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Awesome Pad. I love this pad. The cover is very tough and sturdy, which is a very good thing because I am not exactly the most gentle with my books. The pad itself has withstood falls, tumbles, spilt liquids, and lots of rough handling, and is still in good shape like a good book. The tooth of the paper is excellent. It can take alcohol-based markers really well and just feels good to write on with pen, pencil, and inking nibs. Each sheet of paper has a grid on one side and is blank on the other side, so if you want double-sided gridded sheets, this pad may not be for you. My only two small complaints is that I wish the grids were printed so that they touch the edges of the paper. The other is that if you are not careful, the spine will lift up from the paper exposing where the papers are stapled together. I just place a medium paper clip on the top middle part to keep it down, because it is still a very good grid pad. I will be acquiring more of these nifty pads in the future. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good quality materials make all the difference. I gave these as a gift and they were absolutely LOVED! And were put to use immediately!
A big reason I chose these oil pastels was their marketing approach, they were maintaining a high profile. This gift was for a very talented 8 year old, and I've learned quickly that such young talent abhors the use of taglines like "kid" or "student" or "beginner", if they have genuine talent, they deserve all the respect and encouragement we can give them. These pastels are made for the serious artist in mind, I loved that... and so did my little friend.
They truly are fine oil pastels that I would recommend to any artist... without great materials a great talent can be wasted in frustration with an inferior product... which in the long run is a great loss to all of us. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Could be better. This is a mixed review but I'm not sure if it's the norm or if mine was a one-off. When I got the box, the bag that held the cups inside was open ended and most of the cups and lids were in the box, not the bag itself. No labeling or anything. Some of the cups were so jammed together I wondered if I'd ever get them separated (I did), but I never received the yellow lid (bummer)!!. It looked like the bag had dropped and everything was just scooped up and thrown into the box as-is, and the yellow lid didn't make it. That said, I've used the cups & lids for my kids (5, 4 & 2) to paint with and they worked very well. I like that the lids also have a flip top to them so it makes clean up super easy as I didn't need to put paint back into bottles, etc. Had I received the entire product (missing the yellow lid gives me a useless cup and a constant annoying reminder that I didn't get what I paid for), then it would have gotten 5 stars. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Beautiful color and excellent coverage. A beautiful gray, leaning slightly toward blue. I painted two coats on stained tan leather Mary Jane shoes and they turned out great. The paint went on smoothly and provided good coverage. I applied neutral paste wax to the shoes after they had dried a few days; the finish was excellent. I've received compliments on these shoes, and nobody ever noticed them when they were tan. The only problem is that the paint cracked at stress points after five or six wearings. I just repainted over the cracks, which are now only slightly noticeable. I'll continue to touch up with more paint as needed; there is plenty of paint in the bottle. The product is well worth the price to restore shoe wearability and provide probably many more uses. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Professional Grade but Not the Best. I am a fashion illustration student, and I've used a lot of blender markers and blending techniques.
As far as blenders go, Prismacolor is professional grade, but every professor I know recommends the Chartpak blender (and ONLY the Chartpak blender). This is because, on a whole, Chartpak markers are a lot "wetter" than Prismacolors (which are "drier" markers) and blending relies very much on mixing colors before they're too dry and anchored on your marker paper. Chartpak blenders also usually cost about $3 or $4, so it's not too much of a price increase over Prismacolors (usually $2 or $3 at local art stores in NYC).
For an even more economical option, if you're a painter, you could try blending markers and colored pencils with Gamsol or another oil paint thinning medium + tortillions. You get a lot more control and it's cheaper, but it takes a bit of practice. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great for scrapbook albums in Sizzix Big Shot. I was looking for chipboard to make my own scrapbook albums, because I do not like purchasing the precut kind at Michaels. These chipboard sheets cut perfectly in my sizzix big shot. I made beautiful scrapbook albums using this chipboard, the Grand Nestabilities dies and my Sizzix Big Shot. I had to run it in my Big Shot 3 times before it cut through it. The results were amazing. I was able to make different albums using different dies from the Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities collection. I had previously purchased the medium weight chipboard but I could not cut in my Big Shot no matter how many times I ran it through. This light chipboard cuts very nicely. Even though it's light, it is sturdy enough to make a nice book. i am wondering if it will work in my Cricut machine, and when i try this, I will post addendum. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fantastic. I'm a painter working in both digital and traditional media. While I love the tactile nature of traditional painting on canvas, sometimes not having to worry about brushes, cleaning and mixing paints is nice with digital painting. When I saw these I thought it'd be a best of both worlds situations, and it is.
The markers have paint and a ball bearing in them to make sure the paint is properly mixed. You push the tip (it's on a spring) into the marker to load it with paint. A little paint goes a long way and although I was worried that there wasn't very much paint in each marker when I initially purchased them, it's no longer a concern.
Overall what I really like about these is that they are quick. It's easy to get your ideas on canvas quickly and build from them. It has a nice rough style that comes from the layering. They're also great for touch up. I find that I use them on my more involved airbrush paintings to touch up or make tiny corrections, things like that. It's acrylic so it blends right in. Clean up is essentially putting the caps back on the markers. Can't beat it! If your an artist looking for something new to try, this is it!
*Note* I did not buy THIS exact set, but they are the same markers I have bought in other sets or individually from Blick.
Some things to take into consideration:
-When painting you generally mix colors for gradation and custom shades. With these, I layer one color and then, before it draws, use another color directly on top of the first. This actually produces some nice effects.
-Tips are replaceable, but generally you can just wipe mixed paint off of them.
-SOME markers are refillable (YAY!) The markers in this set may not be(BOO!). I picked up a bunch of single markers from Blick that are all refillable.
-You can refill them with any acrylic. This is great for me because I also airbrush and use Golden acrylic that I can just pour into these markers. Montana also sells their own refill paint. I've been meaning to order some (it's good paint) but haven't got around to it.
-You can buy empty markers and fill them with your own premixed colors or clean out used up refill markers and do the same. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I am very disappointed. I received and listened this sacd on Oct,18th.
I have some comments about this sacd :
Manufactured quality is bad,from track 1 to track 7 , the music is performing very well , but from track 8 to final track , it is out of order , I heard some interruption on each track and sound became small , when I changed to CD mode, the sound is still small. I also listened to another sacd(also manufactured by telarc-stir it up), the music is performing very well , so I can sure this sacd have problem,I would like to suggest telarc to check the quality of same production lot. If telarc don't clarify this issue , you should consider carefully before you buy this sacd. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fun so Far. So far I like it. I haven't done a large project with it yet but I do know that you need a particular type of Acrylic to use this, one that is very runny! Some manufacturers make these kinds of acrylics. I just happen to have a busted 'Golden HIGH FLOW 1Oz Carbon Black' so I thought, hey, lets put this acrylic into a nicer vessel for ready-use. I would recommend a large bottle of <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/4oz-High-Flow-Acrylic-Paint-Color-Carbon-Black/dp/B00E4PLGBY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">4oz. High Flow Acrylic Paint Color: Carbon Black</a> or larger to save on cost. My guess is that 4oz is about 4 refills and a some. I'm having fun with it. Pro-tip: Use this pen on smooth surfaces only as the tips tend to get worn down very quickly on more course surfaces, even on generic paper, the fibers will fray. -1 Star cause I don't like Montana's logo or that the tips fray quickly. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Worked amazing on plastic shutters. Worked amazing on plastic shutters. I washed to shutters with soap and water and allowed them to dry before painting. I was a little annoyed at the amount of paint that went airborne. However, I painted four shutters per can and when I did the math the coverage area was EXACTLY as advertised. So I'm guessing that is accounted for. LOOKS BETTER THAN NEW!!!! Cant tell you how it will hold up to UV light outdoors, but so far so good.
Update: I moved some time ago, and was back in the old neighborhood last week. Two years and eight months later the shutters look the same as the day I painted them. Good stuff! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Excellent quality, favorite inks!! Great price for what you get. Buying this is is the best thing I could do! The price is very fair for what you get.
I'm an illustrator and I work mainly with watercolors and inks. I've tried many inks and this is by far the best!
If you don't have the money to buy both sets, set #1 will do specially because it contains white and black inks.
I've seen this being sold separately in craft stores and they are way more expensive that way.
This inks are waterproof and won't bleed once they are dry even if you add water, which is great if you want to do a lineart with them but paint with watercolors. They're shiny once they dry and have the most beautiful and intense pigment I've used.
I highly recommend them, also the color is so intense that usually you just need a drop or top for very large areas, so this ink will last a lot of time. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I would not recommend this. I bought one of these at Hobby Lobby. It's crap. The construction of the nib is dumb. It's a solid, only slightly flexible core, surrounded by a soft foam in the shape of the brush. I thought I would be able to get very fine lines, and very the line width easily, but I couldn't. if you apply too much pressure the inner core will cause the outer foam to get damaged. It started to fray, and I would have like a secondary parallel line. It's like the quality of a crayola marker. The outer foam is so soft, that it's difficult to control. I could get a finer, more predictable line with a Prismacolor brush marker for around the same price, and it's way bigger, but that one is a kind of rubbery foam throughout. I couldn't believe for the price, how crappy this was. Normally, I really like Sakura pens, especially the .005 and the .1, but I was not happy at all with this. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Wow! I'm impressed. I must say, when I saw this set of brushes from Craftamo was only $25 I wasn't sure what to expect but, I needed a decent set of everyday brushes. Something I could use for crafts and other small projects. I sure was surprised when I opened the package!
First of all, the presentation is of great quality. The zippered carrying case is very well constructed. This set includes a great array of brushes. Fifteen brushes in total. There is everything from chiseled edge brushes to fine liners and everything in between. These are very nice long handled brushes. Not your cheapy drug store variety.
Although these are far from being sable brushes the synthetic material is of high quality. I haven't been able to loosen any bristles yet and the fibers seem to spring back very well. So, so far, no haywire bristles. The brushes clean easily, even after using one in Mod Podge!
If you're looking for a fairly good set of brushes for crafting or for a beginning painter, you can't go wrong with this set. They are exactly what I needed at a fantastic price. Far better than I expected. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Definitely would recommend it over the expensive brands. If you're looking for good cheap paint that won't bank the bank then is this the best one out there. There are other brand out there like the Martha Stewart brand, and others which are little more pricey but I'm pretty sure it's same thing. I've never ordered order it online because like most comment have shown they do tend to leak even if u buy in the store. I like it. I was looking for some good but but cheap for some Christmas ornaments and these I was able to find for 99 cent at Joanns and they work. They don't look chalky or messed up even if you add in multiple coats. I poured about half or so into a plastic ornament to make a superhero oraments and the final product came out better than I thought. But the only bad things I would have to say is they don't dry so quickly even after you take some of the paint out of the ornament of anything else, and they do look a little washy if you't pay attention to it. But over all good product. Definitely would recommend it over the expensive brands. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not Worth the Money, POOR DESIGN. Not worth the cost, even if it had arrived undamaged, the design is poor. Maybe it was good for a TV Studio but for home use
it falls well short of my expectations. At this point I feel totally ripped off. I have only used it one since it arrives and part of the problem is a leg bent in shipping may be causing it not to be steady enough. I had used a Tripod Easel for may years and even though it never fell over, it did move more than I wanted. I expected this one to be very steady and if the slightly bent leg is the cause of its wobble then I should return it, But that is a big hassle and a waste of my time and effort.
At this point I would not recommend it to anyone | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great metallic watercolor. Saw this metallic watercolor set on a YouTube video by a card making blogger. It was compared favorably to another brand. While I don't have a need to do my own comparison, I love the metallic watercolor these paints provide. The differences between the various golds can be subtle in use, but are discernible when using them all on the same design.
As the YouTube blogger advised, it works well to put a couple of drops of water on the paint and letting the surface soften. That gives you a more loaded brush. Another suggestion she had was to save your cup of rinse water, let most of the water evaporate, and then use the remaining liquid to add a light touch of gold to backgrounds. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Two person job. I wanted to cover an old white board on an easel that was past the point of saving. I made sure I read the reviews before I started so I understood the best way to install the product. The easel was about 2ft wide by 1 1/2ft long. I needed to use two strips to cover it completely. I learned that it's really a two person job. I couldn't get it to lay flat without bubbling and the more I kept pulling it up to reposition it, the less sticky it eventually became. Finally, I just laid it down and tried to squeeze out the bubbles using a credit card and then a plastic spackling knife but it was useless. I finally just gave up. 3 stars because it would probably work but should be easier. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not a Stencil Maker. I do spray paint art. I was hoping to use this machine as an automated stencil-cutter to give me a high quality edge.
