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These are good stickers Just not what you may be used to. These 6 sheets of cute STICKERS are made out of ACETATE - a clear plastic with a design printed on it. The sticker has an adhesive side. Each design is in a pre-cut section so it is easily peeled off of the backing. These delightful stickers vary in size from pinkie nail size of 3/8" to rectangles of 1"x 3/4" and also long ones 1/4" x 3 1/4". My Sharpie permanent marker writes, dries and stays on the acetate. Other pens won't. I think the designs are cute and quirky such as "dolphin dance" with a dolphin or little coffee cups or "don't worry be happy". These stickers stick nicely, they are cute, they have many ideas that you may not find in the typical sticker set. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love the brilliant colors of these chalk markers. I love the brilliant colors of these chalk markers! I have seen writing in restaurants and stores that were done with these markers and really wanted some for myself. I have a small chalkboard that I write cute sayings on for parties, etc. I have just been using a white one. These are so bright and cheery and add so much personality to my board.
They are a thicker marker and look like they hold a lot of chalk paint. There are 2 side to each tip that you can turn around. The one it comes showing is the broader tip. You can flip it to a chisel point tip for thinner writing or a more calligraphy look with the chisel. When you want to change these after you have already used it your fingers get paint on them so use a napkin, etc.
When I opened the box I saw 2 foam pieces and thought they were just packing materials but when I got reading I realized they were erasers. These are so handy as sometimes the chalk doesn't come completely off from your board. They are just like a magic eraser and work well.
When you first use these you have to push down on the tip to release the paint. Be sure to do this on another surface than the one you are working on because it comes out fast and makes a puddle. After that you can write on your project with no problem. These write really smooth and fluid. You have to wait for these to dry for a few minutes on a non porous surface, so have patience. I smudged my test writing to see how long it would take to dry as you will notice in my picture | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Wonderful Ink. The bottle the ink came in was filled to the brim, which was very satisfying to a penny-pincher like me. Bulletproof black flows nicely out of my charcoal Lamy Safari with a Fine nib; it also complements the color of the pen very nicely. Like other reviews have noted, the ink performs much better than expected on even poor quality paper. But it also kind of depends on the size of the nib you're using and how wet your pen writes. But in most of the pens I've used, there hasn't been too much variance.
The color of the ink is just a touch lighter than I would like, but its very dark nonetheless. I'm not too sure if the product info page lists it, but the bulletproof black is fraud-proof and pretty much permanent on paper. The ink works by bonding chemically to cellulose, the stuff paper is made of, but it'll wash out of your hands and pen without too much difficulty. Just make sure you don't spill the ink on a white shirt or something.
Just as a warning, some fountain-pen users and some repair-guys don't encourage the use of Noodler's bulletproof black in fountain pens due to the possibility of clogging due to the high solute content in the ink. But if you're using a fairly inexpensive pen, like the Lamy Safari, then it really isn't that much of a concern. From what I can tell, the potential damage is VERY minimal, especially compared to the great qualities of this ink. The only other potential problem I can see with the bottle they provide is when the ink level is really low; it'll make refilling with a converter or piston kind of difficult. The way I plan on getting around this is by using a syringe to refill my old cartridges. But I can definitely see how the bottle design could pose a problem for refills. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good color range. Another set of watercolors I'm trying out in my watercolor journey. I have a Sakura Koi tube set of 12 watercolors and wanted to know if there was any difference between them and the Holbeins. What I learned about Holbein is don't use any Ox Gall, which is used as a wetting agent to make colors flow...and that's the end of my knowledge on that! I was prepared to be super wowed by their paint...but I wasn't. I did learn one other fact about the difference between student grade and artist grade watercolors and that is that student grade paints have more binders in them which is denoted by the word "hue". If this is true then Holbein has several colors in this set that are not artist grade because they had the word "hue" at the end of the name of the color of paint. Now if someone knows better, please correct me.
All in all, for a novice they are okay...not sure what professional artists would say about these. Still, I know I will use them...since I spent the money on them! Oh, one other thing is that these tubes are tiny 5ml tubes...something I wasn't aware of when I purchased them. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Small, but amazing . I love this flask palette ! Its such a charming design, and I adore compact palettes! It's not too heavy, but its weighted enough to show that it is well made with quality materials. With water added its about the same weight of my phone (with a case) and its a little over half the size in length. Take note that I have added 4 more half pans in the middle so it can fit 12 colors. The half pans were a separate purchase. The paints I put in are Holbein (and one Sennellier paynes grey )
Some things I disliked:
I disliked the way the mixing area is at a slant. It can cause the colors to run into each other. I'll see if I can find a way to tighten it so it'll sit at a proper angle for painting (which would be flat for myself) so I'll see if that's something I can do myself. Also, theres only 2 wells to mix in. Its a small palette, so the mixing area will be just as small. I have heard that there was a similar palette made with 4 mixing wells, and I would REALLY love to see that !
Other than that, I really like this palette. I'm excited to own it and will be taking it everywhere I can ! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Exactly as expected. A delight now, will get better with accessories. Just got my Curio. I am giving it 5 stars because it is exactly what I expected it to be - a comprehensive companion to my Cameo. For anyone looking to simply cut, you should look hard at a Silhouette Cameo. If you are looking to emboss, draw with 2 colors at once, cut thicker materials, or etch onto metal, the Curio is for you. I am a little frustrated that some of the accessories that are required to perform some of these features are not yet in stock, but I don't believe that is a reason to take away stars.
The Stippling feature of the software was surprisingly amazing. I will admit that I didn't really even know what stippling was, and stippling was not a major reason for me to make this purchase. The stippling feature in the software allows you to convert any photo into a stippled (dot-shaded) design. It is only active in the software when the Curio is connected. I was delighted with this unexpected feature of the software. I use it all the time.
All in all, I am delighted with this tool. It is slightly advanced, which must be what is contributing to some of the lower star reviews. As I mentioned before, if you are looking for an entry level cutting tool, this is not the tool for you. If you own a cutting tool, and are looking to add features, you won't be disappointed. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A Crayola Fail! Marker, Watercolor, and Paint All Bleed Through. I bought this for my 3 1/2 year old daughter and it was a total waste of money. The 50 pages are 8" x 10" and claim to be for both marker and watercolor, but it's so thin that markers, watercolor, and acrylic paint all bleed through it! While she was coloring with marker, it saturated the paper so much that a hole developed and some of the paper tore even though she didn't leave the marker in one spot long at all. We tried watercolor and acrylic paints and again, some of the coloring bled through to the table and caused the paper to curl up around the edges, so the paper doesn't stay flat once it has paint on it. This is dollar store quality paper that is useless for markers and paints. I could've used copy paper and it would've held up better than this.
A definite disappointment from Crayola - the only thing this paper is good for now is scrap paper and paper for her to draw on with pencil and crayon. Don't waste your money! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I discovered If I do a pastel painting that I don't like I can wash the board off with warm water . When I started with soft pastels I first tried the papers but could not get the desired results. I even tried the sanded papers, but was frustrated because they are difficult to store and you have to mount them for framing. With the Ampersand Pastel boards I can display them on my studio shelves and pop them in a frame when ready. Another added perk, I discovered If I do a pastel painting that I don't like I can wash the board off with warm water and a soft sponge, as to not ruin the sanded finish. You might have a hint of color left , but it makes your next pastel even more interesting. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
FINE, BUT. As far as tactile goes, the paper feels and looks great, the binding is tight and yet allows the book to lay open if you're interested in a broad vista (or a strong vertical), and the cover has a wonderful feel to it.
The cream off-white paper handles graphite beautifully, does well with several different variety drawing inks --both quills and fountain pens laid down clean lines with no feathering--- but there is often significant ghosting or bleed-thru so some pen and ink sketches may need to be 1-sided.
Water based markers look fine on this paper, and permanent markers show bright color but bleed-thru happens with both, so noted as with inks above.
Unfortunately, even a light wash results in some pretty severe buckling, so don't mistake this for a watercolor sketchbook. It works and can result in some nice results, but the paper in no way remains presentation quality and the amount of curling that results can make scanning a challenge. See results of a light wash in attached image. That's not all watercolor, that's paper curling. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
OK Transparencies Depending on Application - Not Great for Screenprinting. We were using these transparencies for screen printing and the ink did not cover dark enough. We had to use two prints and overlay them to get a sharp image when exposing the screen. I tried a number of different paper types in my Canon inkjet without much difference in the final product.
One side of the transparence is slightly textured for the ink from the inkjet to stick.
I also used it on a laser printer and it worked about the same - the black was not solid.
Ended up burning through all six sheets on one screen print. I will probably go with standard laser transparencies next time since they are a lot cheaper. It just means that I will have to wait until I get to work to print them instead of at home - boo. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not easy to color with. I bought these because they state their colors are super saturated and vivid, but I've found them to be difficult. My use is coloring in a coloring book that doesn't accept ink well. My preference has always been markers for the rich colors. So, maybe I'm expecting too much from a pencil.
You must apply a LOT of pressure to get a nice saturated color on the page. Even then, you will have to apply many layers before achieving a nice color. Also, I've found that blending is extremely difficult with these pencils. Maybe I'm not doing it right? But it seems to me that, for blending colors, pencils SHOULD be easier to manipulate than markers. Not the case here.
I've decided to try another brand. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
This is a great starter set for Zentangle. Created in partnership between Sakura and Zentangle creators Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, this is an excellent starter set of fine pens and tiles for Zentangle newbies or old hands. The Micron's quick drying, non-bleeding ink produces beautiful permanent lines and the selection of sizes gives you two of the 01 - which you will use the most - and an 03, 05, and 08 for larger fill areas or broader lines. The tiles are die cut from museum quality paper and are simply a joy to tangle on. Unlike other art forms requiring lots of supplies, this set is all you need to enjoy the fine art of Zentangle.
You can learn more about Zentangle on their website, and for an online resource of tangles (Zentangle patterns) to learn visit the Tangle Patterns web site. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A great buy, and very good quality. Nice set for painting fine lines. Only time will tell if they last, but at this price, I can afford to buy new ones when these brushes stop painting perfect lines for me. So far I haven't had any loose hairs and everything from the brush to the handle appears to be tight. I played around with these just to test them and so far, so good! They are stiff until you use them a little bit and then they soften. I used them with acrylics and washed them with a mild soap and cold water when I finished. They cleaned easily and, after shaping them after washing them, they kept their shape as they dried. The case is very nice and holds the brushes separately so they maintain their shape. I highly recommend these brushes. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Works too well - hard to create an even finish. I had the opposite problem, this solution worked way too well. I applied the patina to my project after first using Sophisticated Finishes primer and copper bases. I put the patina on and what a mess! The patina is clear when you put it on, so you can't really see how much you have applied and how heavy or light it is. The patina pooled - even though I wiped off the excess. I was left with a project with a very uneven finish and not at all natural looking. To fix this, I'm going to purchase another bottle of patina and try to even out the drips. I may have to buy some copper and run it lightly through the completely and heavily patina-ed areas. Wish me luck! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
So later I bought "clear for inkjet" which actually when shrunk looks like bubble glass now. This does NOT print on inkjet. It is for drawing on with permanent or alcohol based markers/paint.
I also initially got sent the wrong one (the white one instead of the clear) by shipment mistake. Waited a little longer to get the right one.
