ArtMater

[NikiraMember]

I invite you to share info about art materials, we use.

Answering to Andrew Spanoudakis

http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/item-new-bijou-watercolour-box.htm

[NikiraMember]

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/Pens-and-Markers/Koh-I-Noor-Pens/Rotring-Art-Pens.htm

[NikiraMember]

Amazing watercolor, impossible to find in USA anymore.

http://www.holbein-works.co.jp/english/0419.html

[NikiraMember]

The best site ever!!!!!

http://www.jetpens.com/

[NuriaMember]

(Español):

Muy buenos pinceles.

—ooo—

(English):

Very good brushes.

http://www.escoda.es/

[NikiraMember]

http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?item=34175

cheaper Rotring

[andrew spanoudakisMember]

Hi there..I finally logged into the forum… Thanks for the web site suggestions.

[NikiraMember]

Rembrandt Talens Watercolor:

http://www.saa.co.uk/artmaterials/royal-talens-rembrandt-half-pans-3534.html

[NuriaMember]

http://www.taker.com/

[NuriaMember]

http://www.schmincke.de/

[andrew spanoudakisMember]

http://www.utrechtart.com/ — I like them because they are close to my house

[ZizaMember]

A while ago I ordered some (plenty) of brushes from Rosemary:

http://www.rosemaryandco.com/ (you can browse this well organised site and/or order a free catalogue – my favourite bed-time literature)

They arrived yesterday and last night I had a chance to test them. In a word: THEY ARE EXCELLENT!!!

This is what an independent review says: http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/brush3a.html

Mr Bruce MacEvoy is behind (one of) the best sources of watercolours brands, techniques, tests, etc.

In my view, his review doesn’t even give them a justice! They are excellent in terms of snap, spring, needlepoint tip, razor sharp edges, comfy handles and you name it…

Most interesting of all, she (Rosemary) offers by far the widest range of high quality pocket/reversible brushes (11 different brushes, and now I got them all + 4 small ones in the section of New&Different).

Last, but not least, the prices are much more affordable than those of other quality brush-makers (say da Vinci), and for those out of EU there is automatic VAT deduction (about 15%). Those in the EU should not be saddened by this, since the Pound is nearly record low to Euro, at the moment – just make sure you place an order in Pounds (since site’s exchange rate seems a bit outdated).

The only “loosers” here are UK folks (no discounts), but then again, they can be proud to have such fine homeland brush production.

[NuriaMember]

http://www.lefranc-bourgeois.com/

http://www.davinci-defet.com/

[NikiraMember]

Marty Harris’s Technique.

A work in progress. Here’s a technique I have enjoyed lately. It speeds up the process, helping me to keep up with the demands of moly_x.

1) I place a photo in Adobe Illustrator, and make it transparent, about 50%. Sometimes I cut images apart and change the layout in Photoshop.

2) I trace over it, still in Adobe Illustrator. I can make a quick template to match the size of the book, so I can put things where I want them. I try not to put important stuff on the fold.

3) The drawing and the photo are on different layers, so I can turn off the photo if I wish. Look at the other image with my wife and I. I left the photo show a bit. I also used sepia colored lines, because I’m going to use sepia ink.

4) I print the image on Moleskine Cahier paper using my inkjet. Here is where I wish that Moleskine offered Large format paper, even tabloid size. My printer can handle 13″x19″. I have to piece larger images together.

I have grown to like the collage look of this technique. I like the visual distraction/interest. The papers have a different texture, so the ink takes to them differently. I like this too.

I use Super 77 spray adhesive. It’s a little hard to work with, but it doesn’t budge once it’s down. You can see the seams very clearly in these images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtyhrrs/4196137419/in/ set-72157603…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtyhrrs/3532999471/siz es/o/in/set-…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtyhrrs/4207299692/siz es/o/in/set-…

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Comments

Rudat 12:07 pm on January 24, 2010 | #

Hey Marty, I like this technique, and your flickr photos are a great reference. Your finals image have a refreshing spontaneity to them. Years ago in art school, a fashion illustration teacher told us the human body should be drawn more elongated than real life. Of course these were fashion drawings, and your people don’t have that short, squat look from being traced from a photo. Kudos to your cool art, Marty! This is inspiring.

