Category Archives: tools

Every Day in May, 1-4

Posted on May 6, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I mistakenly bought a couple of A6 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, not my size! Teeny-tiny! I decided to use it and put myself through fast paces of the Every Day In May challenge, with a twist — I am doing NO … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, ink painting, journal, painting, paper, pen & ink, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged #365sketch2017, #EDIM, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, grisaille, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, Holbein, kitchen, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Lamy LX, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Mei Fa Hairstix, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Super5 ink, watercolor | Leave a comment

Tools: Brushes

Posted on April 23, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I use cheap brushes, a LOT. I don’t want to buy hair. I’m not a vegetarian, but am particular about how what I eat (and use) is killed, and don’t want to kill a critter for my brush — too … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, color, tools | Tagged art journal, brushes, da Vinci's Cosmotop Spin Synthetic, dagger, Daniel Smith watercolors, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Leow-Cornell, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, oval, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, quill, slanted liner, Super5 ink, ultimate wash, watercolor | 4 Comments

Tools: Organizing Studio Watercolors

Posted on April 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

My studio paints were overflowing from my big 30-years-old Prismacolor tin into a QoR watercolor tin. I hated the QoR tin. The rounds which you think would be great for watercolor mixing but they made the tin so it flips … Continue reading →

Posted in color, tools, watercolor | Tagged Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Hahnemühle Post Cards, Holbein, pan watercolors, Primatek, QoR watercolors, Sennelier, studio set-up, tins, tools, watercolor | 10 Comments

Tools: Hahnemühle Watercolour Book

Posted on April 16, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been looking forward to finishing my last A5 book (Hahnemuhle Nostalgie Sketchbook) so I could start the new Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, my spring gift to me! I am picky about my journals and have tried several, only to find … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddha, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, paper, pen & ink, review, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged #365sketch2017, art journal, buddha, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Ganesha, grisaille, Hahnemühle sketchbook review, Hahnemühle watercolor journal review, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, Holbein, Lamy Joy, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Shakyamuni Buddha, Super5 ink, watercolor | 5 Comments

Tools: Hahnemühle Post Cards

Posted on April 9, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, I admit it… I bought these for the TIN. My studio paints are overflowing into lots of little tins, and I loved the flowers on these tins and the size. (How I used these tins and organized my paints … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, color, ink painting, paper, pen & ink, review, tools, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, Hahnemühle Post Cards, Hahnemühle review, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy LX, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Noodlers ink, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor, White Uniball Signo | 4 Comments

Tools: Jane puts us all to shame…

Posted on April 6, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Okay, not really, but the rhyming sounded good… Jane Blundell has put all the Daniel Smith colors into one long post. If you are easily overwhelmed save it for when you can handle it, because, like handprints, she is a … Continue reading →

Posted in tools, watercolor | Tagged Daniel Smith watercolors | 2 Comments

Tools: Daniel Smith Watercolors

Posted on March 26, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

What do you do when you have the flu? Sick, fuzzy-brained, I was seduced by the new line of Daniel Smith watercolors! I say seduced because I did not do what I should have, which is check the the Munsell … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, art journal, color, tools, watercolor | Tagged #365sketch2017, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Holbein, Lamy Joy, M.Graham, Nostalgie by Hahnemühle, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, watercolor | 13 Comments

#J20 Strike

Posted on January 20, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Joining with other artists Friday 20 January 2017 (and every day until we succeed) stating that I will stand with the People of Color, LBGT, Women everywhere, and for the 99%. I encourage and will pay for factual journalism. I … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, tools, writing | Tagged #J20, art, protest | 2 Comments

Tools: Organization

Posted on December 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I am one of those super-organized people. Even before I was an architect. I hear about how hard it is for people to keep track of their images — if on the puter. Understand I am not a Pinterest fan. … Continue reading →

Posted in class, making a living, tools | Tagged filing images, Organization, running an art business | 12 Comments

Tools: Grey Inks for Grisaille

Posted on December 11, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

“Grisaille (/ɡrᵻˈzaɪ/ or /ɡrᵻˈzeɪl/; French: gris [ɡʁizaj] ‘grey’) is a term for a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour… A grisaille may be executed for its own sake, [or] as underpainting … working … Continue reading →

