Its fair to say I’ve fallen for pastels hook, line and sinker. I do believe we each have a medium that is meant for us. From the moment I first put this medium to paper I knew I had found ‘my’ medium, the medium that finally magically set my inner-artist free. Pastels are renowned for being bright and intensely pigmented, easy to use and popular in many genres.
The humble pencil – an absolute ‘must have’ tool for any creative.
Even the most complex projects all start with a single pencil stroke.
Nothing is more heartbreaking than parting ways with the last few millimetres of your trusty graphite partner. You know… When not even a pencil extender can help anymore. Sayonara, old friend….
Is white paint the most important colour on an artist’s palette? This hue finds it way into most, if not all, colours in a painting. Artists often argue the merits of one type of white paint over another. Whatever the case white paint certainly is a significant part of our painting materials. But did you know how many types of white are available? Not to mention how to use them all.
From the first look you may notice that the Pilot G-Tec (called ‘Pilot Hi-Tec’ in some parts of the world) doesn’t look flashy. It has a fairly run-of-the-mill appearance, with a clear barrel and recycled-plastic construction, reminiscent of a typical office pen from the 90’s. Looks can be deceiving though, and that has never rung more true than here.
Some inkers still like using brushes or brush pens, others use dipping pens and india ink, but most will stick to the trusty technical pens. Technical pens come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and picking the right ones for your work and style, without already knowing the ropes, can be a shot in the dark. This is where Faber-Castell comes to the rescue.
Recently I had the opportunity to chat with well-known Equine and Wildlife Artist Graham Kearney. I confess to being more than a little starstruck as I have been following his career for close on 7 or 8 years and have always been in awe of his work.
What’s in a name? ponders Juliet in Shakespspeare’s famous play. As it turns out quite a lot actually. For a start it would be a pity to call a rose a clivia, for example. Imagine the disappointment on Valentine’s Day. So when Dutch paint manufacturer Royal Talens came out with the Van Gogh brand of paints they had to meet certain expectations.
Kneadable erasers are awesome, and for some reason, not many people are talking about them. We’re hoping to change that!
I have good news. It seems the number of beginner artists is increasing. This despite the digital age we live in is something of an achievement.
Pro-level drafting tools can often be painfully expensive, or so specialised that they can be difficult to obtain (especially in South Africa). Luckily, there are some gems that are both affordable, and likely to be in your favourite artist’s pencil bag too. Case in point, the Sakura Pigma Micron.
