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Versatile and highly useful. My main reason for buying these was to use them to write on galvanized steel (zinc-coated) plant markers in my flower and vegetable gardens. They work extremely well for that. The paint is holding up very well, and since these have fine points, they create nice legible, not-too-thick and non-smeary writing.
I've also used them on a garage sale sign and on wood; and intend to use them on glass also (one of Sharpie's suggested uses). Since it's actually paint, I don't see why it couldn't be used for touch-ups on black paintable items that might need that.
There's a little ball (presumably a ball) inside each pen -- rather like the balls inside spray-paint cans -- that you can hear and feel when you shake the pen briefly to get ready to use it. Once you do that, and after you've primed the pen the first time (by repeatedly pushing in the tip against a surface to get the paint to come down to the tip) the paint pen "writes" very well. Using a paint pen works far better in many applications than does paint in small glass bottles with touch-up style brushes attached to the cap. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
it was easy to set up and use. I was looking for a inexpensive light weight press for personal use. I received this press very quickly, it was easy to set up and use. It worked very well and I liked that it was light enough for me to pick up and move. The downside, is the plate is to small and trying to place transfer paper evenly is hard. I created a large t-shirt But I had to use my regular iron to position the transfer paper, then I placed it under the plate to finish. I tried to do the same with a sweatshirt with no luck, not enough space. Unfortunately I will have to return and find one with a little bigger press. But I gave it 4 stars because it's perfect for small items | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
BEST colored pencils after Prisma. For the price, these colored pencils are amazing and would rival Crayola. I also have Prisma colored pencils, but these are great for when I don't want to use them. In a few of the colors, the lead feels particularly hard, but not many of them. The only 2 downsides are: 1) the pencils are are not numbered or labeled by color and 2) individual colors can't be replaced. I got a pack for my cousin and her 8 year old daughter and they both love them as well. I do not like how the whole case needs to be unfolded so I bought a case that holds 120 so it's easier to take places and a LOT harder to accidentally dump sections when I'm not at a table. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A decent beginner watercolor pencil. I use derwent products normally so I had something to compare these to. That being said although these washed out a little lighter than my derwent watercolor pencils, they held up pretty well. The set comes with a nice variety for a set of twelve. (Though I never understood why they put black and white pencils in sets) I did a color swatch and then added a damp water brush to the swatch and it did wash out quite a bit. The colors did stay true to what laid down just lighter shade. I would use these in my heavier weight coloring books and I might even use them in card making. For the price It seems like a decent set to get for a budding artist. I do believe in buying the best material you can afford but for kids to start out this would be a nice set though there might be cheaper sets out there. Still they would be good for the amateur artist or for coloring. They work well as colored pencils and go on creamy without leaving lines in the color and wash out to a pastel color. I received these at a discounted price for my honest and unbiased opinion. I rely on others reviews so keep mine honest to help othersA | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Unique, Fun, and Quirky let your creative minds out of the box. There have two items in the recent few years that I have always wanted to try. One was a 3D Printer, and the other was a 3D Printing Pen.
Keep in mind that my wife and I are avid learners and enjoy taking on a project. That being said, I think there is a good deal of potential to be had with this gadget.
While not professional artists in any sense. You can see some rudimentary designs of an attempted house, and a flower inside of separate pot. I think with continued practice, and a variety of colors of filament, that more can be learned and created with continued practice.
Pros:
1. Easy to Read LCD Screen
2. Filament was easy to load.
3. No offensive odor with the PLA Filament (included)
4. Easy to hold
5. Standby Mode after 90 Seconds (great for safety)
Cons:
1. Instruction Manual needs to be much larger.
2. Learning curve is inevitable, don't give up!
A great idea for supervision with younger kids, older kids should be fine with it. Great idea for Birthday Parties, Family Craft Nights, the thoughts are endless.
While I received this product for free in exchange for my review, my thoughts are my own. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Marvelous thick paper. I was seeking out some thick, "rustic" paper for a calligraphy project. Many others out there are just too porous or aren't as thick in practice as they claim to be (resulting in either bleed-through "dots" or excessive paper buckling/wrinkling). The only product I have found with comparable thickness to this item is Strathmore Bristol (but that looks much less "natural").
