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Day 208 (thurs july 27) alcohol markers

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So… I’m on the search for alcohol markers, remember? Thinking… “oh, Copic is way too expensive, so let’s see what’s out there.” CRAP. That’s what’s out there. I tried “Dual Tip Artist’s Markers.” I didn’t expect a lot from these markers, heck they didn’t even give them a real name, but I’d read pretty decent reviews about them. I paid $28 for this $40 set… DON’T DO IT. $28… seemed like a deal. That’s equal to about 3 Copic markers. Unless I could be patient enough to purchase them one at a time when Michaels has 50% off coupons, right? Then it’s 6 or 7. SIX OR SEVEN. 24 seemed like a better deal, but it isn’t.
(Regarding the 6 or 7 Copics I COULD have purchased… One of my problems is I can’t figure out which of the 358 colors I really need most. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT. Seriously?? How can there be 358 colors? Decisions are not my forte. I have like, what… six different paint palettes?? Probably 8 different watercolor sets. I’m reading three different books. I can’t even handle a restaurant that serves both seafood AND burgers, it’s too many choices. So 358 colors is out of my realm of decision making. I want a pre-decided set.)

They do look rather fetching. Don’t be taken in, though. Having first used better ones, maybe I’ve spoiled myself for anything less?

This set has 24 colors but there is no rhyme or reason to them.  They don’t make a cohesive set at all. The brush tip feels pretty nice… some of the bullet tips feel better than others, but all are too broad. The color selection is pathetic even by my standards, and two are already dried up (I did watch a video last night, though, that told me how to correct that!) And… the colors don’t inspire me at all. Even the blender marker seems useless, but I am unfamiliar with blender markers. It doesn’t seem to blend… as much as just remove the top layer.

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I wouldn’t even recommend these for coloring. They don’t layer well, don’t have a narrow enough tip on either end for small areas, and don’t have nice colors. They DO feel nice in your hand, and they have a nice box. If you can’t afford better… get Crayola. I know for a fact they are better markers, though they aren’t alcohol markers. Or be patient and buy one Copic at a time. If you CAN afford better, but not copic-better, try the spectrum noir illustrator sets Michaels sells. With the 50% off coupon they are a decent deal. (I think maybe I paid $12 for a set of five or six? a while back?) They aren’t perfect, but the ink and the tips are both nice.

My lesson? No more cheap brands. (Until the next time, anyway. Do as I say and not as I do.) By the way, if you did the math, for the price of this complete crap set, I could have gotten two more Illustrator sets from Michaels, with coupons.

I wouldn’t have known how much I prefer them, though, so maybe it’s worth it.

Day 207 (wed 7/26) supply bonanza. And paints!

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Woo-hoo!! Stuff. Lots of little stuff. No art created today, but lots of time spent watching painty how-to videos, and organizing my palette (adding my new Qor high chromos set in)  I get a monthly subscription box from ArtSnacks, and they had some of the past month’s boxes half price, and free shipping. I ordered three, giving me a paint brush and some watercolor pencils I was interested in trying, and a full sized Qor paint tube, all less than retail price, plus all the other items basically free.

No time to do more than organize my palette, though (and swatch the paints out)… I’m inordinately slow at that. I removed the piece that holds the paint pans and put magnets on the bottom of the pans, fitting 39 pans instead of 24. All the Daniel Smiths and all the Qor paints (which I’m really looking forward to trying out!) I’m not sure I really like the palette box without its insert. But I do like having all the paints in it and also like being able to remove a few to use on a project. I have my eye on a big ceramic palette pan that stays out on the table. (How many palettes do I need to try??)

Some nice tools here I’m interested in using!

Day 206 (Tues July 25) marker review: Art Alternatives “# coloring” (spoiler: No.)

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I want a set of alcohol markers, but they are so expensive that I thought I’d try a few different inexpensive types before I invest a lot of money. (or… instead of investing a lot of money?) I already have a few copics which I love but are way too expensive for the amount I’ll be using them, I think. Two days ago I posted a picture using the Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers… those are pretty nice. I don’t like the shape of the pen itself but everything else I liked. (It has hard edges) Plus you can get six pack sets at 40% to 50% off at Michaels with a coupon.

Yesterday I got a little set of “#coloring” markers by “art alternatives” from ebay…  the 5 piece set was $7. I almost ordered another set as well, and now am glad I didn’t. The listing said New… either these are used, or they are crap. Or… both. Frankly if the nibs disintegrate like this while there’s still ink in them, new or used I can’t recommend them.

 

I liked a lot about them, but the brush tip texture is a deal breaker. The ink is nice, and the markers are a great size and shape for holding. They are dual tipped with a bullet end and a brush end (I really prefer a brush tip on my markers, as opposed to a chisel tip) They are round, and slim for an alcohol marker, but even round they won’t roll off a surface because of a little raised bit extending from the lids. They feel nice to hold.

I had planned to try a picture using only the markers, but I ended up adding some tombow water based marker again, and watercolor pencil as well. (just because of a lack of colors) The black is a copic marker.

Because I like the ink anyway, and the colors, I think I will use them, but I definitely won’t add to the set. The brush end just separates almost immediately to a thick broad smooshy mess, leaving it impossible to do any crisp lettering, so you can have a thick line or thin but nothing in between.

 

Day 205 (Mon July 24) Look at me, painting a real picture!

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I’m proud of this one, even if Angela Fehr had to show me the techniques. She was exploring Qor watercolors (pronounce it “core”, made by Golden) and demonstrating some of their more interesting properties. When the Qor paints touch water on the paper, the unique binder they use causes the paint to quickly feather out into the water, little tendrils of color spreading out like tiny rivers on a map. It’s very cool to experience, and even Daniel Smiths don’t react exactly that way. I received a free set of three small Qor tubes recently and had one of the colors she was using. I found adding a Qor paint to a Daniel Smith, I still get that reaction. So of course I ordered the Qor High Chroma set of paints she was demonstrating. (try the link!!) I mean, really… I kind of had to once I saw how interesting their response was.

