Faber-Castell Brush Ink Pen Sets
If you’ve been here for a while, you may recall the post about the Faber-Castell Brush Ink pens I’ve been using. This all started when I found two distinctly different colors with the same number, 268 Green/Gold. It seems my first guess was correct; the green looking one comes in the Landscape set, and the gold ochre colored one is the one you’ll get if you buy #268 singly. Here are two large size color charts done on some very white Aquabee paper:
Click on the thumbnails for the large size, and feel free to print them out for your own use. The HTML color swatches provided on merchant web sites don’t come close to the real thing, and it’s frustrating, to say the least. These are pretty accurate, but please note that none of the colors are an exact match to each other. Sorry if some of them look alike, but in real life, there’s a slight difference that I can’t pick up with either the scanner or the camera.
I’ve been adding some watercolor pens from Tombow to my collection trying to find something similar to #268 gold Green/Gold. Yes, I know. It’s ridiculously confusing. Faber-Castell, if you have any compassion for your customers, please change the name and number of ONE of those pens. Please?
Anyway, I’ve finished the color charts in my new “records” book, and tried to keep similar colors together. I’ve added some colors from Tombow that aren’t available in ink, mainly reds, purples, and pinks. The paper is manilla colored, and the swatches look a little different than the ones done on white paper. Paper color definitely affects the look of the pigments.
Color Charts
Faber-Castell Ink Pens and Tombow Watercolor Pens
Color Charts
Faber-Castell Ink Pens and Tombow Watercolor Pens
The manilla paper in the sketchbook is smaller than the Aquabee paper, and I used 3 pages instead of two. It’s not a complete list from either manufacturer, but I’ll update the charts if I get anything new. If you’re a user of either of these products, I hope you find these color charts useful.
Technorati Tags: art, color charts, Faber-Castell Brush Ink Pens, Tombow Watercolor Pens
category: Materials & Supplies author: Lisa B. comments: 7 Comments
February 28th, 2009
Tissue Paper Garden
Tissue paper, Green Ink #171, crappy merge job
I don’t know about you, but I like to keep notes about my art supplies; what I like, where I bought something unusual, etc. Currently, that information resides in several different notebooks, and I want them all in one place. I decided a new book was in order, but I didn’t want something that was going to be confused with my “art” sketchbooks.
Blick was having a close-out on a leather bound sketchbook that looked promising. I don’t usually consider leather bound blank books to be useful for drawing because they usually won’t lay flat. I wasn’t planning to use it for artwork, so the binding wasn’t an issue. I ordered it, and much to my surprise, it has stitched signatures that allow it to lay flat! I think I got the last one that Blick had, as they are no longer listed. However, it can still be purchased at The Fine Art Store for a couple dollars more than I paid for a close-out item.
The tissue paper art was done just for fun on a double page spread. I used an UHU Glue stick, which is non toxic and acid free, to glue the tissue paper. It didn’t soak through the tissue, and I’ve had no problems with my pages sticking together! The flowers are in the front of the book, but you can’t very well have decorative pages in the front of a book without having them in the back, can you?
Tissue Paper Dancers
Tissue Paper, ink & watercolor pens
For this one, I made a cardboard pattern to cut the fancy dresses. The ruffles were straight strips of paper folded and glued onto the dresses before gluing the dresses into the book. The dancer silhouettes and confetti background were drawn in after the glue job with Faber-Castell Ink pens, and a Tombow Lilac #620 watercolor pen.
Recording information isn’t much fun, but this will be a fun book to use!
Technorati Tags: art, tissue paper, UHU glue stick
category: Arts n' Crafts author: Lisa B. comments: 4 Comments
February 23rd, 2009
Purple Cow, Ink, ACEO
Copyright © E. Bachman
When I was a little girl, I learned a silly poem that went something like this:
I never saw a purple cow and hope I never see one,
but one thing that I know for sure, I’d rather see than be one!