Despite being recycled paper, this is one of the real McCoys. I have had zero problems with ink bleeding so far. Some of the paper did come with a slight natural "buckle" or pull, but not enough to bother me or ruin the appearance of my writing. I expected a small amount of this because handmade/recycled paper almost always has some of it due to the manufacturing process. My inks do feather slightly at times, but this is something else I expected to deal with upon entering the "handmade paper" world.
The covers are slightly warped on the copy I got, but since it's supposed to look a little old and worn for my purposes, I don't mind as long as the binding holds. I was hoping for a slightly off-white paper color, but beggars can't be choosers where LARGE sketchbooks are concerned (and you don't get much bigger than this one without resorting to more standard sketchpads or oversized cardstock). I haven't tried paint or watercolor on it, so your results may vary from mine. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Unique and wonderful book for dry media. I'm an artist, and other artists are always asking me what this book is and where they can get one. The paper is wonderful; its warm tan color lets me draw in highlights in white, which is a fun and elegant technique. My favorite combo of pencils to use with this book:
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Wolff-s-Carbon-Pencil-6B-each/dp/B0028D6L96/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Wolff's Carbon Pencil 6B each</a> and <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Pitt-Artist-Pastel-Pencil-101-White/dp/B0028D2ZW8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Pitt Artist Pastel Pencil 101 White</a>
A couple of notes. First, this paper doesn't take watercolor or ink washes well. It's perfect for graphite pencil, colored pencils, linear ink drawings (not wash), and even simple touches of pastel; it erases and holds up very well, and has a nice texture that makes for easy, smooth drawings. If you want a tan paper that will take wet media and not buckle, try this one -- it's great: <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Canson-Scrapbook-Wicker-in-Oatmeal-9-25-x-10-Inches/dp/B0023AZFWI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Canson Scrapbook Wicker in Oatmeal - 9.25 x 10 Inches</a>
These are fun books that go everywhere with me and hold up well to the abuse I dish out, and I sell a lot of drawings from them. One of my few can't-live-without items. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Pens BUT. These are great markers/pens - I'm on my third set, so obviously I like them - but there are a few caveats. As a mixed media artist, I've found several reasons to be cautious of these markers if you are using them for more permanent or "fine" art purposes.
For just coloring or for kids, these are absolutely perfect. These are extremely vibrant, the ink lasts forever, they don't dry out quickly if you leave a cap off, they travel very well, the color selection is fantastic, and they are priced extremely well.
If, however, you are using them for a mixed media project - or will be using more than one technique on your project - you will run into some problems. (Then again, these aren't touted as "fine art" markers - or priced as such.) The colors are great - but filling in large spaces will be problematic because they are "streaky". They leave a very definite line with each stroke - so you will end up with a project that looks like you colored it in first grade. Secondly, altho these start out with a fantastic nib, it degrades quickly - and you wind up with a lot of little "fuzzies", fine "hairs" and the tip of the nib becomes "floppy" even tho the rest of the nib remains firm. This causes problems when trying to fill in small spaces, or writing. (Leaves a lot of tiny stray marks.)
Also, these are definitely not waterproof - or water resistant. One drop of water will destroy whatever you've colored. Since water will leave a distinct mark on the paper, I thought maybe they would work well if blended with water. I colored and then used a waterbrush and a regular brush with a little water, to try to blend the "streaks" away. NOT a good idea. You just wind up with a mess. (They aren't advertised for this use - but I thought it might work.)
The other issue with these is the color fastness. The colors fade and wash out over time. I used them in one of my moleskin journals - and several years later, the colors have disintegrated a lot. They weren't exposed to sunlight (the journal was closed and on a bookshelf) - so I don't know what the level of acidity is...but I'm guessing it's on the higher end. (Which strikes these for scrapbooks, just FYI.)
I'm not getting rid of mine anytime soon - I love to use these for adding color to sketches, doodling, coloring with my kids, lending to my kids for school projects, making garage sale signs, etc. I just wouldn't use these in any of my art projects or swaps. (I live in a really dry climate and worry the color breakdown would be worse somewhere humid.) Definitely not for work that will be sold.
