Hellovanillakriz

I’ve been going through an art rut lately, and I feel like I can’t draw a thing. Sometimes (and only when budget allows it) I use retail therapy to cure this art rut.

Here are my recent purchases:

1. Cretacolor Aqua Monolith pencils - These were suggested by my art teacher for sketching out pieces for oil paintings. It’s a little hard to use since it’s woodless, but the results are great.

2. Watercolor papers, 140 lb. (Fluid, Canson, W&N) - Fluid’s watercolor papers have become my favorite because of their great quality and price so I make sure I stock up on it. This Canson XL is great because I get 30 sheets of giant paper that I can trim down to whatever size I need. I found this Cotman watercolor postcard paper and thought I’m going to dive into the postcard making business.

3. Kohl-i-noor electric eraser - This is another teacher suggestion and it works out great. There really are no pencil markings left after using this. However, the little eraser re-fills and batteries run out really quick if used constantly, so stock up on refills and rechargeable ones.

4. Maped sharpener - Sharpeners are a great necessity since I like drawing fine details. For a lot of wear and tear, this one is holding up pretty good.

5. Art book! :D - Rarely do I come across an art book at the clearance section, so I make sure I get it. This book has tons of great information about my preferred technique, and it taught me a lot of new things.

With these new materials, I’m heading back to the drawing board feeling more artsy and inspired. More works coming soon! :)

Windsor and Newton Cotman Watercolors Review

Finally! I finished trying out my new watercolors and it’s time to share a review. Before I switched, I was using Reeves watercolors that I bought for only 10 dollars. I know they were cheap, but they lasted a long time (I’ve been using them for over 2 years now and it’s still half full.) But anyway, I learned that cheap watercolors have A LOT of preservatives and less pigment on them so I switched.

As I dipped my brush on to the pigment, I noticed that the more water you add, the more it dissolves the pan colors. Be careful not to add to much water unless you want to, that way the water won’t dissolve your colors. Also, you should be careful of not adding water because the already moist pan colors will easily stick and clump on your paintbrush. When the colors are applied on to paper, you’ll notice that they’re really transparent and the colors mix well. Another thing I noticed is that white is pretty useful. Unlike my Reeves watercolors, the W&N white really turns the colors lighter and it could even turn neon-ish.

Even though it’s only a sketch, I must say that the end result looks amazing. The colors are brighter and they stay that way even after they dry. If you have the budget and are serious about watercolors, I suggest trying this set out. You won’t be disappointed. :)

materials

A few new additions to my art supplies.

I found my Windsor and Newton half-pan watercolor set in Hobby Lobby a while ago. I still haven’t been able to use it, but by the looks of the package, I guess it’s high quality. (Reviews and comments will be posted later)

When I went to JoAnn fabric store with my mom and grandma, I came across these Loew-Cornell soft comfort brushes. They look wonderful and you can hold them like pencils comfortably for hours. I have not used these for painting yet, but I’m sure they will be superb.

materials

My Tools of the Trade

1. Sketchbook - I never leave home without this. I use my sketchbook every day to jot down some ideas. It’s a great way to keep track of some drawings that need more work and to see how far I have developed artistically.

2. Paintbrushes (Round W&N Cotman 0, Robert Simmons 4, and long handle Blick 6) - Contrary to what everybody says, you do not need a lot of paintbrushes in order to make art. The most brushes you will use regularly will be around 2-5, so make sure you invest and take care of them. I use the small Cotman brush for fine details while I use the Robert Simmons 4 for regular watercolor work. The two larger brushes are used only for acrylics or bigger pieces.

3. Watercolors (Reeves watercolor set, W&N Cotman Half Pan set) - I have been using the same Reeves watercolor set for almost two years, so I can say that they last long. The pigments are really nice, but they do not dry as nice as high-quality watercolors do. I recently bought my W&N Cotman set recently and I have not been able to test them out yet. I will post a review about it soon.

4. Watercolor Paper (Fluid watercolor paper 140 lb.) - I found this watercolor block when I was shopping at Blick. It’s pretty good compared to Canson since it’s think and it holds a lot of water (but still not as much as a 300 lb. paper). Just be careful not to go all crazy on water and the paper won’t warp.

5. Graphite pencil (General’s) - This was the only available woodless graphite pencil I could find, but it works great. However, it is slightly difficult to use on rough paper.

6. Pencil (Staedtler) - I use different kinds of pencils depending on the project. If I want to just do light sketches on my sketchbook, I use harder leads like 4H and HB. When I want to work on actual pieces, I use softer leads like 4B and 6B with a sharp point so that I won’t need to use micron pens. Regular Ticonderoga pencils also work well as a substitute for regular pencils. Just remember that you need to apply different kinds of pressure so that it feels like you are using different pencils.

7. Eraser (Kneaded eraser, any brand) - I have tried various erasers, but the best I have used is the kneaded eraser. It allows me to erase the smallest details and relieve stress when I have to knead it.

8. Sharpener (Good brand) - I usually have great difficulty finding the right sharpener because 1) I need it to be small 2) cheap and 3) long-lasting. I don’t want to buy fancy sharpeners because I have tried them before and they still broke so easily. I bought my sharpener at Hobby Lobby for a dollar and it’s been with me for more than 6 months.

9. Paper towel (at least 2 ply.) - No one will know how many times paper towels saved my life. They’re great surfaces to test colors on and avoid accidentally adding too much water on paper. Another great thing about it is that I don’t need to worry about using a lot of it since they last for a long time before I have to throw them out. I usually get 2 large sheets and fold them in half twice.

10. Tap water - Every few weeks or so I just refill my clean V8 container with tap water from our sink.

11. Swedish Fish - This is one of my favorite snacks when I’m working on a piece. When I feel uninspired, I just eat a piece and I’m ready to go. Swedish Fish serves as my brain coffee and it keeps me working without getting hungry. :)

And that’s what I use to make art. I’ll post more information about new materials that I test out later.

materials

So this is my massive arsenal of art materials!

Not.

For making watercolor pieces, I only use water(preferably in a V8 bottle cap), my Blick paintbrush, and my Reeves watercolor pan.

So for anyone interested in making art, you don’t have to have the most and the greatest materials. The only thing that matters is that you have the passion to create art. ^_^