It failed.
It's a very interesting device. It has a lot of potential, but it fails at a couple of levels. Paper would frequently get caught in a little gap in the front that the paper is supposed to glide under. This would cause it to ruffle, and would ruin te cut going on in the back.
Frequently, when cutting, shapes would not be closed, so a circle would end up looking more like a swirl.
The software was simplistic, but could handle SVGs well enough that I could deal with it.
This machine seems like it'd be perfect for the scrapbook fanatic. I tried simpler shapes and it did a fantastic job.
For detailed work, though...this device is not up to par.
I hope that machines like this can be made more accurate, and more intelligent.
I got it in Pink, and I must admit that the color rocks!!
I returned the device because I could not afford having a machine that didn't do what I needed it to do considering it was bought as a business tool. The return process was effortless, and I was happy to have no hitches in getting back my money. Thanks Amazon and Craftwell! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice but not fit for my needs and couldn't return it. It is a great stencil. The pattern is perfect. I knew it was 12x12 but think that a 6x6 would have better served my needs, however, I took a chance. I just can't use something this large for my art. Would have liked to return it, but was going to be charged MORE than what I spent on this just in shipping alone! I can't believe Amazon expects to have the shipping run through their algorithms per item when I know I could have returned it for considerably less and maybe someone who really could use this and love it would enjoy it. Now it will sit in a drawer collecting dust. So it is a good stencil if you want a huge pattern, just be aware of the size. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCT. There are just sometimes with reviewing that you hold your breath waiting for a product to show up, such is one of those times with this product. My family and I love to 'mess' with painting, and come together as a family to make our own "Master Piece" creations that of course only we will love. The point is doing things as a family is always a blessing. Now we all do paint and probably anyone outside the family would say, "What Is That?" to what we come up with, usually we are not sure either. However, that doesn't matter, it's doing creative things together and sharing. This Company has been a blessing to our family. Their products are always Top of The Line and so it is with this one. This set of Brushes comes in a beautiful case and the brushes themselves are stunning, well made, sturdy and a pleasure to even look at. You have different sizes to choice from as well. How do they work? Excellent, with every stroke or dab that you may do they will follow your lead. Comfortable to grasp and easy to control these brushes will help you create your Master Piece. We used these today so I could get a good hold on how they did do before I wrote this review. Another plus, they are easy to clean and go back safely in their beautiful case. I hope you can tell that I absolutely love this product and I know you will as well. Product received for a honest review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best tools to pair with your electronic cutter. Every single time I use my Cricut Explore, I have to use at least one of these tools.
The Scissors - I love that they have a cap on it so I can throw them in a jar or in my bag without worrying about them scratching anything. Also, I've been using these for over 2 years and they are still just as sharp after using them to cut paper, cardstock, ribbon, and more!
The Spatula - When I'm trying to remove smaller elements from my cutting mat, this is my go to tool. It doesn't compromise the quality or bend the corners like it would if you tried to use your fingernails.
The Tweezers - I use these most when working with vinyl (which I also use The Weeder for) as a way to remove pieces without dropping them or letting them fold in on itself.
The Weeder - This is crucial for intricate designs! With paper, cardstock, vinyl, and everything else - this is your go to tool for removing the pieces you don't want while keeping the pieces you do want completely in tact.
The Scraper - I use this tool every single time I use my Cricut because it cleans the cutting mat and keeps the stickiness longer! It also removes those little pieces you don't want on there without any issue.
If you have a Cricut, or any other electronic cutting machine, I highly recommend these! I can't live without them. :) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I have the 4 color version press...AND the UPGRADE it SORELY NEEDS, to work CORRECTLY. UPDATE: In the text below with all I have to say...I want to stress this as well: Regarding the two screen tightening bolts that were shorted us(7/16 by 3 1/2" plastic knob capped bolts)so that we could not complete this press: I contacted seller(Lars), who in several contacts(we even sent PICTURES OF!!) chose to play dumb and act as if he did not understand what we were needing. We even responded to the email(copy paste from amazon)email he sent REQUESTING such pics...and he said he "did not receive". He HAS pics of the very product itself on his own amazon page, and the parts we need are CLEARLY discernible. It has been NINE days since we received this 'partial press' and it seems to be as much work to get seller to wake up and even KNOW his product, as it turn out to fix all the other issues with. He is assuming I will join him in his pretense of ignorance. I will NOT. I am making and will soon post everythinjg I have to share about this equipment, at my YouTube channel (TeeLogic) . Be sure to watch BEFORE you buy this gear!!!! If you already bought it...watch the videos to fix(correctly)any of the issues that can and do plague this budget-import-poorly mfg. and packaged gear. There are some good things about it...but NOT enough for anyone beyond the kindergarten level of screen printing. If you want quality multicolor printing(with any close registration)...FORGET IT. However...my videos are also about an upgrade you can easily add that can turn this gear into an amazingly accurate press. Your call. I would not(could not)use this press (dependably!)without such micro tuning ADDED. The ONLY reason we will keep this gear is because of the changes I was able to effect (micro-tuning and other important mods). As far as the equipment in it's own right(what comes in...or is missing from!...'the box')is concerned...we are NOT impressed with it, NOR the games as we tried to get the simple parts we need. I originally gave this a three star rating(being nice)...but now that I am left to chase down specialty parts that SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED to us; at added expense to me as well....I have to back that rating off to a ONE(Aweful!)star.
Buying this gear is like 'going to Vegas'...You might win or lose...a little of a lot. YOUR CALL. Just do not expect the NON-screenprinters selling it to be of much or any help to you. it is cheaper for them to just make excuses as to why they cannot help. I know better...and i wrote all of this(long rant!) to make sure YOU do as well. I would LOVE to have said only positive things...but the experience does not warrant undue praise. I have been a screen printer; equipment designer/builder and worked in EVERY phase (extensively) of screen printing, since 1979. I designed the best manual screen printing micro tuning system in the world(1990). And THIS imported 'wanna-be' screen printing (looks like, anyways)...NEEDS IT as much or more than any gear I have ever seen/used. Don't let the low cost fool you. a press either works accurate/exact/correct or it does not. This equipment did not and could not as it comes. Now it lines up AWESOME.
As ironic as that sounds! MY attention to necessary details(NOT the mfg. who push this stuff from quick profit motives alone)as a true screen printer...IS the reason why. I hate to think of how many new screen printers, do not know of or will be able to fix, what they should, BEFORE buying this gear. Even the platen design(watch my videos) makes NO sense. You would not see platens of that dimension, even onlarger industrial ro-shop presses. They are exagerated on this equipment(to get your attention?). I made my own of the CORRECT dimensions. Please read on!
This 4 color two station 'Maxwolf' screen printing press was purchased on team memeber Susan Robert's account. So on that name/account is where the feedback must be left. However, i am Lee Wyke- team member and pro screen printer(of anything and everything)for over 30 years; I am the assembler of the equipment. This equipment was purchased, mainly, for the purpose of review, to see if it was in and of itself, worthy of being used as a platform for the micro-tuning system I invented back in 1990. It appeared to me before our purchase of this equipment; based on user comments and customer approval ratings, that this equipment has; does and is likely to continue attracting a large number of would-be screen printers, who cannot see nor cannot be expected to understand(as new printers) the 'for better or worse' that this equipment demonstrates in it's true form. As a real and experienced screen printer, I wanted to realize myself, just what was 'in the box, and how little or much needed to be fixed/adjusted, before a person could actually move forward on this equipment...meaning: convert it into an ACCURATE multi-color press, that could rise to even the basic dependability of operation, that a savvy screen printer would expect, and that even a new screen printer should get for their money. A press(at sub 200 dollars, or a press at 2,000 or more dollars(seen many)that does not perform it's primary function corectly...is worthless IMO. So...I received thepress; built it, and video detailed every issue and real world concern i have regarding it. I like some things about the build, which is the only reason i did not return it already, based on what/form it came to me in. And, as said, I believed once I did the work needed(there are many who would not be able to nor want to)...I bit the bullet, and fixed the issues...because i figured that eve with the problems that met me right out of the box(and they are not ALL listed here), my micro-tuners(an available upgrade for those interested)could and would fix the problems.
So...here is the rundown of the issues. I realize that they will be different for different purchasers of this equipment. That mfg. in consistency itself, is an issue in and of itself. I can only direct you to the comments of others and my REAL experiences. I video taped the process for the most part/issues along the way. I am making nothing up...I have no axe to grind...nothing would make me happier than to know that those who order this gear(specificall the multi-color version, because anyone can throw together a one color press that works!)are getting what both honors the expense and the real needs of a screen printer, newbie or with some experience. In the end...i will keep this press ONLY because it works fine with the press index component disabled, and my on-screen micro-tuners taking over the function of that piece. I would not use this gear, without that upgrade change. and I do not keep, what i cannot use!
Onward:
(these first two paragraphs are what I sent to the vendor(Cena). ----I am missing two of the 7/16 (with black knobs atop)screen clamp bolts. There should have been eight total(two per screen clamp), and I received only six...so I cannot complete the fourth screen clamp/holder. So...my 'four' color press is only a THREE color press, until that is made right.
I looked for a part number in the photo-copied pages that came with this press, and there is NO actual list of the press parts...though parts have a number(5) pointing to each, it is not tied to a list that actually names the part, on many components. Please provide me those missing components ASAP.
I was also not sent three of the shown/needed tools. I had to use my own. Though the metal quality and paint is decent on this press, the parts that were partially pre-assaembled were not assembled correctly(namely the press support arm axles and collar bearings spacing/placement.) I had to balance the arm axles spacing with a light hammer(!)...and the collar bearings were tightened on the axles in the wrong place. The allen wrench it takes to loosen them for adjustment was not included. I had to go get one. There were other negative issues that detract from the positive rating I would have preferred/hoped to offer this press, as it does have some positive aspects. But a multi-color screen printing press(at any price) has to be able to actually perform that capability. As it comes...this press is mechanically incapable of providing that. As it comes. Anyone needing a four color press to actually be able to print a tight registration multi-color print with is NOT going to be able to get that. Not even close...not on the gear as arrived on my doorstep. My gear was to spend a few hours with my TOOLS...before it was to be used for printing. I'm betting that people ordering in good faith...are NOT expecting that kind of road block. Based on what they know and what they get...the truth will make itself known at some point.
I did not realize I could post a video review to Amazon. I am going to make a 'nutshell' version of the much longer review i already have on video and post it here. Forgive any redundant comments please....when I am incredulous about something, sometimes i talk in circles, as I try to accept and internally explain to myself....'WHY???'
(My review): I had to do HOURS of work(including having to file down the width of one of the screen arm index pins) to get pieces to align and work correctly. This equipment LOOKS LIKE a screen printing press...but it takes some patience; effort and attention to specific details, that the mfg's of this equipment CLEARLY do not pay attention to. I work on all kinds of mechanical things, andam a pro screen printer for many years. I would not and could not recommend this equipment based on the size and cost factors that help to sell it. There is enough problems and work to be done on this equipment, that the ads market it should make potential buyers aware of that fact. People buy new things so they can USE them...not have to FIX them(!) right out of the box.
The packaging it came in showed only slight damage. The 'damage' was done BEFORE it was packed in styrofoam(nicely) and then boxed/shipped out.
This item shows that SOME good attention went into it's mfg....BUT, then it looks like some drunk guy(??)screwed up the rest of the job in the mis-assembly of and then leaving out important parts. I also cannot understand the 'sense of' putting 90% of the hardware in zip-lok bags...and then 16 carousel/ arm mount nuts and bolts loosely(and needlessly) barely inserted in their respective places...with half of them falling out loose to bounce around in the box during transit?! Those parts, should have been bagged(like all the others were), until they were actually needed. It is NOT impressive to go on an 'Easter Egg' hunt...for small nuts and bolts...as soon as one opens the package.