You won't waste money with these - they are great marker/pens for around the house...for drawing or coloring at school or using at home, these are total perfection! If, on the other hand, you are looking for a good "art marker" or "art pen", pass on these. These will be a huge disappointment - and there are much, much better options out there. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Order this for your Christmas Cards. I initially bought this pen because I found a gorgeous card with a gold tiger on the front. I thought gold ink would be perfect for signing the card. This pen worked wonderfully and had me thinking that it would also be great for Christmas cards. There are some things you should know about this pen to make it more effective. First you need to have a scrap piece of paper handy. Then simply press the pen down until the ink starts to come out. Then test the pen out and then use it to write. If you don't do this it is likely that the ink won't come out properly and you will mess up your cards. Otherwise it is a great pen and the gold ink is pretty.
~The Rebecca Review
P.S. I used one pen to address and write 25 cards and there is still ink left... | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love this stuff. I bought this to dye a white shirt (cotton/polyester/rayon) that I love. I've never dyed anything before & with the fabric being a cotton/polyester/rayon blend, I was uneasy about how it would turn out. I shouldn't have worried, it turned out great. I printed the directions from Rit's website (don't try to use the directions on the bottle; they're impossible to read), used the washing machine method & it was super easy. I do recommend that you add the salt/water mixture that Rit recommends for cotton fabric. The shirt turned out exactly the color of the bottle. I'm already making plans to do several more in other colors. And since 1 shirt takes half a bottle, I'm looking around my house for something else to dye..... | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Initial thoughts. I will add to this review as I get to know the Silhouette Curio better, but for now I'll just offer my initial impressions. I was on the fence as to whether to buy the machine. I have the Cameo, which I really love (despite a couple of times when I wanted to throw it out the window!). As far as I could see, the Curio would add stippling, embossing, and the ability to use thicker materials. I wondered how much I would use these added features and if it would come close to being worth the pretty steep price of the machine. I finally got one and although I don't love it as much as my Cameo, it's a pretty good machine.
The software is easy, once you hook up the Curio to Silhouette Studio, everything is there for you. Figuring out how to use it is the next challenge. I really wish there was a lengthy, in depth instruction manual. To even do simple projects, I watched demonstrations on YouTube. Although the learning process is easy if you're already familiar with the Cameo, I feel that more instructions are necessary to really get the most out of the machine.
As a cutting machine, it's pretty easy. The stippling, embossing, and other options take some getting used to. I wasn't overwhelmed by the foil projects, I can't really think of anything I'd use foil on that I would find attractive. I'll research further to see if something appeals to me. The embossing feature is nice, my first couple of attempts came out OK, maybe with practice the final result will be better.
Being able to use two sketch pens is something I really like.
I haven't tried any very thick materials yet, I'll post about that later.
As I said, this review is based on a very limited amount of use so far. I will be back to give my opinion on other features and projects as I try them out. Overall, I'm glad I got the machine. It doesn't thrill me as much as my Cameo, but as I learn, I hope to get much more enjoyment out of it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
PERFECT heat press for personal AND business use. I stared using my silhouette right before Christmas and bought this heat press to go along with it. I have had no issues with it what so ever!! I looked around for a good price and nice size and this one met every single condition!! It shipped perfectly with no issues and no damages. It is HEAVY though. Once you get it in place you won't have to worry about moving it anymore so that becomes no issue.
It is big enough to press everything I need, but small enough to not take up a ton of room in my guest/craft room. It is extremely easy to use and navigate around. Be sure to change from Celsius to Fahrenheit (it tells you how in the manual, as well as how to adjust your heat settings and "count down".