Photo is of a keychain I made with this product that was marker drawn. But I smudged it before baking it. :/
Even after baking, the keychain needs a modge pod coating probably, to prevent surface abrasion from scratching the image off.
This product does bake clear for drawing on it with markers, and back is see through too.
So later I bought "clear for inkjet" which actually when shrunk looks like bubble glass now, and is not clear at all.
Wish Grafix didn't change the quality of their products. Really wanted genuine CLEAR inkjet shrink film. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Amazing pigment and excellent customer service. I recently got into painting after I left it many years during my Colorado trip. I was inspired by mother nature to paint, so I ended getting these acrylic paint set and some other art supplies from Amazon.
I really enjoyed painting with these colors. They are highly pigmented and very easy to use. The price is very reasonable in my opinion. The most important thing about this product is the excellent customer service that I received from the seller. I had a question, and I contacted the seller at night. In a matter of minutes, he responded back and resolved the issue. I have not seen many sellers, who take this great care of their customers and make them feel this valuable. I would highly recommend purchasing from this seller this particular product or any other future products.
I ended up receiving this product for free due to the utmost care that the seller took of me, as a valuable customer. I am glad I tried this product because I loved using it. It's a no-brained for me to purchase this product again from element paints. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
This is a great pen, and the brush tip makes beautiful writing. This is a great pen, and the brush tip makes beautiful writing. I like it for manga drawings, and many others. I have read other reviews, and the pen has lasted others a long time. This pen has lasted me about 6 months. I do use it quite a bit, and the small tip side works just fine. The brush tip side isn't working for me. I've tried moistening the tip of the brush part, and trying it later. It worked the same way. I love the design of this pen, but I would recommend a Copic marker, instead. They are generally sold at craft stores (Michael's), for around $8.00. I would recommend those because the ink lasts longer, and I find the ink, and the nibs better quality.
These pens are great, but I'd prefer Copics, and the ink in this pen has run out. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great all-purpose markers. I bought these for crafting and have come to really love these markers. The 0.5mm tip is perfect for writing and outlining and the 1.2mm tip is great for coloring and filling things in. I also really like the range of colors. Using this set there hasn't been a single additional color I've longed for. I've also really appreciated the longevity of these pens. I've owned these for a couple of years now and keeping them tightly and diligently capped, they still work great. Granted I use these only a few times each month so if you use them a few times a week or daily your mileage may vary, but I've been impressed with how long they have lasted with use. Highly recommended. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
You get what you pay for. Pros: Extremely long life: even after you swear it already died, you will pick it up and somehow more ink will come out. Maybe this is the result of laying the marker flat, which I have heard is the best way to get all the ink (storing them flat, that is).
Cons: These "chisel tip" variety are the quirkiest tips I have ever experienced in any brand of paint marker. I am not sure if it's the paper, the tip material, or the paint itself, but solids accumulate as you use them. This is a bit tough to explain, but basically you either have to constantly wipe the tip (if you want semi-precise lines), or else go with the swab-like quality of having extra paper/felt material build up and deposit randomly on your art.
The only brands that compete in this price/caliber range are the semi-new Sharpie paint markers which run out MUCH faster than these but have a better tip material, are housed in a durable metal body, and contain slightly better paint (still in this range of matte/low-shine), and also the Elmer's "Painter's" variety, which beat these in price and paint quality, but hold less paint and are housed in an equally poorly constructed plastic body.
PS: It is worth noting that the Posterman markers barely classify as "paint markers" because they are actually filled with pigmented ink (sort of like a permanent version of tempra paint we all used to use in grade school), and not oil, acrylic, or enamel paint seen in traditional paint markers.
In closing: Despite all the new brands in craftland (and also new "street art" brands), it is still hard to beat a good old "Decocolor," when you want shine and durability at the craft store price/availability, but when you want a more paint and less shine, then save a few bucks and add some Posterman to your art supply arsenal. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Almost caught on fire. (edit) just received the replacement light box today and it works just like its supposed to. This is an amazing product and is much brighter in person, the photos online don't express how well it lights the page. One thing I found strange though is that in this ones box I received a much cheaper and shorter cable, I don't know if this was intentional or not but I do much prefer the cable I got in the first box I received.
I just got mine the other day and it almost caught of fire lol. I plugged it up and tired touching the symbol on it to turn it on and I couldn't get anything to happen so I waited a minuet and started looking at the box to see if I was missing something. When I went to mess with it again there was a little bouble in front of where I plugged it in at on the top side and I went to push it thinking it was a button I missed and it burned my finger. It was melting the plastic. I thought it might be the outlet putting out to much power so I plugged it into my pc but it tripped something that made my pc shut off the USB ports saying it was drawing to much power. I'm guessing it has a short in it. Returning tomorrow to order another one to give it another try. I understand things can be defective. Just know that this can happen, lol alot like phones catching on fire. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Price doesn't match quality. I purchased this sketchbook with high hopes... it's got thick 110lb paper (means it's a little less thick than cardstock)...
I liked the idea of a sketchbook that worked with a variety of media, including spray paints, watercolors, etc. I enjoy using watercolors and gouache. I also do not like sketchbooks with spiral binds, since they are difficult to travel with (art supplies get stuck in the rings easily). I like that this sketchbook is hard bound, however, it is not good for aqueous media.
For example, a watercolor wash will spread within the confines of the brush stroke: the paper is not good for watercolors, thinned acrylics, or gouache. It's a shame, too.
It works well with pencil sketches, micron pens, etc. so it would be good for drawing, using markers, colored pencils, etc.
I agree with another reviewer that it's difficult to keep the sketchbook open. Paper warps while drying if using aqueous media.
I used baby clamps to keep the page open while drying. It kind of helps with the warping.
I don't think I'd buy this sketchbook again. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great lightpad. This is a really great light pad to have on hand. I'm an artist and most times I draw small, scan, enlarge and then use the light pad to trace on my larger art paper. Has 3 levels of brightness, doesn't get hot. Has measuring guides. I've used with dark colored pastel paper, no problem as well as heavy watercolor paper, and some canvas (that don't have a middle brace). Cleans easily with a soft cloth, comes with a swivel stand and a carry bag- the bag isn't the best quality, but I'm not carting this around, so no big deal. The "paper" that comes with it is more like tissue paper. I didn't use it. Really happy and it was a great price to boot! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best Review you'll get! Pictures and Videos. <div id="video-block-RCEGLHO1L3N7P" 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/B1zTUeINglS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1m9mjE4L6S.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> The product is good, I posted a lot of pictures and videos for first time buyers, because I when I came on here to look for good reviews, I found some, but wish they had pictures so there you go. It's a nice project and actually really mini.
Pros
- its Mini
- A nice airbrush design
- Cool case for airbrush
- The airbrush hose is fairly long ( probably longer than the standard iPhone charger)
- Not really loud ( My dog is scared of a vacuum cleaner, and when this compressor is turned on, it doesn't bother him)
- Paint sprays out well
Cons
- I wish it came with a stand to hold up the compressor (it doesn't sit up well on uneven grounds; like carpet. But you can prop it against something)
- The instructions aren't clear at all and youtube isn't much help unless you got a big expensive compressor
- The compressor doesn't have a value to know your psi
- The pressure knob, doesn't really change the airbrush paint size....( like when I turned it, I didn't see much of a difference from wife to narrow sprays)
Good to know...
-Acrylic paint is Airbursh paint
-Before you buy this product make sure you have acrylic thinner . That makes it so easy for all acrylic paint to come out.
- if you don't have thinner, you can use water
- Using white acrylic paint and thinning it with water, will not work and probably won't spray out. I thinned my white paint with water and it didn't spray out at all
- The instructions don't help, and has a buch of terminolgy that you won't know, unless your familiar with airbrushes.
- To make the air brush spray.... push down to release air and then pull back for the paint. In the video I didn't know that till I looked it up! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I have loved it since the day I brought it home. I am an avid Cricut user. I have loved it since the day I brought it home. I especially adore my Gypsy. When I got the Explore out of the box I was impressed by the sleekness of the machine. As I have made some projects over the last couple of weeks, I am impressed by the quietness when it is cutting. But most of all I am impressed by the precision of the cutting! Teeny tiny detail cuts beautifully, every time! No more tearing paper because the detail is too small! That's probably my favorite thing about the machine. Next is the fact that you can cut and print at the same time. This is awesome, especially in card making! I have so much to learn and can't wait to try different project using different types of paper, fabric, etc. But I LOVE the machine and highly recommend it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not For Toddlers - Perfect For Chalkboard Artists. These markers are great...for adults. They are marketed as being good for children ages 3+, which would be okay, had there been a warning on it saying the markers stained clothing.
I was sent these markers at a discount to review. I love to review products and am always honest in doing so to help others choose whether or not to spend their hard earned cash.
If you are looking for a product for your toddlers, just know that they should wear a smock or old t-shirt while using them. My 2 year old son and daycare children (ages 3-10) had a ton of fun with these. They do 100% wash off of skin with regular warm water...but not out of clothing. My 2 year old got all the colors on his shirt. They all washed out, except for the purple color which had a 'bleaching like' effect. It was strange, and defnintely ruined the shirt. I did contact the company, and they were great. They responded immediately and said they would look into changing the ages on the next packaging, or adding something about the stainability. Now that is damn good consumer relations there!
So, about the markers.
Pros:
1. You get 10 markers for $15. That in itself is fantastic. I compared the Chillichalk markers to another famous/popular brand's and they are almost identical...except the famous brand charges $12 for 4 smaller pens.
2. The Chillichalk markers come with a reversible tip, which is genius...except it's quite messy since you have to manually flip the tip.
3. More product than average markers
4. More color variation...chalk artists know how hard it is to find a red chalk marker!!
5. Colors are vibrant and extremely opaque, but don't stain your skin, and are easily erasable with water and paper towel.
Cons:
1. As I said at the beginning - they stain clothes. Well, the purple one does!
2. Fast flowing liquid. Even if you aren't pushing down on the tip, sometimes way too much fluid comes out and can make a puddle or splatter when picking up the marker. This is another reason they aren't super kid friendly - my son made lots of puddles.
3. Caps - Make sure you carefully put the lid back on the marker tip...making sure the hole in the lid is perfectly aligned where the tip will go. If you're not careful, the lid will catch the marker tip and damage/fray it.
All in all, this is an excellent product. I will definitely choose these over the ones I've always bought before to do chalkboard signs (see my son's birthday picture!) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not worth the money. Cutting mat is low quality. The grid lines on the cutting board are printed on the surface of the board, and scraped right off the first time I used the board for cutting. The board itself is still handy enough, since my regular cutting mat is much larger, so I do like having this for quick, small tasks.
I haven't used the quilling tool yet. The piercer has been handy as a small, stabby tool for things, although I'm not entirely sure what specific tasks it's designed for. The edge distresser is essentially just a grip for a dull razor blade, and it doesn't "distress" cardstock as much as it spreads the edge of the cardstock flat, so the effect is minimal.
Scores on the four tools:
- Piercer 4/5. It's a nice tool for nudging bits of cardstock where I want them to go, and it has a good grip, which makes it a lot more useful than a toothpick or pin.
- Distresser 1/5. I don't really know what this is actually useful for.
- Quilling tool 2/5. It does what you need it to do, but there are other quilling kits available that offer multiple tools specifically for working with quilling artwork.
