Product Review- Pigma Sensi Manga Drawing Set

I picked up the Pigma Sensi Manga Drawing Set from Jetpens.com, and I am surprised how often I pick up this set. It includes eight pieces:





.07 Mechanical Pencil
.3 Fine tip pen
.4 BulletTip Pen
.6 Fiber tip marker
1.0 Fiber tip Marker
1.0 Chisel tip
2.0 Chisel Tip
3.0 Chisel tip

 

Somehow I managed to destroy the .3 Fine Tip Marker. My favorites in the pack are the .6 and 1.0 Fiber tip markers. I use them for lining artwork, and enhancing dark lines.

The mechanical pencil is a standard mechanical pencil, with a drafting feel. The pens have a dark black line, and are sturdy except the .3, which would be delicate in any brand. I've used them with great success in mixed media projects, and they mark well over multiple surfaces. The ink is archival safe, and surprisingly there is no bleed through despite the dark lines.

The full set is under $20 at jetpens.com.
Overall Rating 4/5

Product Review- 3M Advanced Tape Glider

I came to the 3M Advanced Tape Glider (ATG) party late. Again, I was still loyal to my Creative Memories adhesive tape runners, until they changed stuff and all mine did was gum up and tear paper.  Then, I was introduced to the ATG by my dear friend Heather, who let me use hers, and it was love.

I was surprised at how easy the thing was to use, and how quickly it laid down tape on large elements. It also showed great versatility at smaller elements. I purchased my own, waiting for a 50% off coupon, and it has been my only tape adhesive since. The tape is strong, which is apparent when I stick something in the wrong spot, and I end up ripping up paper underneath. Luckily, if I run a dab more tape, the error is my little secret! Of course, I love the hot pink color. The handle is comfortable, and the tape lasts a long time to other runners I have tried. Refills are available in regular and acid free.

The ATG is a behemoth, the thing could not be larger if it tried. It also can be pricy at stores, with the regular price coming in at just under $40. Refills vary in price depending on whether you choose the acid free version, and there are many crafty friends I know that group buy rolls to get the price way down. The first few times I put in the refills, it took me forever, so there is definitely a learning curve, but once I got it down, the change time is under 30 seconds.

Pros:
Tape lasts
Ease of use
Refillable

Cons:
HUGE
Inital cost

Overall 5/5

Product Review: Pilot Petit 1 Fine Nib Blue Black Ink

I have been playing with fountain pens since I picked up a Varsity pen at Olyphant Art Supply in Olympia, WA.  I like the way fountain pens look when I am journaling. I also like the way I feel particularly sophisticated when I use a fountain pen.

The Pilot Petit 1 is part of a collection that includes fountain, sign, and brush pens in eight colors. I chose the blue-black because I enjoy having unique pen colors for mundane tasks, but find that for some reason, the grown up world does not look upon purple as an appropriate choice of ink.

The pen is small and compact, and refillable.  I liked the blue black ink, as it was dark, but with a cool greyish feel that would look good on manila or antique paper.

The nib is sturdy, and it glides nicely over paper.  The pen itself is light, and has a clear body that allows you to see how much ink is left in the cartridge.  There is minimal bleed through and the Pilot Petit does well with both larger and smaller print.

The ink is advertised to be smudge free, but I am clumsy and managed to smudge the ink on the test page twice, so if you are a left-handed writer, this may pose a problem for you.

Pros:
Refillable
Clear Body
Light
Under $4

Cons:
Ink smudged in my test
Slight bleed through

Overall, I rate this a 3/5, and would use this for general writing, or journaling.

Stablio Point 88 Fine Tip 0.4

Stablio Point 88 Fine tip 0.4

The Stablio Point 88 from JetPens.com is a great little workhorse for the price… less than $1. The Point 88 has a smooth line that writes well on the tip, but not as well if you angle the pen much (about 75 degrees from the paper).  Expect a solid fine line, and surprising versatility in the line width. 

The pen performs well with both large and small print, and is appropriate for both general writing and pen sketching.  I would hesitate to use the point 88 as a pen with any sort of watercolor wash, as it is a water-based ink, and will smudge slightly if wet.  There is no smudging with normal use. The pen does bleed through on normal weight paper, especially when building up color. I would caution anyone who needs to work on both sides of a paper.

 

The pen is light, and has a hexagon shaped barrel that feels like a pencil.  This is a good choice for ruler or stencil work, as the tip is protected in a metal case.  I accidentally left the pen out for quite a few hours, and the tip did not dry out.  The pen also withstood the preschooler test, which involves a sort of write/pound/scribble gauntlet. The tip did not demolish after the preschooler test, which comparable pens like the Sharpie do not survive (RIP brand new red Sharpie).

Overall, at $.88, this is a great little everyday pen. I recommend this for people who love or need a bold line. If you are one of those organizational wizards who like to color-code everything, the point 88 comes in 25 different colors. If you forget your caps, or lose them like I do, the point 88 is a very forgiving pen. For scrapbooking, cardmaking, art journaling, or drawing, this is a solid choice, due to the lighfastness of the ink. The pen does not make claims to be acid free, and I am not suggesting it is.

Overall Rating 4/5

This pen was provided for review by JetPens.com

 

Product Review- Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage by Aleene's

My absolute favorite collage material is Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage from Aleene's.  I picked this up one day at  Artco, which is my favorite local (5 miles or less) craft store.

I bought this one day when Artco was doing free demonstrations.  They had a magnet making workshop, and the employee let my 6 year old sit there and glue paper to glass with this stuff for what seemed like an hour.  When we left, she begged me to buy stuff to buy more, and of course I had to buy the glue that the lady used because my daughter is literal, and if the lady used it, then this must be the only kind that would work.

I bought a 16 oz bottle, which was over a year ago and still have plenty left, after making magnets, canvases, altered items, plaques, and more. I have been very impressed at how long this stuff lasts.

I purchased the glossy version, there are versions in matte, and the website says there is a sparkly option as well. This dries clear, and does not have that sticky feeling that some products have even when dry.  The texture is thick, and it has a greenish purplish cast when it is wet, but that goes away after drying.  I've managed to get this stuff to stick to paper, wood, canvas, plastic, glass, and cardboard. Once dry, this is pretty durable stuff.  I can't get this off my kitchen table, which is also the craft table, and kids table, so the whole thing is pretty much a mess with stickers, collage pauge, acrylic paint, markers and whatever else. Thank goodness for tablecloths!

 I have not had problems with this bubbling, and it seems to level itself as it dries, so paper I adhere has warped wet, and then dried flat.

I had to google the lady on the front to see who she is, because I had no idea. Traci Bautista is a mixed media artist with a bright and eclectic style.  According to the Aleene's site, Traci designed the art on the bottle. 

The only caution I can give for Collage Pauge is to test any ink you are using on scrap paper before you use the medium on it, as many inks such as pens and markers are picked up by this product despite being permanent or waterproof. If you test first, you know how it will react, and what to expect in your finished product.

My overall rating: 5/5