The washers that go on the clamp head (slot)are too small to give sufficient hold...I replaced them with 1 1/2" fender washers to provide more secure bridging across the slot. The screws used to attach platen mount clamp to the platen are too small and too short....I replaced them with #8 x 5/8" pan head screws. I could go on, but it is just these few very poor choices in hardware alone, that point to the lack of understanding the mfg. has toward the correct mfg. of this equipment. It is ironic, that some good attention was paid to main parts, while the easier things were not given much thought. Not that all the main parts were right. I did not expect that I wouldhave to spend 45 minutes alone...filing one of the index pins down(!), so it would fit correct as the others did. THAT is not my job as the purchaser of this equipment. I am a decent trouble shooter and enjoy it at times(if you are not a trouble shooter, do not get into screen printing!!!)...but the troubles with this gear would be too much for many. Kindegarten level printers(not meant offensively) may not notice or care...but anyone with even half a mechanical 'eye' will. Get your tools handy!
I know that the manufacturer and the marketer are two different entities. But, I know that (by comments left)that mfg. vendors BOTH certainly must be aware of some/ all of these issues...yet there is no fair warning given to buyers. For THAT reason alone my real rating is between a '2' and '3'. My rating sank to a '1'...while I was filing the he** out of a press arm index pin, to get it to fit right!
The whole time i was assembling this mechanically 'schizophrenic' mess...I felt like a magician hoping to pull a rabbit out of my hat. I ended up with a solid and correctly operating press...but ONLY because of my work and then the addition of my invention 'On-Screen Micro-Tuner components. So...yay.........lucky me!
I would not recommend this press as it comes, or even after it is tuned up(to put it lightly). Yet sometimes irony DOES 'save the day'...and my micro tuners actually allowed me to FIND the rabbit! Their correct function; geometry and placement, pulls this gear out of the HUGE hole it is otherwise stuck in. This is now not at 'near-junk' status...but an actually awesome functioning press. It was a fight to get it there...but this press now functions better/ with more accuracy and consistence than presses costing 2k and more.
Doctors fix people...I fix equipment! I knew I could before I bought it...and wanted to own the PROOF of that...before I told any of you(other owners)about it. My upgrade for this equipment can and WILL elevate your user experience in a very substantial way.
This world is FULL of gear that is just 'not quite there'. Gear that does NOT perform as it should. Unfortunately, that applies to this screenprint machine as it is mfg and sent out to you. And also fortunately, it is an easy fix/upgrade. IF you are interested. If I could bring you over to my homework space, I could show you that quickly. I will do the next best thing and post video(will, soon as I load).
Sorry about the rant....but when I see SO many people investing in this problem equipment, and i actually DO make and provide the answer/ fix TO that problem...it is no time to be shy. Please see the video.
I see this equipment advertised under: OrangeX...Happybuy....Maxwolf...and others. essentially the same imported equipment, sold through various vendors. BUYER BEWARE! If you already bought one and you want and need it to be better...I'm the seasoned screen printer; with THE way to easily make that happen. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A nice little travel set, at least for a total amateur like me. Apart from the lack of black, which I kinda needed for a few of the watercolors I did on a recent international trip, I really liked this set of watercolors. I am by no means an experienced watercolorist and am a completely unskilled amateur, but the quality of the watercolors and the range of colors in this set worked for my needs quite well and gave me everything that I needed to do some pretty awful, but fun to create, watercolors of the Irish countryside. I did not use the brush and went with a watercolor brush with a reservoir instead so I could easily carry water with me, but I loved this little set on the whole. Easy to chuck it, my brush, and my watercolor notebook into my camera bag and trek it along with me everywhere! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great item that will have multiple uses in the craft room. <div id="video-block-R19XFE3GTIDH5E" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1uWUkJVBOS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/917skK-fbYS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> I think this #sixpiecespongitbrushes set is pretty awesome. I wanted it mainly to spread glues, paints or other sticky items but also thought the would work perfectly for blending chalk, paint and mixing ink colors. The 6-piece set is double-sided and the foam brushes are circular. One side felt slightly thicker than the other side.
I love the way these felt in my hands. They were very easy to use and did a great job blending pencil and charcoal. I imagine I will use them quite a bit when I work on different types of crafts. Certainly they are going to be better than using Q-Tips which is what I was using. I like the small size of the foam because it makes them easier to use in intricate crafts which I do a lot of. I also like that they will work quite well for holding small bits of glued paper, pictures or WashiTape down on one end while I am working with it or waiting on it to adhere.
Disclaimer: I received this item for free or at a reduced price in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Super fun. I bought this for my 7 and 5 year-olds for Christmas, but I had doubts about the 7 year-old ever using it. One night, my 10, 7 and 5 year olds were all making markers together. It's very well made and a very creative toy. They love all the different parts involved (you have to build the pen using 5 different parts [if you include the cap], so that makes it more challenging).
In terms of target age, my 5 year-old is the main one obsessed with this toy. She has asked to play with it daily since receiving it 5 days ago. My 7 and 10 year-olds haven't asked about it again.
It's a messy toy but I plan to bring it out during many rainy days. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I already did one cup and it's held up great! My son is pretty thrilled with it. I bought these for use on mugs and cups as I've heard about doing sharpie on such things before but had no luck with standard Sharpies. I already did one cup and it's held up great! My son is pretty thrilled with it, which if course makes me happy!
I am considering doing mugs or something for people sometime, just as a silly little gift.
Aside from that I did make a thank you card for someone on a small little flat canvas from the dollar store with these. Which was an interesting experience as I've never tried to do such a thing before. I was pretty happy with the results, and really my only complaint was my lack of skill! So that should tell you something. ;) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Amazing Set with Vibrant Colors. This is incredible paint for the price! I am somewhat a beginner, but the cheap paints I have used cannot compare with this!!! To begin with, the case is durable plastic, although the lid looks different than the picture shows. The open lid is really covered in deep depressions which are wonderful for mixing paint. The white watercolor tube is genius! Partly for this reason...these Pelikan paints are so fully pigmented! They are super bold, bright and vivid! I actually had to water down a drop of paint, instead of trying hard to get color onto my brush! The white paint results in creamy light colors. I tried a project and found the texture of the paints to be extremely easy to mix and work with! They blend beautifully on the paper. They dry without any chalky residue, but a velvety smooth finish. I am super happy with these paints and can't believe these watercolors are so cheap, they seem so high quality! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fine for coloring, but not for blending or fine lines. Maybe its just me, but I had a hard time getting these pens to blend colors. I tried a variety of methods coloring with the pens and then using a wet brush, wetting the paper and then using the pens, using a brush on the pen tip and then trying to paint. Finally I just decided to use them for coloring, as I would markers.
There were two other issues I had. First, although the colors started off vibrant, I noticed that they appeared more watered down after using them for a bit. This was particularly obvious with the red. And second, I just couldn't quite achieve as fine a point as I can with another set of watercolor pens I own.
All of that being said, I will continue to use them as a compliment to regular watercolors or watercolor pencils for areas where I want a deeper color or highlights.
This set was provided to me at a promotional price for evaluation purposes. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
These sheets of vinyl are great. I do acid embossing on glass and I'm . These sheets of vinyl are great. I do acid embossing on glass and I'm always ordering vinyl. Usually the vinyl that I order comes on a big role and you have to cut it down to size to fit into your Cricut Machine. However with these sheets I don't have to cut anything. Which makes everything I do go a whole lot faster and since it's not that time consuming I'm able to produce more things quickly. These fit in my machine nicely and are a very nice quality. The stick to the glass that I use very well and I don't have to worry about them sliding off when I apply the acid. I can also use these for my signs for my open house. It makes my sign stand out as now I am able to put the address of the home and the times that I will be there and I am able to change them. I have received this vinyl for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review and opinion | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
i absolutely loved this picture. i absolutely loved this picture!!! it is my second paint by number. my first was the smaller butterflies on bamboo stalks just to see if i could do it and if i enjoyed it. i have had some painting experience and it did come in handy particularly with the eyes and specific definition. the picture turned out great! many reviews on the paint by number are concerned with staying just in the lines of the tiny spaces but that is not necessary. it all kind of melds together if you keep the general shape of each area. if you have patience and time on your hands it is a very rewarding activity. i have already picked out my next one. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Sharpens great every time w/either hole u use. The Manual Prismacolor Sharpener is the very best manual pencil sharpeners I have found to use! The only exception I have w/this manual sharpener is a plastic side piece that has broken off w/ALL 6 OF THE SHARPENERS I HAVE BOUGHT! It typically works thru about 7-8 removable shavings times when it gets full. This sideplate quickly becomes lose w/each time u empty the shavings. The plate has 2 hook connectors that attach the plates to the actual pencil sharpener. These hooks quickly break off or crack requiring the sideplate to be attached w/tape or some kind of glue to keep it attached to the container. If you do not find a way to hold the pencil shavings into the container, it spills pencil trash from the 2 separate holes that the plate attaches to the sharpener.
Otherwise, this sharpener has 2 separate sharpeners w/one sharpening thin & the other sharp & thick.
Even though I have had each sharpener to have the plastic cover piece break, it has still been the very best manual sharpener I have ever been able to find! You cannot find better. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
it's a good price but not worth waiting the very-very long shipping . Ugh where to start with this, the price... it's a good price but not worth waiting the very-very long shipping time. Took much longer than they had estimated ( can purchase same item from eBay - also coming from China and could receive much faster) Not realizing everyone else reviews about the actual product, the sheet is small, not very many rhinestones. If you are ordering based on the first picture with the whole car all blinged out then DONT order because it nearly was enough of them to do what I did. I used them for the trim in my car as it did work out exactly as I needed it to, so I am happy with the product itself. But would I order again, NOPE. 4 stars because it did turn out good, Cheap wasn't worth the long wait time, and I am disappointed in the amount that was received. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
For Creating Art for Myself and with My Granddaughter. I bought two sets of these colored pencils. The price was reasonable. One set for my young granddaughter and a matching set for me. Now we can "create" art together. I marked each set with different colored fingernail polish so we will know which is which when we create together. My granddaughter may also keep these as "her own" and separated from her home's art supplies used by her younger brothers. The pencils have a great variety of color and they color nicely, even on intricate designs. I would buy them again.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Art-Drawing-Pencils-Ecocity-Professional-Colored-Pencils-for-Artist-Sketch-set-of-36-Assorted-Colors-with-Sharpened-Recycled-Wood-Environmentally-Friendly-and-Non-Toxic/dp/B013N56G8I/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Art Drawing Pencils, Ecocity Professional Colored Pencils for Artist Sketch-set of 36 Assorted Colors with Sharpened, Recycled Wood, Environmentally Friendly and Non- Toxic</a> | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great compressor but the cover makes it less so. I had a problem with this compressor when it first came, because there aren't really any instructions for regulator. The regulator has 2 (two) adjustments - the really big one the width of the regulator body, and then a finer one you unlock by popping up the black knob on top. You need to tighten the body screw all the way or it's going to leak air - the adjustments only happen with the fine, smaller screw up top. Once that was done it worked great.
I had to knock off a star for the design of the compressor, though. The external case is very nice looking, but it makes it quite difficult to adjust or even read the regulator dial as well as turn it on and off. I wound up removing the case cover to do so, and then simply left it off permanently. You could remove the compressor and just add a bit of pipe to make it stick out a bit further and then re-cover it, but as it ships it's not ideal.
Functionality is great though. It starts off quiet and gets a little loud, but I found the volume to be acceptable. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Requires other accessories before you can use it. My husband got me this Pop 'n Cuts Insert for Christmas, along with the two extended clear plates that are needed to use this insert. The extended plates are not included with this product. You will have to buy them separately (they are sold at the Sizzix web site). He also got me the <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Sizzix-Premium-Extended-Crease-Pad/dp/B002E9DI5O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Sizzix Premium Extended Crease Pad</a>, which is NOT needed (in spite of some of the advertising on youtube) to make pop-up cards.
The sample card with the hollowed-out heart that is shown in the above product photograph needs yet another bit of equipment: the Sizzix Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set 2PK - Hearts Set. If you have a small heart die from Spellbinders, you can create the hollow heart pop-up in two steps: (1) run your card stock through your Sizzix machine to create your circular pop-up, using the Pop 'n Cuts Insert, then (2) run your cardstock back through your Sizzix machine with your Spellbinder's heart die centered on the circle. This will give you a hollowed-out heart which is very similiar to the one shown in the product photograph.
