In my opinion, there is nothing more exciting than receiving new art supplies! I still remember the moment my Mum gave me my first set of 12 Tombow colour crayons on my 6th birthday, I was so over the moon that I could hardly keep my hands off them. In fact, I took them with me to bed for the next month or so! I have clearly been obsessed with art materials from a very young age, no wonder I became a paint maker so many years later. The excitement surrounding a new box of colour pencils or a new set of paint is not just about the satisfaction of opening the meticulous packaging to find the uniformly presented set of colours, there is more to it. It is about the excitement of exploring new materials, discovering new ways of creating art or learning about new materials. To me, that’s what makes art supplies the top of my wish list for my birthdays year after year.
The art kit that comes in the September box is so thoughtful! I even let out a little cry of joy when I opened the box! Being a regular painter and journal keeper, I am forever searching for neat little travel kits for carrying around. This Kuretake Pocket Pouch is just perfect. I particularly like the water bottle that comes with it. Its size is so handy for traveling around and the pump and squeeze refilling design is just pure genius! (See my video on how to refill the bottle and the water brush!) The Holbein Artist Pencils are highly pigmented. Mits consulted Kenry and I some months back on the colour choice. We agree that a good set of primary colour would allow for more options and with burnt umber for adding tonal variation. These pencils are great to use on their own or for using as sketching tools for your painting.
I put the kit to test right away the day after I received the package. I didn’t want to over plan my first trial as I wanted to learn what the materials could do and take it from there. As you can see, my aim was to test out the quality of the materials so these postcards are quite rough and raw! Here is my verdict of my first trial and some tips for you:
- Do a simple quick sketch in pencil first before your trial, so you will have a base to start with and won’t be lost.
- Ink brush pen is normally my go to pen for outlines as the brush tip creates more dynamic flowing lines as opposed to a regular pen. However, be aware that some brush pens are not waterproof (including the Pentel Art Brush in this box as I found out during the trial!) so it is wise to test them out on different paper types and with water beforehand.
- The 0.5mm nib on the Kokuyo Drawing Pen is perfect for outlining any drawings or sketching. I love the sepia colour, which gives the drawing a vintage look! The nib on this pen is of one of the highest quality I have seen, which means it won’t feather or push in within the life of the pen. Wish I could get my hands on a full set of these pens!
- Masking tape and masking fluid are must have items for any painting. I am so pleased to see the inclusion of the MT Slim Washi Tape in this kit. I usually use masking tape to mask off the edges of my painting but this time with the unusual slim tape, I played around with it to create text boxes and patterns in my trials - which is lots of fun!
- The Holbein Artist Pencils layered beautifully together. When they are used on textured paper (like the Momoji Postcard that came in the box!), they create a grainy effect that is crayon like! This creates great contrast against the smooth watercolour texture.
- I recommend you to swatch the Kuretake Watercolour Set to get a good sense of the colours prior your trial. This set comes with all the essential colours that will allow you to mix a wide range of colours for your painting. The key is to choose your palette well before you start!
Here is a video of my trial process!
This kit is going to be my go to kit for Inktober this year! (For those of you who would like to know more about Inktober, here is the link!) Last year, I managed to only do 10 days of the challenge. Hopefully this year will be my year of success! One can only wish ☺
We would love to see some of your painting or postcards, so don’t forget to tag #thestationeryselection to share with us!
Connie @pepperconarts