10/22/2022

Cat Canvas Pouch Pen Holder


This is a cute pen holder, that can hold a good quantity of of pens, pencils and markers. It's made of good quality sturdy canvas, and the up-down sleeve is just great to keep the pens safe when not in use. It stands still well. As it's made of uncoated fabric, I don't put it on my table when using acrylics. I wish it was a bit taller and large to accommodate larger markers (Townbows for example). For the rest, a great stationary holder.

Derwent Academy Watercolour Pencils 24 set tin

Derwent Academy Watercolour Pencils, Set of 24 in Tin, Multicolour Artist’s Pencils, Ideal for Wet or Dry Colouring, Drawing & Illustration, Premium Hobbyist Quality 
 
This is a good started watercolour pencil pack. It has a good selection of primary, secondary and neutral colours and the tin box is just great to keep them organised or to use it with markers or other stationery. Perhaps because I own some good-quality watercolour pencils, comparisons are unavoidable; these pencils falls short re intensity of the pigment and water solubility. Yet, they are decent quality for the price a great pack for beginners.

10/16/2022

HASK Argan Oil Deep Conditioner Sachet, 50 g

These sachets are perfect for travelling, as they don't spill, are easy to pack and they have a tear to open the sachet without the need of scissors. I have long wavy hair and this sachet gives me two generous treatments. The texture is very creamy and thick, i.e. buttery not runny, and it is very nourishing. The smell is the classic Hask mandarin scent that I love so much. I leave the treatment for a few minutes on, that is, I don't remove the product just after detangling my hair, and then I wash it out. I tend to use the oil from the same brand as finishing touch once I have towel-dried my hair. The results are excellent re detangling and nourishment of my very dry hair. I'll buy it again.

Crayola 24ct Colors of The World Crayons Skin Tones

Great collection of crayons, brown and skin colour tones (from the Nordic whitest people to the Blackest African). Great price and a huge amount of crayons. I think that half the number of crayons would have been enough, but, on the other hand, I can use these for everything not just to paint faces or skin. They are a great selection of neutrals. Like all crayons by this brand, I have to be careful not to exert too much pressure or they break in half. Good value for money and they can be stored anywhere.

The Wild Unknown Journal Hardcover by Kim Krans (Author)

I was super excited to get this art journal as I love Krans' tarot imagery and artwork. The excitement lasted while I browsed the book, but then, when the reality of the journal quality sank in, I felt equally disappointed.

EXCITED
> The whole journal design, colour scheme and Krans' artwork are very much my liking.
> This a great practice journal to get your creativity started, flourished or regained. You can use the journal to write, paint or collage, or all of them, whatever you want.
> I see this journal as suitable for children and beginner artists.
> The cover image (an eye in the centre of the labyrinth) really resonates with me because the creative process is just an insight into a soulful labyrinthine path that expresses itself through our eyes, psyche, and hands.
> Great hard-cover binding. The journal can be fully opened without you feeling that the pages are going to come off at the turn of the page. Besides, the hard cover makes the journal more elegant and durable.
> Fear of white page no more.
> I can use some of the pages in the book as collage paper into my artwork.

DISAPPOINTED
> The journal is intimidating, in a way, as the author's artwork is already done, and, in my case, I feel like a frog beside a princess.
> The paper is not especially good for anything liquid or inky unless you apply translucent/white gesso primer beforehand. Pencils are OK. Oil pastels need of a fixative as they don't hold well onto this paper surface.
> I don't find that prompts help me create anything meaningful to me. In that regard, to me, the journal is more a level-up colouring book than a journal.
> The hieroglyphs (decipher exercises) in the book, which I find delightful, are wrongly done. If you create a symbol and give it an equivalent letter, as Krans does, you then transcribe any text following this system. However, that's not the case and if you use the same equivalents you won't be able to transcribe some of the texts because the same symbols are given different equivalents in different pages.
> No ribbon bookmark. How could the editor forget that?!

OVERALL
I Love Krans' introduction and artwork, but the bad quality paper and the simplistic prompts do not help me create on this book. However, I owe to this journal the rekindling of my artistic pursuits on proper paper surfaces and with my own intuition as prompt. I will be using some of the pages to transfer images into my artwork or to incorporate them as collage elements into my artwork.