So, if you’ve never seen a purple cow, now you have. This one is my favorite:
Happy Cow, Ink, ACEO
Copyright © E. Bachman
They look a little blue don’t they? Ah well, scanners can only do so much. In real life, they’re actually quite purple.
Technorati Tags: art, drawing, ACEO, cows
category: Small Works author: Lisa B. comments: 3 Comments
February 15th, 2009
Chick’uns
Ink in Sketchbook
I know, I know, long time no post. I have two rooms under construction right now, but I’ve been working on some small stuff in between.
I see so much original artwork that’s 2.5″ x 3.5″, that I had to see if it could really be done with human hands. It sounds so small, but here it is, a drawing that’s 2.5×3.5, which is the universal size of an ATC/ACEO. Cute, aren’t they?
What’s an ATC/ACEO? An ATC is an Artist’s Trading Card. The Impressionists used to trade their artwork for fun, or to study another artist’s method. ATC’s are traded between artists. An ACEO is an Art Card Edition or Original, and is the same size, but is traded for money. The only requirement is the size, which is 2.5″ x 3.5″.
Because they’re the same size as baseball trading cards, portfolios for sports memorabilia can accommodate them quite nicely. They can be framed, but some folks like to be more creative with their displays. Are you a collector? How do you display you small works?
Sorry about the blurry picture. The scanner doesn’t like ringed sketchbooks and without a tripod, the photos weren’t much better.
Okay, back to the basement… I have construction debris to clean up that needs to go to the dump. Fun. Not.
Technorati Tags: art, ATC, ACEO, chickens
category: Small Works author: Lisa B. comments: 3 Comments
February 10th, 2009
Greek Alphabet: Iota and Kappa
Ink & Watercolor pens
Ancient Greece was known for it’s advanced society, but there was another part of Greece that didn’t quite make it into the history books. Yep, that’s right, ancient Greece also had it’s own “wild, wild, west.”
The Iota Bank was the only bank in town, but would take deposits of any size. Even the smallest deposit was treated with dignity and respect. On the other hand, their lending practices left a little to be desired. Interest rates were phenomenal, and Monday mornings as debtors shuffled back to work, they were often heard singing:
Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go,
Iota bank, iota bank, so off to work I go!
Next to Iota Bank was the Kappa Gun store. Kappa guns were famous for their loud, popping sounds. Even if a soldier missed his mark, intruders were often scared to death from the incredible noise. Those that didn’t experience heart failure from the frightful sound were deafened, and could no longer respond to orders from their commanders. This is why the ancient Greeks always won their battles. Greek soldiers wore ear buds under their helmets to prevent hearing loss.
And so ends another history lesson. There will be a test later. You ARE taking notes, aren’t you?
Wouldn’t want you to myth anything…
Technorati Tags: art, illustration, Greek alphabet, iota, kappa
category: Alphabet Art author: Lisa B. comments: 4 Comments
January 31st, 2009
Greek Alphabet: Eta and Theta
The ancient Greeks loved to play games, and were especially fond of contests that involved demonstrations of physical prowess. Every four years, athletes would gather at Olympia for several days of festivities and competition. The games began after the athletes made a sacrifice, and pledged an oath to Zeus. To prevent cheating, competitors wore no clothing during their events, and women were forbidden into the stadium.
While the men were competing, women often amused themselves with less active games such as checkers, dice, and marbles. One such marble game was Eta Ball, in which players attempted to deposit striped or solid balls into their opponents pockets. Possession of the black ball eliminated a contestant from further play, and cheating was punishable with a blow from a long stick with a golden handle. Men couldn’t play Eta Ball because they were naked, and had no pockets.
Women pledged an oath and sacrificed blue chalk to Theta, the goddess of Eta Ball. Blue chalk was made from Azurite, a naturally occurring mineral often found near Malachite. Although it was indeed a very beautiful blue, Theta would often rack her brains trying to understand why the women gave her chalk instead of gold.
So ends our history lesson for today.