- Cutting mat 3/5. It's a nice size, but if you need the mat more than the foam side, Alvin makes much more durable cutting mats in a wide variety of sizes.
Overall I don't really think this set was worth it. I picked it up on sale and absolutely fell for the "it will match my other Cricut tools" schtick. I wouldn't recommend it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
This is the one. I'm no artist but I'm among those who have never stopped coloring. I've been using the Derwent Studio pencils and love them but wanted to try the oil-based Polychromos pencils. My only regret is not just getting them sooner. If you are on the fence about spending the money, do yourself a favor and order a few single pencils, you'll be sure and you'll be hooked!
Pencils I already owned when I finally bought the Polychromos:
Derwent Artist/Studio 120 (Love, beautiful but hard)
Derwent Inktense (LOVE, deep, vibrant with water)
Marco Raffine 72 (Good for the money, limited color variation)
Crayola 48 (fairly decent, break easily)
PrismaColor singles (the worst! Cheaper to just sharpen 1000's of crayons to the nub)
Strokes Watercolor Artists' Grade watercolor 48 (Good for price) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
THE GLITTER. THE SPARKLE. THE SHINE...OH MY. I already am familiar with the high quality of the Spectrum Noir Family. But I had no idea just how gorgeous these brush pens would be. They are unbelievably and insanely gorgeous glittery sparkle pens. The nylon brush tip is a TRUE Nylon Brush Tip and flexes and bends to make thin and thick lines look wonderful! I know alot of people purchase them for adding that special sparkly touch to their cards/stamped images or coloring book pieces. I purchased them for Brush Lettering after seeing them on a high profile lettering IG account and was stunned by the lush gold goodness that was written! Yes....I said Lush! The way this Letterer manuvered the Sunny Gold pen was unreal! I ordered via Amazon so quick...lol!!! The ONLY ONLY ONLY reason I gave it a 4 star rating...and I didn't want to...was because the packaging DOES NOT come with instructions on how to put the pen together. I was squeezing for a few minutes wondering where from and when the sparkle liquid was going to come out. I watched several YouTube videos and was finally able to understand how to properly open them. And the 2nd reason I gave it a 4 stars was because the Black Onyx liquid is EXTREMELY HARD to remove from your skin...well my skin. It stained my fingers/hands and I had black ink on me and everywhere for a about 3 days. I now don't let it bother me because I like them too much to care! Finally after three days...and several showers lol...the ink is finally off. But other then those 2 minor things, I came back to Amazon and ordered the ENTIRE line because that's how wonderful these pens are! Thank You! Fix those small 2 problems and I'll give your sparkle pens 100 star rating ALWAYS! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Favorite brand of charcoal pencils. By far my favorite brand of charcoal pencils. I use quite a few of charcoal brands for my portraits but i find myself always reaching for my Generals soft charcoal pencils. These pencils are super pigmented and you can easily shade with them with the use of a stump or even just your finger. Also, the white charcoal pencil is indispensable for me when working on portraits! I'm not a huge fan of kneaded erasers but this is actually a good quality eraser (and it's super fun to play with!) The only brand of charcoal pencil i buy repeatedly.
For those of you wondering the best way of sharpening these pencils(or any other charcoal pencil) i always recommend using a razor blade, it allows you to control how much you want to shave off and allows you to choose the shape and sharpness of the point, just BE CAREFUL. Always use blades with caution or ask an adult to help you out. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Daizo and Speedball make overall good stuff. The first thing you want to do is check that nothing has broken, spilled, or dried. The emulsion with be thick like glue and blue in color. The remover will be thin and clear like medical alcohol or bleach. Both should have cardboard gasketed lids and foil caps on them. The sensatizer (tiny bottle) should be either dry and at the bottom, or thick and at the bottom. If any of the sensatizer is spilled out of the little bottle (along the threads or down the side) send the kit back for a new one immediately. The product is good if you get it undamaged, but Speedball uses incompetant monkey powered robots made from scrap pulled from the Robot Wars set to package everything so check your stuff.
As for operation, when the sensatizer is added to the emulsion it turns a good medium (not quite emerald) green and will turn back to blue after it cooks out when you burn the stencil. Look for a light-medium blue hue and the uncooked parts under the negative image should have a yellow, jaundace like hue to them. When cleaning out the emmulsion make sure to wipe up messes immediately as the emulsion leaves yellow stains on nearly every surface known to man, including porcelin and the steel rim around my sink. Trial and error for new users will happen, just don't leave emulsion in a screen for a long period of time if you don't want a permenant stencil, and clean the screen completely before letting it dry if you don't want a permenant stencil (yes the emulsion remover may make the emulsion impossible to remove. Don't ask me how, I failed mad science 101). | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
IM LOVING IT. Unbelievable vibrant colored pencils. I don't even want to put these down. Not a day I wouldnt use these awesome pencils. My niece and I are enjoying these remarkably pencils. At first I was disappointed, but when you start to use the pencils, you will love it or your money back! You will be inspired to color more. Why pay for an expensive pencils if you can get less than 25 cents each? I would highly recommend it for your daily lifestyle enjoyment. You can use these pencils on a paper, a cloth or on a wood. You will be inspired by it! Buy now, I guarantee you that you will love it. I even recommended these pencils to my friends. What I love about these pencils? It has a container that is durable and very convenient to go. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love myself some stickers. STICKERS!!!!! I love myself some stickers, they're great for kids, putting in my planner, decorating letters and birthday cards, sprucing up wrapping paper and so much more! These are adorable little images and I cant wait to use them all over my journals, as prizes for my son when he goes potty on the toilet, and in my daily planner. I also plan on sending a few sheets to my friend in another state in a care package I am sending her! Definitely not let down by these stickers, only wish they had gotten here sooner! In exchange for total honesty and an accurate unbiased review I received this item at a discounted price. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Quality Colored Pencils. I had been looking at these pencils for months. My husband surprised me with them! Unfortunately during shipment some of the leads were damaged. Steve from Flat Water Products was excellent by going above and beyond customer service and helping me. I have never seen customer service so outstanding in years.
I am disabled and had a hard time seeing the crayola pencils I had for the coloring books for adults I have. I choose these pencils due to all the excellent reviews on the pencils, customer service and the PDFs and emails you receive from the company on how to use and care for these awesome pencils!
The pencils are so great! The colors are nice and bright and I can see the colors so much better than the other brand I had. I have been enjoying them every day since receiving them. It is great to use them and they come with an eraser, brush and sharpener. They also come with a very nice bag with a spot for each pencil and then roll up and carry and store in this quality bag.
This is my first set of nice artist pencils and I LOVE them! These are bringing me so much joy and pleasure in having something fun to do. The quality is outstanding and it takes very little pressure to color. There are so many different colors to choose from no two colors are the same. I am looking forward on learning how to use them as water color techniques.
For anyone looking for a great set of quality colored pencils that will last and excellent customer service look no further....these are them!
Thank you very much Steve | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Kinda ok for kids. I got this for my kids because theres not much available between crayola (basically printer paper) and canson (art student quality). I bought this at $0.14 per sheet. Im beginning to learn watercolor, so I thought Id use it myself for practicing techniques and warming up for a painting. I couldn't even make it through a whole painting. Its like they repackaged heavy sketch paper. Soaks up the water immediately, dulls the colors, and doesnt not allow for blending or lifting. Its not bad paper, its just not watercolor paper. It might actually be better for little kids because the don't want their colors to bleed together, but I think there are cheaper options for that. Photo shows a side by side of what I started on this paper vs. what i painted on canson 140lb cold press. Same paints, brushes, techniques, etc. if I hadnt tried both I would assume that I was just hopeless at painting. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Disappointing. Ain't worth it at all. I am actually quite disappointed with this product. The whole design is flawed. For starters, it is very low quality. Granted it is cheap, but the picture leads you to believe it is better made. Second, the entire idea of this product being without the tripod, is so that kids can paint while sitting on the ground. It is too low. It could use 2-4" short legs. Thirdly, the entire drawer mechanism is flawed design. It does not open smoothly to begin with, and if id did the edge would hit the carpet/ground because it is too low. Then when you go to close the drawer, the little flaps for the locks get caught in the drawer's path not letting it close. Not obvious at 1st what the problem is, so the drawer not closing is quite frustrating, particularly for a kid. The inside compartments of the drawer being of odd sizes is another negative aspect of the drawer. If once puts standard acrylic tubes in there, the drawer won't close because it is too shallow. And finally, the top wooden frame that is supposed to keep hold the canvas or paper, slips if you move the box too much, which is inevitable with kids. So overall, a useless product. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
these pencils are more like finishing pencils that you might use to "crisp" up . I've used derwent pencils for years and I prefer them over these pencils, as they are softer and have a much more intense color than these pencils; The tombow pencils are heavier in your hand and the marks they produce are much harder to erase. these pencils are more like finishing pencils that you might use to "crisp" up a graphite drawing. These pencils are harder to shade with that derwent pencils or a regular #2(which is a HB). These are great pencils, but the cedar wood offers no other benefit in my book, other than producing a very defined line, even if you are not making a line, but simply shading....the eraser is nice and allows for a very small areas and tight spots with more control as it is encased in a eraser holder; the eraser does not completely erase marks from these pencils, though. A kneaded eraser is still better. My advice is don't press down too hard on the paper or you'll leave a pencil mark that cannot be erased completely. this is a great starter set, but not for serious graphite artists. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
ACRYLIC FUN. I bought this DVD because I wanted to learn more about working with acrylics; although I did not know about Jacqueline Sullivan the description of the DVD made me feel as if this was a good DVD class to take.
It is EXCELLENT ! The DVD is clear well organized, thorough and very enjoyable. I learned many new things, and have watched it several times because Jacqueline is interesting, clear and inspiring.
Buy this DVD... your art retreats can be at home, with this DVD you can enjoy it many times (have some art friends over and have fun together), and refresh your skills. Also valuable she explains what colors and types of products she uses that work for her. She explains the value of under painting with a warm hue for an ultimate cool color project (maybe you all knew that already... I did not); and many other aha moments.
DVD is worth the investment of money and time. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best markers yet. I am an industrial design student, and as such I use markers on virtually every project I have. The Copic Cool Gray Markers set is the second kind of Cool Gray markers I have purchased, and the last brand I will buy. The other leading brand does not compare to these. The Copic markers apply more uniformly, blend better, dry smoother and have a better gradient (shades are closer to those one higher or lower) and (knock wood) they don't dry out as fast. When they do, you can refill for less than the cost of replacing them, and that's better for the environment too. It's a win-win! The initial cost is a little higher than the other brand, but when you have to replace theirs so often, the cost savings disappear real quick. Buy these, and don't regret your purchase. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very pleasantly surprised. I own two full sized easels but have wanted a table top model for working out on the porch during nice weather or for those odd projects here and there. After visiting a local art supply store, I was extremely disappointed by the selection and decided to shop online...something I rarely do for art supplies given the variability of products and how difficult it is to really determine quality.
Locally, the primary options were the aluminum models as well as a few wooden ones with various features. I quickly opted against a tripod as it didn't provide sufficient support especially when working on larger projects. Aluminum has the advantage of being lightweight but simply not comfortable when painting due to the instability. Others were solid but bulky without the ability to work on large items. This is a wonderful compromise - it feels very much like a full sized (albeit much smaller) easel...very sturdy, incredibly simple to set-up and no worry about tipping over due to the heft. It does weigh considerably more than an aluminum easel but is still well within the feasibility of being portable if that is a consideration (although you won't want to lug it far).
