Showing posts with label art materials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art materials. Show all posts

7/24/2026

Oshhni Ceramic Stackable Paint Palette with cover (10H x 8.5W cm)

This is a very good quality ceramic palette, slightly wider than others I own. It's a great tool to have when I'm painting small pieces and I'm using small quantities of a specific paint or ink, and  to separate colours that I don't want to mix. Ceramic palettes like this keep the paint fresh for longer, something that is enhanced if you cover any leftover paint with the lid or using another tray.  It can be easily washed and stored. 
 
MIND = Hand-wash only.  

TALENS Amsterdam Acrylic Paint (Greenish Blue) (500 ml)

This greenish blue acrylic paint a mix of Phthalo blue and Phthalo green pigments and resembles a Phthalo deep turquoise colour. Isn't a Phthalo blue with green shade, as the colour is different. This Amsterdam paint has medium body viscosity and a high degree of lightfastness.  I mix it with ivory black or Payne's Grey to get darker values or with different kinds of greens to get a multilayered blue. As this colour has a high degree of  transparency, I tend to mix it with a similar but opaque paints when I want this colour to be less transparent. I can also dilute it to make washes. 
 
This format of Amsterdam acrylics are great value for money and, for whatever reason, this colour is always cheaper than others in the same line and size range. That's great for me as I use this colour in my artwork often. The only thing I dislike about these large bottles is that the pout is too big, something that doesn't makes easier transferring the paint from this bottle to a small bottle or when you want to dosage the paint with precision. For the rest a great colour and paint at an affordable price. 

7/16/2026

ESRICH 16-pack Canvas Board (5x5in)

These mini cotton canvas board  aren't only affordable but also decent quality (I'd say student quality, but they're also acid free). I use them with acrylics and/or mixed media, sometimes using a lot of wet products, and they stand abrasion and wet on wet work quite well. I've noticed, though, that the edges can deteriorate if you work hard on them, so I recommend giving them a coat of gesso to improve the edge resistance. They come packaged in groups of four, which is a perfect number to work on a mini-series. They are pleasurable to work on and  the final result  looks very lovely. They can be used with oils, gouache tempera, watercolour and acrylics.   

Fclub Vintage Rose Watercolour Tin Palette (20 Full Pans & Adhesive Magnets)

This is such a great watercolour palette. It is not only beautiful but also very light and comes with the empty full pans and adhesive magnets so the pans don't move once set in place. I store here some Gansai Tambi watercolour and solid pigment pans. I can comfortably fit 8 large full pans with a bit of room left either to put a short pencil or piece of charcoal or an eraser. It's a great case for travelling due to its capacity and the lightness of the tin material. 

Derivan Matisse Acrylic High Tooth Gesso MM36 (250 ml)

This is a very affordable good quality thick gesso with a lot of grit (or tooth) in hit; i.e. has a thick sandy texture. Initially created to use on encaustic work, I use it for my mixed media and acrylic artworks  as I tend to use watery products, inks or semi-fluid acrylics and love sanding or scratching surfaces. I tend to give the substrate two coats  using a silicone brush. Once dry, I can scratch, sand or carelessly work on my piece.  

4/05/2026

Kmart Easel Studio (161cm)

Good quality easels are really expensive, so I was thrilled to find this one at an affordable price at Kmart. It came in a flatpack, and I found it a bit challenging to put it together, but it ended like in the photo.  It's made of good quality sturdy wood and it is easily adjustable. A bargain for the price as similar easels would cost you double in, say, Officeworks and especially in an arts shop.
 
USEFUL INFO 
Measurements: 161cm (H) x 83cm (W) x  65cm (D).
Materials: Beechwood and meta

Montana Cans Montana GOLD 10 Tryout Capset Spray Paint Cap

These Montana Gold nozzles are supposed to work with Montana Gold spray cans, but they also work with Montana Black cans and Liquitex spray paint cans (I've tried this myself). The package comes with a printed illustration of what each nozzle does, so that you get familiarised with each one. Also, the colour coding of the caps and mouth point makes them easy to recognise. The pack is really cheap, especially taking into account that the nozzles work with different brands of spray paint. 

