Material choices #2

People just like stuff!

Welcome,

Thankyou for people’s best wishes from the last newsletter topics.

I mentioned in a previous newsletter about my materials and it seems to have struck a chord with you so I thought I’d update you as this appears to be a topic people like to read about. Here is #2 in what may just become a series over time.
Personally, I just like to accumulate but have recently held myself back as my employment situation has changed and the pennies are not as free flowing ($ and cents for my overseas friends!)

Paints & palettes

My paint section hasn’t changed much as I did go a bit wild when I first started on this journey a couple of years ago. I have started using the Rosa Gallery palette a bit more and received a few pans from my birthday wish list, lucky me.
The lovely Turquoise 714 to dip into along with two of my favourites, Burnt Sienna 733 and Sap Green 728. I know the eagle eyed amongst you will remember I have these colours in the W&N Pro series too. I did say I’m a bit of a sucker for accumulating! (Note to self - no more paint purchases 😫) Here’s a short video on the Rosa palette (if you like these type of 2-3 minute clips let me know in comments and I can embed more into my writing or not , of course )

Paper

I’ve been lucky to gain a couple for my birthday as the Artway Doodle journal is now complete. The Artway Doodle doesn’t take too much water so I’ve been trying to get through it. Which means there is a sketchbook review coming in the future, yay (is it just me or do you love watching sketchbook reviews of people you follow?) In the picture below you can see my homemade one for size & I have written a little about it here.
If you are interested in trying this for yourself from scraps of art paper you have gathered, there is a great youtube video from a lady called Lora

3 blank sketchbooks , Moleskin in the middle & the home made one on the right

So, I have plenty of books to go at including the larger Seawhite and the Botanical Ultra Smooth RKB fatpad (The RKB fatpad was used for the Foxglove picture).
Of course when I start using these I will update you on how they perform.

Pens

I touched on these a little last time but again my willpower (if indeed I have such a thing) was broken when I purchased some used Rotring pens found on Facebook marketplace from a local lady.
In hindsight I think I paid a little over the top for them but there you go, we only live once! (Note to self - Might need to somehow check why my recent health scares are affecting my decisions)

Rotring - Love them or hate them, anyone who is remotely interested in drawing or illustration will know these are technical pens from the draughtsman of old.

1. countable noun
A draughtsman is a man whose job is to prepare very detailed drawings of machinery, equipment, or buildings. (source Collins)

Rotring

Rotring - the fine line I crossed - Oh dear what did I do ! A complete vintage set that was unused and x12 new 0.4mm nibs, some old pens by Staedtler and a few more Rotring bits, ink cartidges, ink bottles in different colours…. never had reason to use these back in the day as I was never in the industry, I confess here and now, I love things like this. I
Ok - I hereby solemnly declare not to buy any more art supplies for at least 6 weeks and will just concentrate on producing more art.
That bit was for my wife.

Chat for inspiration & encouragement

If you’ve made it this far don’t forget I have an active chat thread which will have regular prompts should your artistic well run dry from time to time. It will be encouraging and should have some tips to keep you active. Come over as a subscriber and say hello. We are at #8 but you can join in any that are still open and I promise to read and view all content.

Finally

Thank you for reading, I’m always happy to hear from fellow enthusiasts in the comments👇 Anyway ‘till next time, happy sketching. CJ

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