It arrives mostly assembled - two parts need to be attached which takes less than 2 minutes total and requires no tools. The range is surprisingly large for an easel of this size - it will hold a significant sized canvase with ease. The dual supports provide ample bracing. I happened to find this on sale for just over 1/3 of the MSRP and consider it a total bargain given the overall quality.
There are a couple items I would change - primarily, it does NOT contain a tray at the bottom which I really miss...it's one of those things I grow used to when working on a full sized easel and miss for storing paper towels etc in when working but of course, it's a quick work around. The other preference is for the bottom of the canvas to sink below the table setting which is not possible with this model...again, that is an individual preference that comes from working with full sized easel(s) that would require a totally different design.
All in all, this is very well built, solid, holds a suprisingly large canvas and feels a lot like working on a full sized easel. In fact, it's so convenient and nice, I'm contemplating getting rid of one of my older large easels and using this as a full-time second instead. The price I paid was less than $20 more than a cheapie aluminum tripod style that provides much less support or stability - EXCEPTIONAL bargain. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I Love Rit Dye. It works! I have used this dye in both Navy Blue and Black for years. I have several Ralph Lauren cotton sweaters that are over 10 years old and still look like new, thanks to Rit Dye. For dark colors, I always use twice the amount of dye, leave them in the machine over night and make sure to use salt. Also remember to wash your machine out afterward with bleach.
It's also great for freshing up yoga pants, sweats, t-shirts and socks. Over the years it has saved me thousands of dollars.
Do be careful after dyeing, when washing garments use cold, mild detergent and was them together but seperately for a few weeks. That way there is no bleeding on to other clothing. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great airbrush kit to get started. I've been wanting an excuse to buy an airbrush for years, but since I had no experience with airbrushes and wasn't sure how much I would use it, I couldn't justify the price. Then I saw this kit on Amazon and the price for the entire kit was less than the cost of one big name airbrush.
The kit comes with everything you need to get started immediately, compressor, 3 air brushes, cleaning brushes, air hose and paint.
The compressor is very quiet and of surprisingly high quality. It doesn't have a tank and automatically shuts off when the pressure set on the regulator is reached. It re-starts when the pressure drops during use. I didn't have any problems with it maintaining the set pressure during use. I don't have anything to compare the quality of the brushes with, but I've tried all three and they all work great. Everything was packaged well and there were no missing or damaged parts. I have nothing negative to say about this product at all. If you've been wanting to get started with airbrushing, this kit is ideal and a fantastic value. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great when it works. I have had my imagine for almost a year now and I hate it, I spend more time frustrated and fighting with it then I do using it, it stops whenever it wants in a middle of a print or cut, wasting paper, or it won't let me change a setting. The the fact that I have to complete updates because it is huge and heavy to move around. And the updates have to be done on almost every non-imagine cartridge. I wish I would have just gotten the expression 2. When it does work it's beautiful and brilliant but most the time I don't bother because its not worth the headache. Also their idea of support is turn it off and let it sit for 30 minutes. Maybe they will come out with another one that doesn't have all the bugs. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
WILL BUY AGAIN. These markers are amazing when fresh. They look great on glass. The purple marker's cap was never snug and it dried out right away. The light blue marker had a large chunk out of the middle of the chisel tip so it doesn't make a solid line. They look great when they work; but 2 faulty markers out of 12 doesn't say much for quality control. I'm not sure if I would buy again because of the 2 faulty markers.
EDIT 10-2017: I changed this to 5 stars. The customer service representative contacted me and they will replace the markers. Wow. I've had these for over 1 year and some of them have dried out (as expected with any markers). So I'm excited that we will have light blue and purple now. Our kids love to draw with them. Now I will definitely buy again as they actually read my review and acted on it. That's the quality I like. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
No regrets. I ordered this sketchbook about one and a half week ago, and it turned out to be a really good pruchase, but even though the cost of the book itself was fairly low the shipping was more than twice the cost of the book! Regardless of that i ordered it, and boy i am glad i did!
The paper is quite smooth, i initially thought it too smooth for my taste, but after some sketching i approved. It is easy to erase unwanted pencil marks, it handles pens, markers and color pencils nicely enough (it is a sketchbook after all), i have yet to try it with ink, pastles and charcoal. The color of the paper is beautiful. It's very nice for sketching and it gives everything this lovely warm hue! Love it! The cover seems to be an easy surface to draw on (which i defiantly will try when i get the time to do a "proper" drawing.
I really love the effect you get with using white pencil/pen/pastel on this paper, gorgeous! It is a lot of fun and all of my classmates have been eager to try it, ask where i bought it and about the price (the shipping does make their smile disappear... jikes!)
I defiantly will buy this sketchbook again, but then try to see if i can order it trough my local art store, as i would rather not pay such a large shipping fee (it was around 27 british pounds i think, for this object only)
But over all, love it! Great sketchbook, beautiful paper, looks superb! But mind the shipping cost.. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great journal alternative for fountain pen users and others. I bought the Oberon leather journal cover and did not like the journal refill that came with it as it feathered and bleeded through even when I used an extra fine fountain pen. Oberon recommends this sketch book for fountain pen users. A this affordable price, I gave it a try. The book is a bit smaller than the journal that came with the Oberon leather cover so the fit is a bit looser. There is also more pronounced grain detail on the cover. There is a very slight texture to the paper, similar to bond paper. It writes beautifully. No feathering or bleed-through from my fountain pen! I love it! I also love this price since most fountain pen friendly journals are 2X to 3X the price of this sketch book! If this book works well with fountain pens, it will perform superbly for gel and other ball point pens. I highly recommend this product for journaling and other uses. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice. I just received The Raniaco Art Colored Pencils and couldn't wait to try them out. They work just like regular colored pencils until you add water. The watercolor pencil set also included a brush. They work ok as colored pencils but using them as watercolors is where they shined. I tried them out in the Vive Le Colour Flowers coloring book. After coloring in my flowers I went over them with a small amount of water using the enclosed brush and the colors deepened and intensified. Dipping the tip of the pencils in water allowed me to go in and add detail with deeply saturated color. I was also able to color on a separate sheet and pick up the color with my watercolor brush and use it that way. Overall, I was very satisfied with my purchase. It is a great set to try watercolor pencils. You get a nice range of colors at what I considered a reasonable price. You just have to make sure you are using appropriate paper that will withstand the use of water on the paper. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great for book covers and mixed media. I purchased this in July of last year, so I've been using it long enough to really get a clear idea of the quality, etc. I purchased it to make book covers for mini art journals for my granddaughters, for which it worked perfectly. I cut it with my Cricut Explore machine using the deep cut blade and multiple cuts. I've been really thrilled with the results. Not only did the book covers made with this chipboard stand up to being decorated by little hands with tons of paint, it has also lasted through being tossed around, stepped on etc. in a little ones room. It's a really sturdy chipboard. My favorite use is to create oversized tags for mixed media creations. I can layer papers, paints, glues, etc plus add heavier embellishments and it stands up to them all. And the 12" x 12" size goes a long way for me. I'll definitely be ordering this again. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great beginner set with a large variety of colors. What I use it for: Adult coloring
What I love about this product: This is a beautiful set of 72 different colors. I love the variety, and boldness of the colors. The pencils have good coverage. It comes in a really nice box to keep these separated, easy to use, and easy to find the color(s) that you need.
What I don't love about this product: While the pencils have good coverage and don't require a lot of pressure to get the coverage they are waxy. The remind me of a crayon in a pencil format. They don't blend well compared to my high end pencils but I guess that is expected for the price. I have given these 4 stars because of the lack of blendability. I also wish that the tray was a bit more sturdy.
This honestly met my expectations based on the price and they did look better in person than the picture. I do disagree with the sellers description that these compete with Prismacolors as they do not have the same feel when using or bendability.
These would be great pencils for a young person or someone who is not picky about coloring. They are a good value and not a bad pencil I am just spoiled by my Prismacolors. Had I never used Prismacolors before I would have loved these pencils.
I did receive this product at a discount in return for my honest and unbiased review. That said, no amount of discount is worth misleading a fellow Amazon customer with a false review. I depend on Amazon reviews for all of my Amazon purchases as well. If a product does not deserve a 5 star review then I will not give it one. If I can help with any questions you have about this product, please don't hesitate to ask, I'd be glad to answer them. If you found my review helpful, please take a moment to click the "yes" button below. It really does help me out a lot. Thanks for taking the time to read my review!!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Explore vs. Silhouette: Who's Got the Goods. If you're like me and most of my friends, you spend a lot of time on Pinterest pinning (and pining over) gorgeous home decor and gift images. Time to stop pinning and start making stuff. This thing will help get those good ideas out into the world..
In addition to being a lover of home design and decor, I'm a scrapbook designer and arts entrepreneur and was provided the Explore by Provo Craft to evaluate and review.
So the million dollar (or $250=ish) question - would I pay for this machine? The quick answer is most definitely yes.
I do have a few reservations that are minor enough that they don't alter my enthusiasm for the Explore by much.
Let me tell you the good stuff first, and there's quite a bit.
* Coming off a couple of years of using (and then being frustrated by) a Silhouette Cameo, there are a few immediate benefits that I noticed. The Explore is super quiet. As the mom of a toddler, I have to/enjoy working late at night, so this is huge for me. Not only didn't this wake my little guy whose door is held open with a door monkey, it also didn't lure him during waking hours with the siren call of 'something with lights and buttons is moving.' Score.
* Also in comparison to the Silhouette, the Explore has a vastly more simple and more accurate dial system to determine the setting for the material you're cutting. I never got the hang of the Silhouette's blade depth/speed settings, and I found them inconsistent and annoying. I always finished a cut on the Silhouette wishing I had made different choices about the settings. Not with the Explore. You just set the dial to the material you're cutting and go. I cut cardstock with ease and cleanliness, and vinyl just as cleanly, with the vinyl backing perfectly preserved. Lovely.
* I love the way that the Explore helps you visualize your project on a canvas like a t-shirt, or luggage tag so you can get a good idea of what your finished project will look like. You can even customize the colors in the preview to match or approximate the material you plan to cut. Especially nice for getting the size just right without a lot of measuring.
* The Explore's ability to arrange the mats/cuts you need to make is a game changer. Love that it knows how many mats I'll need for the different colors in my image, and tells me when to start and when to reload. Super easy!
* Write AND cut at the same time? Yes please!
The less than perfect stuff:
* One of the reasons I moved from a Gen 1 Cricut to a Silhouette was the accessibility of stylish, pretty images from lots of designers, including ones that coordinated with manufacturer paper lines. I wasn't a fan of the Cricut's cartridge system. So while I'm happy that the Explore lets me grab images from the cloud, I don't like the images themselves as much as the ones for the Silhouette. I find them a little juvenile.
I know I *could* upload SVGs, jPEGs and other images to cut, but I really don't want to spend a lot of energy searching for the perfect image on my own. The suggested projects that come up when you log into Design Space are really nice, but the images themselves as I search by keyword aren't as cool. Not sure I could come up with a full project on my own without the inspiration.
Like a lot of reviews here, I kind of wish that the Explore and the Silhouette could merge...best of both worlds.
If you're a self-starter who likes to create her own images and projects, the Explore is definitely a great fit.
