More on Winsor Newton Pigment Markers

This is Winsor Newton pigment markers on primed canvas, just a commercially bought small canvas, about 8" x 10". The flowers are a rub out technique with a damp cotton swab, the rest is the markers. Who knew these markers are so versatile on the right surfaces.

Winsor Newton Pigment Marker Review

I got these markers a few weeks ago on clearance at a local hobby store, they were a lot less than the retail price since they were on clearance. I read about them and watched videos online then tried them and I've come to know the tricks to working with them successfully. I thought I'd share it with you. First, these Winsor Newton Pigment markers are a high quality worthy of the company name. They are lightfast to 100 years so they stand up well to thbe light. They are ethanol based, similar to alcohol base except most also how based markers don't mix with water, these do. They can be blended with a damp brush, cotton swab, finger or soft cloth. They can be reworked after they dry, I let it dry 24 hours then went back with a damp brush and rubbed out circles, worked beautifully. The trick to using them successfully is to use them on the right paper or surface. they work well on any non absorbent surface like these in ththe picture. I have Yupo paper( a polyethylene paper), tracing paper and poster board on the use shiny side. I've also learned they work well on gessoed paper or board and I expect they'd work on gessoed Canvas but I haven't tried that yet. I wouldn't use any absorbent paper because the marker colors sink into the paper and can't manipulated the way they are on coated papers.

They come in a dual ended barrel, one end broad and one fine end, in a rounded barrel- shown below) that's easy to hold nad are available in about 100 colors, but at about $8 each US, a full set would be pricy for most of us.

On the coated paper the strokes ar visible and look very painterly but can be blended, worked over and do well once blended. It just depends on the look your going for, there is also a white blending pen and a clear blender available that can be used to blend th colors but they both leave a streaky look to the colors I don't care for. they also have a specific marker paper made to go with ththe we markers but it's thin, about 20 pound and is not really thick enough to withstand very much over working. Other than the price Winsor Newton has again proven to have a quality product, the trick is to use the proper surface and playing with th markers first to see how they operate. Would I buy them again at regular price? Maybe, but only to replace colors that dry out ( they are not refillable) or get specific colors not in my collection. Here are some samples of works I did with these markers. The yellow flower is on ths shiny side of poster board, the butterfly is on Yupo paper and the frog is on tracing paper. Pardon the typos, th IPad wasn't cooperating to fix them.

Ecoline Products Review

I used Ecoline, a Dutch brand, liquid watercolors and brush pens for the first time on this painting and thought I'd give my thoughts on the product. The watercolors are very easy to work with, come in sets or in a variety of colors. I ordered a set of 10 online, which is the only way I've been able to find them. They blend well, can be lightened or thinned with water And can be used in any surface regular watercolors are used on, paper, boards, or for lettering. Only drawback I see other than only being available online is that they're not lightfast. The colors are bright but I wouldn't want to put a painting done with them in the sunlight for a long time, it might fade. The brush pens come in the same colors as the bottles do but must be ordered as well and the tip is a flexible fiber core instead of a real brush tip. I got a set of 10 and got a free blender. The markers are good for details, as in the eyes in this leopard. They are water soluable so they're easy to remove if you get them on your hands or anywhere else they don't belong. Would I buy them again? Probably, they suit my needs as a watercolorist and calligrapher. Do it like them? Yes, they're easy to work with since the color is liquid, only a small amount is used at a time so they last a long time and they come in many colors. Here's a small, 9" x 12", painting done with both the liquid colors and the brush markers.

Zig Clean Color Brush Pens Review

I bought these brush pens a few weeks ago online. They are Zig Clean Color Brush pens and came in many colors, I got the set of 48

PROS- the pens have an actual brush tip with fine brush hairs instead of a fiberous flexible pointed tip, so they arcan actual brushes. They come in a Variety, up to 80, colors. They blend with water because they are watercolor pens. And you can put them tip to tip to blend colors, the color from one tip migrates to the other tip enough to blend into a third color for a short while before returning to its original color. the fine tip makes it easy to get into small spaces to color and the brush strokes are easy to control. They do not bleed through the page. CONS- They are a bit expensive, the set of 48 costs about $62 and can be hard to find in stores, at least that's my experience. They are not refillable. Would I buy them again? Maybe, but only if I could find them open stock to replace pens that are empty.

Stay tuned for more reviews of different products I've tried.

This is a oag from an adult coloring book I colored with Zig Clean Color markers.

A Break from Quilting

Im taking a short break from making quilts, partly because I getting so many stacking up and partly to avoid burnout. I'm doing coloring pages, collecting more gel pens, markers and the like, more supplies. I've also become interested in something called Bullet Journals.

The bullet journals are not exactly the diary type journals but rather a book of your own design, from a blank book, that fits your individual needs, things you want to track, tasks to do, events, that sort of thing. There are many you tube videos on the making of Bullet Juornals that have good ideas on what to put in them, how to go about it and such. This photo was borrowed from Pinterest, don't remember who posted it originally.