I've been making pop-up valentines ever since I got my Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts die set. They're really cute, just a bit complicated to make. Luckily, there are lots of helpful videos out on Youtube that demonstrate how to make pop-up cards with this product. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I received this promptly and in excellent condition. Each color cake was perfect. I received this promptly and in excellent condition. Each color cake was perfect. I made the color chart last evening as soon as it came and was able to get a little time to play with the colors. The colors are lovely, highly pigmented, they blend well and work with both dry and wet techniques. I was also delighted with the metallic gold. It was like molten gold and so now I can end my search for a really good gold pen that does not leak and streak. I can just paint with this. I am already planning to get a couple more as Christmas gifts. Please keep up the quality~ | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Works for me. For those that are not pleased with the quality, the quality is the same as the boxes the cartridges come in from the store. I see nothing wrong with it, and it works just the same as the single box, except you can hold more and take up less space. It is true if you do want to hold 8 cartridges in this you will not be able to fit in the books, but you will be able to fit in the overlays. It clearly says that in the description though, so it in not like they are deceiving you.... If you are storing the solutions cartridges this is perfect, because they have no books, if you are storing cartridges with books, you can get 4 cartridges with their books and overlays in this. Overall I like it a lot, it is a space saver and fits on the shelf right along side my other cricut cartridge boxes. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Markers but Expensive. I bought these markers for my daughter for her 11th birthday. She is a budding artist and has been asking for these for quite awhile.
The Pros:
1. The colors are so vibrant.
2. The double sided tips give her options on thin or thick lining and/or coloring.
3. It's fun to have various hues of the same color especially if one wants to create an ombre effect.
4. The markers glide so smoothly without any skipping.
The Cons:
1. These markers are extremely expensive. Although they are high quality, this is tough to swallow for a parent buying for an 11 year old.
2. The markers definitely bleed thru paper so one needs to have something underneath their work so the ink doesn't bleed through on a counter or clothing, etc. My child has been using these with some fun adult coloring books we've received recently. The paper is high quality but since the ink bleeds through, she has to tear the page out prior to coloring as to not ruin the next page in the book. Small price to pay for such great markers though.
3. The box the markers came in was cracked. Since these came from Japan, it's highly unlikely we will get a replacement box any time soon. The box lid is loose and doesn't stay on well so if the box tips over the lid immediately falls off.
4. Since each box contains so many similar hues, one doesn't end up with many different colors. One would need to buy several different sets in order to have a full inventory of colors, ie-spend a ton of money.
Overall, we've been having fun with these markers. We'll see if we end up buying more down the road. I'm sure it won't be for awhile though. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
My new "go to" sketchbook brand. Having previously filled an entire medium sketchbook as part of a year long "draw every day" project with everything from pencils & ink to Prismacolor & Gel Pens to gouache & watercolor, I can say that - without a doubt - the Leda sketchbook is the most durable, versatile, high quality book I've ever used. The large seems to have all the same qualities. Durable, moisture resistant, semi-soft cover (that gives you a good base anywhere), high quality paper (not super friendly with all erasers...but that could be my heavy hand), great spine, durable closure and unmatched customer care. I love their story and their product, so I'm pretty sure that I've found my "go to" sketchbooks for life. Thanks Mother Goddess! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Protectors for Prismacolor Coloured Pencils. I use these on my 150-plus Prismacolor coloured pencils, have been for a couple of years, and they work perfectly with them. The leads are very soft, so sharpening them to s long sharp point is something I rarely do. I use a number of smaller sharpeners, and keep the ones that come with the points as backups. The hole in the protector that others refer to would be almost impossible to reach, with these pencils.
One thing that I did notice, however, is that the illustration says there are a dozen protectors in the package; the ones I received contain only six. Whether this was a shipping error or an outdated photo, I don't know. So if you are expecting 12, you are forewarned. I am going to contact the seller. But am not sending them back! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best STUDENT GRADE paints around. The price and quality you get in these student grade paints can't be beat.
-They're okay when extended with medium. You have to use a lot of them in the medium to not lose the colour. I recommend using a professional medium with them if you can afford it. I definitely noticed a difference when I used Liquitex gel mediums vs Golden or Winsor & Newton.
-The pigment load is okay, but will not look "vibrant". Some of the colours are noticeably brighter than others when mixed with medium (Pthalo blue looks great for example, whereas primary yellow tends to look flat)
-They don't hold up to the test of time well, the lightfastness is not great but definitely better than other student grade paints.
I recommend these for:
-Art students/any school based painting project
-Hobbyist or new painter
-Experimentation with new techniques
I do not recommend these for:
-Paintings you intend to give as a gift (or keep)
-Paintings you intend to sell
-Anyone past "student" | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Amazing Value And High Quality. What More Could A Person Ask For. When I first took the unit out of it's packaging the first thing that struck me about it was how solid it felt. The unit is manufactured impeccably with a sleek form.
The second thing that struck me was how slim the unit is. It is only half a cm thick (give or take a mm). I was amazed by how light weight and slim it was.
The light itself is quite bright at it's max setting and is adjustable.
There is only one very minor gripe in that the power cord is a little bit short, but it is not so much an issue as to detract from overall satisfaction.
For the price it far exceeds expectations and I would highly recommend this unit to anyone interested in a quality piece of equipment for a very reasonable price point. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
YMMV depending on style of coloring / level of experience. Was originally going to give this 2 stars, but after using it for a while decided to bump to 3.
I am NEW TO COPIC / ALCOHOL MARKERS, but HAVE AN ART BACKGROUND. This review will probably be most helpful if you have that kind of background. Reviewing because I haven't seen this kind of information / perspective on the reviews page.
I started Copic work with Strathmore smooth bristol 300 paper, which is very blendable and absorbs a lot of marker ink. With Prismacolor brush markers I could achieve a Photoshop-like blend with relatively contrasting colors after ~4 hours of practice. See first attached image. The yellow, orange, and browns I used (5 total for the body) looked very different on the marker tube. Streaking never seemed to really be an issue, even with single layers of marker.
This paper is nothing like that. The colors feel like they're either absorbed instantly or sit on top of the paper in a puddle. Forget trying to blend a wide spectrum, every single stroke and layer of color is going to show, making this paper incredibly unforgiving to beginners / heavy blenders. On the Strathmore bristol, I felt like I could get a lot of mileage out of my starter set of 24 prismacolor markers even though a lot of the colors weren't that close in family and super bright to boot. With this paper, I feel like I would need to put a few layers of copic green 00 before i could even do a thin layer of copic green 01. See attached image 2, a quick sketch which was done with a single copic RV34.
On the positive side though, it's nice to be able to get many values from a single marker. And when done carefully, the brushstroke effect can really be stunning. This paper just doesn't really suit how I like to color. I like to slap a lot of color on paper and figure out what to do later. I make a lot of mistakes and like to test out a lot of blends because I'm learning. I don't want to be discouraged because I screwed up 1 line and it's hard to fix because of the paper.
There is a tiny bit of bleeding if you layer a lot of marker, but I use the included green sheet to prevent damage on subsequent sheets.
tl;dr YMMV depending on your style of marker coloring / level of experience. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Defective Model. No Support. BAD Product. I ordered mine for the use of my Special FX Business and figured it would be a good deal. The Masters Airbrush was fine, the Compressor was a heaping load of junk. Air passed through every possible slip (which is a pretty scary thought) yet it wouldn't feed through the hose. At first I thought it was me and my lack of knowledge with this model but after taking it to three different airbrush artists they all told me the same thing. Crappy compressor. I tried customer service, and ended up with a dead end. I have the brush still, with a working compressor, but I can only imagine how long THAT'S gonna last!
DON'T even bother with this one! Spend a little more for something better! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I hate this new design with a passion. I hate this new design with a passion. This new design is less tacky even when new, the tack doesn't last NEARLY as long, and it has a HORRIBLE strong odor that lasts for weeks. I had one of the old style left and have gone back to using that. I've cleaned and stripped it and re-applied new tacky adhesive and it works great. I wish I could buy the old ones still so I don't have to do this with mine every so often. I like the idea of the way this new one is designed and it does work great at first and is easy to release the paper I'm cutting. But to only last a couple of weeks, and the SMELL...I just can't justify buying them anymore. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
NO INK. I was so disappointed that I waited too long to open the marker. I think when someone purchases a product, you just have that expectation that it will work like it's supposed to. I didn't have time to put these markers to good use right away but when I did, of course I threw away the packaging. And when I tried to use the silver/gray marker, I noticed it didn't work but I just thought maybe it's one of those that needs a dark paper to be able to see. So when I tried to use the pink one, still no ink. And I tried the blue, nothing. and it happened for all 5 of them. The prime delivery got me to buy this, but clearly, still a waste of money. don't bother! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
GREAT product - assembly required. The easel packaging all says it's a set of 6. The set is 4 easels, though. There are no instructions included to help put these together {this is the only reason they got 4 stars instead of 5}. I pulled up the Amazon pictures and was able to figure out how to put them together. I've included a collage of step-by-step photos.
-Get the 3 long wooden pieces. They are the main legs (in a tripod shape). There's only one way the wooden legs can go and the holes line up. The longest piece goes in the middle and toward the back, then the other two line up on each side.
-Get the smaller bolt. Hold the wood pieces together, then place the bolt through the hole at the top where the 3 wood pieces meet. Screw the washer and nut onto the bolt.
-Hold the smaller wooden piece with the ledge on the front of the tripod. Hold the smallest wooden piece behind the front two tripod legs. Put the bolt into the holes and screw on the washer and nut. {Be careful not to tighten this one too much - I had a black set of these easels that cracked when I put the bolt on too tightly. However, I think the natural colored easels are much more well made. I was able to get the bolt pretty tight without any damage. I would DEFINITELY suggest these over the black ones.}
Pros:
-Easy to assemble
-Inexpensive
Cons:
-No directions included on how to put them together
I received these items for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are completely my own. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Well worth it. Colors are brilliant and buttery. No sicative (drying agent like sennelier) is a boon. Have owned a set of cray-pas expressionist set for 20 years and they are still good, however fresh is always best. Specialist line has different color range so can be combined with Expressionist set. Square shape can be a little frustrating to get those sharp lines in the right place, but the advantages of the square shape far far outweigh this one disadvantage. They also do not develop a haze like carandache', a more expensive brand. Very good value. If you've never tried oil pastels, so much fun. A great beginning artist's medium as well. Looking to increase the expressive content of your work--great medium to practice this skill | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
My favorite brush pens. I love the Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens! They are one of my favorites for brush lettering on a small scale level. Pentel has two very similar pens, this one which has the brush tip, and another that has a felt tip, just FYI so you don't get surprised with a different pen than you were expecting. This pen stays "juicy" for quite a while as long as you write on smooth nice-quality paper that doesn't drink up your ink. The tip is about the same flexibility as the Tombow Fudenosuke soft tipped brush pen, definitely more flexible than the Tombow Fudenosuke hard tipped brush pen, and less flexible than the Kuretake Fudegokochi. I like all of those, but the real advantage to the Pentel is the wide variety of colors, and I do think it has a more smooth action than the others. It's an excellent choice for beginners, too, in that it is relatively easy to learn to control as you get the feel for making thick and think lines. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Buyer beware- ***updated. I was excited about the value of so many colors at a great price. But I have learned that you get what you pay for. The fine tips barely work. It's like they were already dry when I got them. The larger tips worked well for a few days. But soon I started to notice that the moisture was inconsistent, and halfway through coloring something I seemed to run out of color. Most annoying was the fact that the larger tips fray easily making it difficult to use as a fine tip marker. Also depending on the quality of paper you use, these markers collect little fragments of paper at the tip. These bleed through paper pretty badly. I always used an extra sheet of paper under my picture to avoid bleeding on the next picture.
***Update***
The seller is true to their word on the money back guarantee. Customer service contacted me and offered to give me a refund. The customer service increased my rating
**** | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Potential for Good Product Thwarted by Terrible Software, Unethical Approach to Consumers. Upon receipt of this item several months ago I rated it a 4, particularly based on how novel the concept was to me of an affordable machine with some basic functionality I was just learning. However, I am downgrading my review after months of experience and hope this review will help persuade you to purchase an alternate item (i.e. a Sillhouette).