If you don't want to sweat a bunch of settings, and just want to go make stuff NOW, it's Explore all the way.
All in all, I like this machine a lot and would recommend it to moderate to highly experienced crafters. As Provo Craft brings in more designs from known designers and companies, they will be hard to beat. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Derwent Colorsoft Pencils Are Good, Unflung by Finicky Artist. A disclaimer first: I'm not an artist. I can manage to draw stick people, but only under close professional supervision. Having said that, the person that I gave these pencils to reports that they are the absolute best soft color pencils that she has ever used. She uses them as-is for drawing, and has also blended them dry and damp. Please understand that this person has an artist's attitude. In her case, the artist's attitude is sort of like a finicky cat that is capable of flinging inferior drawing tools. These drawing tools--the Colorsoft Pencils--have not been flung. So based on that report, I have to give them five stars. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Perfect to add to the collection of anyone who is in the adult coloring world. I am a card carrying member of Adult Coloring Anonymous. I joined about 6 months ago and have not been able to get my obsession under control yet. :) I had all the supplies needed: Pencils, Color Books, Sharpener and an eraser. When I would want to clean up a picture or make a change, I would struggle getting the eraser right where I wanted it and then end up causing damage to my picture paper.
Then the opportunity to purchase the Ambielly Electric Eraser came my way. I had no idea there were electric erasers. I am in heaven. The Ambielly Electric Eraser fits nicely in your hand. The eraser tips are soft yet help me get right where needed without all the blind guessing. I also played around and tested it out on just plain pencil and it did the same great job as it did on the color pencils. I will say that the eraser was perfect on normal coloring but on the pages that I would press hard to get the vibrant full color it did better than expected in getting the color off, but you could still see. It still did a better job that my previous methods, so I am beyond thrilled.
I would definitely recommend this Eraser kit to anyone that is a coloring addict. I have no complaints on the feel or the eraser working. Add it to your collection.
Disclosure: I purchased this at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Draw whatever your heart desires on t-shirts and other fabric items. I used these Permanent Fabric Markers by Black Cat on a t-shirt. I put a piece of cardboard in between the fabric (with help from patterns) and drew the gates and the Bible. The yellow and black drew very smoothly the first time I used them. The second time I used the black marker to draw the Bible it was kind of dry, which might have happened from me possibly not clicking the marker fully closed when I used it last. The pinkish color seemed to give me the color I needed with more than one coat. The fine tip allowed me to draw somewhat straight lines without smudging in most cases.
The gates on the t-shirt were drawn about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks ago and still look great. I plan to wash it in the near future to see if the color to the gates will still look as fresh as it seemed to have looked the day I drew them.
A great way for people to create their own designs on t-shirts! Users of these Permanent Fabric Markers can design whatever is put on their hearts to draw like I did:
My drawing of a gate with a Bible in the middle signifies to me: "If you go through the right gate, you will receive the right Biblical teachings."
I received this product free in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Quality control issues. Bought this as a Christmas Gift for an artist friend. The item is 100% made of wood. The design itself is nice. It is a clearly female hand, with bendable finger joints and wrist. Has a felt bottom to protect furniture. However, the wood around the finger tips and nails arrived very rough, gouged, unfinished looking on two of the fingers. It was as if the person making it forgot to complete work on two of the fingers and shipped it out not ready. Also has some very fine lines of dried glue at the proximal finger joints. A shame, otherwise would have been nice. Sent mine back for poor manufacturing quality control. As the item is wood, one could try and correct the unfinished areas. BUT, but mine had gouges that would require sanding to the point that that fingernails on the repaired fingers would be MUCH shorter that the others. It would not have worked well. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
You would be painfully and perhaps woefully incorrect to underestimate the supreme joy to be found in having a sharpener that no. It can be hard to wax poetic about a sharpener, after all if it manages to do the job - that's all she wrote - right? You would be painfully and perhaps woefully incorrect to underestimate the supreme joy to be found in having a sharpener that not only does the job of getting things nice and pointy but also manages to not eat through your more delicate art supplies. I have used this sharpener for several years now on everything from soft to hard prismacolor colored pencils, hard graphite, regular numero dos pencils, and even an eyeliner crayon. What more could a woman want than a product that empties easily, holds a lot of pencil pulp, and works on her makeup and art supplies? I don't know, but if you find that woman...tell her she's a fool! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I ALSO RECEIVED A BAG OF LIES WHY DID I NOT READ THE REVIEWS FIRST. MY WEDDING WILL NOW BE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD. My self worth has just plummeted. My dignity has just been obliterated. I was going to use these feathers as a part of my wedding decoration... One per napkin.. they look large right? NO. no. they are the size of an infant child's baby toe before the age of 2... maybe 3. DOES HONESTY NOT EXIST ANYMORE? WHERE IS THE WORLD GOING!!!! I will not sleep one more night. I WILL NOT REST UNTIL I HAVE JUSTICE. Beware seller. Beware. Check your windows. ... ... ... hide yo wife... hide yo kids.... or... take the easy road and give a refund immediately before your conscience burns a hole in your heart. If you have one.
Good day. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not to shiny great blending. These are really nice colored pencils. Way better then the crayola or the crap from your everyday stores. I'm very pleased with the smoothness and they hold up to higher end pencils. Of course maybe not the highest end but these are an absolute must for any coloring book enthusiast. I was lucky enough to get a discounted price to try this item out and let people know how it worked out for me. In no way am I obligated to rate one way or another. I rate in relevance to how the product does or does not suit me and my needs. My opinions are just that and what I feel may not be the same as someone else's views. If I am not happy with the product that will be definitely noted in my , and I hope it helps buyers make an informed decision before spending their hard earned money . I know that when buying online ,reviews are the only thing that us as customers can rely on and I really hope that I can help .Reading reviews is what helps me make decisions when I am purchasing something online .Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my review and p feel free to ask me any questions you might have . I hope that this review has helped inform you of this product and helped you make a decision whether this uproduct would be what you are looking for. Have a wonderful day and Happy Hunting on your Amazon adventures | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
They're Cute But A Bit Dirty. These stickers are cute. The character portrayed make the funniest expressions. However, I should point out that the pack of stickers I got are a little... dirty. It's like the machine used to cut the sticker outlines was dirty, so the edges of most of the stickers have bits of tiny black dots. A little rubbing or scratching will remove those dots, but some of the dirty stickers have several dirty spots all around it, so it's a bit off-putting, and I don't see why I should have to spend time removing those black spots each time I want to use a sticker. There's nothing wrong with the quality of the stickers, but the presentation and cleanliness is lacking, so I'm docking stars. I received this product at a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. I've included pictures with my review. The black spots are hard to see due to my poor camera quality, but in real life it is more obvious, especially when you stick the stickers on a white sheet. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice stuff - might get other sets. I like this stuff. Some colors are more opaque, so it takes a little experimentation. Very happy. My only complaint is minor: It's pretty impossible to try to use the little bottle as an ink well bc you can't see how deep your paintbrush is going into the liquid paint - MUCH easier to put a few drops onto a palette and use from there. Note: I was concerned about how opaque the paint is and wrote to the company. Rep wrote back within hours to tell me they are more opaque than other brands and are perfectly suited for what I wanted them for, which is to put my signature on my acrylic paintings. Works perfectly for that but I am not sure about other uses. They are pretty small bottles, btw, in case you want it for a large project, fyi. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Cancer concern. I purchased the Bazic All purpose Paint Brush 15 piece (3409) set for my watercolor class. Having 15 brush shapes and sizes, I had quite a selection from which to choose for my painting projects. Being an adult and knowing how to use brushes apppropriately, I didn't look at the safety information. I happened to be looking at the label on the brush package and noticed the safety information warning: "This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." How can simple paint brushes do this? Are the chemicals in the handle portion where when handled, the chemicals seep through the pores into the blood stream or through the bristles? If a child or adult licked the bristles or dipped them in water and shaped the brush for their picture with their fingers or mouth, would the chemicals be ingested or aborbed into the skin to produce cancer? What exactly is this cancer-causing chemical? If this chemical is in this company's all purpose paint brushes, then they must be in the brushes for this child water color paint set as well. There is enough cancer in this world without purposely producing products that can cause cancer for all ages of consumers. These products should not be allowed for sale until they're safe for public use. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very good quality wood. Very good quality wood.
Installation review :
So if you have assembled Ikea furniture in the past it's similar and each piece has been labeled perfectly along with the zip lock bags of screws that go along. Now of course if you have never assembled easal in the past read instructions first then slowly watch the video and take a step at a time. It will take at least two hours if your are new to assemble something like this .
And last but not least came with screw driver ! Many I looked and two of other easal I had to return because no manual or screw driver was included. this had everything you need and video on YouTube was quiet helpful. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Main Spring Seems to Have Sprung. I don't like giving one star reviews. They just aren't that useful, and in my experience, they serve only as a vehicle for purchasers with 'buyer's remorse.' I really liked this figure, but for one major flaw that seems to be common to all these wooden manikins - the hip joints don't rotate - they are glued in place, so no way to stretch the legs out to a Indian style (or zazen) sitting position. Major bummer. The reason I am returning this item is that the main torso spring broke when I tried to simple adjust the head to a downward position. I didn't wrench it, just tried to bend it down. And I noticed that one end of this spring was cut - there was no loop to attach it to the bottom bracket. Looked like a hack job to me. So, cavaet emptor, your mileage may vary, and buy low-sell high. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Make sure your computer meets the system requirements. Unfortunately I had to return the machine. After doing tons of research online I thought this would be perfect for my crafting projects, especially since it can cut through more than just paper and vinyl. However when I received it and tried to download the software it would not work with my computer! My macbook pro is a OS X 10.6.8 (yes, quite old) and the software requires OS X 10.8 or newer! I downloaded the app on my ipad, but it does not allow you to upload your own images or fonts without the computer software. Since I couldn't use the software, and therefore the machine the way I had anticipated without paying to upgrade my computer, I had to return it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Pencils. A wonderful set of coloring pencils. A great variety of colors to choose from and the pencils are numbered at the bottom which is a nice added feature. Makes keeping up with the ones that you have used on a particular drawing easy to find if you need it again. They color very smoothly and blend well. A great set for anyone, from beginners to the more advanced artists. I have had problems with some other pencils with the lead breaking quite a bit, but so far I have not had that problem with these. I would highly recommend these coloring pencils. A more cost effective set than some of the more high priced sets like Prismacolor. I think they color and blend just as well but without the high price tag. Shipping was fast and they were packaged very well. Very pleased with my purchase. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Decent product, ridiculously expensive. I bought 1000g of this stuff for a large scale project, which makes fabric really hard, but it is so expensive that I will not be using it.
I was working on an art project and it definitely made the fabric stiff, but left it looking wet and it had a crunchy texture, similar to a potato chip. It turned out to not be the right solution for my project because of this factor and the cost.
I did a few tests, and it is very similar in results to Stiffy and Mod Podge. I found the other two products to be more flexible when dry, like rubber or acrylic, but the Paverpol seemed like it would "snap" in half when bent. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
you are getting a useful easel. My daughter is 11 yrs old and . When you see all the features you know, you are getting a useful easel. My daughter is 11 yrs old and loves ART a lot. Her daddy is an airbrush artist and has his own easel, so she wanted one for herself. She loves that it has shelves (dads doesnt) so she can put her paint and brushes right there while she is painting. When the big box arrived at our door, my husband wasn't very happy he had to put together, so it sat in the box for couple days. My daughter wanted to paint, so she put it together herself, and it maybe took 30 minutes she said. I was so proud of her and so darn happy it was a very easy setup. She might have still been waiting. It is very sturdy, which is a big plus with me because I don't need this falling apart while she is painting, big mess!
