TEO DEGAS' REVIEWS: art supplies

Showing posts with label art supplies. Show all posts

10/11/2025

Ohuhu Mix-Media Hardover Pad (210cm x 210cm)

This Ohuhu pad looks expensive due to its luxurious leather-like cover, flexible soft binding, elastic band, ribbon bookmark and decent mixed media paper. It comes in a sturdy cardboard box that protects it and makes it perfect for wrapping and gifting. It comes with a complimentary silicone sheet that can be inserted between pages to prevent bleeding and staining. All the design is really well thought and the price fantastic.

I was looking forward to having this pad for mixed-media painting, but the first results were disappointing. I first tasted the paper without gesso priming and I was getting quite happy with the paper performance despite using a lot of wet media. My happiness ended when, after finishing a grid layout, I started to remove the low-tack soft masking tape I normally use. This tape glides off beautifully on most papers, but it ripped the paper apart destroying most of the painting area. I got me really annoyed.

The product page states "Designed especially for use with alcohol markers, the 120lb (200GSM) mixed media paper has a pleasingly smooth surface that resists smudging and feathering." To me, this is not the best paper for wet mixed-media because the paper definitely wraps and buckles, and needs of gesso to work on it to prevent the paper being ruined or torn apart. However, the pad is perfect for dry media, pencils, crayons and markers.

In the end, I decided to use it as a collage sketchbook with limited use of water-based products and I'm very happy with this pad for that purpose.

The pages are punctured so you can cut them off if ain't happy with what I'm doing or the paper gets damaged. However, the part of the binding before the puncture stays in, so if you have many pages cut off, it bulks up and it looks cheap.

For the rest a good quality pad perfect for limited wet and dry media, and collage.

This pad is one of the few affordable A2 pads in the market that allow you to work with oils. acrylics and mixed media. I've used it with mixed media and it's great both as a sketchbook and for producing studies or art pieces that you aren't going to sell. It has a beautiful canvas-like texture on the front, and a sealed plastic-ish smooth back that prevents bleeding. It's not meant to replace good quality paper, but allows creating quality studies and sketches without breaking your budget. You can still have some rubbing and scratching done on the paper, but to a certain point. I gesso the pages before working on them so that the pages don't tear or break when doing that. The pad is not only affordable but the twelve sheets are a generous number for the price.

TEHAUX Paint Brush Cleaning Tub (10.5 X 21cm)

I was so excited about finding this brush cleaning tub at a good affordable price. The good thing is that it's made of stainless still and it costs half of what you'd pay if it were from an art brand. However, after getting it and using it, I've found that it's a bit of a nuisance in my studio. The ringed holder only allow small thin brushes to be inserted; otherwise, the brushes will pop up and fly across the room like popcorn. I use a mix of brush sizes in my art practice, so it defeats the purpose. The brushes, can be placed vertically or inside the ring, horizontally. This tool would need of more space than the one I have on my working table to be fully functional. In all honesty, those brushes that fit in the rings, dry better, quicker and get less damaged.

This is a good quality large pencil wrap with 72 slots. Perfect to keep pencils, average pen and thin/medium markers. The elastic band are tight, so it's difficult to get some of the markers in. At the same time, this prevents them from sliding off. There are too double fittings, which are perfect to insert thick markers or several small things, like pencil/pen refills, erasers, etc. I miss having a couple of more of those double fittings to put all the things I wanted in. This wrap has thicker canvas and is better quality than others I own. I fit tons of stuff in this.

These pencil extenders are not only good quality aluminium in six good-looking colours, but perfect for average pencils when they get too short. It fists most artist pencil brands and all the short pencils I have.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Measurements: 7 mm dia x 105 mm long.

I love this little tool both as a everyday scrapper and as an art tool. I have one these devoted to removing paint from my desktop, small little drops on the floor and other hard surfaces. The manufacturer says that It can be used to remove sticker decals and glue on glass, cook-tops and ovens. I haven't tried this tool on those surfaces so far, so I cannot comment. But the blades are sharper than you think and work well on the surfaces I've tried them on. This scrapper is also a great mark-making tool. Easy to store as it's pretty flat. I love the ergonomic design, as well. I appreciate the complimentary blades.

Egoaugx Vintage-Style Scrapbooking Date Roller Stamp (Black)

I've been looking for one of these traditional stampers for a while, to use it with my archival ink pad as I use a stamp to date my journals artwork and most stamps out there have self-inkers with ink that isn't archival or waterproof. This seemed the perfect alternative.