Technorati Tags: art, drawing, illustration, Greek alphabet, Eta, Theta
category: Alphabet Art author: Lisa B. comments: No Comments
January 27th, 2009
Clementine
Virtual Sketch Date, January 2009
Oh, my darlin’ Clementine! Poor thing, it’s really not very darling at all. I got a good likeness of Clementine sketched, and promptly loused her up with the ink and watercolor pens. Granted, I’m a little limited when it comes to blending due to the nature of the medium, but I wish I hadn’t outlined it in black, and I really wish I would have just finished it in pencil.
After I made a complete mess of my nice little sketch, got out my bottle of white ink. It’s got some good opaque qualities, but can also be translucent when used thinly. I used it thickly over the orange to create the pithy white part (looks like drippy frosting, doesn’t it?) and thinly to blend the skin insides, and create the pithy patches. I was even able to cover up most of the black outlining.
I also painted over the background hoping to either blend or eliminate the lines from the purple watercolor pen. It’s better than it was, but definitely not what I’d hoped for. Poor little homely Clementine. You know what this little gal needs? Diamonds. Yessiree. A few diamonds would fix her up right purdy!
That’s what I like best about Aquabee Super Delux Sketchbooks. Use them, abuse them, and you still have a workable surface.
Links to the individual participant’s blogs will be available at Virtual Sketch Date on Sunday, January 25th. You can see the group entries at the new Flickr Group.
Technorati Tags: art, drawing, Aquabee Sketchbooks, Virtual Sketch Date, oranges, clementines
category: VSD author: Lisa B. comments: 14 Comments
January 21st, 2009
Label for Orange Marmalade
Copyright © 2009, E. Bachman
Faber-Castell Ink Pens, Aquabee Sketchbook
Okay, I’m ready for marmalade, but the oranges we get around these parts are completely worthless. They’re spray painted to be pretty on the outside, but the insides haven’t much flavor. I’m going to have to order a crate of them from somewhere to get ripe, juicy insides.
Admittedly, I’m having a wee bit too much fun with these labels, but I think I’m getting the hang of them, and have another idea for my peaches. Heck, they won’t be ripe for another 6-7 months so I have plenty of time to come up with something pretty. I just wish the canning jars weren’t so lumpy with raised text. It ruins the artwork.
In case you were wondering, the sketchbook I’m working in is 9×12 and too big for my scanner, which is why one side of these label images is always discolored. It would be nice if they made a 9×12 scanner, wouldn’t it?
Technorati Tags: art, illustration, crate label, oranges
category: Home Canning author: Lisa B. comments: 3 Comments
January 16th, 2009
More Greek Alphabet, Epsilon and Zeta
Ink, Pencil, Watercolor pen(s)
Today we have Greek letters no. 5 and 6, Epsilon and Zeta. A fine Greek lawn is every homeowner’s dream. You know the one. It’s the one that’s always greener on the other side of the fence. It’s the one without any dandelions. It’s the one that’s full of birds, because fifty pounds of grass seed will keep those little babies fed for a good long time.
Following epsilon is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet, with sincerest apologies to Catherine Zeta-Jones. I’m getting hungry for a Gyros…
Technorati Tags: art, drawing, illustration, Greek alphabet
category: Alphabet Art author: Lisa B. comments: 6 Comments
January 9th, 2009
Udderly Smooth
Faber-Castell Ink Pens
Out with the old, and in with the new, a new year that is. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday, and that Santa didn’t leave you any reindeer poop.
*** Begin cheesy commercial message ***
This year, I got my “contractor” some new hand cream. Actually, it’s for cows, but it does a much better job than the gallons of hand lotion he normally goes through. The new “hand” cream is called Udderly Smooth. I’ve never been a lotion kind of gal, but I really like this cream. Just a little dab’ll do ya. I like the mild scent, and the container just cracks me up. Moooove over hand lotions, there’s a new cream in town!
*** End cheesy commercial ***
Heh, my ellipses still need work…
Technorati Tags: art, illustration, Udderly Smooth, hand cream
category: Reviews author: Lisa B. comments: 5 Comments
January 3rd, 2009