Youtube: https://youtu.be/izcP9oD8n3E
I was sent this product for review purposes but my opinions are 100% my very own | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Saves Pencils from the Grave. This is literally the best pencil sharpener. If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with sharpening my pencils and I'm a classic over-sharpener. They always break and are sent early to their grave having a life left but I can never get them to sharpen without breaking. Well this thing brought them back. There is nothing that can't be sharpened by the two different sizes and I have been raving about this ever since it was delivered. I actually think people are tired of hearing me talk about it. It's reliable, and sturdy (unlike my other one which broke in like one day) and it sharpens things so well and to such a point I can't even explain it properly. Would definitely buy again, makes me happy to sharpen my pencils now. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
12 Watercolor Paint Set. The Daveliou Watercolor Paint Set comes in a box with 12 Non-toxic 32ml watercolor paint tubes. The colors in this set are 01 Crimson Red, 02 Vermilion, 05 Black, 06 White, 08 Lemon Yellow, 10 Yellow Ochre,12 Sap Green,14 Burnt Sienna, 15 Burnt Umber, 17 Deep Green, 26 Violet. Theses Watercolor Paints are safe to use for face painting and for educational usage, great on canvas, paper, wood and fabric nice and easy to use and thicker than most watercolor paints I have seen before. Theses watercolors paints have no harsh odors, easy to use and stay nice and tightly sealed for next usage, easy to squeeze out and you don't need as much as most other paints. They paints are easy to dilute and mix with other colors if needed, can use while outdoors they won't hurt them, they won't leak through your other paper as I have noticed other paints tend to do also. Great pigment levels in these paints which make them a great quality set.
I received this product at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased Amazon review and am posting this disclosure to comply with Amazon's Terms and Conditions. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
High-Quality Pen! Trusted Brand. Excellent pen! Definitely on point (pun intended). I had originally purchased the pen for an art class that required it back in high school which is almost a decade ago for me (wow). 10 years later, I start a DIY project that requires precision and detail. I came across my old art box and found this pen. It totally transformed my new off-brand cell phone wallet into a Chanel WOC (wallet-on-chain). It's made passersby take a double look and this pen did just the trick! It is a high-precision pen with a very precise and narrow tip, perfect for challenging projects and flawless handwriting. Color stays, a true jet black. It dries quickly and leaves a satin-like gloss. Recommended! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very difficult not for the easily annoyed. The review that said the instructions were detailed is a liar! They don't tell you much at all and are little help. Two of the three flowers were pretty easy to do but one of them is next to impossible. The instructions don't tell you how much tissue to use for each flower, not that its hard to figure out but it could give you more instruction on assembling them. It does come with plenty of materials though and the flowers we were able to make were very pretty. I am a usually very crafty and I have tons of patience (other wise I would have given up) so I did eventually finish all of the flowers, although the third most difficult flower doesnt look much like the ones in the picture. This is not for children of beginners at all. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Way better than Prismacolor Premieres. I cannot tell you how much I love these. Have always used Prismacolor Premieres but these blow them away! The Prismacolor Premieres have gone to heck since being manufactured in Mexico. The wax cores in about 50 % of them that I have are not centered and apparently the cedar that they are allegedly made from has also gone to Hades. I do not understand why a company like Prismacolor would decide to cheap out so badly. The Faber Castell Polychromos blend well, smooth lay down, although not quite as creamy as the Prismacolor and the Faber Castell pencils sharpen nicely, with no hanger's on of the wood or falling out wax centers. Spend the extra money for the Faber Castell Polochromos, you will be pleasantly surprised! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Impressive machine, weak software. Bought this machine to cut vinyl lettering for my boat. The machine did the job beautifully, and I'm still using the original cutting blade.
Machine comes with an SD chip with designs for cutting - haven't used it.
My cutting has involved using Inkscape to generate an .svg file. Inkscape has the capability of vectorizing a bitmap image (.bmp, .jpg, etc) which is handy.
The eCraft software accepts the .svg file and allows you to arrange it on the size media that you specify. The ability of eCraft to use roll media is great - the name for my boat used 6.5" caps and was almost 36" long!
Not all media can be cut without a backer. When the rollers are pushing and the knife is cutting, the media is in compression. If it's too thin, it will buckle. In this case you need a backer - poster board or a piece of file folder material.
Machine specs say 1 mm max cutting thickness - this is very optimistic. I was cutting some thin material and had it on a backer that brought the total thickness to just under 1 mm - no cutting at all.
The users manual is a joke - doesn't even tell you how to load media into the machine! Front feed, back feed, roll feed - huh? Best material from the eCraft folk seems to the the YouTube links that show you what the machine will do - once you figure it out!
Customer support is spotty. Easy questions get answered, but the tough ones (Won't cut 1mm - is the machine faulty or is the specification faulty?) get ignored.
So, will the machine cut? Yes - at least the stuff I've tried. Is it easy? No - there's a steep learning curve. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fantastic Inventive Product!! Finally. Hello! I cannot stress enough how happy it makes me,, to find really wonderful and helpful inventions such as this! These days it's very hard to purchase things that are worth raving about, but if you do any type of painting or spreading thin items on practically anything, this is for you and I promise, you won't regret it. The person who invented this great item is either a painter, who like myself needs 3 hands and great balance, or just a person with a very great imagination who pays attention to details. I bought the set on Deal of the Day for my daughter-in-laws birthday and loved it so much I bought another for myself! I paint in oils and acrylics and in watching the wonderful video Amazon has with this product on using it to Art Paint, I wanted one for myself! Don't hesitate, Buy it!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I'll be ordering more from General Pencil. The pencils arrived right on time and very well packaged. My grandchildren were thrilled with the color and quality of pencils they will have for this school year. (they consider themselves artists :) Because they're watercolor pencils they can be used as colored pencils or blended with brush and water for a watercolor effect. I randomly pulled several from the packaging and found the core of each to be well centered (helps stop breakage in the sharpener) with good color, hard enough to limit flaking and soft enough to transfer color without scrubbing. Erasing was a bit difficult but workable without rubbing a hole through the paper. The pencils are made in the USA and the quality shows. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fantastic paints. I'm impressed with these paints. I was on the fence about which brand to go with, and I am so glad I chose these. Apple Barrel has been around for a while and apparently their paint is as high quality as ever.
These Apple Barrel paints are very smooth. When using them you can tell they are made of quality and good pigments. In addition, the picture on this listing does not do them justice, as these paints have very eye catching hues and look even better and brighter than shown.
The paints are in very nice flip-top squeeze bottles which makes them convenient to use and easier to control the amount and placement of the paint. Each bottle is individually sealed. The whole paint set comes in a slim flip-lid cardboard box that is great for storage and safe keeping. All of the bottles, and the box, were in brand new condition when I received them.
I highly recommend these paints for yourself, or even as a nice gift for someone else. If someday I need to buy paints again I will be getting these. I couldn't be happier with my purchase!
No disclaimer. I paid the full price for these babies and it sure was worth every penny. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I didn't really like these, but I'll keep trying. These aren't working very well for me. The ink is "gloppy" in all 5 pens and 1 of the pens was leaking out of the tip in big blobs. I wanted something with a finer tip than the big chalk markers and thought these would be the answer. I will try them with different chalkboard paper and see if I can get different results.
So far, I have used them on the pieces that came with the pens and the results were almost like trying to write on wax paper. I hoped it was the paper, but it worked the same way on the chalkboard paper that I use for labels, tags, grocery list, etc (I use it everywhere!). I also tried it on some chalkboard "tags" that I purchased from Amazon (which I love). They have a little bit of a grainy texture, so I thought the pens would work better on them. It was better, but still not like the other pens I have used from Amazon. The only problem with the others is the size of the tip.
If I find something that the pens will work on, I will update my review. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice Lightweight Double Duty Stands. I purchased these easel stands to hold about 5 large photos of our daughter and now husband at their wedding reception. At first I was going to go the hardware store and purchase wood and bolts etc. to make easel stands but for about the same price these stands did the same job.
I'm retired now but when I was working, I'd done presentations at conferences and these stands would also do the job of holding charts or writing on the charts as long as one is not "heavy handed" because these are indeed lightweight stands. Because of this, they pack up nice in small and have their own carrying bag.
In short these stands can do the double duty of being display stands and chart stands. If handled with suitable care they should also last a good amount time. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Kind of a Disappointment. I had a rainbow crayon when I was a little kid and was very excited when I saw these. But they are a bit of a disappointment. First of all, they are not very thick and I'm afraid they will break if a child presses too hard. Also, they don't look like the picture. The colors are not as distinct ( the yellow has green on it for instance which makes the crayon look messy and cheap) and each color is not very wide. They color fine and produce the same rainbow mine did as a child. I just wish they were made a little bit better. The price seems quite high for the low quality. I would have paid $5 at the most for these. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
This is a great set of watercolor pencils. This is a great set of watercolor pencils! I am very happy with them. The rolling case is made very well and works beautifully. The colors are vibrant and beautiful!
I have had a very positive experience with these pencils. I am thrilled with my purchase and will definitely be using them often.
I do my best to give you very helpful and honest reviews. If you have found this helpful, please click the "yes" button to give me feedback!
I do not get paid for offering my review of a product. I am not rewarded for giving 5 stars or penalized for giving less than 5 stars. My "payment" is being given the opportunity to purchase an item at a discounted rate in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. The score you see truly represents my own experience with the item as I would hope to read while researching an item. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great sticker collection. There are 6 pages of medium quality stickers in this book (can't really call them "high quality", but they are good enough). The first page is 27 green pig stickers. The second page is 26 pig and bird stickers with a few eggs. The third and fourth pages are blocks and lines to make structures like you would see in the video game. The last two pages consist of both bird and pig stickers which total aprox 55. The stickers are pretty big, too. Most of them measure 2"-3". Some are even 6". The back of the sticker pages are made to be colored in and the center two pages are a glossy paper with a blank landscape to replicate the game scenes. Overall, I think this book is well worth the money and recommend it to all Angry Bird lovers!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great pencils and variety of colors for the price. This is an update to my original review
.
I've been using my pencils a LOT since I got them and have found some things that make using them better. First, the good sharpener is important to make them last a long time. The high quality one I got here on Amazon makes the sharpened area shorter, at a higher angle, so the points are short and there is less wood exposed, less frequent sharpening needed. First, the pencils ARE numbered, 501 to 572. I made a color chart on a piece of regular white paper, with a scribble of each pencil color and wrote the corresponding number beside it, so I can refer to it when making color choices. I put it inside a notebook page protector.
Second, when I use them, if the point is sharp, I use it to color in fine/small areas, and move on to larger areas as it gets worn down, thus saving how often it gets sharpened. Ditto for a dull pencil point, use it until you absolutely have to sharpen it for small areas. I find one turn of my super-duper sharpener is all it takes to get a new point. That's very economical.