I love the stamp vintage style and the fact that is really small but the numbers sizing is clear and readable. It looks great on my desk and the wooden base prevents the ink left on the numbers to stain anything. I can use this with any of my archival inks, black or coloured, which is great both for office and craft purposes.

Having said that, the stamp structure is feeble. The numbers adjusting wheels are a bit loose, so they don't hold their position as strongly as other stamps do. The knob is loose and rotates, something that doesn't bother me, but it's another proof of its mediocrity. The edge of the numbers box will be printed if you press the stamp a bit too strong on the ink pad.

The product arrived used, with some of the numbers already tried and blacked by ink. No problem with that if I had known that I was buying a used product and that the price had matched that.

I would have loved something like this, just good quality without any of the faulty features that I have mentioned. However, it's OK for the price.

USEFUL INFO

Measurements = 5L x 4W x 10H centimetres

Date Range = 2025-2036 (I had to post a question for the seller to mention this important item of information).

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.

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.

TEHAUX DingDongTu Spiral-Bound Cold-Pressed 300mg/140lb Watercolor Paper Pad (26.5x26.5cm, 12x12")

This pad, and others from the Chinese brand DingDongTu are distributed by different Amazon sellers and sold with different names. However, the DingDongTu name brand is on the front cover and this how I refer to them.

The cover looks beautiful, and it's made of sturdy hard cardboard. It holds the pad beautifully, even when all the sheets are fully painted and, therefore, thicker. The spiral bound system allows me to get the sheets out, work on them individually without staining or damaging the rest of the sheets or the covers. The rings are sturdy enough not to self-open, but also easy to open. You have to pull each ring half up and to the sides at the same time to open them. If you pull the ring halves just to the sides, it won't work.

The 12X12in size is perfect for art jounaling and experimenting without sacrificing space.

The paper is a great -- cold-pressed 300gsm/140lb watercolour paper, which is great for watercolour and for any wet mixed-media. The texture is smooth.

As I use this for mixed-media, I gesso each page before working on it. The quality of the paper is brilliant for the price. I use acrylic paints of different viscosities, acrylic inks, as well as water-soluble crayons and graphite sticks and the paper stands most things I do to it, including scratching and rubbing.

I'm a regular buyer of this DingDongTu pads, and they are a staple in my art studio.

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.

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.

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.

TEHAUX Ceramic Stackable Paint Palette with Lid (8.5x8cm )

This is such a great palette system. It doesn't only looks good but it size is perfect to use while sketchbooking and art journaling. The palette is relative small in diameter so it doesn't occupy much space on my table. The lid hides anything ugly from sight and, besides, it allows any paint left over to keep fresh and wet for longer. This was in my wish list for over a year due to its high pricing, but I bought it at a very reduced price. That being the case is not only good value for money, but also a must in my art studio at the moment.

Aquarius Jaws Tin Carry All Fun Box (21.8L x 9.7W x 17.3H cms)

I'm a fan of this brand of tin boxes. I'm a movie fan, so this tin has been in my wish list for a long time. The overall design is well thought of and, most importantly, fully licensed. The printing quality is excellent.

This is a good quality sturdy box with handle and loose lock. Like other boxes from the brand I own, I use this box mostly to store papers, lace and fabrics. Unlike other boxes from this brand, the back of the box is not as pretty or interesting.

A must for collectors and crafters.

Kaslaider Silicone Bear Stand-up Pencil Case (Large)

This is a really cute vertical pencil case made of super-soft silicone. The design is really whimsical and the case feels expensive. It's well made and well finished (from the printing details, to the zip, to the inner erasers holder, to the opener chain detail). I wanted this covered case to put some pointy tools inside, like small palette knives, metallic clay tools, dot makers and so on. It can hold quite a big of stuff and protects my fingers from getting hurt as it would happen if I left some of the tools I put inside in the open. Good value for money and this model is way cheaper than other silicone animal pencil holders. The only let-down is the smell of the silicone; although not strong, it's a bit odd. No fancy packaging but I wasn't expecting that for the price.

Yubbaex 6pc Basic Washi Tape Set (Black & White Plaid Grid)

This is a small set of grid black & white (off-white I'd say) washi tape rolls. I love the simple patterns because they are excellent to use in tag art and mixed media projects due to their simple design. They go well with everything and they make great accents. The rolls in this set are small in diameter and only have 5 metres of tape each, which is more than enough for me. I have other gridded tapes, and these ones are lower in quality, but nothing to complain about because the product is sold as a basic set and costs little.

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.

Derwent Inktense Blocks are professional-quality highly-pigmented water soluble blocks that can be used as watercolours or as mixed media crayons. This package contains a great mix of vibrant and neutral colours that are perfect for my needs.

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.

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.

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