Kaslaider Silicone Bear Stand-up Pencil Case (Large)
Showing posts with label art supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art supplies. Show all posts
5/12/2025
5/06/2025
Yubbaex 6pc Basic Washi Tape Set (Black & White Plaid Grid)
Jacquard Lumiere Metallic Silver ( 2.25 Oz 5)
Derwent Inkense Blocks (Tin of 36)
I love the tin box quality and design, which is great to keep the blocks safe and neatly stored. If I remove the inner holders, I can use it for other purposes. I love the "crevasses" on the sides, which are perfect for broken or half pieces.
Having
used the Derwent XL blocks and XL coloured graphite blocks I can
honestly say that I prefer the two first to the Inktense Blocks.
However, I love the quality of the bright lines and accents I can get with these blocks especially when I don't mix them with other products,
as they're vibrant and make any piece standout. They're very bold as watercolours.
Are the Derwent Inktense blocks/pencils
lightfast? According to the company, "87% of the range is lightfast, however, once water is added, lightfastness ratings will be different
depending on how much each colour is diluted." They also state that
these blocks are made using different binders and wax blends, which
affects the lightfastness of each colour. As mentioned in other cases
for similar products, you need to use a medium to seal the colour if you intend to work with liquid media after using these blocks. The same can be said if you use them on you painting top layer. Furthermore, once the piece is
finished, you can protect it by using an UV protection varnish and, of
course, by keeping the artwork out of direct sunlight.
If I had to buy them now, knowing as I know, I would buy the Inktense pencils, which will have the same quality pigment but are better for me. So, in short I like these ones but I don't love them.
MIND
The blocks are quite thin and break easily while exerting a bit of pressure. Handle with care.
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
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.
4/19/2025
Moleskine Art Watercolour Pocket Notebook (black)
The cover is really good quality. The binding is fabulous and I can open the notebook fully flat. Besides, the stitching has no holes, so the paint doesn't bleed through them, like cheaper notebooks I own do.
The 200 gsm (135lb) watercolour paper is smooth and a pleasure to work on. I use mixed media, with plenty of wet media, and these pages stand everything. I prep them with a coat of clear gesso to make them more resistant, but I own other journals where the gesso is not enough for the same use. So far, none of my paints, inks or watercolours has bled.
I love the elastic band as the notebook tends to stay self-open after having the pages full open for a while, so, it helps correcting that. Also, it's necessary as most notebooks increase volume when fully painted. I'm not a fan of inner pockets placed looking towards the binding, like in this Moleskin, but it comes handy nevertheless. I miss the notebook having a bookmarking ribbon, something that I always like and use.
My notebook came with a quality control ticket in the pocket, something that I really appreciate.
Any watercolour Moleskine is expensive, but I was lucky enough to grab this one heavily discounted. I often look up for catches like this on Amazon, so I was ready to 'shoot' when the sale popped up.
Meeden Portable Paint Brush Washer (Large, 11D x 11W x 12.6H cms)
I have a similar small washer, which I love, and I was looking for a container as large as this one. However, I couldn't find anything affordable till I found this Meeden washer.
This washer is as large as described on the Amazon product page, not less not more. It's made of good quality sturdy stainless steel and its design is perfect for indoors and outdoors, for acrylics and oils.
I can carry this outdoors thanks to the handle and the locking system, which allows me to hermetically close the jar. Sometimes, I use it on its own, without its inner grate insert, and others with it. The grate is perfect to rub the brushes and help removing stuck paint. If left for a while, the solid parts of the paint deposit on the bottom, so I can empty the water and wipe out these solids with a napkin and dispose of it in the rubbish.
The container box looks great and is really good quality, so it's perfect for gifting.
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
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.
Shini S300 Self-Inking Mini Date Stamp (Black)
I was looking for an affordable date stamp and this one fits the bill. I use it to stamp to date some of my paper artworks. The printing is clear and neat. The stamp is small and light, therefore, very easy to store.
There is no specific indication of the real date range covered. Amazon product page has wrong dates, and the one printed on the package is also wrong. As far as I can see, it covers at least till 2036.
The main downsides are, first, that this being a self-inking pad, the number pads are always inked; so it's easy to stain my fingers. Also, once the ink pad is finished you'll need to buy a re-inker because, at least in Australia, the replacement pads are not ready available and when they are, they're very expensive.
The instructions are tiny and minimal, but you can easily figure out how to operate the stamp. Otherwise, read below:
HOW TO OPERATE
> Remove the lid from inking pad.
> Insert the pad on the slot in the upper part of the stamp.
> Invert the pad.
> Press the white frame inwards.
> The numbers pad will rotate on its own.
> Adjust the date using the tiny wheels beside each group of numbers.
> Put the stamp in vertical position.
> Press it down.
> Tadda!
Liquitex Fine Paint Marker (Burnt Sienna, 0127)
3/01/2025
LENNART Drawer Unit (30x34x56 cm)
Personally, I'd buy a
different drawer unit if I wanted to store office documents or have it
in a home office that receives visitors. However, this
unit is great for arts and crafts storage, especially if you're on a
budget and you expect paint splashes to fall on it. Said differently, I
wouldn't cry if this got ruined by my paints.
Assembly is easy, and the resulting unit is light, cute and compact.
I suggest reinforcing the drawers base with thick cardboard to make it stronger.
DOWNSIDES
- > The unit only has castor on the back legs. It had been great if it had it on the four legs. They are OK to move the unit, by lifting the front and rolling the back. Yet, if the drawers are full, they aren't the best rolling castors.
- > The front lowest side has a lot of empty space that could have been used to place another drawer.