1) Horrid interface. To use this product you must use a program from Cricut called Design Space (you do not need to design in DS, but you do need to use DS to get the Cricut to cut). I've had to call customer service repeatedly because DS often will not load at all. When it does load, it takes a painful long time to perform any basic function (like load a simple font; I'm not exaggerating that to change a font in my work from one to another takes 45 seconds, which is maddening when trying to choose from dozens of fonts). I've had several projects fully designed that the machine would then fail to read, and you realize that the platform didn't save changes, thus wasting 100% of your time and forcing you to completely start the design over. After working a few projects you realize that on average I spend 1 hour in DS for each project that should take only 15 minutes due to the horrors with this program. You can do a quick Google search on the topic and instantly see where crafters are beyond frustrated with the inefficiencies caused by the program. It sucks the joy out of crafting.
2) Customer service is lacking. If you have an issue (like the software not loading), you can call or web chat with customer service. Sometimes you are lucky and get a live person in under an hour and they are helpful. Most of the time you wait on hold forever and hang up on frustration, or chat with someone who doesn't know how to solve your problem at all. I've had half a dozen nights in the last few months where I wanted to work a project but couldn't because the DS program/Cricut servers were not working and Cricut customer support was, well, not supporting. Again, waste of time, and my craft night was ruined. Remember what I said about the joy being sucked out of crafting?
3) The most problematic issue with Cricut is their blatant lack of care for their customer. The above-listed problems are issues on their own, but are compounded by the lack of social media ethics at Cricut. When all else fails at trying to resolve a problem, I tend to go to a company's social media. However, Cricut does not allow posts to their social media by "fans" on Facebook without their strict and questionable moderation. Therefore if you go to their official page and look at fan posts, you'll see only a handful of positive posts. Zero criticism (even the GREATEST companies get criticism, so you will know the posts you see on their FB page are moderated at first glance as you will only see positive, happy posts - can you say misleading?!). That's because if you post saying, "DS is not working again tonight and customer service has no solution. When will a fix be implemented?" the moderator will not approve your post. I acknowledge that moderating and deleting are different, but deleting they also do (shame on them!). For example, Cricut recently posted on their Facebook page a contest for ugly Christmas sweaters. I thought it was a fun idea, and designed my sweater concept in DS. After about an hour of design (it shouldn't have taken so long, but the fonts would not load), I tried to send my design to the machine to cut, but the machine would not read. I tried to save the project, but it would not let me. So on the Facebook contest post I wrote a reply that I would love to enter the contest but DS is again not working and I wasted time designing a project that could not be completed. There was another woman who had posted the same feedback. Both of our posts were respectful (they provided negative feedback in a polite way). To my dismay, not only was my comment and the other woman's comment DELETED by Cricut the next day, but the company also blocked me from being able to post on their page (either a direct post or a reply to any post). All the other issues I've had with Cricut can be ignored, but the unethical social media approach is why I will never spend dollars on Cricut products again. I believe that deleting honest (polite) feedback is a critical deal breaker when I work with any company. This approach proves that the company's only goal is to make money, sell product, and hopefully trick potential new customers into believing that the company receives only positive social media posts. This also reinforces to me that Cricut has no desire to improve the (significant) flaws in their products and systems, since any constructive criticism is immediately deleted to make it look like Cricut is operationally flawless. Unacceptable.
4) Cricut heavily pushes a subscription service. I paid in for a few months but realized the value completely lacks. The 25K+ images available are of the quality one can find online for free. If it were convenient to use DS maybe having embedded images would be valuable, but I think this is just another money-making scheme by this company.
5) if you can get through all the issues listed above, Cricut has precise cutting. You know, if you can get DS to actually work so that you can cut something.
In summary, please don't talk yourself into buying a Cricut based on the promise of what it should execute. Likely your expectations will not be met. I hope you, too, will avoid having the joy of crafting sucked out of you by this company. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fun, easy to use, pigmented face paint. <div id="video-block-R1WCBTY5ZUJHZG" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1fYQCBnoES.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71My6ockQeS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> My kids love getting their face painted, and I have purchased another brand of face paint from the local craft store. I wanted to try this brand out to compare. There are twelve different colors, a pot of silver glitter, two sponges and two different sizes of brushes. One brush is a flat brush, and the other one is a thin brush. My son wanted to look like Spider-Man so we ended up using the flat brush to paint a red mask around my son's eyes and then used the thin brush with the black paint to make a web. My daughter wanted to paint a flower, so she did one on her hand. The paint is pretty pigmented and smooth to apply. It was easy to layer paint on top of each other without it smearing and blending. We haven't had a chance to use the sponges yet but they look like they're good quality.
We left the paint on my son's face for a few hours, and it did smear a little, but it did stay on pretty well overall. We did reapply later on since my daughter wanted to play with it as well, and he really wanted a blue border around the red mask. In terms of removal, it came off pretty easily in the shower. We did have to scrub a little bit, but it did come off.
One thing that is a bit interesting is that there's a disclaimer on the box saying not to use around eyes and mouth, but the pics of the kids on the box have paint around their eyes and mouth. We thought perhaps they meant using it as eye make up? Or maybe they just want to cover their bases. The box also says the paint is non-toxic, so it was a bit confusing with that warning not to use around eyes and mouth. In any case, we didn't put it too close to his eyes and mouth where it might get into them, but we did get a bit of a chuckle about that legal bit.
Overall, it's a great face paint kit, and we'd totally recommend it for using with your kids.
* I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest review. Even though I received a discount, I would buy this product again without the discount. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Really detailed, but really fun. This was my first paint-by-number ever! I'm really happy with the way it came out, despite some small bloopers that I notice as the painter. I agree with other reviewers that this is a very detailed project and not for those with little patience. I'd also recommend starting with dark colors first such as the black, navy blues, and hunter greens. I did mix some of my thicker paints with a few drops of water which was helpful. I also found that a little bit of paint goes a long way (except light colors which need thicker layers). I'm not sure how some folks ran out of paint (I have about 1/2 of the paint left in each container). I would recommend only pouring out what you need and then getting more. Once the paint dries out, it's not that great to use. In addition to the supplies provided, I also invested in another brush "Round 3/0" which helped with really small spaces. I also bought a $0.99 paint tray/palette which helped for mixing paints. Lastly, I had a sharp pencil near me and lightly labeled sections that weren't clearly labeled. It can get confusing following the lines in the grass and water. Good luck! :) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Excellent Brush! A treasure to Paint With. It's delightful painting with this brush! Feels so good in the hand, and the small size of the brush makes this keep its shape more than I'd expect from a squirrel brush. Holds water well, has a nice point and a plump belly. This is an amazing brush for the price! Get it while you can at this low price. It's more than worth it!
I have a small Isabey travel squirrel brush. I thought that since it was such a small brush it somehow necessarily sacrificed quality.
Not so! This brush is very well made. Not a travel brush, but it has become my go-to brush when working on smaller pieces.
I've included two photos. One when it is dried naturally, and another when wet.
I have three of these. One of the brushes came to me damaged. I found it hard to believe that a paint brush, particularly with soft hair, would be mailed without any protection.
The brush was pressed against the box so that the hair had an L shape to it.
I thought it was ruined, but luckily I was able to get it back into its proper shape and working for me as it should.
One of the advantages this brush has over other squirrel hair brushes I have is that the hairs are arranged perfectly, with a plump belly and a sharp tip.
Being that it is small in length, the brush keeps its shape more than my larger squirrel hair brushes.
It performs perfectly, and better than I expected.
The way it holds its shape seems halfway toward what you'd get from a sable brush and the usual squirrel hair brush.
I've never had one work so well for me than this one.
I don't think you'll be disappointed. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great board, but mine had no rubber band, hence, only four stars. Very nice, good quality board. The wooden board is smooth, sturdy, and well-made with hand-friendly rounded edges that won't easily chip or flake away. The clip is strong, wide, and holds single or multiple sheets of paper securely.
The only reason for the four stars is that mine did not include the rubber band pictured and mentioned on the label sheet. I won't be using it anyway, (most likely only needed if using it outdoors in a breeze) and I have rubber bands I can use if I need one down the road, but the item wasn't as pictured or advertised, so I took off one star.
Great item, great price, that should serve its purpose very well for a long time to come. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not Good, Not Totally Useless. I'd rate this a 2.5/5 stars, but gave it a 3 star out of generosity. For my purposes, this is way too rough, and mixed media paper doesn't need to be so rough. All the pits in this paper makes graphite drawing very frustrating if you're concerned with detail. May as well use sandpaper for drawing on. It's not completely useless; if you're doing a large-scale drawing/watercolor, I guess the pitting effect wouldn't be so bad. Otherwise, this size is pretty useless. I've attached some photos to give some background behind this reviewer's purposes for using this product (NOT this product).
Bottom line: This is the worst paper I've ever tried to use for what I do.
EDIT: Changed to 2/5. This stuff is garbage. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good but. I was thrilled after buying this awesome art set and honestly could not wait till it got here. Once it did arrive however, I was very upset. I've never been so upset after opening up a package. The charcoal pencils were snapped in three. Nothing was in its place and I was absolutely angry, (the charcoal pencils were A big reason that I bought it) to find that a few had broke was very devastating! Especially after paying that much and waiting a week for it! Cmon! The quality is pretty good, (not amazing) and there's quite a bit of variety! So it wasn't all bad I guess the shipping was a bit too rough for my taste, the product was good yet in bad condition and everywhere. So four stars but messy! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Worthless. Ugh, I am SO disappointed with this. I was really excited because I loved the old stuff and I thought it would be great to be able to reuse the stencil over and over again. To my disappointment, even with a higher cut setting than required, I could not get the stencil to cut cleanly. I don't believe that my blade is dull and it wasn't a super intricate pattern. I was using my stencils to do some glass etching and used an entire roll and all of the stencils came out poorly. I salvaged a very small one, but after trying to reuse it, it started to tear and the lines weren't as crisp as with the old stencil vinyl. So disappointed in this product :( | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
exactly what it was stated to be. Whoever wrote that this tray was flimsy must be planning on using it for a food tray for a gorilla. Since it is to use as a palette for paints I rather expect it won't crumple under the weight of it all. The whole idea is a non-staining, non-absorbent pure white surface for color precision when mixing paints on the palette. Also the depression around the edge catches excess paint and water to allow the center to remain above that level and avoid contamination of your precious mix of paint to get that certain color not in a tube. Job #1 well done. Easy cleaning is a breeze when paints aren't allowed to lie about and dry before wiping the bulk off with a paper towel and then running the tray under the faucet with some dish soap. Don't be deterred by the negative reviews. This is a decent item at a decent price and does what it is purported to do. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice product.intended for scrapbook covers,etc. but I found another use for them. I bought these to protect the corners of my area rugs that have binding around the entire edge of the rug. My dog saw some fraying of the threads and found a toy to play with these corners made of steel do not interest her. The metal corners are intended for much thinner product to go into them, like cardboard book covers, but I was able to spread them open enough to insert the carpet corners into them and crimp them to hold in place. I searched for a corner intended for carpet/rug protectors, but found nothing. I found these and said what the heck, for the price I will try them out and was happy to adapt them to work. They are attractive too. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Colorless blender marker with markers and colored pencils. I have tried this for both the Prismacolor Markers and the Prismacolor colored pencils.
When used with colored pencils this works great. I much prefer it to using the prismacolor colorless blender pencil or white colored pencil. It creates a much smoother blend without burnishing the paper like the pencil does.
For the markers, I have to say that I don't like using this for blending at all. It seems to suck out some of the color and leaves a splotchy look to it. I have tried applying this to them after the ink from the other markers is dry and when it is wet, applying this to the paper first then the markers and then the blender, and all of the above have the same effect. While using it one the paper first and then applying the colored markers over it doesn't have as adverse an effect, it still leaves that splotchy look to the colors and also makes the edges feather out. I've found that just layering the colors without using the colorless blender works fine.
