Category Archives: review

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Graphite

Posted on July 10, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

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, #Hahnemühle, #HahnemühleNostalgie, #HahnemühleWatercolourBook, #himalayan, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #inkygoodness, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #newinkday, #NID, #nostalgiejournal, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #robertostersignatureink, #ultraflexnib | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Tarnished Nickel

Posted on July 3, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 D. Katie Powell

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 →

Posted in color, commentary, creativity, drawing, ink painting, painting, pen & ink, review, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Birmingham Pen Company, #birminghaminks, #blackstoneinks, #coloredink, #grayink, #palette, #papierplumeink, #robertosterink, art journal, regionalism | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Coking Coal

Posted on February 9, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Birmingham Pen Company Coking Coal ink is named in honor of coking coal, a unique coal which “usually refers to the product derived from low-ash and low-sulphur bituminous coal by a process called coking.” Coking is “the heating of coal … Continue reading →

Inky Thots: Robert Oster’s Pen Chalet Exclusives

Posted on February 5, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I love Robert Oster inks, and his newest exclusives to North America’s Pen Chalet are gorgeous! This trio of inks celebrates the American Southwestern desert. Pen Chalet has their brick and mortar store in Mesa Arizona. *ps if they sell … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #austrailianink, #blueink, #brownink, #desertinks, #fountainpenfriendly, #greenink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinaustrailia, #redink, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #southwestern, #southwesterncolors, #tealblueink | 8 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Slag Grey

Posted on February 3, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Blue-green-grey Birmingham Slag Grey ink is named in honor of the Homestead Steelworks, built in 1881. It became part of the Carnegie Steel company in 1883. For many years was the largest steelworks in the world. Remember that others review … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #bluegrey, #grayink, #greengrey, #greyink, #homesteadsteelworks, #madeinamerica, #madeinusa, #slaggrey, #warmgrey, art journal | 3 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham Boysenberry

Posted on January 25, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

Birmingham Boysenberry ink is named in honor of the fruits from the Southside Farmer’s Market, built in 1915. The original market house on this spot was built in 1893, burned, and was rebuilt by architect Charles Bickel in 1915. “According … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #boysenberryink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #purpleink, #reviewink, #southsidemarket, art journal | 2 Comments

Tools: Rhodia Touch

Posted on January 7, 2021 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been playing in the Rhodia Touch “Lavis Technique” journal made for pen and ink-wash and sketching, a journal that is new to me. I usually would do a lot more testing of a journal, but I am ready to … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, tools, virtual sketching, watercolor, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #Lamy, #lovethestub, #PlatinumCarbonPen, #review, #rhodiatouch, #sketchbookreview, #twsbieco, #twsbilove, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Lamy Joy, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 ink, TWSBI ECO 1.1stub, watercolor | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham New Versus Old Ink Colors…

Posted on December 2, 2020 by D. Katie Powell

A lot of people have asked how the old colors look versus the new colors… I say, some of the new I like better, some of the old I like better, and in some I love both equally!! Below are … Continue reading →