Rudat 12:08 pm on January 24, 2010 | #

A 13″x19″ printer!!! You lucky guy!

j. stremikis 8:06 pm on January 24, 2010 | #

Hey, Marty,

this is a great posting – the techniques development stuff is very inspiring, and makes me feel like doing this is far more “approachable” and something I’ll want

to try for myself.

in step 4), you mention that you wish Moleskine offered a larger format paper –

actually, they do. I don’t know for sure where you’re located, but when my daughter and I visited the Dick Blick store in Woodfield Mall (a wee bit north of

Chicago, in the suburbs) this past holiday, I asked the store manager for the

largest Moleskine available — he took me to the very back of the store, and

under other stock, pointed to the A4 size that Bob McD and other have

mentioned here previously. The pages from this would fit comfortably into your

13 x 19 printer bed, and it would be a tight fit ! The cost of this ’skine was

prohibitive to me – but, just so you know they are available, if you ask !

Very cool work — and, hoping to see more of this kind of “techniques

development” or what goes on behind the scenes, looking over your

shoulder, and so on…

Nikira 6:55 am on January 25, 2010 | #

I also really like that you sharing techniques and wish we can preserve your post in the Forums under ArtMaterials or something. Should we ask Leo to repost it there?

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[John SpeightMember]

http://www.graphicsdirect.co.uk/

http://www.lawrence.co.uk/

http://www.londongraphics.co.uk/

[ZizaMember]

Check out for this incredibly low price. I know Cotman is’t the top of the line but who could resist the full palette. I couldn’t!

http://artdiscounts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1_7_51&products_id=855&osCsid=61ed5c825e71466d7af85b5e1311cb9e

[NikiraMember]

Zizochka, its cool.But Cotman is not the best . I have Lukas 48 colors, its mad good,I got it on ASW, I think. But I would kill for Shin Gansai Holbein, 28 c0lors. You cant get in US. Can you get it for me? I’ll send you money. If they sell it there.

[ZizaMember]

Nikira, I agree that Cotman is relatively low grade (lower than Van Gogh as I said earlier), but it is acceptable. Normally I buy it for my daughter and use them sometimes myself.

In Sarajevo we have only Schmincke and Lukas paints + da Vinci brushes which are all too expensive. My last order from Germany was heavily taxed here, so it wouldn’t be practical to have me get them for you. However, all those European companies do ship to the States and it is tax free. I suggest you get them from UK if you find them.

With Lukas I have no experience but judging from their gouache I wouldn’t rate them as high quality. But then again all that is the matter of personal preference. Mine is (as I said) Rembrandt Talens, but it can change if something better hits me.

[NikiraMember]

Ziza, look at this beauty http://www.holbein-works.co.jp/english/0419.html

No matter how I try I can’t find it where to buy. I bought another Shin Gansai on Ebay, but it is not the same. I have this set more than 20 years old, love it, but can’t find it in UK too. May be some sites I don’t know? I called Holbein in Japan, and they said they can’t sell it to me in USA because of some passing tests or something.

[stremikiMember]

Nikira -

I have been following your postings regarding the “shin-gansai” watercolours now for some time. In fact, this may be a reason for my discovering ‘skineart and “drawing me in” to the scene.

.

Russ Stutler, the fellow in Tokyo who blogs on sketching, ‘skines, pens and ink, and techniques sometimes mentions the new, “shin-gansai” and “regular-” or, “traditional-” gansai paints.

.

http://www.stutler.cc/other/sketchbook/sketchbook_b_01.html

http://www.stutler.cc/other/sketchbook/sketchbook_25.html

.

http://www.sketching.cc/forum/viewtopic.php?p=609&sid=61233d553b8831d8aa594b7d7b642501

.

I see that Amazon.co.jp (Amazon, in Japan) – does not make available the Holbein sets.

Like you, I have searched everywhere online here in the US – and have looked in the nearby fine art supply stores such as Dick Blick or college and university art supply shops. No luck in eBay, and elsewhere.

.

However, have you seen these sets of “traditional-gansai” in upstate New York, (Rochester) online at FineArtStore.com ?

Also, these are available at Amazon Marketplace (the FineArtStore):

.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015KFFU4/

.

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Gansai-Watercolors-Forest-Green/dp/B0015KID2Q/ref=pd_sim_op_2#moreAboutThisProduct

.

http://www.fineartstore.com/Catalog/tabid/365/txtSearch/gansai/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=UnitCost,UnitCost

.

Like you, I am waiting for an opportunity to have a colleague, friend, family member, or myself get to the Tokyo stores.

Exactly what you are looking for should be available in the Japanese domestic fine-art stores.

.

I have been tempted to contact Russ Stutler, but so far, have not. Perhaps he would be willing to send one or two

packets of these ?

.

http://www.stutler.cc/index.html

http://www.sketching.cc/index.html

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