Category Archives: review

Inky Thots: Robert Oster Thunderstorm

Robert Oster comes in 50ml plastic bottles that are environmentally friendly. They can be tippy, so I usually put them in a more solid container to decant.  All my pens fit easily into the bottle opening to fill. I have … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, review, sketchbook, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Tools: Tilt-Well Tilted Ink Bottle Stand

Recently I finished a bottle of DeAtramentis Document Black ink. To get my syringe full, I had to hold it precariously in one hand while trying to pull the syringe up.  That didn’t work.  So I ended up putting it … Continue reading

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Inky Thots: Birmingham Allegheny Observatory Celestial Blue

 I like what Birmingham says on their website: “We started Birmingham Pen Co. in 2012 in the Southside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the doors of our first retail shop opening to the public in 2016. The region of Pittsburgh where … Continue reading

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More Inks, Robert Oster and Birmingham

A new order swabbed in my journal. My tax rewards coincided with several sales and so I went a little nuts! Sales on ink tempt me much more than a few dollars off a pen.  Free shipping on inks, which … Continue reading

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Tax Reward, Robert Oster Inks

On the Full Moon I was going to reward myself with a new pen from Fountain Pen Revolution, to be delivered after I finished taxes, but found Robert Oster inks on sale! I want to get to my 500 points … Continue reading

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Da Vinci Paint Launches the Monterey Trio!

I am so happy to be chosen to be a Da Vinci Watercolors Trio Artist! Quinacridone Gold,  Alizarin Crimson and Sap Green create Katie’s Monterey Trio. Da Vinci Paint packages their NEW 8ml Vegan tubes to highlight great watercolors in … Continue reading

Posted in color, creativity, landscape, painting, process, review, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Giveaway: Hahnemühle YouTangle for Inktober!

I have one regret… I didn’t find Hahnemühle’s YouTangle.art tins before last year’s Inktober! (see bottom for video!) I know why… I’m not a zen-tangling person so I would not be looking. But I doodle, and these are great for … Continue reading

Posted in cards, creativity, drawing, ink painting, pastel, pen & ink, pencil, review, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 73 Comments

WWM: Giveaway! Cold Press Hahnemühle PostCards

Giving away to two lucky winners my favorite middle-of-the-night watercolor surfaces! Cold Press Hahnemühle PostCards! In honor of the paper I use most often for the World Watercolor Month challenge, I’m offering TWO prizes of postcard tins! (Sorry, USA + … Continue reading

Posted in cards, creativity, drawing, ink painting, painting, pen & ink, review, tools, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 222 Comments

Pink Posies on both Hahnemühle Post Cards

Loving the options of the two types of Hahnemühle Post Cards! Cold pressed on the left, above, and rough on the right. I found a way in to painting without line-work through a fellow painter, Tom Brudzinski… His is more … Continue reading

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Tools: New Cold Press Hahnemühle Post Cards

Loving Hahnemühle Post Cards as I do, I am thrilled to have the cold pressed option! Fabulous!  Perfect!  I am in love!! When I started with the first batch of post cards, highly textural, I loved the size/shape but struggled … Continue reading

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Tools: Review: Hahnemühle D and S Sketchbook

What is it about a new journal? I love the blank page — not one of those peeps who hates them. The Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook (Draft and Sketch) is a new journal for me. I wanted to try … Continue reading

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Tools: Ink Journal

In the back of new journals, I make sure I try all inked pens on the new paper. It is the second test I have for inks to see if they are waterproof, the first here. I also get to … Continue reading

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Florian Afflerbach: Der Zeichner

Florian Afflerbach was an amazing urban sketcher and architect. I wish I’d known him; I wrote to him once to tell him how his drawings were an inspiration to me… I’ve seen many many architects turn to art, but Florian’s … Continue reading

Posted in review, urban sketchers | 4 Comments

Certified Humane: Smart Chicken, Niman Ranch Meats

Smart Chicken is the first chicken available nationally (to my awareness, and please inform) that is Certified Humane®, and 100% of Niman Ranch’s meats – Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Processed Products like bacon – are Certified Humane®! I’m sorry we … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tools: TWSBI ECO for St. Patty’s Day

For Valentine’s Day Mitchell gifted me with the Lamy Al-Star in the new pink *flowers and pens and ink and watercolors, the man knows the way to my heart* but the color was really meh… not bright fuchsia or magenta … Continue reading

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Tools: Travel Palette, Three

Part 3, on other palettes and changing brands! Continued from Big Changes in My Travel Palette… Okay, remember when I said that I was going to stick with December’s travel palette? I lied… I’ve changed it up twice and think … Continue reading

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Tools: Studio Palette, Two

Continued from Big Changes in My Travel Palette…  After the travel palette sort, and after successfully trading some paints I didn’t want, I began to look at the paints that have ended up on the sidelines, and wondered about my … Continue reading

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Tools: My First Schminke Palette

Getting new paints, for an artist, is like being 5-years-old on Christmas morning. It is THAT exciting. You unwrap the paints, ooh and aah, play with each one, and discover everything you can do with each color! My disappointment in … Continue reading

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