Because of this new interest of mine, I'm rekindling my lettering hobby. I taught calligraphy many years ago but set it aside for other hobbies. The bullet journal affords me the opportunity to use lettering skills again. So I'm taking up lettering again, at present I'm very rusty at the craft. Although I don't have a photo of a Bullet journal and I don't want to impede on anyone who's already shown their own online, here is an excellent source for getting a look at them. It's BoHo Berry, listed online, instagram, Facebook and other social media. Another is called Tiny Ray of Sunshine, also online and on social media. Check it out if you'd like. I gather info I'll post my own photos of my journal. Have fun . .

Progress, March Project

Progress on the wall hanging, pieces cut out but not yet set together and the inspiration for the piece.

Strange happenings on the Full Moon

This appeared as a smudge no one of my windows. There's a face in it. Do your u see it? What do you make of it? I have no idea where it came from or if it means anything, it's just weird.

Monthly Projects

At the end of last year, 2016,I decided to do a small project each month to practice skills and techniques My version of this will be done in the orange peel pattern,the quilt in the photo here is done is done in cathedral window pattern.This is the inspiration for my March project.

My Facebook page

I have a Facebook page for my art, C.S.Originals. Check it out.

This is a practice project

Kimono

This is my most recent, post surgery, project,still in the works. Its a kimono,pieced/appliqued. Not yet finished or quilted. I'm going to faux quilt it by stitching it but not using any batting since that will make it too heavy.It will also be lined. Here's the front, back and sleeves. I have a Facebook page where most of my art is, C.S. Originals, check it out

Been a Long time . . .

It's been a long time since I posted here and so much has happened. I'm still quilting and designing. I've lost elderly pets and gained new ones to fill in the holes. Currently I have 10 cats, 2 dogs, all shelter rescues. The biggest thing of late is that back in September I was diagnosed with appendix cancer which is rare. I have what is called the mother of all surgeries, there were 5 procedures done. I didn't have to have chemo, yet, and don't plan to. Recovery from this horrid event took a full 3 months, I finally got my energy back and am actively quitting and designing again. Anyway, today I have my first CT scan following the surgery. It's to see if any tumors remain. The appendix cancer causes mucinous tumors and the one I had was huge, nearly the size of a soccer ball, it had ruptured and spilled the mucin, a jelly like substance, into my gut. St surgery I lost 30 lbs in about a week,I've gained about 5 lbs back but don't want to gain anymore. I've r ad that follow us scans ar done every so often, 3 months, 6 months and a year in additoin I blood tests. My last tests were really good so I'm hoping for th same or better this time. I mentioned my pets are shelter rescues, for a few months, before the surgery and it's associated stuff, I volunteered at my local animal shelter. It was fun, I worked with cats. I've had cats for over 40 years so I know them well. I'd like to get back to volunteering with them again, once spring hits and I can get there again.

A 40 Year Project

This painting was started in about 1986 and finished today in 2015. It's in colored pencil, prismacolor and Polychromos brands. It's on paper and is 18" x 24", quite large for a colored pencil piece. I found it, half finished, buried in a stack of older works, while I was looking for something else, which I have yet to find. I've always said I've been doing colored pencil since the 1980s and this proves it. You can check out newer pieces on my facebook page C S originals. 

Test Run, Fluid Acrylic Paints

I'd read about fluid acrylic paints in several sources so I decided to try them. I also had this book called Brave Intuitive Painting by Flora Bowley ( don't have a picture of the book). I decided to combine the two into a short series of paintings on paper.

The fluid acrrylics, Golden brand is what I found although there are several brands, combined them with fluid craft acrylic paints to produce these paintings. The golden brand fluid acrylics are intensely pigmented and pourable. The craft acrylics work well although they are not the quality of the artist fluid acrylics, although both are pourable. So other than pigmentation and price, the fluid acrylic paints are similar to craft acrylics in consistency and either can be used together. According to what I read in the book,I should paint in layers with no pre-made plan or sketch, letting the painting suggest where to go next. So I did just that.I painted warm colors on paper first, letting that layer dry completely, then added washes of cool colors in a random fashion. I continued in this mannet I r, allowing the colors to build. I even closed my eyes, directed the brush to the paper & painted some strokes. Suprisingly, I actually hit the paper! Anyway these are the results of that trial. These 3 paintings on paper are the result. There are also close up views of a painting so you can see the layer

s.

A Recent Interview

A recent interview I did a few months ago was published online at http://creativeroom4talk.com/cathy-sparks/. It's a real honor to think someone thought my work was worthy of actual publication, check it out. They have lots of other interesting pieces as well.