I also discovered there is a great way to get them to blend nicely in places you want shading. Because they are waxy, the paper surface can only take on so much color before it's too slippery for additional layers of color to adhere to it. BUT, the trick is to layer on your blending colors a little at a time, light layers of each color, until the paper is saturated with full color. I've done some really gorgeous stuff that way, butterfly wings, flowers, and animals with tiny pattern details. Highly detailed coloring pages are my preference. ALWAYS start with the less saturated color before the more saturated. Like a pale yellow should be put on first in the area being blended, then the darker color/s after that. That way you get the right amount of the light color put on and it doesn't get overwhelmed by the stronger color/s.
AND, when doing a pattern, like a narrow row of a light background color with small dark red dots in it, put on the darker colors FIRST, so they adhere in depth, THEN draw the light color/s over/around them.
These are great pencils for the price, I'm really happy with them! It just took me some investigation and close observation to figure out how to get the best results with them. They seem to be lasting a long time, I've done boatloads of coloring with them already, but the way I use them and sharpen them makes them go a long ways, longer than for other reviewers, obviously..
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Ok,
So many reviews complain about buying this brand of colored pencils from various sellers here on Amazon, thinking they're getting various brands, but they all got the same Marco Raffine brand and felt ripped off. Nope, if the sales photo shows the same gray box, the silver-gray pencils with the same colored butt ends, you're getting the same pencils. So, shop around and get them for the lowest price from whichever seller you want, but don't order those that ship direct from China. Several reviews said they arrived broken or damaged. Stick with one that ships from Amazon directly and has already made the boat trip from China in pallets and shipping containers where they get less bashing around.
Now, I wanted lots of colors to choose from when coloring in my mandalas and etc., that I print out from adult coloring books I download with Kindle Unlimited, but I don't need the end-all and be-all of super artist-quality at a hefty price. Good value for "decent" quality is just fine. And these pencils fit the bill perfectly. They go on waxy, hold a point well, and make coloring fun to do all evening. They don't smear or rub off if I rest my hand on a an already colored in area while coloring one close by it. I use the best makeup pencil sharpener available for purchase on Amazon, costing a bit over $10, and it doesn't break off the pencil leads and points as I sharpen them, so I feel pretty certain that any complaints of these pencils not sharpening well, or frequently breaking off while being sharpened, are due to using a low-quality sharpener. And you don't turn the pencil in the sharpener, you turn the sharpener around the pencil, carefully. Go to the beauty/makeup section here on Amazon and look for that silver, all-metal, round little sharpener that has the replaceable blades. Worth every penny of it's higher price!
Some people have complained that there are many shades very close to each other, and they wish they had more or better shades to choose from. Well, I hate to sink your boat/s, but there are only so many shades in between the primary, secondary and tertiary colors that our eyes can easily see. If you want 5 shades in between green and yellow, there are only so many to be made. AND I know from my professional work of the past 18 yrs, that plenty of average folks don't have much sensitivity to color values - lots of people can't see the differences between burgundy and dark browns, and brandy, for instance. I find the shades of colors in this pencil set to be more than adequate and satisfactory.
If you want the super-duper artist pencils, then go order a different brand and pay the additional $ they cost. But for the average coloring book lover, these work great! As far as saturation/depth of the various colors not being equal, I know for a fact that various colors are created by differing pigments, and these vary in saturation values and solubility in the pencil lead matrix as a matter of course. I dye lots of my own handspun yarns and many fibers for handspinning using professional acid dyes, and the pigments in them vary due to their molecular structures and how they dissolve in the dye bath and then penetrate into the fibers. I think it's the exact same thing with pencils, so if the daisy yellow color on your page has more depth, and the cornflower blue doesn't, well, it's not necessarily due to crummy pigments in them. And if you want a deeper saturation of the color/s, don't try to achieve it by pushing down harder with the pencil. Instead, go over the area 2 or 3 times, with normal pressure and it will look fine. I usually color in the area with my strokes going back and forth in one direction, then the next layer/s I put on with soft strokes moving in small smushy circles to get even coverage. If you're pushing down so hard that you're breaking off points and tips, then you're doing it wrong, and it's not the pencils' fault!
My only criticism, which is minor, is that the box they come in isn't good for keeping them in while I'm using them. I just dumped them out into a long, but small box that I keep on my lap, and I color ALL the sections I want to be one certain color at once, or maybe have out the 3 or 4 colors I'm going to use in a particular section, to avoid confusion.
So, to recap, I find these pencils very satisfactory, for my purposes. You get lots of colors, at a very good price. I'm not writing this review having gotten this set for free or at a discount, I can say what I want to say, up front. I looked into that and my review would be limited to nothing but writing ok things and having to stifle or minimize mentioning anything I didn't like about them to "keep my review respectful". Kinda like being on an online forum with heavy moderation, so you can't ever really speak your mind and all you're allowed to do is blandly agree or keep silent. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Plotting vinyl works as expected. Love my Explore Air for what it is, I've used professional plotters for years and to be able to have something affordable at home is a dream come true. I've not put it to the test on a lot of different materials, but done sticker paper, vinyl, and heat transfer material to include reflective heat vinyl which I'd think would wear the blade down but so far have not had to change it, have cut at least 15 shirts worth of that. Seems to be working well too in conjunction with Illustrator, and their software has good depth for people who don't have a career as a designer. If you are an interested company it's great for small onesie twosie type jobs, I miss the large plotters but know I've got to pay the big bucks for that. The one thing that annoys me.....and this again is because I was spoiled by pro machines, is the need for the mats for vinyl. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A good set of markers, but falls short. I like this set, as I like Windsor Newton products. I always feel confident using their products and the colors that they produce are always brilliant and rich. This is a 6-color set that has your basic primary colors. However, they are more along the CYMK range plus orange and green, minus black. Instead, gives you the white blender. Which, from what I can tell, is more like a translucent white, than an actual blender. So it will actually make your color milky and a bit more opacity, rather than actually blending the colors.
I should note, when you first receive the set, that the tips on the broad side were all slightly "out", and so I pushed them in. I don't know if this is a factory default so it does not absorb the marker ink, or if this is not supposed to be.
My only real gripe with this set is whether or not this is useful. Windsor & Newton releases these markers as a complete 36-color set, and I would think any serious artist would prefer the set that has more colors in their palette. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
DO NOT PURCHASE. Waste of money. Save your money...DO NOT ORDER!!! One star because it would allow me to give 0. I ordered the machine mid October and have used it about 20-25 times and I have been told by PromoHeat customer service that the product only comes with a 60 day warranty and that she thinks the "thermal couple" is what needs to be replaced and I will be out the cost to get that part. To top it off she is not sure they can even get that part...she has to check with the warehouse to see if they can get that part or not. Complete waste of money as far as I am concerned. I have gotten around 20 uses out of it and now it won't even attempt to heat up. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Overall nice set. I am mostly happy with this pencil set other than the Soft Charcoal pencil continually breaks when I try to sharpen it. I have not even got to use this pencil and it is already down half way. The soft charcoal is the pencil I use the most so this is very irritating! All of the other pencils sharpened just fine. I like the metal dual pencil sharpener and don't think it's to blame. It seems this pencil may have been dropped before it was shipped and the lead is just all broke up within the pencil. I wish that the set included a tin to store the pencils in to protect them. I am very happy with the Strathmore sketchpad and recommend it for charcoal and pencil drawing. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I am in love with these watercolors. I am in love with these watercolors. Different experience from even the professional level watercolors, they are vivid and easy to work. All you need is a drop of color, which last for a while, they are easy to mix together, fun to use, spectacular results even if you are a beginner. I know from experience that beginners buy cheaper paints and paper, don't, not with watercolor. these paints had been recommended to me by a teacher that was in love with liquid watercolors, i hesitated until i tried them for the first time. I ordered all of them, total of 36 colors in the Hydrus version, note that Hydrus lightfastness makes them last the same way over time without fading. Yes, they can be on the expensive side, but you will have them for a long time, they mix well with the other watercolors and will make your experience really outstanding. Either 0.5 oz or 1 oz they are great, i have both, the smaller bottles easier to carry if you feel like using them when you are away, although i will recommend a travel kit by Cotman or Koi will be really making painting outside a breeze.
Conclusion: Dr. Ph. Martin's liquid watercolor are above my expectations, my most brilliant and easy to work with watercolors ( and I have a lot of brands) I recommend these watercolors to beginners as well as seasoned watercolorist, they are truly a MUST HAVE! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great colors, extra large tubes. This really is a very nice set of acrylic paints. I really was very surprised at how large the tubes actually are. There is plenty of paint in this set. It comes with 12 tubes of paint in all. And in a wide array of colors to choice from that is for sure. Bright, beautiful colors. Acrylic paint is easy to use and it dries faster than oil paint and what I like is it is just so much easier to clean up after because it is water base. The colors are really very bright and all of them are great. This really is a very nice acrylic paint set, great for both the beginner and the experience artist too. This would make a nice gift for any one interested in art or just for fun. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Quite Disappointing. I ordered these markers to write on white coffee mugs for a special retreat with friends. Each of the markers did work at least once, but the felt tip came out of one and it was out of the count. Another was good for one use and then strangely dried up, even though I kept the cap on between uses. Using them involves regular shaking of the pen (no big deal) and also continually pressing in the spring loaded tip to keep a flow of paint coming - otherwise the pen stroke kind of dries up. Some of them wanted to flood out, some of them were wonderful. Some were very intense and some very transparent in the color. Overall I doubt that I will ever be able to use them again because by the time I had decorated four mugs with some writing a bit of drawing, most of the pens didn't want to work any more. It was a bit nauseating to realize that I had spent so much on the pens to decorate four mugs. The inconsistent flow of the pens made it very difficult to create the effects I really wanted.
I did bake the mugs and present them to my friends. So far mine has been through the dishwasher a few times and the writing/drawing seems to be unphased. Baking didn't fade or intensify the colors - they were the same as when the ink dried before baking.
Overall, I just wish it had been a different experience. Using sharpies would have been much more satisfying. I might try the Pebeo 160 markers next time. The reason I bought the 150s was because I had seen them recommended but now I see that there is a different product that *might* work a little different? I'm a glutton for punishment. The paint itself seems pretty awesome so maybe I would go that direction and apply it with a brush, but the marker look is so appealing. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Yes, these do work well without making a mess. <div id="video-block-R229ZDTOV8KOBQ" 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/C15gjHlJfoS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1-Nkdx2xGS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> Chalkboard labels are a new thing for me, but I needed some labels to stick on files and file boxes for various financial years and purposes. Sometimes I re-purpose boxes, so wanted something that could be changed but was pretty solid at sticking on its own until I wanted to change it. I thought I'd give these a try. I also thought that someday, when I finally get a house big enough, I'll make bins for my children's toys, and then keep them nicely labeled. Well see if that's ever going to happen!
I was afraid the "chalk" marker would crumble and leave behind a mess if I touched the label since I had never used a chalk marker, but nothing of the sort! If you were to rub the label vigorously and hard, It would rub off but not with more casual touch.
The assortment of shapes is nice. I like the variety, and they are cut well; no ragged edges. The adhesive is good, but you can peel them fairly easily if you need to. Having said that, I haven't tried to remove one that's been on for months or years, so we'll see on that as well.
The chalk marker has a broad chiseled end, and you really have to shake the marker well and then plunge the tip into a paper many times to get the ink to flow down. The tip is I think too big for this set of labels, but the maker I noticed said on the website the next batch of markers would have a smaller tip in response to customer feedback. You can use the fine end of the chisel tip, but it's still a little big.