4/04/2026

Liquitex Professional Acrylic Spray Paint (400 ml) (Carbon Black, 0337)

This spray paint was designed with the professional painter in the head, so it has all the things that an artist looks for in an acrylic paint: great vibrant colour, good coverage, lightfastness, and a good description of the paint properties on the cover. The result is a perfect spray paint can with a good spray system that has no smell at all. I recently discovered that the Montana variety nozzles I own can be used also with Liquitex, so that's awesome because, in this way, I can change the nozzle when I want the spray to behave differently, or cover a wider/narrower or larger/smaller area.

Montana Can Black Spray Paint (Tiffany) (400 ml)

I purchased this Montana Black can variety  due to the difference in Price with Montana Gold and especially with Liquitex. After using it, I can explain the difference in price. The colour spreads well and evenly, however this can has an unpleasant strong chemical odour even when wearing a professional spray mask. Like the smell of a spray varnish or fixative. Liquitex has not that problem and doesn't smell of anything. I guess Montana Black  was designed to be used outdoors (graffiti or mural painting for example) and the smell will definitely be less noticeable in an aired space.

The nozzle is interchangeable, so if you have the nozzle variety pack (sold separately), you can easily change the nozzle to control how the spray behaves. 
 
The blue colour in this can is slightly different from the photo, less teal-ish and more blue-ish, but it is still  beautiful. 
 
I was a bit hesitant to buy this can as I bought a bottle in the past and the spray system didn't work at all, so the bottle cannot be used or emptied out. I found the same complaint from other customers online. However, I'm happy to say that this can works beautifully.  

9/21/2025

Posca Acrylic Marker 8pc Set (Basic Colours) (5M, Medium Nib)

Posca markers are one of my favourite art supplies, due to their quality, versatility and easy of use. My preferred tip is this 5M medium one, which is also reversible. So, if the tip gets stained or tinted, I take it out, reverse it and I have a new brand one. The stained part will self repair when inside. In this way, the tips last for ages. Lines are clean and precise. 
 
The set has a mix of basic colours. They aren't primary colours per se, but basic bright gorgeous colours, plus black and white.  These markers have a good lightfast rating,  which varies from colour to colour, and they're waterproof once dried. If they aren't fully dry, they smudge, which sometimes you want to do to fill in small areas or produce artistic effects. 

The main downside of Posca is that they're not refillable, or not easily so. Therefore, they generate a lot of plastic waste and aren't environmentally friendly,  which is a shame.
 
For the rest, great value for money.  
 

8/26/2025

Liquitex Professional Freestyle Paddle Brush (1-inch)

This range of Liquitex brushes is level up anything I own. 

This 1-inch paddle brush is perfect for art journaling, sketching and working on small surfaces. I use it mostly on thick watercolour paper and it is perfect for blending, making chunky marks and for spreading paint on large areas. The bristles are slightly stiff but still soft on the paper. Easy and intuitive use, it becomes the extension of my small hands.

Very good quality handle and bristles. They don't deteriorate easily despite me keeping it inside a water bucket for longer than advisable.   

I wish they made this as a long-handle flat brush using the same quality handle and bristles.   

8/19/2025

Posca Acrylic Marker15pc Set (Assorted colours, 3M, Fine Nib)

Posca acrylic markers are one of my favourite artwork staples, and I like having different nib sizes to use for different art purposes. 
 
This size is perfect for fine detail and line work. These nibs are reversible, which comes handy when they become dirty or a bit "scruffy", because I can simply  reverse them and experience the marker as if I had a new one at hand. 
 
Posca markers contain acrylic paint, they create beautiful clean lines and last quite a while. The quality of the acrylic paint is fantastic. Permanent colours once dried and they dry quit quickly. 

To get the paint out for the first time, pump down the nib till is totally impregnate with paint. Shake markers before each use if they haven't been used for a while. . 
 
The selection of colours in this pack is great; although there is a predominance of warm colours, there is also some cold colours plus black, white and grey. Perfect for my needs and a prefect package for gifting, as well. Posca markers are quite expensive, so this pack is great value for money.
 
The main downside of these markers is that they aren't refillable or reusable, so there is a lot of plastic waste. Also, Yet, they are not refillable. 