BUT it can be used to correct small mistakes by erasing the colored ink from the paper, and to create some neat effects. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Regardless of nicer look The new Software is Major step back comparing with older Graphtec Software. I just printed return label. After few days of trials to get the results I am able to get from older Graphtec Product. Craft robo Pro. The new software files are not compatible with any other graphtec files. The old .gsd format was replaced by proprietary formats not compatible with any other Graphtec Software. The most amazing is that Silhuette studio, and Craft Robo new Studio regardless of very similar look and designed by same programmers are producing output files in their own format not compatible with each other and anything else. The old Software allowed for customization of perforated cuts. I used the perforated cuts (0.5" cut with 0.015" spaces in between) to keep paper together during the cutting. Paper pieces were never dislocated during cutting. Using Craft Robo Pro (few years) I never ever (after first trial) used the backing mats with adhesive on it. Another piece of cover paper below cutted piece (sandwich) without any glue etc. was sufficient to keep everything together and protect the tip of the blade. With this "Cameo" product there is no way to avoid the time and money consuming adhesive sheets. If I want ever use bigger or smaller cutter to cut same designs I have to design even identical files from scratch for each cutter.
The Manufacturer refused to supply the old software so I could make the product usable for "my style of cutting" ... so.... I just printed the return label. God riddance of the S-crap product. Few years back when I bought Craft Robo Pro I was thinking that the only reason I should not buy another Graphtec Product is their Customer support. Quite in my opinion ignorant about their own products. Today when I explained that the "perforated cut set up" in Cameo can not be edited I was asked to send them copy of my file. Whoever answered my e-mail clearly has no clue about the product he is trying to support. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love these paints. I love these paints.
tons of bright pigments.
They are not transparent, but they can be. I thought they were more student quality, but they have so far, proven to be very light fast, and maybe a little like japanese watercolors. The tins, are great, and I had fun getting one tin in the set, every couple of months. I think one needs all three to appreciate the range of colors.
I wonder if there is ink used in the hues.
I would start with the classics box. I think my favorite though, is the confections box, with the metallic paints. they are great for fairy or earthy paintings.
I can see how these sets would be great for crafters and stampers. I think though, watercolorists might enjoy them too.
for my light fast test, I have left paint samples in a bright window, with masking tape, for several weeks. so far, there has been a little fading in the bright yellow, and one of the blue paints.
this is better than two pro watercolor sets, I tested with them the same way. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love my Silhouette. I researched cutting machines pretty extensively before choosing the Silhouette Cameo. This bundle was great because it included the extra cutting mat and weeding tools. What I like most about the Silhouette is the studio design software. It makes creating cut layouts easy on my computer and I can create cute printable art for my wall (like subway art) without having to cut. I'll admit the software seemed a little scary at first, but it really wasn't - plus there's lots of great tutorials on youtube and pinterest to help. The Silhouette store has a fantastic selection of designs to choose from AND you can import your own svg & jpeg files, trace & save them as cuttable images in your library.
I haven't experienced any problems with my cutting blade or the machine itself...other than operator errors (this is my first cutting machine so I was operating on a learning curve :) ). I did find the mat was so overly sticky that my papers would stick to them and cause the backs of the paper to peel off. But I read online that if you press your hand across the sticky part, the natural oils in your hand will cut down the sticky-sticky to an appropriate tackiness that doesn't ruin your paper...which worked for me. You can also run it under some water for the same effect.
Would certainly recommend the Silhouette...and this specific bundle...to anyone shopping for a craft cutting machine. Love it! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice but a bit cheap in places. This is a good beginner set with some reservations.
Clearly you get what you pay for, so the brushes and other equipment is good but not great. There are 24 tubes of paint, but two of each type, so there are 10 colors plus black and white. The small pad of watercolor paper is a good size for beginner work and the brushes (three different sizes) are also ok but not great.
The paints are shown staying in the cover, but that doesn't work for us, they all fall out even when the bottom part is under the ridge. Furthermore, when the tubes are used, they no longer fit well in the slots and this kit is difficult to open/close without many things falling out. (We end up bringing up both sides close to vertical before quickly shutting it.)
My 8 year old is using this and enjoys it quite a bit. I think an adult who is more serious would appreciate a higher quality set or, more likely, assembling their materials a la carte. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I'm in love with the vibrant colors. I have been looking for some chalk pens to use on my kitchen chalk board for some time now. These pens are perfect!! They are vibrant colors and write so nicely on the board. They come with instructions on how to get the ink flowing to the tip. I followed those and they came out perfect. They were not runny at all and they dried very quickly. This is one of my favorite buys so far!!!! They are so much fun to use and I am in love with the vibrant colors. They really stand out on the black board. I was worried about removing them but they remove very easy. I just use a damp paper towel to remove the color and then dry it off with another paper towel.
I have used them several times in the last few days to write a grocery list and some cute notes on the board to test them out and I have nothing negative to say about them. It comes with several pens and also a white which is the basic color I like to use also.
I did receive these at a discount for my honest opinion but I would recommend these to anyone looking for some great chalk markers. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
painting traditionally with glossies. I have been painting with glossies 8 hours a day for over 6 months. Let me say, I do not use them for their intended purpose -- painting on glass, ceramics, etc and I've never baked them -- I actually use them just like traditional artist acrylics, painting on canvas. So my review might be most useful for people who want to do the same.
I use these because, for my purposes, I need a paint with a shiny, glossy, enamel-like finish, which, if I were painting with any other acrylics, would require mixing in a seperate gloss medium. Liquitex glossies is like a standard acrylic, but with a gloss medium already mixed in. It effectively saves me a step in the painting process, which speeds up my painting and keeps things consistent (meaning, I'm not accidentally adding too much or too little medium and ending up with paint that's patchy or too matte in any areas on the painting).
tips:
-Some of the glossies colors are definitely more strongly pigmented than others. White is particularly transparent. When painting with white, and any mixed colors consisting mainly of white, you must either paint very very thickly (like a puddle, almost), or cover the same area in 3-5 layers, or several more if you want to be certain it's 100% opaque.
-Shake the bottles before use! Especially white. The paint tends to separate if it's been sitting a while, so if you go to pour some out without shaking, you're likely to get a weaker, more "watery" paint because the top layer is mostly gloss.
-The paint body is what I'd call "medium". It's slick and pourable (a "slow pour"), but not thin like fluid, but not a thick, paste-like body either. It will level out quickly after pouring. When I need it to be more fluid, I find I can thin it with water up to about 25% without losing too much opacity or gloss.
-If you let a container of the stuff sit open for hours, the paint will start to dry out and get thick and gooey/gluey. Thinning it with water helps, but if you continue to do this over and over (like I do all the time since I use them all day!) it'll weaken the pigment and gloss load.
-The thicker you paint, the higher the shine you'll get with the finish. Working back over areas that aren't fully dry yet will make the paint matte, as will dry-brushing.
-The finish is definitely glossy, but don't expect it to shine like chrome. It's more like satin.
I wish they sold these in larger bottles, but so far they only come in 2oz.
I hope this was helpful for someone! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
23 cents per brush, folks, that's what it cost me. WHAT A DEAL. If you are a professional painter, this set is not right for you! This is for hacks like me, who don't mind taking out a hair or two from a canvas painting, or are doing some touch up painting to the walls. That said, for $7, you get 25 very decent brushes. That works out to 23 cents a brush, folks, about as cheap as they come - and actually - makes you wonder how anyone can make any money from making these!
I have used about 7 of the brushes, and they are consistent. After using for myself, I hand them down to my kids, who put the brushes through an interesting form of torture, almost to see if they'll fall apart. They really don't, unless you start trying to break them apart.
Good brushes, you cannot go wrong for 23 cents a piece. Thanks for reading! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Quality Brings Down This Rating. I bought this desk for my girlfriend who is studying architecture. For her purposes, this is the best thing I've found **for the price**.
However, there are many annoying design flaws that Studio Designs needs to address. The first and most egregious flaws is the design of the locking mechanism support on the tilt surface. This support is suspended on one end and cantilevered out towards the middle of the table. If the material was thicker, this would be fine. But applying any amount of force on the surface while it is raised torques the support that it is attached to. I can almost make the bar touch the back of the glass under moderate loads. I plan to help this by applying rubber bumpers between the glass and the support.
Second, the glass is attached to the frame with suction cups. It works, but I also have a glass desk and it has threaded metal pads bonded to the glass which allows it to be bolted directly to the frame. The suction cups just look cheap and aren't very secure. If you lean on the edge of the glass, the other end can detach from the suction cups and flip over. Very lame.
For me, the size is too small to be productive with. But I suppose that's just preference.
Overall I wasn't impressed with the quality, but I do like the styling and the tilt function of one surface.
I've also emailed Studio Designs with requests for information on their other products, and I have not received a reply. This desk is pretty cheap so I'm willing to overlook this, but it's still off-putting as a consumer when companies don't respond to customer emails. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
For chalkboard writing and design this product is a good value. To get the ink flowing without wasting a bunch of it do the following: Make sure, especially if you live at altitude, to hold the pen vertically with the tip up, push on the tip to let the pressurized air out. Then hold the pen horizontally or with the tip slightly up, push the tip in slowly to allow ink to flow (sometimes it's like priming with a pump....you have to push the tip in multiple times (slowly) to get the ink to flow). If you don't release the pressure or prime the tip slowly you can waste up to 50% of the ink before you've even used the pen.
As far as quality and color, this set is great. I have designed my farmers market chalkboard signs with these pens and they look great and the color holds up in pretty intense sun light for weeks. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Just AMAZING! Can't believe that this is a synthetic brush. I got the number 24 flat. This has to be by far the best synthetic I have ever used. In search of a wonderful synthetic that truly mimics natural hair, none do it better then this brush. To some extent it works better then it's natural counterpart. The brush hair feels totally like natural hair and many would be surprised if I told them otherwise.
It holds so much water and paint it's truly surprising that it's a synthetic. Unlike many other brush manufacturers this brush is loaded with hair, with a thick belly in the middle that tapers to a sharp chisel. and on top of that u get this amazing control that u don't get from some natural hair brushes. This is not only the best synthetic I've used it is one of the best brushes overall, I have ever used, it was truly shocking how wonderful this synthetic was. I had to double check to make sure I didn't order a natural squirrel hair brush. As u can tell I love this brush. Undoubtedly a great buy, it solidifies DaVinci as one of the best brush makers in the world! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Know what you're buying. While these french easels are fine and quite handy, you need to be careful that the sellers you encounter are showing you the correct picture. These come as FULL and HALF easels and a "tell" is the width of the drawer. If, in the description, the width of the drawer is given at 7" or 8" you are dealing with the narrower HALF easel while the wider FULL easel drawer is normally 11" or 12" wide. The advantages of the FULL easel is a wider support shelf for your canvas making it more stable, and the easel will have a larger footprint which also adds to stability. And of course the FULL will hold more paint, brushes, etc. I've noticed a number of sellers who will describe one size and carelessly show a photo that is clearly the other. This is true on both Amazon and eBay sites. Read the description, look at the photo, and if you are unsure, contact the seller. That said, I've had a HALF easel in the past and it was fine for mid sized and small canvases. Large canvases not so much, as you will get some wobble when painting toward the canvas edges, because of the relatively small footprint and spindly legs. Unsuitable for large canvases using heavy duty stretchers or painting In-frame with a large heavy frame. It is after all, a field easel. Perfectly fine as a second studio easel though.
You can shop for and find a separate side shelf for these if you want a small horizontal area for your paints, etc, but I cannot comment on those as I have never used one. Hope this is helpful. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Will keep, maby, but questionable. Arrived with the bottom support completely detached, free flowing along with the bolt, wing nut, and washer. The 'box' section has a serious mar that directly corresponds with one of the supporting screws, only possible if a great weight, or pressure was inadvertently applied. There is a slight bending in the relevant section that seems to verify such. The finish is not bad, but imperfect. The product is much darker that indicated on the box, or this website. The drawer lacks internal 'guides,' wobbly but serviceable. The over construction is functional, though slight inconsistencies are apparent. This unit is workable, and I will probably keep, yet when I purchase a brand new item, I expect a higher standard of quality, free of obvious defects, and it should look exactly like advertised. Some of the wood, a small section, was not completely sanded; not smooth. Some would say, "satisfactory for the money." I don't buy that nonsense. A new product should look new. As well, this website indicated the product was made from elm. The packaging says hard wood. Why the lack of specificity? How can I be sure it is actually made from elm? I think I should have opted for their bamboo version, which is less expensive.