The lettering from the marker can be worn off somewhat just by rubbing, see video, but it stays pretty well. It wipes off easily, much to my surprise, for re-labeling with just a damp rag. That really makes these labels versatile, and I'm sure I'll find many unexpected uses for them over the next few years. You could even easily use these as cute and unique name tags at an event. Much classier than the "Hello, my name is...." kind.
In summary, the only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the marker size, which evidently they are improving upon. Even with that, I think it would be fairly easy to use the fine end of the chisel tip on the marker even in my set for most purposes.
I was able to purchase this at a discount in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have of this label and marker set written above are my own after trying it out and I wrote in this review my true impressions. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A fun but flawed introductory set. Overall I'm pleased I got this paint set for the price but I'll probably be more selective in future. These paints work and deliver what casein paints promise with some caveats.
First of all I'll mention the color selection. On first inspections it's a standard mixing set plus green (all 37ml which is great). This works as you'd expect with the red actually being a magenta. They all have very intense, opaque colour as advertised but the problem is that they are a mixed bag in terms of pigments. Here is a list of colours and pigments:
1. Rose red - PV19 & PR122
2. Naples yellow - PY3, PY42 & PW6
3. Shiva green (phthalo) - PG7
4. Ultramarine deep blue - PB29
5. Ivory black - PBK9
6. Titanium white - PW6
So 4/6 are single pigment and all but the yellow are rated as excellent light fastness (yellow is rated good).
The Naples yellow is the first problem holding my rating back. As another reviewer mentioned, as you work the paint and water it down it "seperates" yielding a greenish greasy material which floats on your water and coats your brush. The colour is also less opaque than the others.
The second problem is consistency. The yellow, red and white are all have excellent straight from the tube. The other 3 have various problems which no amount of kneading the tubes (as recommended by richeson) seems to resolve. The green is thinner and the rest with a light textured paint body plus some liquid (these mix on the palette yielding a light bodied paint). The blue is slightly stiff from the tube and requires a little water be added before you can get it to paint smoothly. The black is the biggest problem. It is stiff and rubbery at takes a lot of working and water to get to a smooth consistency.
On the subject of working the paints, the smell. As you work then and especially as you add water you get a distinctly chemical smell. A combination of ammonia and something I can't identify. I don't find it especially offensive but it is there, especially when you are watering them down.
Onto the more positive aspects. Once I have them on the palette and at the correct consistency they are very pleasant to handle. Heavy bodied but smooth to handle. They remind me of gouache but with more body.
In terms of mixing, barring the caveat for the yellow, they work as you'd expect. You can achieve a fairly broad gamut with this set, having said that I might have preferred a similar set with all single pigment colours.
On paper they feel like a heavy body acrylic when applied with no water (especially with a bristle brush) on a textured support. When applied watered down a little water its more like a gouache, more water and it's like a watercolour. This ability to adjust the handling with only water is their strongest suit. I like them with a little water over a textured acrylic gessod canvas board.
In terms of coverage they are well pigmented and fairly opaque, even when thinned a little. They have a little colour shift, especially the yellow which contains titanium dioxide for opacity. They are all fully opaque over any background in 2 coats and mostly opaque in one. They dry to a nice matte texture similar to gouache slightly less rough.
In terms of picking up paint when working in layers, in typical use my experience is like that of gouache. Working quickly over a recently dried layer is fine but too much brushing with too much water will lift the layers up. After apparently dry the layers toughen up with much less pick up happening as little as 15 minutes after it dried. It apparently doesn't reach full strength for about 2 weeks but I suspect you could readily work over the entire surface of a painting you left overnight.
Overall I'm enjoying using casein but with the consistency issues and poor quality yellow this set holds my fun back. I may pick up a cad yellow, Phthalo blue and a new black to see if that improves my experience. A nice set to see how casein feels but not quite there for serious art purposes. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Risk free purchase with outstanding customer service. I bought 3 of these within a few days/weeks thinking they were good. Boy was I wrong. So far, I've only used 2, the 3rd remains in the box. The zippers on both carrying bags broke within the first day or two of use. One of the feet on one of the tripod legs fell off, and now one of the tripod legs is bent. This product seems good and strong initially, but buyer beware. Really not built very well. I need to pursue a refund.
Update: Customer service is extremely responsive. After seeing my review, I was contacted and sent replacements. When the replacements proved to have the same problems, without my asking, customer service provided a 100% refund. I changed my review from 2 stars to 5 because of the customer service responsiveness. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Adorable carrying case. <div id="video-block-R2K981DY7YZ0BK" 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/C1-IXQXVeRS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/816jZIlG11S.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> Very cute fun plastic carrying case. My toddler loves it, I actually got it to store her on the road activities and things she can draw on or read, while in the car. She loves to read and I am able to slide in thin paperback books in the dividers inside. There are 5 dividers for random things they can store in there. My daughter is obviously not in school yet but this would work great to keep your little ones homework organized. This reminds me of the Lisa Frank notebooks I grew up loving because of the attractive decor all around the exterior. It is lined with some type of fabric to create a clean border and have not noticed any of it coming apart. It also has a handle for carrying of course, it comes with 3D butterfly and flower stickers as well as 3 small decorating tape. My daughter enjoyed putting the stickers everywhere on her other books as well as this case. I would definitely recommend it for girls in elementary school. It is the perfect size and can fit in a standard size backpack. It measures about 13" by 9 3/4".
*Complimentary sample was provided to me during a promotional offer in exchange for my honest unbiased evaluation. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love this unit. Very nice quality light pad. Very bright. I will say that I wish I had purchased their brightest one. This one is great for 140lb watercolor paper and light colored card stock. But if you need to trace from or onto heavier watercolor paper or dark colored card stock this will not be bright enough. That being said it works wonderfully for most of my tracing needs.
I noticed some complaints about where the switch is located. All of the light pads of this type that I have viewed have the switch in the same spot as this one. You just have to be aware not to lay your hand over it. It's really not as big a deal as some make it out to be. The light pad is well made and worth the price point. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
de Vinci 418 Squirrel brush: wide coverage, handle with care and you'll love it. Uncompromising quality and a delicate, broad-area brush made from squirrel. Not for rough surfaces and the hairs will snap, so handle like your finest china! BUT, the 418 brush is wonderful for watercolor wide area work. The tip is wrapped at the base with wire and plastic; don't mess with that.
I do a lot of illustrating for many years, and found myself doing much more these days. Despite digital clean-ups, I do these for the love of the materials and the medium. It's a joy to work in watercolor and dyes. daVincis are German superior quality: superb. To create well, use the right brushes. I love this! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Small item storage on the cheap. I use these for carrying small things in my backpack for college. I put all kinds of little things in them: small paper clips, large paper clips, a few small binder clips, pencil cap erasers, stapler refills, paper fasteners, reinforcements, breath mints, cough drops, OTC pills and my daily vitamins. I put the school stuff in one of those half size plastic zip bags, and the medicine/mints into another. I stuff the school stuff into my pencil case, and the other bag into a pocket of my backpack. I never need to dig for paper clips or Tylenol--it's all in one of those zipped storage bags.
I have mobility issues, and every ounce I can take off a load I will carry helps keep strain or fatigue at bay These little bags are a lifesaver! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
maybe with practice. Let me start off by saying that yes the water brush brushes did work, however, I feel there's room for improvement. The vial that holds the water is made from soft plastic. They made it a bit too thin though. When I filled the vial with water and tried screwing on the brush tip I discovered that just a small amount of pressure the water came shooting out all over me. It was really a big deal since it was just plain water. I can see where this could be a disaster if it happened during a painting session. That volume of water would ruin a painting. I will sit down and play with these and see if I can adjust to the or even find another good use for them. ** As an Amazon reviewer I'm sent either free or discounted products for my personal evaluation. This does not obligate me to write favorable reviews. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not sure how to rate this. To start, I love the Pro Art 140 lb watercolour paper for my copic marker work. I love the texture and everything about it. I've been using it for months now.
However, I bought 4 or 5 9x12 pads from Amazon and they are the worst!! The pads come sealed on all four edges, I believe to stop buckling when using paint, which I thought was rather neat and never had a problem with before. However, all the pads I bought from Amazon seem to be sealed poorly, because the paper rips and tears when I'm trying to separate - again, not a problem I had from the pads I bought at my local art store. I have to separate the pages with a knife, and it leaves the edges very messy and unattractive.
I'm not sure if Amazon got a bad batch or what but the fact that I never had this problem before, and ALL the pads I bought from Amazon have been like this... I would suggest it's worth the extra money to buy them locally.
The paper quality is great and I love it, but... the difficulty separating papers is not worth the hassle. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Surprising quality!! Love them! A must for all serious artist. I have been doing several painting in different medium since I was a child. I now have an eight year old that has the same love and I was telling her how important it is to have a great quality brush. I had given her some of my older brushes but she wanted some new ones so I went on shopping. I didn't want to spend much so these seemed perfect. My biggest concern was that the quality was going to be very poor so I was a bit hesitant. I had her open them but together we did a watercolor project. She loved them and so did I. The bristles are soft and maintain their shape. The paints are easily transferable to the canvas and paper. I now have to buy myself a set. Hope to see a wider variety being offered. High recommendation. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
my kids (ages 3 and 6) love these. I keep them in my purse and bring them out anytime we're waiting- restaurants, airplane, etc. They are different enough from regular crayons that they're still interesting to my girls each time. And they don't roll off the table- HUGE pro!
I was a little disappointed that one of the crayons was broken in half when we received it- you can't really use it because of the shape. But not a big enough deal to send them back and have them replaced. Some of the colors aren't as bright as you'd think they'd be looking at them, but still colorful enough- and they have a different, slightly softer consistency than regular crayons, so you can blend the colors (once on paper) with your finger- particularly fun when drawing rainbows.
I would definitely buy again- they seem expensive, but they last long and they're cool. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Painting for many days. Hello this is Erica the reviewer once again with another product review! And today I will be reviewing this amazing brush set. Upon opening the box I knew these brushes were going to be great. They are so soft. Yet they are firm enough to make straight lines. These brushes are very long giving them a very premium feel. The paint glides on the canvas when using these brushes. These brushes are great for any painter. I really recommend these.
I did receive this product at a discounted rate for my honest and unbiased review. My opinion was not modified due to the fact that the product was discounted. If I am not fond of a product, I will always be honest . Please leave a comment if you have any further questions. Thanks for taking the time to read my review! This is Erica the reviewer in and out! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Don't do it. I generally don't leave reviews. I generally don't trust reviews. But I had to write this because my conscious wouldn't allow me otherwise.
If you're familiar with 5D diamond crafts (or as I like to call them, crystal cross stitch), then know that this is not typical of the genre. The 'diamonds' aren't the familiar resin, but for the most part are transparent resin backed by silver to give them their sheen. The big issue is that they don't give the typical finish with the crafts I'm familiar with, but also the manufacturing mistakes are impossible to work with. Add to that the fact that there are often times where the adhesive on the canvas is less sticky than the 'glue' used to pick up the gems in the first place ... I'm very disappointed. Add to THAT the finish makes it very difficult to truly see the picture? I'm done.
I'm not even 20% done with the 'painting' but I don't see how there are enough gems to cover the entire canvas. Don't waste your money with this. Only reason I'm giving it two stars is because it still gave my hands something to do. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
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