8/02/2025

Posca Acrylic Marker 7pc Set (Pastels, 5M Medium Nib)

This is a beautiful set of Posca acrylic markers in pastel colours presented in a gift-ready box.  Size 5m is one of my preferred sizes as it's perfect for art journaling and sketching. This set of pastel colours is gorgeous and they are genuine Posca. They're heavily discounted due to all the packaging being written in Japanese.

Posca markers are one of my favourite art supplies, due to their quality, versatility and easy of use. The tips are reversible, so if one of the tips gets stained or tinted, it can be taken out and reversed, and then the marker works as if it was new. 

The main downside of Posca is that they're not refillable, so they generate a lot of good-quality plastic waste, which is a shame.

7/13/2025

Paul Rubens (Haiya) 48-pc Macaron Oil Pastel Set

This Haiya set complements the basic colours set as the former contains many colours that the other set lacks: the pinks, the light oranges, the light blues. I miss, though, having some warm whites, different tones of beige and greys. The greens in the set aren't specially pastel or macaroon and they are very similar to the ones the basic set has. This Haiya set has many of the qualities I love in the Sennelier oil pastels minus the price tag -- these Haiya soft oil pastels are buttery, creamy and the colours are gorgeous. They blend beautifully with my fingers, a blender stub or a tissue, and the colours are true to the sticks wrapping.
 
Unlike the basic colours set  these sticks have a flat tip, not a bullet tip. This doesn't bother me as even the bullet pastels become flat with use anyway. Besides, I love using the edges for fine line work.  The wrapping of each pastel stick is very pretty but it's mostly written in Mandarin. Also, unlike the basic set, they don't show the pigments or the level of opacity on them, Besides, some of the writing is tiny, and not  even a magnifying glass allowed me to see what is written there.
 
Ain't sure whether these pastels aren't lightfast or not as there is no visible indicators on the wrapping. I've browsed the web and there seems to be an agreement among artists that these pastels have a good level of lightfastness.
 
I find this box packaging is an upgrade with regards to the one the vibrant colours set has, as it the former is sturdier, has glossy finish, more elegant and, therefore, more appropriate for gifting. . 
 
The leaflet full-colour photos with the instructions is very good. No swatch chart included in this set, though. 

Overall, a great set, good quality soft oils, good price and well packaged, and a perfect companion to the vibrant colour set box. 

5/06/2025

Jacquard Lumiere Metallic Silver ( 2.25 Oz 5)

This is another beauty from the Jacquard Lumière collection. The silver colour and brilliance are there because the paint has both metallic and pearlescent pigments. This paint is  medium to light body (viscosity) and is not fully opaque, so I need two or three coats if I want to cover something completely. Sometimes, I use a primer coat of matte grey and then apply this metallic silver. The end result is a natural-looking beautiful silver. The brand sells this paint as lightfast and waterproof and those are big hits with me. I prefer heavy body to light body (fluid) acrylics, especially for metallic colours but this one is just beautiful. 

TouchCool 3pc Acrylic Marker Set (White, Fine tip, 0.8mm)

I paid little for these three acrylic gel markers. I was not hopping much from them because they're from a brand that I don't know and there were no reviews when I purchased them. Glad that I had no expectations because these markers are just OK. 
 
The first issue is that it takes a while for the ink to come out. When it does, it's really fine and clean. However, the ink doesn't always flow effortlessly, especially when working on mixed media, so that's the biggest let-down. 
 
The second issue is that these markers are sold as waterproof and they aren't. Just today, I painted some lines on dry acrylic paint. Then, I came with a damp tissue and the marker lines went off easily. I'd say they're OK for school and crafts purposes, but you would need a sealer of you want them to be waterproof. .  
 
The writing on the exterior gets off easily  as well, but this doesn't bother me.

Paul Rubens 6-pack White Soft Oil Pastels

This is a selection of white soft oil pastels sticks (with cylindrical tip, not bullet tip)  to complement any Paul Rubens (Haiya) set. White is the colour that I use the most (in backgrounds, to mix colours, as highlights), so having an extra supply of them at an affordable price is essential. These sticks are creamy good-quality soft oil pastels that remind me of Sennelier's, but at a fraction of the price. They spread, mix and blend well. They're opaque and cover any surface without gaps or see through spaces, easily. They can be blended with tissue paper, my fingers, or a stump. I use them for layering, sgraffito, mixing, lighting and toning different colours. They are covered in fine paper that can be easily removed when needed. They work well as accents on the final layers of mixed-media projects. 

