Category Archives: review

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 →

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 dkatiepowellart

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 dkatiepowellart

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 dkatiepowellart

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 dkatiepowellart

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 dkatiepowellart

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 dkatiepowellart

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 →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinusa, #notinktober, #pittsburgh, #pittsburghpennsylvania, #reviewink, art journal | 2 Comments

Inky Thots: Birmingham’s NEW Electron

Posted on October 24, 2020 by dkatiepowellart

I am finally getting to my new bottles of the new improved ink colors from Birmingham Pen Company, beginning with the stunning bright blue Birmingham Electron ink, made to commemorate the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, the first full-scale PWR nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #artjournaling, #birminghamelectronink, #birminghaminks, #birminghampens, #blueink, #electronblueink, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #madeinusa, #notinktober, #pittsburgh, #pittsburghpennsylvania, #reviewink, art journal | 3 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Heart of Gold

Posted on September 19, 2020 by dkatiepowellart

I am not a gold gurl (silver is my jam), not even a glitter gurl (well, sometimes…)… BUT I am loving Robert Oster’s line of shimmery golden inks. This review is for Robert Oster Shake N Shimmy Heart of Gold! … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #bronzeink, #fountainpenfriendly, #glittergurl, #glitterink, #goldink, #Hahnemühle, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #robertosterink, #shakenshimmy, #shimmerink | 3 Comments

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Aussie Liquid Gold

Posted on August 21, 2020 by dkatiepowellart

I love Robert Oster Shake & Shimmer Heart of Gold ink, (shown for comparison), but the wow factor in Robert Oster Shake & Shimmer Aussie Liquid Gold ink, a clear bright yellow-gold is amazeballs (a technical term)! Above, you can … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #fountainpenfriendly, #glittergurl, #glitterink, #Hahnemühle, #inkpainting, #inkreview, #liquidgoldink, #lovethestub, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #reviewink, #robertosterink, #shakenshimmy | 4 Comments

Tools: Robert Oster Glorious Inks

Posted on August 10, 2020 by dkatiepowellart

There is nothing like the gift of color! All that possibility wrapped in glorious juicy inks from Robert Oster Signature inks!! I will be playing with these soon, but had to at least share my newest bounty! A couple I’ve … Continue reading →