I originally thought about getting a swing press instead of clam shell, but I urge ANYONE looking around to go with clam shell over swing!! Even if it is only for personal use, there are so many more options you have to press with this one here!! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a heat press. It has changed my craft game!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
It's not like I was painting over a previously painted item. This is definitely purple! The problem I have with this is that it doesn't cover in one coat at all. It's extremely thick and was hard to spread evenly over my project. I had to use three coats in some areas. It's not like I was painting over a previously painted item. The project was a unfinished 12x9 wood serving tray. It dried almost to fast. I had to use almost the whole bottle for this one project in order to get it looking decent. I used a brush that is made for this type of painting and I have used this brush for the same type of project with excellent results. The brush wasn't the problem. I had to clear that up so no one would think I might be using the wrong type of brush. I do have one positive thing to say, it's a beautiful shade of purple. Actually other positive thing is that it arrived on time. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
If you like bristles coming out consistently into all your projects. Meh! If you like bristles coming out consistently into all your projects, buy these brushes. I not trying to be rude and I really dislike writing poor reviews but I've decided I have to be truthful. I read these great reviews all the time if people "sampling," "receiving," products,etc. or just happy it was delivered in 1-2 days and works. No, I am sorry to say these brushes have proved quote disappointing. I wish I would've read something similar and opted for a few dollars more for something that would not completely break apart into every project I've created. Also, I went to clean the last brush with brush cleaner and pulled down to strip it, and 3/4 of the bristles fell out. I wish I would've taken a pic but I through it away quickly. If you don't care about that time of thing, these would be a Good deal. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A very necessary item for die-cuts. I have to replace my Spellbinders Grand Calibur Cutting Plate on the average of once a year, and in prior years had to buy a package that included the base plate and embossing plate along with the cutting plate. I am so glad I can now buy the cutting plate by itself.
I make around 250 greeting cards per year and sell them to benefit our county libraries, and I like to use lots of die-cuts on my cards. As you will notice, every die that is run through your Grand Calibur die-cutting machine will leave a mark on the cutting plate, especially if you use a metal shim with the more complex dies. By the end of the year, both sides of my cutting plate are looking pretty shabby and sometimes the left-over marks rub off on the new piece of paper that I'm cutting. I have to wonder if the cutting plate were made of a more impervious or heavier plastic, whether I would have to replace it as often. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Best Cutting machine. This machine is fantastic. I wanted to get a basic cutter to make some custom wedding invitations, and to etch my own designs on glass. I didn't like the cartridge system of the Cricut, and thought this would be the way to go. I asked for a custom die cut machine, I got a 2 axis CNC machine for thin materials. This thing cuts anything, paper, vinal, cardstock, plastic, I even made some of my own balsa airplanes for my kids. The software works very well, but watch some of the you tube videos of people making things with it rather than the provided videos. One thing nice about the software, it's free, you can go out and get it right now and try it out before you buy anything. Everything has worked very well for me, the only bad thing I can say about it it it really should have come with a scraper and a spatula for 250 bucks. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
More than Just a Cutting Machine, it's an appliqué artists dream tool. As a fan of Janome Sewing machines, I was excited to see that Janome was branching into the world of digital die cutting. I should tell you that I license my designs in the form of digital dies to a well-known competing machine that I have grown to love, there is nothing wrong with that machine, and I still think it's great. However, knowing Janome, and the quality that they build into their other products, I was very curious to see how their machine might expand the world of die-cutting beyond paper.
When my box arrived, with my new Artistic Edge, I ripped into the box quickly (but carefully of course), and Janome did not disappoint. Inside the box was a beautiful sleek piece of equipment, smooth lines, and much heavier than I had anticipated--due to many steel components. I could instantly see that it was something different than what I was used to. Let me put it this way...When comparing it to my other cutter, it was like comparing a Ferrari to a minivan. The minivan does great work, and gets you from here to there, and I love my minivan dearly...but a Ferrari will do it in style--with a sweeter hum of the motor, greater speed and precision, and turn corners much smoother. This machine has got that Ferrari appeal for sure!
The Simple Cut software, that is included with the machine, has many capabilities that most paper crafters don't even know are available--blending the worlds of sewing, paper and digital die cutting. For instance, you can cut your fabric for an appliqué project with the cutting machine, and set up your stitching in the software, then send it to your embroidery machine. How cool is that!
The software takes some getting used to if you are familiar with other cutting software that drives cutting machines. The lines for your designs show up as stitches instead of lines. This is because the software is designed to digitize embroidery as well, and send it to a sewing/embroidery machine. When you open the "send to cutter" dialog window, it shows you the lines as lines and not stitches. I hear their software update (due out in March of 2015) will allow you to change the way the lines look in the software so that they don't appear as stitches.
While the Simple Cut software could import many different types of files, it would not import my SVG files properly--the file type in which I save my die designs. Later, I discovered that SVGs will import if created in Corel Draw...but I'm an Adobe Illustrator user. (No worries SVG users...this is also supposed to be fixed in the March 2015 update!) I know that being able to use SVG files is super important for those who download files from digital die websites, like my digiplayground.com site--so be patient...the Artistic Edge will have this ability very soon. To get beyond this hurdle, I discovered that if I converted my SVG cut files to EPS files, the Simple Cut software could import the files.
