Winsor + Newton Watercolor markers

I have been reading A LOT about Winsor + Newton's new (Swasky and I were chatting about them on Instagram) watercolor markers. Yes, watercolor markers. I own bleeding-markers, as they all usually do, but these are lightfast, actual watercolors--in a marker. Too cool! I really enjoy Inktense watercolor pencils and I really enjoy markers, so these seemed like a marriage of both things!

While in Michael's I noticed that a few sets were already on clearance--how convenient! So I grabbed a large 6 marker set and a smaller 3 color "Dark" set. 

I quickly tore into the package and tested these guys out. I was quick to notice that they didn't work as I had imagined. I would make a line and then hit it with water electing watercolor-like results. Instead I got a wet line with minimal bleeding. I tried a cool skull sketch and the markers were fun. I could imagine doing an underpainting with these, or adding quick details after a watercolor wash. 

that is supposed to be a peach!

The next day I tried them in my classroom and showed my students how cool they were--but they didn't work! What I mean by work was they didn't bleed, they just sat there. You can see my VERY sad attempt at sketching my peach I was about to have for lunch dessert. The ink/watercolor just sat there and had minimal interaction with the other colors around it. The only thing that bled was my cheap black pen I happened to have with me that day. The results were so bad I sad I wasted a sheet of my sketchbook on the test. I quickly tried another test on some cheap watercolor paper (bottom of image) and that was a little better. So I began to wonder if it was the paper? or me? A quick internet search and I found that Stillman & Birn paper is internally and externally sized. The Zeta series holds up to anything, I was surprised it didn't work with these markers! I sent a note to W+N who was quick to respond with "We do manufacture a Winsor and Newton paper that is suitable for them but there are also other brands that will also work  well.  I have used them on Arches CP and Rough with good effects." Oh great, it only works on their paper!? That sounds like a poor marketing scheme to me! If they don't work on my S+B paper, than the markers are no good to me. S+B sketchbooks are fantastic and I am a loyal customer for life--looks like the markers are going to go back to the store. 

Bummer.