Category Archives: review

Tools: TWO Bamboo Sketchbooks by Hahnemühle

Posted on November 10, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Hahnemühle makes two bamboo sketchbooks: the Hahnemühle Bamboo SketchBook, shown below, which is 50lbs; and the Carnet de Voyage, aka the Bamboo Mixed Media journal by some, shown above, spiral bound and coming in at 265lbs, which I reviewed in … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Hahnemühle journal, Hahnemühle journal review, Hahnemühle sketchbook review, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor, White Uniball Signo | 7 Comments

Bright Ideas: Waterman Inks

Posted on October 27, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Waterman inks are ancient, not a trendy newcomer. They come in few but lovely colors, are a great price, and they take good care of our pens. Happy New Moon! Bright Ideas multi-color journal (which I am not sure is … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, memory, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, tools, waterbrush | Tagged #beautifulbottles, #brightideasjournal, #coloredpaper, #coloredpaperjournal, #deatramentisdocumentink, #drawing, #fountainpenink, #inkbottles, #inkdawing, #lamyjoypen, #memories, #memoryjournal, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #watermaninks, Bright Ideas journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen | 2 Comments

Tools: Leonardo Officina Italiana Pen

Posted on October 9, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Red is my favorite color… I love pens! I love gifts! Imagine how thrilled I am with three favorite things coming together in one pen? Thrilled! Leonardo Officina Italiana Pen in Red Passion… Filled with Robert Oster Direct Sun! This … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, tools, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #directsun, #finenib, #Hahnemühle, #ilovegifts, #ilovepresents, #ilovesurprises, #LeonardoOfficinaItaliana, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #notastub, #orangeink, #orangered, #redink, #redpens, #robertosterink, #wrappingpaper, art journal, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Kentucky Bluegrass

Posted on September 19, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Above, Kentucky Bluegrass ink on two different watercolor papers; right, in a Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook. Writing samples on a Post-it and on fountain-pen friendly paper in my Moo Journal, below Birmingham Kentucky Bluegrass ink is from the Crisp Formula ink … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, tools, virtual sketching, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampencompany, #birminghampens, #fountainpenink, #fountainpeninkreview, #greenink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinamerica, #madeinusa, #penandink, #pittsburghpennsylvania, art journal | 4 Comments

Wildflower Sketchbook Workshop

Posted on August 30, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

While I was sick I took the Wild Flower Sketchbook Explosion (workshop) with Lucia Leyfield (she goes by the name Wild Ink). I had a lot of fun, and the price (around $20 US) is good for the class. I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, class, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #LuciaLeyfield, #onlineclass, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #wildflowers, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, floral, flowers, online classes, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, technique, watercolor | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Black Olive

Posted on August 2, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Gads I love this ink! I am a huge fan of grey inks, and have never loved a black ink (though I’ve loved them for their waterproof qualities when sketching). This ink is not grey, and is not black… In … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, virtual sketching, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampencompany, #birminghampens, #blackcat, #blackink, #blackoliveink, #fountainpenink, #fountainpeninkreview, #HahnemühleHempSketch, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinamerica, #madeinusa, #penandink, #pittsburghpennsylvania, art journal, Birmingham Black Olive Ink, Hahnemühle Hemp Sketch, Hahnemuhle Nostalgie Sketchbook | Leave a comment

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Graphite

Posted on July 10, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Robert Oster Graphite is one of five of my favorite greys, leaning into deep purple and blues when touched with water. I am on my third bottle. Above, a wet circle is ringed with Graphite, and left to dry on … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #architecturalsketching, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #graphiteink, #greyink, #gulygus, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #himalayan, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #ultraflexnib | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Tarnished Nickel

Posted on July 3, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Taking a break from posting World Watercolor Month images for a review of a great grey ink from Birmingham. NOTE: I just realized this ink is nowhere in their new colors, and so, I apologize. I picked up one of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, graphite, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, portrait, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #1week100people, #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #gcmurphyco, #greyink, #gulygus, #himalayan, #inkreview, #lovethestub, #portraits, #sktchyimages, #tarnishednickel, #twsbieco, #ultraflexnib, art journal | Leave a comment