The Judicious Use of Black in Painting

Black is not actually a color, but it the absence of any color. However "black" is color used in painting as a dark tone. It can indicate darkened

or shaded areas of the painting. It can be the actual color of an object, for example a black cat or a black umbrella. Black can be cool, warm or neutral

in tone. Many artists prefer to mix their own black from a dark blue  plus dark brown, Prussian blue and burnt umber are popular colors used to make black.

the most common black paint in the art world is lamp black which comes in a tube, jar or pan, depending on the medium the artist is using.

There are several ways to successfully add black to a painting. Layering is one of the best ways to "build" a black or dark area of a

painting. Paint in washes or glazes first, then add glazes of color, alternating with the black for the first few layers, finishing with the

color of the object.  Another method of adding black to shaded areas is to add thin lines of black against the edge of the underlying object,

then dilute the lines to gradually fade it out to nothing. This is shown in the photo below, on the left with the leaves.

Keep in mind that there is a thing such as too much black. It can turn a painting into a disaster. Less is more  when using black. Black is a staining color

which cannot be completely lifted to reveal the original color. Many times it must painted over, with many coats, to return the original color.

The best way to determine the placement of black tones in a painting is to really study the subject for light and dark areas and plan

 the painting around that. Many artists make sketches showing light and dark areas before beginning to paint. Planning a painting this

way will help adding the dark and light areas to appear naturally in the finished painting.

First Solo Show

So I had my first ever solo art quilt show last night. It was part of the art walk sponsored by the local art league. Over all, it went well. I was set up in the office of a local lawyer who lets them use his space on a regular basis . I had a total of 22 quilts, raining from 8x11 journal quilts to a 72" square quilt. I borrowed some racks from my quilt guild to hang the larger pieces and pinned the smaller ones to a hinged display/layout foam core board I use. There were about 50 or so people that came by to see the show, some were fellow quikters, some fellow art league members and the general public. You must understand I live in a small town where, up until last sipummer when the art league began the art walks, downtown was dead, there was traffic moving thought but there was nothing to bring a person to downtown, it is primarily lawyers offices and banks along with the courthouse and an antique mall. 

Anyway, I received many positive comments on the art, one young guy said I'd taken art to a new level. I consider that a real compliment. The comments I got served as validation that my art is acceptable to the public. That may me feel pretty good, even though the show was only 3 hours long and I didn't sell anything, it turned out to be a good show overall. Will I do another? Probably not, at least I don't plan to. It's a lot of work for such a short time. My husband helped set it up & take it down.  Otherwise I'd never have gotten it hung on my own.  Here are some of the pieces I had in the show. I've decided from now on I'll only show them online, here or on my facebook page, CSOriginals. At least it's easier to post on line than hang a physical show. Enjoy.

Art Quilts in Display

I'm finally having a public exhibit if my art quilts! Friday, April 17,2015 from 5-8 pm, I'm the last on the list. I took a few art quilts to my art league meeting just to provide I did indeed make them, I'd kept saying I did so I thought I'd prove it. Anyway, the president of the art league said I needed to do a show, so here it is, next Friday. It was originally slated for February but that art walk got canceled because of bad weather. Let's hope the weather cooperates this time. It is storm season in central KY.

This should be fun anyway. I'll have about 22 quilts of various sizes displayed. All are for sale. There are some hand painted silk quilts included along with the appliquéd & pieced ones. If you're in the lexington area, come down to nicholasville, one county south & join the fun.

Reviving Dried out Alcohol based Markers

I learned a trick to revive markers that are dried out, especially those expensive ones. This works on alcohol based markers, haven't tried watercolor markers yet. Anyway, pull out the nib of the marker with tweezers, take rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol or maybe even vodka might work, using an eye dropper, syringe or pipette, drop a few drops of alcohol into the hole of the marker where the nib goes. Replace the nib, and shake. You may have to wait a little while for the alcohol to soak in. I let mine sit overnight. When I tired it the next day I had a marker that worked again. Can't say this works for all kinds, I have Copic and Prismacolor markers, but it works for these. It beats buying another $8.00 marker. Some of these higher end markers also have ink refills available. This is just a short cut to refresh a dried out marker. Eventually you will have to refill it with ink. :)

A New Quilt

Okay, the test post went through successfully. So here goes one with a photo to test that feature.  This is a hand painted silk quilt called The Elements of Nature. I will have this and about 20 others displayed in my first solo quilt show! it will be Friday evening, 5 pm - 8 pm on April 17, 2015 in Nicholasville, just a short drive south from Lexington,  the show is part of the April Art Walk sponsored by the local art league every other month. I will be set up in Adam Zerooigians law office across the street from the courthouse. If you happen to be in the Lexington Ky area that evening, for the Keeneland races maybe, stop by & see the whole show, 

I've also got an article coming up on a new art website called Creativeroom4talk.com. I'll let you know when it's up. 

A New App

Had to use a new app for the IPad blogger. The old one threw an error and refused to allow me to post anything. So here goes. This is only a test post to see if it works. Please understand that I have to learn how to use this app yet, so if the post looks strange, you know I'm still learning it.