Per my review, I decided to take another look at my box easel. This time it looked quite impressive. Not focusing on the issues referenced, I was genuinely impressed with its darker finish. I really started to appreciate this tool as it is, rather than what I expected. I loosened and positioned the easel, and proceeded with my examination. Sadly, and fortunately, I noticed a serious crack in the back of the center most 'rib' of the easel. I was truly hooked, until I had that realization. It still looks great. But atlas, I cannot work with this. I also noticed that below the crack there is a gap. I think, from apperances, that an entire section of wood was removed from that rib in order to tightly affix to an adjacent section,(another rib). The groove was cut to wide. When the rib was tightly affixed with screws, the fragility created by this gap, clearly noticable, resulted in this section cracking. A closer examination relealed a crack in the left most rib. I'm amazed I missed these. Then again, it was only under the intenser light of my computer desk lamp that I seen these unfortunate defects. These are definitely not the result of mishandling. The physical evidence is discernable, the results are, if not perdictable, reasonable, and understandable. To see is to know. I have no agenda. I really liked this easel. I had hoped to keep it, despite my initial complaints, and especially after my second look. I'm sad that I have to return it.
Update: Today I received my replacement and it was more damaged that the first one. Where there was a mar on the first box easel, there was a complete hole in this one. The drawer would not close without a lot of jiggling. Worse of all one of the seams, edge of the box, was actually seperating. What a complete waste of time and effort. This product is substandard quality, and not worth serious consideration. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A BIG Plus. There are a number of brands with better paints (Golden, Daniel Smith, for instance)IF you use a lot. But if you paint SMALL or seldom, or if you live near the ocean, you will be better off with Liquitex. Why? The tubes are plastic and do not corrode, and the tops are big and don't crack open. Also, the paints are still good after sitting around for YEARS, whereas many of the other brands of acrylics DRY UP even in a tightly sealed tube. I've seen it happen over and over. Luckily, Liquitex is also cheaper, and I've found no problem mixing it with other brands if you have any, and you WILL want others since some fancier colors are otherwise unavailable. Get the best quality Liquitex has to offer, and it will do the job. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Received broken - XX large (24 x 36) - poor factory packaging design. Purchased on the recommendation of my Architecture professor for portable board drafting.
The drawing board was received broken, with numerous surface fractures radiating out from an area about 7 inches from the top left edge of the board, and down about 4 inches.
The upper left section of the board was bent down enough to make the board unusable for drafting, aside from the fractures in the melamine surface.
The four foam corner braces inside the box, imo, are poorly designed an inadequate in quantity to protect an item of this size and shape from normal shipping handling.
Package was received with some impact punctures, that do not appear to be the cause of the damage, but could be.
Stay tuned for chapter 2 - I processed the return for a replacement of the same item.
I provided this level of detail because of the other review citing almost identical damage. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best Easel - Watercolor & Pastel. This is officially my first easel since my dad, an engineer, made one for me when I was 5 to divert my interest in painting the walls : ) After much research this model won out for the pastel & watercolor art I looked forward to working on, in limited space I might add. It is stable and has as many options for height, horizontal and vertical positions as you can come up with. It came quickly as promised with nice packaging, puts up and folds away easily. The travel case is an excellent feature, most anything can be added to the stablizer bar - brush trey (area). For beginner artists, it would be great if those basics were offered on the same page. I love the horizontal position options and how high the legs telescope. I highly recommend Heritage Watercolor Easel for any kind of art, it does not bounce when applying bold strokes with pastels. I almost forgot the feature which originally put it ahead of the rest, it accommodates canvases up to 56 x 36", signage up to 69". | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Painted Rubber Boots Successfully. If you have ever tried to paint rubber boots for a costume, you may have run into the issues other have. Most paint is not flexible and will peel or crack when you take your first step.
My son wanted to dress like Chris from Bravest Warriors for a school dance. This required bright blue boots. After much online research (and a previous lesson learned from spray painting shoes) I came upon the Angelus leather paint. We prepped a pair of black rubber boots by wiping thoroughly with acetone (just used an acetone nail polish remover) and painted two coats of Angelus with a cheap sponge brush. The color was vibrant & clear, even over black.
The boots lasted him all night at the dance and really looked great with the costume. The paint scraped away a little where he had scuffed the boot on a wall. (Any shoe would have.)
I highly recommend this product for costume & Comicon outfit creations. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
12 inch easels are too small for a 16 x 20 canvas. received my paint easels for a paint night gathering and
these easels are very well made and are gorgeous . i ordered the black ones and bought a set 2 so i have a total of 8 (which each package comes in a set of 4). The 12 inch easels are ONLY meant for small canvases.and display small pictures.
Cons:
They DO NOT come with assemble instructions ( had to go back to a picture on amazon for a reference picture to put these together)
They are too SMALL for a 16 x 20 canvas
They are WAY too light in weight
The reason for 4 stars is because i was hosting a paint night with some friends and unfortunately i could not use these because they were WAY TOO SMALL for my canvases and had to have my guest paint without easels and use the table for flat painting so my guest had too stand up the entire time to paint to actually see their canvasses. so I will be returning these easels for a refund for something bigger and heavier. hopefully my refund is fast . | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Bright, Wonderful, Watercolor pencils. Yet, another gift for my artist hubby. These 48 watercolor pencils were a great value. We honestly didn't know what to expect from these. When you order art supplies without first seeing them in person, it can be a gamble. You never know what the quality of the product is until it arrives and you use it. We were genuinely surprised with these. The watercolors are definitely artist grade quality as stated in the description.
The colors are bright, which is unusual for watercolor pencils. They blend really well and when water is added, the coverage is wonderful. He used these pencils to do some of the tree work on his latest coloring project. He added water and as you can see in the picture, the colors are wonderful. They don't run or streak when using as just a pencil or with water.
My husband and I would definitely recommend these pencils to anyone who loves to color or create art using colored pencils or water color. The variety of colors alone is worth the price.
I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for my honest review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
End Result Not like the Picture. I wouldnt waste my money on these Thomas Kinkade paintings. I have purchased almost 10 Thomas Kinkade paint by number sets over the past year. Id like to share with you the fact that the colors you see in the example painting are NOT the colors of the paint that are provided in the kit. Im not sure why each and every set is like this, but I am dismayed that something with such a great artists name on it does not have a better color palate than is provided. I could understand if occasionally there is a color that doesnt match up but I am talking about each and every paint kit has many colors that do not match what is shown. Therefore, the finished product is not as vibrant as what is shown and I am very unhappy with the results of these paintings. This is my hobby and I take my paint by numbers very seriously. Can the manufacturer of these paintings please explain this? I have purchased other painting such as the brand name Schipper and the colors are an exact match! They are a delight to paint and have wonderful and fulfilling results. Pay a little more and get what you paid for! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great product for wet/chalk markers. <div id="video-block-R3CJ630FYAIZXT" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1DEj5nctqS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81pQDjMtsxS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> I was impressed with the vivacity of the colors and also the selection of color choices included. I did not try this on chalk board- which is a semi-porous surface. I believe it would be great on a white marker board and glass. I used it on paper and my fabric covered sketch book. The colors were richly saturated, and dried quickly. Like most chalk markers they do not lend to layering or color mixing. So I'd say for graphic projects, these are excellent. I also teach and I'd definitely give these to my students. they are an easy clean up- the only thing I'd tell them is to not rub the paper surface until the colors dry. Also odor-free! which is a huge plus. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good, Inexpensive Paper . . . But Perhaps Not For The Rank Beginner. I should have read the fine print carefully before buying this paper. I like the fact that it is large (9" x 12"). It is lined horizontally, and it has slanted vertical lines. I gave three stars because the paper is of such a light weight that it bleeds quite heavily--enough to make practice extremely messy unless you have a light hand or you don't spend a lot of time forming your letters. I think this paper would be perfect for someone who has at least a few months of calligraphy experience under their belt. For the rank beginner like me, who is just beginning to work out the details of letter formation, a heavier weight paper would be extremely beneficial--just until you become a little confident with the strokes.
You cannot go over your letters because if you do, the paper will begin to tear. It is unforgiving in this way, so once you commit to putting pen to paper, you have to go with it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
For the fine art work with detail. These are called "pens" instead of markers because they are very skinny. I believe they are intended for people with good control and are familiar with fine line work. They are not intended for children to color massive pages of a coloring book. That said, these markers are my favorite!
What I love about them:
-The colors are very vibrant and true. On the page, they look exactly like the barrel color.
-Good selection of unique colors. Some of these colors are so cool, I haven't been able to find them anywhere else! Like that light turquoise color...I absolutely love it. I draw a lot of aliens, and it has become my go-to alien skin color marker.
-They last forever. These pens will go on for years. I don't know how this is possible, but Pentel has got the technology. Other markers will dry out within a year or two, these will last.
-Barrels are very smooth and easy to handle. They don't hurt your hand, and the cap fits the barrels in a beautiful stream line. The design is exceptional.
-The packaging is very convenient and sturdy. I love the classic yellow plastic pen holder. It comes with snap buttons that will hold the pens in place. No velcro bulls***. This is probably partly why these pens last so long.
Could be improved:
-I really have no big complaints, except the tip of these markers sometimes will rub off on certain paper. The surface will come off of the paper and leave behind little balls of fiber, making your work rather scratchy. This might be because the tips are too hard?
That's what she said. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Perfect for any graphic designers or illustrators. This lightbox is perfect for any graphic designers or illustrators who need to trace artwork or plans. I personally use this to trace over my sketches onto my watercolor paper to avoid wearing down the grain with an eraser. It has served me so well! It's incredibly thin and light and when I chuck it into my bag, it doesn't weigh it down at all.
Whenever I pull it out in class the other design students always want to use it instead of those giant expensive drawing tables.
I found this off of a Youtube channel "Sara Tepes". She has a great review and demonstration of this lightbox and is the one who convinced me to get it! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not a bad starter set of Pencils . I bought this 120 pack about 4 months ago. It was a cheaper set with a wide range of colors for me to see if I wanted to color and to continue with further projects. I do want to continue. I found that some went on fairly well and some felt and like a cheaper pencil. But I will say it still is not a bad set of pencils to get a start in coloring. Great for children and for adults of all ages. Some pencil that the colors went on a little better than the others and that made it slightly easier to color but some you had to bare down hard to get the color I desired and that lead to more mistakes outside the lines. So that meant more time spent on erasing and coloring. Not a bad starter set but since I do want to continue in a more serious way I changed to the prismacolors which I love. Kimberly | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Appears to be a good investment with the little use I have given them so far. These are as advertised and a good price... I don't believe the add stated plastic handles but this is an asset using them with acrylics as I do and wooden handles eventually give in and disintegrate due to the constant exposure to water which I use coups amounts then place my brushes in a bowl of water so the paint doesn't dry in the bristles. I expect to get many years of use out of this investment because the handles are designed to last , the bristles are good... I wish they made a set with stiffer bristles with the same plastic handles and I really would be happy but I am very pleased with these | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very soft, almost pure pigment. These are wonderful to work with on those occasions when you need pure color and a soft texture. You won't be able to put down a sharp line with this brand, but if your pastel collection includes other brands that's not a problem.
I would give these five stars if the art were the only consideration. Their only drawback is that, like many artist materials, they contain pigments that are dangerous to inhale. As long as you use caution and common sense this isn't a problem: use a dust catcher under your work (then you can collect the crumbles, add water, and reuse it), tap the painting to remove excess (never blow!), and don't let children use this brand. I also wear a vinyl disposable glove on my drawing hand for a variety of reasons but some people can't stand that feeling.
These are just about the most delightful soft pastels to use, and their strengths complement wonderfully the other brands I use. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Awesome quailty paint set. So first off I wanna start by saying how much I love dainayw products I have gotten multiple paint brushes an now paint from them an they seriously never disappoint.
Their product is well worth the price an very high quality materials. This paint set is by far my most favorite paint set I have owned so far.
These are completely non toxic so their safe for kids and perfect for professionals and beginners.
The colors are very bright an vibrant. They have really good consistency. When you use them they actually spread easily an evenly. They have awesome coverage threw out the canvas so their is no white spots that you have missed threw out.