- > The back crossbar doesn't properly protect the drawers rear. The bar is meant to act as a stop for the drawers not to fall off backwards, but the crossbar is a bit too thin and on the short side; shorter than they should be, I think.
DESIGNER Jon Karlsson.
SANNAHED Frame (White, 50x50 cm)
This
frame is really large but still looks amazing. Like the rest of the line, it's minimalist, stylish and contemporary. I cannot stress enough the compliments that this frame gets
me. I placed it on an easel with a painting of mine, and it looks like taken out of an art gallery.
The thickness of the edge is the same as that of the smallest frame, 6 cms. That being the case, I wouldn't place this large frame vertically on its edge because would tip-over. Use the back flap, an easel or hang it from the wall instead.
MIND
>
The 'glass' cover is coated with a thin piece of removable
self-adhesive film that you have to remove before display.
>
This 'glass' is very glossy, so mind the light source and where you
place the frame; otherwise, the glare would ruin the display.
> If you use the mount, you can only showcase a 30x30 painting/picture; or a 50x50cm painting without the mount.
> Frame overall sizing is 52x52 cms.
> Instructions leaflet isn't the best.
DESIGNER Who knows.
SANNAHED Frame (White, 25x25 cm)
This Sannahed frame is made of a solid sturdy conglomerate coated in matte white paint and comes with an enclosed acid-free paper passepartout (mount). The 'glass' is actually a translucent glossy plastic. The frame comes with a resting back flap and a wall hook attached to it.
This
frame is perfect for both small paintings and dimensional art projects
(light boxes for example). It looks classy, stylish, contemporary and professionally
made. I cannot stress enough the compliments that this little frame gets me. People are surprised when I tell them that this is from Ikea and the price I paid for it.
My preferred display position is not on the wall, but resting vertically on its edge on a shelf, console or similar, something easily achievable due to the edge being 6cm thick. You can easily recline it by using the back flap.
THINGS TO MIND
> The 'glass' cover is coated with a thin piece of removable film that you have to remove before display.
> This 'glass' is very shiny, so mind the light source and where you place the frame, as, otherwise, the glare would ruin the display experience.
> If using the passepartout, you can only showcase a 13x13 painting or picture; or a 25x25 painting without the passepartout.
> The frame overall sizing is 27x27 cms.
DESIGNER Not mentioned.
2/22/2025
Lightwish 100%-cotton 300gsm/140lb Watercolor Journal (4.7x4.7 in)
The paper has a bit of tooth to it, so it's a bit rugged. I've tested it with acrylic inks and paints with and without priming. The results are quite good. The paper takes a lot of water in. It buckles a bit when wet, but it recovers its flatness once dry. I've also tried it with the same materials, adding clear gesso and the inks and paints run more smoothly and I can work the paper harder.
The binding is excellent and I can open the pad almost flat without the stitching coming apart. However, the colour tends to bleed down through the stitches holes. That might not be a problem if you don't paint the full spread or just focus on motifs on each page, do zentangle or drawing. Painting an inks drip down. Yet, for the price, this is a fab mini sketchbook.
Due to slightly textured surface, the use of fine white markers and Posca pens is not the best, unless the paper is totally dry and they go over a very dark colour.
The cover has a fabric-like texture in a beautiful turquoise colour. I like my journals to have the cover in different colours as this helps me easily identify different journals. This is important to me because I use them to explore different colours or materials.
The elastic band is a must because, once you start using the pad, this won't close fully. Besides, once the whole pad is used, the band will help close the notebook properly.
Finally, the pad has a ribbon bookmark, something I really love.
2/01/2025
Kinbom 6pc Detail Paint Brush Set (Red)
These medium-quality affordable detail brushes are better quality than expected. I've now used them for several months.
The set has two items of each size (5/9, 3/0, 2/0)
and, although they are not liners, they make good lines, shapes and fine marks. They're great for corrections on small areas, for mark-making and to fill in small areas or corners in a journal. I use them with flat or soft paper surfaces so I don't know how they would react with canvas or wood panels. I always use them with acrylic paints/inks and no issues so far.
I tend to forget my brushes submerged in water for too long, from some hours to a couple of days. The
bristles tend to bend and lose shape while left in water for a while,
but they recover it easily by drying t hem with a paper towel and, at the
same time, pressing them into their straight shape with my fingers. I initially feared that the red handle would lose its colour or break open, but that hasn't happened. So, I think these brushes are better quality than they look like. On the other hand, they look like a downgraded version of the brushes depicted in the product page photos.
Although unimportant, the brushes colour is more like burgundy, definitely not the beautiful red in the photos. I just wanted any coloured handle to differentiate these brushes from other small ones I own, so any colour would do.
In short, an economic student-grade set of detail brushes that are sturdy, durable, and versatile.
Aymorder 10-piece Nail Art Liner Brush Set
I use them with acrylic paints/inks and they work well overall. They would have been better if they had slightly thicker bristles but, you know, these were a bargain and are not intended for artwork. They make good long flat and curvy lines with ease but, due to the bristles not being strong enough, sometimes the lines aren't clean. It might be me, as I'm just getting used to them. They're perfect for people with small hands and they're good quality despite the bargain price and the fact that they were intended for nail art not painting. These brushes work better on flat paper (e.g. art journal pads) or on surfaces that have none or little texture (e.g. cold pressed watercolour paper).
The brushes are easy to clean and can be kept in water for a long time without worry. The 'crystal' handle material hasn't deteriorated at all despite my tendency to forget brushes in water all night or for several days. The synthetic bristles get bent when left in water for long, but they recover their shape easily by drying them out with a paper towel and pressing them back into their flat shape with my fingers.
I haven't used these for nail art, so I cannot comment on how they work for that purpose.
Yitexin 20-piece Alphabet Stencils 4x7in (18x10cm)