USk: Worst Nicolai Sketch Ever

Posted on June 29, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Oh gads what to do when the sketching is not happening? I try to give my babies a fair shake and finish them, but this one I finally gave up on and splashed a little color on and called it … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, landscape, review, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #nwindustrialsanctuary, #nwportland, #urbansketching, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Holbein, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, urban sketcher, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | Leave a comment

Inky Thots: Birmingham Polar Bear

Posted on June 14, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Birmingham Polar Bear ink is named in honor of the Polar Bears at the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh. I am disappointed that they do nto put this on the bottles anymore as they used to… It was a distinctive … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blueink, #grayink, #highlandparkzoo, #polarbear, #polarbearink | 6 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Everlasting Inks

Posted on May 27, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Birmingham has a new lineup of beautiful water-resistant inks, their Everlasting Inks. These inks are quite water-resistant (not 100% waterPROOF) and excellent for writing precious documents. For sketching or use with watercolors or other fluid mediums over the top, I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blackink, #bluegrey, #blueink, #everlastinginks, #grayink, #greengrey, #greenink, #greyink, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #warmgrey, #waterproofinks, #waterresistant, art journal | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Krishna Pencil

Posted on May 24, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Remember that others review these inks just for writing; I am also interested in how they are used for ink-painting! I love this oddball ink. It looks mauvish then can also look biscuit grey, and I have no idea why … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, pencil, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #greyink, #jinhaoshark, #krishnaink, #lovethestub, #mauveink, #pencilink, #scallopshell, art journal | Leave a comment

No Time

Posted on May 21, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

For 2-3 weeks I have been wearing my fingers to the bone hand-stitching on a project for our actual business. These are pillows to go with two French Louis XIV Settees, and a longer French Empire Sofa, both from the … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, memory, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, waterbrush, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Hahnemühle, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #montblancink, #nostalgiejournal, #PilotMetropolitan, #robertosterink, art journal, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, watercolor | 4 Comments

Pandemic Exhaustion

Posted on May 18, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

We’ve been exhausted at the end of our days, and so watch more tele than normal… and also, we often go back to favorite shows rather than try new shows… Lazy and tired and we often fall asleep with the … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, calligraphy, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blackink, #bluegrey, #blueink, #graceandfrankie, #grayink, #greengrey, #greenink, #greyink, #warmgrey, art journal | 6 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Independence Grey

Posted on April 26, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Birmingham Pen Company Independence Grey ink is named in honor of the Liberty Bell, housed in Philadelphia, PA. I drew the Liberty Bell on my test page with a PENBB pen on cold press watercolor paper and touched the lines … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #bluegrey, #cokingcoal, #edgarthomsonsteelworks, #grayink, #greengrey, #greyink, #warmgrey, art journal, Coking Coal | 5 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster’s Vanness Exclusives

Posted on April 14, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

I love Robert Oster inks, and his newest exclusives to Vanness are gorgeous! *ps if they sell out they will restock but don’t wait too long; you can preorder!* My sketches below were drawn with a dip pen on cold … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, painting, pen & ink, review | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #austrailianink, #blueink, #brownink, #desertinks, #fountainpenfriendly, #greenink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinaustrailia, #redink, #reviewink, #robertosterink | 3 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Crisp Formula Inks

Posted on April 12, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

Birmingham has a new lineup of amazing inks, the Crisp Formula Inks. I know, I usual write about inks as an artist, but these inks are made to be compatible with inexpensive everyday papers, without bleed and feathering, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, calligraphy, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blackink, #bluegrey, #blueink, #grayink, #greengrey, #greenink, #greyink, #warmgrey, art journal | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: The Maker’s Palette

Posted on April 11, 2021 by dkatiepowellart

I have a lot of inks… way too many to use in my lifetime even with painting. But, really, why have a boring crayola 8-pack when you can have the 64-pack with every color imaginable? I’ve also found the makers … Continue reading →