It comes with 12 different colors an I absoulty love the names they use for these. They have titanium white, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, vermilion, crimson, pale green, phthalocyanine green, blue lake, phthalocyanin blue, burnt sienna, and black. Each of these tubes are 12 ml but a little really does go a long way.
If their is a color that you need that's not in here They do blend an mix really good an smoothly so you shouldn't have a problem getting what you need/want.
This paint can be used for more then just on a canvas they can be used on paper, wood, and fabric pretty much any kind of craft their perfect for.
Overall I defiantly recommend this brand and these paints for every artist out there.
I did get this for free in return for my honest opinion. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I'm not smart. Just in case you aren't smart either. Attention! This is for 2 oz of paint. $8 for 2oz. You can get 8oz for $7 on this site. I should have noticed the amount in this container before I purchased it but I am not smart. When the bottle arrived I was stunned they even make this size. A bottle of paint for ants. This is a warning for people like me. All you smart people move along, nothing to see here.
BTW I am painting a piece of wooden furniture with this and it is a beautiful robin's egg blue. Also - because God hates stupid - I used the 2 oz and the 8oz bottles...it did not cover the piece of furniture AND needs a second coat before I ever get to the wax part of all this. So buy a couple 8 oz bottles. Or a truckload of 2 oz bottles, your call. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Excellent quality, value and service. Amazing quality. Amazing value. Was missing black (substituted for doubles of a few colours), which, upon being contacted, seller agrees to send out immediately.
Colours are vivid. Product is in excellent condition upon arrival.
Highly recommend this product to anyone looking for samples of a wide variety of colours or anyone looking for a large variety for personal use, like myself.
Almost all sheets measure 12"x60", with a few slightly short at 58" and a few as long as 62.5" (which is an acceptable deviation, given the exceptional value of this package).
Would definitely do business with this company again. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice workmanship, problems with quality control. I ordered this product for desktop use as I have no space in my bedroom/studio for a full-sized floor easel or drawing desk. It arrived as promised on the shipping-receiving date. This is a handsome piece, made out of precision-cut oak and finished with a nice soft golden finish. It seems very sturdy.
My only problem with this easel is that metal rear brace hinge that controls the tilting angle was bent out of shape, and two of the screws had stripped. The only way I could fix it was to drill the screwholes slightly bigger and then insert larger screws. This fixed the problem, but I think for the price I paid it should've been put together a little better. Either that, or it was damaged in shipping, although the box shows no obvious signs of damage. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Made garments smell terrible for awhile. After accidentally washing my expensive all white undergarments with something that had red in it, my undies turned pink. So I bought one package of Rit color remover for $1.63 plus tax at a local Wal-Mart. The directions say to use a steele pot vs an aluminum pot. I simmered my bras & undies in the solution as the directions stated. The Rit product worked perfectly!
My garments are all stark white! But the undergarments smelled so horrible from the Rit product that I couldn't wear them! Yuck!
I soaked them in detergent, and washed them over and over. After about 5 soakings/washings, the smell is almost gone.
The local store also offered two other non-dye Rit products for $1.63 per box. A whitener and a brightener.
*Update, it took another 5-6 washings for the smell to vanish entirely. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
High Quality, Multi-Purpose Artist Medium. Whether you are a college level art student or professional artist, you may be interested in having a versatile fluid medium that can be used at any stage in your creative process. Liquitex Professional Matte Medium was designed with painters and mixed media artists in mind. I have used this product in both my acrylic paintings and mixed media collage creations and have been extremely satisfied with the results. I have won awards for my mixed media artwork thanks to this medium. Ive judged this product based on my experience with the texture of the workable ground it creates, its adhesive durability, and its archival quality. Below are my reasons why Liquitex Professional Matte Medium is one of the best materials for artists of all levels and disciplines.
Quality of Texture/ Workable Ground
One thing I find important when working in paint, mixed media, or a combination of the both, is texture of the ground that I am working on and how that affects the artwork as a whole. Liquitex Matte Medium creates a smooth, but slightly gritty texture that creates an ideal surface to apply more paint, ink, graphite, or other wet or dry drawing materials. This medium is self-leveling, which means it won't hold the texture of the brushstroke you apply it with. The flat, level surface it creates makes it easier for you to layer collage elements on top of previous layers.
Adhesive Durability
In my most recent artworks and explorations, I have been using Liquitex Matte Medium to create my own substrate to work on out of many smaller pieces of magazine paper. It is important to me that the medium holds the many pieces together with minimal air bubbles to create a flat ground. This product not only keeps the pieces together and creates a flat ground, but it dries transparently. I found this very helpful when creating layers and visual depth in my compositions.
Archival Quality
I chose this medium in the creation of my mixed media paper substrates because it said it was acid free and archival quality. Almost two and a half years after the creation of my magazine paper substrate, I have not noticed any yellowing or aging of the paper I used thanks to this product. Although the paper I used has acid in it and will eventually fade over time, Liquitex Matte Medium has helped slow the aging process. You may find this product useful when creating collages or when you are working with papers of different acidity levels.
Negative Aspects
Although I am extremely satisfied with this product in its various uses, I have found that it does not come out of my paintbrushes very well. A helpful trick to keep your brushes in good condition after using this product is to wash and rinse it right away so it doesnt have time to dry in the brush. By doing this, it has helped me keep my designated matte medium brush in working condition for two years.
The creative possibilities and benefits of this product are endless. As an adaptable, durable, and archival medium that can be used for multiple artistic purposes, Liquitex Matte Medium is a great tool to have in any artists toolbox. Its versatility allows you to fluidly transition back and forth between medias. The workable, smooth, but slightly textured ground is ideal for applying dry and some wet medias, while still being able to see the previous layer beneath. The adhesive durability is perfect for two-dimensional mixed media and collage work of all kinds and the acid-free quality protects your artwork in the long term. I hope this review has given you an idea of what the product is like and helps you in your purchasing decision! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Inconsistent ink flow and impossible to wipe off. I was really disappointed in this product. It took forever to get the ink to start flowing, and even when it did, it was completely inconsistent. I used it to make my wedding seating chart on a chalkboard. The first time, I made one mistake and tried everything imaginable to get it off but it would NOT come off. I tried water, soap, and an ammonia-based cleaner (Windex), since I read online that sometimes works for some products. I would not recommend this product if you think you might make an error and/or if you ever want to erase it. My chalkboard will need a coat of chalkboard paint if I ever want to use it again. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very nice paper for graphite and colored pencil work. I think I am going to really like this paper for graphite work but I am actually still trying to find paper that has some sort of velvet feel to it, as if it is flocked, and also does not cost $10 a sheet. While this is for watercolour, it is great for graphite and water soluble pencils, just take care and prepare it as you would for watercolour if you use water soluble graphite.
Also trying framing board, museum board and others. When buying these, go to the local arts and crafts store or the framing sections as it will be a lot less expensive than buying this type of paper/board in the art section, like 2 to 3 times more. It is the same stuff that are in the back of frames or used to frame pictures. You can buy just regular stock and it can be cheap. It is the stuff that is cut our to frame the pictures. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Don't waste your money on sets. Selection of pigments not uniformly lightfast, useful for mixing, or of high quality. For example, set lacks
several very important pigment -
cerulean blue, burnt sienna, cadmium
yellow deep, whereas black, sepia brown, & Prussian blue are a waste of space on
one's palette. A better choice is to buy
a Scmincke box for 12 full pans & buy
full or half pans of at least the following
key pigments - cerulean & ultramarine blue, Hansa yellow light & cadmium
yellow light, cadmium red light & quinacridone violet. This covers the
range of primary colors, each of which is tinged toward its adjoining secondary. The remaining essential pigments include
the always useful earth tones - yellow ochre, raw & burnt sienna, & finally pthalo green & blue. The choice of Mgr for each pigment is also important as the quality of each pigment varies greatly from one Mgr to another, even the most reputable. I recommend the latest ed of ' The Wilcox Guide to the Best Watercolor Paints' & for a better understanding of pigment mixing characteristics, 'Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green' by Michael Wilcox. Paint is far too expensive to make a purchase without consulting Wilcox's 'Guide'. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice pigment load bright and bright clean colors. These actually compare with Michael Harding. M Graham are clean and bright especially the bright colors and all his violets, oranges that give you that real sunset glow that only Harding and Graham provide out of about 10 other top manufacturers Ive used. Rublev is right up there and there whites cannot be even be touched they are so superior, made renascence style labor intensive but will make every painting better because it used in almost every tint.
Now M Graham is a more buttery consistency but not runny, I don't know how they do that because I don't think they use filler but maybe a hint of honey like there water color don't quote me on this but its logical as nice as their dollops come out. Because of the heavy pigment loads you will notice your tubes emptying much slower than other manufacturers same size except Harding the same of course. Certainly you should be able to tell Im not sponsored by any of these guys I have tried most of them all to test and compare because contrary to what some say good paint makes beautiful painting and mediocre and poor paints make garage sale paintings at best. If you don't have the bread then by one tube then when you get enough buy the next. PLEASE DO NOT PRICE BUY PAINT. You will quit or never be satisfied, believe that advice it comes from every serious painter youve probably noticed.
Ive not used walnut oil yet but Im kicking it around for brush cleaning only, its a wonderful oil but there a better mediums we have developed with our knowledge of paint behaviors by our esteemed conservationists. In short order you will not miss a stroke with M Graham primaries and secondarys but as another reviewer has said get your earth tones some were else....if you want to save money here is were to do it most of the colors truly are dirts....beautiful and hard to find and dig but dirts none the less and therefor cheaper, try the Richardsons raw umber very neutral and plays well with othe colors. The very best is Rublev earths all of world class load and cheap for work class. Their tube sizes are huge too, so a real deal for what you get. I won't get in to mixing science because its important how these dirts i.e pigments are mixed and blended and processed and Rublev has mastered it and yet pass it on to us at an incredible price. I hope Ive not done anything wrong by not just hounding on M Graham whom I love but tryied to shared a way to get a wonderful pallet. No breaddo a simple and small double primary palet or Zorn pallet to start if youve got a little bit more money try all these Ive been naming good luck and keep your brushes wet. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Wonderful for a painting novice or painting pro on the go. This was a Christmas gift, and I have been using it almost daily. I've started with watercolor. The box easel works perfectly. The paints are good quality. The "kit" contains most items needed to get started. I did buy some Magic Touch paint brushes to add to the brushes that come with the kit. So far, the small brushes that come with the kit are perfect. The larger brushes tend to shed immediately. But overall, I recommend this well constructed, well supplied, well designed Box Easel to anyone, experienced or not. I am very, very pleased with it. I don't have a studio, so I use my kitchen table. When not painting, it's not hard to pack up and store the wood box with its three drawers of supplied. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Convenient Magnetic Half Pans. These high quality half pans with magnets are great for extending the capacity of Whiskey Painters and other metal palettes. Magnets are a convenient means of keeping pans in place and with these magnetic half pans you can quickly and easily turn an empty Altoids or other tin into a watercolor travel palette. Just a note, I purchased two sets of these pans and each set had a different type of magnet. (See attached photo.) While the circular magnet has sufficient power to keep the pan in place, I prefer the more powerful rectangular magnet power which keeps the pan more firmly in place. I'm so glad I found these perfect pans! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very Generous Amount of Paint Great Quality. I recently pulled out my paints to work on a craft project and more than half of them were dried out so it was time for some new! I first checked the craft store but wasn't really finding what I wanted size and color wise. This set is really perfect for what I wanted. The tubes of paint are a very generous size 75ml and the lids snap closed securely so I don't think I will have an issue with them drying out as quickly as my others did. It is a nice thick paint that goes on very easily and has great coverage. I am not a painter but I use paints for general crafting. These paints I used to paint leaves and they provided a nice thick coverage. They also mix well together. I used the white go get other shades of the blues, yellows, and reds and the brown. I have also painted on cardstock paper with these and that works great too. I don't notice an overwhelming scent to the paint either which is nice. Overall these are just what I wanted, the package says great for beginners and I would agree, I am not an artist and don't do a lot of painting but these have been great for me, I am really happy with them!
I ordered this set of paints at a discount in exchange for my honest review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
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