 

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You may be able to see some of the texture added on the foliage area by using plastic wrap on the first layer as it dried!

Very happy with this one.

Day 204 (Sun July 23) Mixing markers. And stuff. And what I thought.

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Playing around with alcohol markers, watercolor markers (Jane Davenport Mermaid Markers), a Japanese brush pen, and a few Caran d’Ache museum aquarelle watercolor pencils. (I’ve decided these pencils should be in every artist’s toolbox!!!) I really enjoyed mixing all these different tools.

The mermaid markers act like a water brush, but filled with dye-based, water-reactive color. They are very different from a marker, bright and vivid, but require a little practice in handling. Still not sure how I feel about them. Prices are all over the place… I linked the best price I could scrounge on Amazon. Look around before you settle on a price. Once they are empty, I can use them as a water brush or refill with ink, I think.

I have only three Copic markers, and used one, and several less expensive “Illustrator by Spectrum Noir” markers. The crisp edges of the spectrum noir markers themselves, which keep them conveniently from rolling off the table and make them stack nicely, bothered my fingers after a few minutes of coloring, but I liked the way the ink and tip felt. The colors got a bit muddied but they all blended well even without a blending marker and I like the result. I think for my playing around purposes, inexpensive markers may be as good as copics, which I’ve been holding out for, so I think I’ll invest a few dollars in a cheap set. (I found a no-name set of 24 which cost nearly the same as the 3 Copics cost me) The ink of the spectrum noir did feather a bit after laying it down, but it didn’t bother me. In fact, I kind of like it. I think it is a result of more alcohol and less pigment in the cheaper markers. I’d pay extra, maybe, for excellent lightfast ratings, but from what I’ve read, markers are really very lightfast anyway, so that takes that worry off the table.

I added a few details with the museum aquarelles and really liked the way the pencils layered over the inks. You can barely see a little star shape here and there in the sky, but each time I go to make it brighter, I stop myself. They look better in person.

I can’t read the name of the japanese brush pen (It’s written in japanese!) and can’t even remember where I got it 😦 but it is a recent addition, and I really like it.

Day 203 (Sat July 22) Colored Pencil Holder!!!

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The art I created was mail art… several packages and envelopes I artsied up and mailed out, and a thank you card I painted/penciled for my neighbor… nothing special, but nice and bright and full of gratitude… but I forgot to take a picture!

My neighbor, Kimberly, made this pencil stand for me:

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MADE it. First there was nothing. Then there was this. Made it from scratch. With tools.

She’s all about details. I just asked if she could do a little thing to hold my new Caran d’Ache watercolor pencils but this is a piece of art itself! She even “redrilled with a countersink bit” (which I didn’t understand, but I do now that I see the finished product) to add a little flourish… and added some trim pieces… the one on the bottom acts as a holder for my pen, pencil, and sharpener.  Then she painted AND distressed it for me!!!

How lucky am I?? It holds close to 90 pencils, which gives me room for all of my Caran d’Ache watercolor pencils as well as my full set of Raffine Marco colored pencils (these are inexpensive and I’d really like to upgrade to Caran d’Ache’s Luminance pencils which are incredible AND lightfast… But the Raffines work nicely for such a cheap set and I don’t use them often enough yet to justify the expense. I’m sure I can talk myself into it soon, though). The stand also holds my pen, mechanical pencil, Derwent watercolor sketching pencils (3), and a couple of regular Derwent drawing pencils. I also have a set of General’s pastel chalk pencils and a set of Derwent Inktense ink pencils which I’ve moved into my tins.

No excuse not to use my pencils now!

Day 202 (Fri July 21) rainbowy watercolor newfoundland

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An artist in Virginia Beach does something similar, although his is a more interesting pattern. Looks like this newfie has been in the Color Run!

I think I may try some more newfie patterns.

 

Day 200 (Wed July 19) caran d’ache pencils!!

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Can it already be day 200??? (Have I counted correctly? Several times I’ve found and corrected mistakes in my count. We’ll know around December 31st, I guess!)

Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle pencils. These JUST arrived today and I am loving them already. Here’s what the packaging says …”not a watercolor pencil, it is a water-soluble in pencil form….100% water soluble, immediately and totally. Optimal transparency with no veiled effect. range of 76 brilliant and vibrant colors. Exceptional colour lightfastness applied wet or dry…high pigment density.”

How did I not know about these????

They are so smooth and creamy. Amazing. And absolutely brilliant when water is applied. I received 2 pencils in my “artsnacks” package last month, tried them and fell in love. I agonized over which set to order (they aren’t cheap) and settled on Landscape (thrilled with the set so far) I imagine Marine is in my future… one day… maybe… 🙂 I don’t even know what to say about these. I hope I can find exciting ways to use them.

Using watercolor paper, here’s my sketch… it could look less grainy with flat paper…

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After applying just a layer of water over the whole thing:

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Not thrilled that I’d lost a bit of lighter colored area I had left on the top of the apple, I tried pulling some color up by erasing… perfect! It removed just the right amount. I’ve read that I can also rewet it and lift color just like watercolor paint.

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How cool is that???

You could even create a little travel paint set for a quick day out by scribbling colors on a flat page (they write on a plastic folder I have sitting here, so strips of an inexpensive plastic report cover set inside a small tin or even an envelope) then using a few drops of water to activate them and use like regular watercolor.

This is too fun.