Posted in color, pen & ink, review, tools | Tagged Alphabet District Portland, architecture, art journal, Diamine Ink, grisaille, grisaille underpainting, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Pilot ink, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Urban Sketchers, Super5 ink, urban sketcher, USk, virtual sketchwalk, waterbrush | 6 Comments

Tools: Brush Pens

Posted on December 4, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I don’t sketch with brush pens often, because I like a juicy wash and/or pen and ink — BUT I do occasionally, and so, here is my take on them. They are great on the go for quick sketches, thinking … Continue reading →

Posted in color, drawing, ink painting, painting, review, tools, waterbrush | Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, highlighter, Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Brush Pen No. 22, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Noodlers ink, Pentel Aquash Water Brush, Platinum Japanese Art Pocket Brush Pen, Platinum Preppy, refillable felt tip pen, refillable highlighter, review, Super5 ink, watercolor | 8 Comments

Tools: Favorite Journals

Posted on November 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

NOTE: This is about my preferences and why. Other artists will have other preferences, so reading what they like and what they say about this or that journal is good. The only negatives I will write are very bad experiences…. … Continue reading →

Posted in acrylic, art journal, color, journal, paper, sketchbook, tools | Tagged Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, art journal, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Nostalgie by Hahnemühle, Pentalic Aqua Journal | 16 Comments

Tools: Hand•Book Journal Trav•e•logue series Review

Posted on November 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Sketchers whose work I admire love the Hand•Book Journal Trav•e•logue series… A few hate it. I’m many pages in as I took it on our trip to So Cal, So think I can safely review it now… Okay, how can … Continue reading →

Posted in paper, review, sketchbook, tools | Tagged Hand Book journal, review, sketchbooks, watercolor journals | 13 Comments

VSW: San Antonio Zoo’s Dragon

Posted on October 10, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This is part of an older virtual sketchwalk (see below) and I kept meaning to get to it. I love this gorgeous dragon/ I saw it painted in Daniel Smith Serpentine Primatek! *how perfect is that name?* One of my … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, architecture, art journal, creativity, drawing, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, tools, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged #inktober, art journal, carousel, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, dragon, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, QoR watercolors, quinophthalone yellow, Riverwalk, San Antonio, Sennelier, serpentine primatek, virtual sketchwalk, zoo | 6 Comments

Tools: White Pen and Ink

Posted on October 9, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I wanted white ink for my fountain pen. I wanted to use a stub nib on a fountain pen for beautiful white writing, and also reduce waste (most of these you toss into the landfill.) I wanted a waterproof ink… … Continue reading →

Posted in drawing, pen & ink, review, tools | Tagged #inktober, De Atramentis Document ink, Platinum Preppy, white ink review, White Pitt pen, White Uniball Signo pen | 8 Comments

Tools: Favorite Fountain Pens

Posted on September 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

NOTE: UPDATED 1/2018!With Inktober arriving in a week, pens are an appropriate tool to review! (BTW, yes I am doing the challenge — I love it — but I don’t use the prompts. I just draw every day in ink!) … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, pen & ink, tools | Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, Fabriano Watercolor journal, Goulet nibs, Jinhao, Lamy Al-Star, Lamy Joy, Noodler's Ahab pen, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, review, Super5 ink | 28 Comments

Tools: Travel Palettes (and a Review of Prima Watercolor Confections)

Posted on September 18, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’m happy with my travel case from Sennelier. I recently cleaned it and changed out two colors. There is one little thing: It doesn’t fit into my small purse. I know, artists are always fussing, right? But it is about … Continue reading →

Posted in color, painting, process, review, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged palette, Prima Watercolor Confections, review, Sennelier, travel palette, urban sketcher | 20 Comments

Tools: Pentalic Aqua Journal Failure

Posted on August 25, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Update, before you read: Out of the blue Pentalic responded to a letter from ages ago. They worked on the books and felt the problem was solved. They comped me two books. I told them they should’ve said that they … Continue reading →