Top 5 Wish List- Feel free to send!

Here is my current wish list of art/craft supply items.  They range from the reasonable $2 to the less reasonable $1,000 price range. I ask for them in jest in the title of the blog post because my husband always tells me to put it out to the universe and it will resolve itself. He's kind of new-age-crystal that way, and I can't argue that if you don't try, you can't get shot down in a firey ball of NO!

In any case, these are a few things that have been on my radar lately. Hopefully, I can enable you as well!

1. Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Artists' Crayons- These just look like so much fun. Crayons that you can turn into water colors? Rich, vibrant color? Yes please.

2. Stabilo Colored Marking Pencils: In black and white. These look amazing for working with mixed media. It is no secret I am addicted to writing utensils, and this is the newest crush I have. It is marked ALL on the side... that means it will be all I need, correct? "I just need this pencil, and this chair, and this paddleball game and that's all I need." (If you haven't watched The Jerk recently, or ever, do yourself a favor and watch it. Seriously, one of the most perfect pieces of comedy ever.)

3. Dylusions Ink Sprays: I have the black and the postbox red.  I love them. There is a white I am so excited over, but cannot seem to find. I need that one and well, pretty much all the colors.  I want to spray everything.  My kitchen table, I mean studio, is becoming very colorful. Come here my daughters, Mommy wants to spray you.




4. Golden Mediums: Doesn't this sample set look amazing? I could have so much fun with that. Texture, gloss, matte.. and look at these Mica additives. Sparkles? Yes. I could rock this stuff.

5. Mac Book Air: PC is good too, but these are just gorgeous. Maybe one day...



What are you wishing for?
~Venetia

Top 5- Art Supply Retailers

Today I thought I would share my top five list of art supply retailers. I have purchased from all of these places personally, and been a happy customer.

1. Daniel Smith: They have online and brick and mortar stores. They have everything fine arts related. I love going to the Seattle and Redmond store when I am in the area. I also like getting their catalog, because they include lots of art in the pages, which is a great source of inspiration.

2.Dick Blick: Blick also has online and brick and mortar, and they recently opened a Seattle Store. Blick has more student-grade options for supplies than Daniel Smith, so if you want to try a technique on a lower price-point, Blick is a great place to start. They offer teacher discounts, and catalogs as well.

3. JetPens: I've given JetPens a ton of love on here, and it is because if you need a pen, they have it. Those Uni-Ball Signo white pens that can be difficult to find? They've got them. Want to try a different white pen? They've got a ton.  I believe the right pen can enhance your handwriting, so its worth it to spend some time finding the right one.

4. Artco Crafts: This is my local arts and crafts store. Unfortunately, they do not have online sales. I'm including it because there is not really an art supply store in Tacoma, except Tacoma Community College and University (of Washington) bookstores. Artco has a little of everything, given the size it is pretty surprising.

5. Michaels: I struggled with the 5th choice because it really isn't insightful, but when you need canvas or sketchbooks on the cheap, the coupons help. I prefer Michaels to Joanns, which is funny because ten years ago I preferred J's.

Do you have a favorite supplier I missed?



~Venetia

Top Ten List: Art Supplies

Daniel Smith Acrylics
and Multi Media Brushes

I always love the glimpses of what people have in their purses, or favorite lists and the like. I think it is a great way to find hidden gems, because often, what we love the most aren't necessarily the most expensive things. Here is my top ten list of art supplies, and examples of stuff I made with some of them


1. Palomino Blackwing Wooden Pencils: Palomino rebooted the famed Blackwing pencil in two different versions. The Palomino Blackwing 602 is truer to the original and the Palomino Blackwing is the improved version. I'll save the tale and comparison for a full review, but these pencils write beautifully with the feel of gliding across the paper.

2. and 3. I love sketchbooks, and my two current favorites are the Molskine and Bee Paper's The Only Sketchbook You'll Ever Need. I love the feel of the bound Molskine, but I love the paper in the Bee Paper.

4. Heritage Artist Palette: I love this palette for the flexibility of being able to use watercolors wet, or allowing them to dry to create a custom set for travel.

5. and 6. Daniel Smith Acrylic and Watercolor paint: these are hands-down the best paints I have used. Daniel Smith is a Seattle company, and their house brand items have never disappointed me. Their colors are true, and mix beautifully.

Prismacolor Pencils

7. Daniel Smith Multi-Media Brushes: This set is perfect for me because it is versatile for both watercolor and acrylic paints. I love that the set was inexpensive for the quality, and made for mixed media.

8. Prismacolor Colored Pencils: Prismacolor pencils are vibrant, mix well, and offer a wide selection of colors. They are my favorite colored pencil.

9. and 10. Stabilo Point 88 and Micron Pens: I love the rich black ink on the Stablio, and the Microns offer versatility in point type and sizes.

Those are my top ten right now, what would yours be?

~Venetia

The Bic Mark-It is a great marker for general use.  The line is strong, and the black color is quite dark.  I appreciated the low odor of this marker, as it allows for longer use on a project without a headache from the fumes.  The grip is nice squishy, and the tip wears well.  Due to the amount of pressure I put on writing utensils, I tend to get that odd fuzz ball on the tip of my markers.  If you write like me, you know exactly what I am talking about.  If you don't, then I might sound like a nutjob.              

This marker does have quite a bit of bleed through, which I expect with any marker, however if bleed through is a huge issue for you, then pass this bad boy by. I wouldn't use this as a daily marker, but it does give Sharpie, my favorite marker, a good go.  The color is super black, which I like. My Starbucks has retractable versions of these, which is pretty cool, especially if you are writing on stuff all day.

Pro:

Color

Line

Grip

 

Cons:

Bleed through

 

Overall Rating 3/5