The SC software is also geared toward PC users, as the software is not compatible with a Mac OS. (yet...a girl can hope right?) If you are a Mac user, like me, you can run the software through Parallels--a software that allows you to run your Mac like a PC. I don't want to mess with making my Mac like a PC, or I would have just bought a PC. So I just installed the SC software on my laptop, which is a PC--gotta have choices for a situation like this. If I could change a few things about this machine and accompanying software, making the software Mac friendly would be at the top of my list. Do I need to go back to the Ferrari/Minivan comparison here with the PC and a Mac...I'm sure that's a debate for another day...
The machine comes with a vial of 3 different blades, independent of their housing. Many machines come with a blade that is not removable from it's housing. There is also more than one type of blade. They have either red, yellow or blue, colored caps to indicate their specific purpose. The red cap is for your standard to medium weight papers and vinyl. The blue is for heavyweight card stock, and other heavyweight material like magnet sheets, foam, chipboard, and crystal template material. The yellow is for light and medium weight fabric when used with stabilizer (or starched). The blades can be replaced with pens if you want to sketch a design with the cutter.
I was concerned that all these blades might complicate things, but was surprised at how easy changing blades is. Because the blades and the blade housing is separate, you have the ability to thoroughly clean out your blade casing of all the little paper debris and lint that builds up over time. The blades are held in by a magnet, when you start putting the blade in, you feel the magnet suck it in to secure it. Blades are ejected by pushing a button at the top of the blade casing. I've got pictures of this on my blog: samanthawalkerdesigns.net
Dialing in a blade depth setting is super easy too. So my concerns about it being complicated were unfounded. You could say that I was totally won-over with this changing blades concept--knowing that it was going to expand the machine's capability to work with multiple materials.
It's also easy to place the blade into the carrier. First you align the arrow with the black screw, then you tighten it. That's it. The large size of the black screw makes this an especially easy task. My fingers are getting older, and aren't as nimble as they were in my 30's...so this big screw makes me abnormally happy.
After setting it up with the right blade and depth (by turning the dial on the top,) I was excited to try it out. Yeah! Now I could put the machine to test!
I imported some of my most complicated files that I've designed. If you are familiar with my work...you know that I love detail and flourishes. However, not every machine will cut detail properly. I'll try to add a picture of the design I tried--if not, it's on my blog.
Since detail is important to me, it was the first thing I wanted to test. I set the design up to cut in the software; then inserted my mat. By the way, the machine comes with two types of mats, both a high and a low tack mat.
There is not an "insert mat" button like there is on so many other cutting machines. Instead this machine has 4 feed arrows to give you optimal control. Hold the "up arrow," and insert your mat. I like to start at one end of my paper in order to conserve.
There is a laser which I thought showed you where to line up that point of origin, but the laser is actually only to be used for positioning with Print and Cut.
The send-to -cutter user interface, has a few nice features that make setting up a cut great. You can set your speed, depth, test a cut and more. There is also a window that shows the work about to be cut, which shows a few point of origins you can choose to start your cut. When you select one of the point of origins, it gets highlighted in pink. The point of origin is where you align the blade to your paper. (using the arrow buttons on the cutter.) Remember, you'll have to align not where the cut starts, but rather, the corner where it originates. (Makes sense when you see the cutting dialog box in the software.)
After sending it through the machine, I realized the machine has a really nice smooth hum to it. Cutting machines are known to be loud and make obnoxious noises, this one is much quieter. Now let me emphasize, It wasn't exactly quiet, but it was comparatively quiet for a cutting machine.
When the cut finished, I was pleased as punch!
