos and tutorials on their website as well.
And what I consider as a bonus is that looking from my perspective on the map, these are manufactured kind of locally. In Germany, EU, to be more precise.