Mont Marte Fluoro Oil Pastels 12-Pieces Set

I cannot stress enough how beautiful these oil pastels colours are in real life. I haven't been able to find anything similar in good quality brands, so I decided to buy this set just because it was cheap and Mont Marte is a good brand for student art supplies. 
 
The colours didn't disappoint; actually, they blew me away. Perhaps the red isn't the best fluoro red out there, but is still beautiful. These aren't soft pastels, but they are still creamy. They blend OK with quality soft pastels and well with themselves. Having used low, medium and high end oil pastels, these cannot compare in the amount of pigment they have or the level of coverage. Yet, they are still decent and a pleasure to use as highlights over soft oil pastels, or on their own on the top layers of mixed-media projects. Most fluoro pigments aren't lightfast or aren't super lightfast, so I don't expect this to be in the list of light-resistant list. Yet, this doesn't matter if you just want to use them on art journaling, sketchbooks or in small projects that won't have the artwork displayed on any wall. 

4/18/2025

Paul Rubens (Haiya) 8-pc Oil Pastels (Black)

This is a selection of black soft-oil pastel sticks to complement any Haiya set. This is one of the colours that I use the most; so, having an extra supply of them at an affordable price is paramount. Otherwise, I would have to replace them with other brands' sticks, which might or might not have the same properties or qualities. 
 
These oil pastels are buttery soft, like a lipstick, and very good quality. They spread, mix and blend well, but aren't as loaded with pigment as professional brands like Sennelier. Yet, one can't expect this to be the case due to the price tag. They can be blended with tissue paper, stumps, or my fingers, and can be used for layering and sgraffito. They're also great for finished touches in mixed media projects. I use fixatives on anything I put them on to prevent smudging and favour durability. 
 
The wrapping is around each stick should be re-designed. It looks good, but the information on them is barely visible or readable, like the opacity and pigments used on them.  I have learnt from artists' tests on YouTube that most of the Paul Rubens soft oil have great lighfastness, but I cannot see this reflected on the packaging leaflet or on the sticks wrapping paper info.
 
They come in a beautiful box, which makes them great for gifting.

Paul Rubens (Haiya) 60-pack Soft Oil Pastels Set

Paul Rubens (HAIYA) Oil Pastels have been a discovery for me an have reignited my passion for this medium. I cannot afford Sennelier oil pastels, which are my favourite in the whole world, but also uber-expensive.  However, this Haiya set has many of the qualities I love in Sennelier minus the price tag. These pastels are really creamy and the colours are vibrant and beautiful. There is a large selection of browns, greens, blues, aquas, purples, reds, oranges and yellows, with a black and white added. On the contrary, there is a lack of pastel colours (another Haiya's set has those), grey and beige tones, and warm whites. They can be blended with tissue paper or my fingers, and used for layering, sgraffito and layering purposes. 

The opacity of the colours is shown on the stick wrapping. However, it is in diminutive size and I had to use a magnifying lens to see it properly. Some of the sticks and colours are opaque, others translucent, and others semi. The pigments used for each stick are also displayed on the wrapping. As my set most of it written in Chinese ain't sure if the lighfastness is mentioned in Mandarin. There is no indication of it on the accompanying leaflet. However, I've browsed the web and there seems to be an agreement among artists that these pastels have a good level of lightfastness. 
 
THE TEST
I tried them in two rough sketches I did on two pre-gessoed craft tags (not on pastel-purpose paper) just to check their pigmentation and blendability. These pastels are a pleasure to work with. The creaminess is not only yummy and satisfying, but it also favours colour  spread and mixing. I used simple average tissue serviettes as blenders and they did the job really well. The colours are gorgeous, but they lack a bit of more pigment in them, something that's understandable due to the price tag.  The pointy tips really help drawing an outlining. The colours mix well with each other. I used them to make a clean image and a impressionist textured one and worked well in both cases. I will try them on pastel paper and will edit this review in the future if necessary.
 
I used a permanent fixative when I finished the sketches and, before that, a workable fixative to allow me to keep working on them without the fear of smudging what I had already done.
 
Overall, a wonderful set of good quality pastel oils that are good replacement to Sennelier if you cannot afford the latter.