One thing I want to point out about the cut, is the corner precision. I chose to cut a very thick colored card stock with a white-core; as it is very unforgiving with cutting machines. This kind of card stock can "snag" at the corners to reveal unsightly white "boogers" where some machines have a tendency to bunch up the corners. There was none of that going on with the Artistic Edge cutter. The corners were cut nice and sharp. You can be the judge if you want to see the sample...it's also on my blog. http://samanthaleewalker.blogspot.com/2015/02/janome-artistic-edge-cutting-machine.html
I'd like to talk a little more about the software, and how it enables you to use the Cutting Edge in conjunction with sewing and embroidery/appliqué projects, but I may have already exceeded my maximum length for a review. (if there is such a thing.) I will be going over some of the software features on my blog in the coming days. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great quality sketchbook. I heard of this product through John Park in a video with Scott Robertson. So I looked into it and purchased on. I love this sketchbook. The craftsmanship of the sketchbook itself feels very solid, this sucker is not going to fall apart anytime soon. The paper quality feels just right for working in many different mediums including pen, pencil, brush pen, (total mediums I've messed with in the sketchbook.) The size also, to me, is a huge plus factor. It's large enough to create pretty concise sketches. it's not too small where it feels claustrophobic. I can't wait to fill this sketchbook up, and then I'll probably pick up another. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Don't Expect Miracles. I had 2 fabric seat cushions for rattan arm chairs that needed a color change from beige to something darker. I picked Hunter Green. Here's the story:
I read all the online materials and watched the video. I'm an experienced spray paint user but have never used it on fabric. From the examples shown, I expected that I needed a single can of paint for the 2 cushions. Wrong.
The ordered can arrived and I read all the instructions. Perhaps I should have been worried by all the warnings and specific instructions on correct usage. I followed them and still have regrets. First, the company's idea of "Hunter Green" is not what you'd expect; in fact it's not even what they show in their materials. The color that sprays from the can has a colder, more blue hue than shown on the label or in print materials. Okay, maybe it was just me or the way the cushion fabric took the color.
The trigger mechanism on the spray can requires substantial grip strength to maintain an even spray. Failure to compress the trigger adequately gives sputtering, paint streaming and loss of propellant. This only happened twice to me in that first can but the remainder of the spray process was an ordeal, requiring a death-grip on the trigger.
With the death-grip, paint application was smooth and regular. For cushions with buttons and edge piping, be sure to spread the creases and massage the paint into them. Don't go into this process thinking you'd come out clean. The dried paint will come off your hands & fingernails with soap & water.
When the spray can came to its end, I had about 1-1/2 cushions completed. Right now I'm thinking the company folk are saying, "He sputtered away too much propellant!" "He spent too much paint in the creases!" Maybe, but I doubt it. Maybe I'll restate here that I'm all too familiar with the business end of a spray paint can. I know what I'm doing but I'll offer this to readers: this is NOT like spraying acrylic on furniture or flat-black on ironwork. This paint behaves differently.
Okay, so I'm left with unfinished cushions. If you are smarter than me, you'll finish one item before starting the 2nd. I gave the first cushion the recommended complete light coat and then addressed the second cushion. So I was left with both cushions incomplete when the lights went out.
I ordered a 2nd can of paint and included a note expressing my disappointment that nowhere are there usable estimates of area coverage for a can. Not a word from the seller; not an email, nothing in the 2nd shipped package. I mention this because shipping is cheaper if you order 2 cans once, rather than 1 can twice.
So today I spread out the drop cloth again and went at my pale green cushions. This time the can would NOT spray a mist no matter how hard I gripped the trigger. It wouldn't do it. Paint came out the spout in a pinpoint stream. Shaking didn't help; wiping the spout didn't help. Resigned, I finished the cushions by spraying the stream rapidly over an area and rubbing it in with my other hand. Because the paint is water soluble and the fabric is absorbent, you can get a decently even coverage that way. After all, these are outdoor rattan chair seat cushions, not fancy indoor sofa cushions.
Bottom line, if I had to do this again [or if I choose to "refresh" the not-so-Hunter-Green color I got] I'd look seriously at auto fabric paint -- maybe Dupli-Color -- for this outdoor application. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
If you need a Ink Brush pen for those "fine lined details" ... this is the best Inking Brush Pen. If you need a Ink Brush Pen for those "fine line details" ... this is your brush pen! I own Faber-Castell Pitt Brush Pens, Copic Multiliners (including the SP versions), the new Pentel Brush Pen and the Prismacolor Illustration Brush Pens. For fine details, you can make the Faber-Castell Pitt Brush Ink pen, work for you and the same could be said about the Prisma - though they have a very good brush tip for fine details, they also have the worst ink, its honestly horrible and I only use them for layout!
I bought these Sakura Fine Ink Brush Pens 2 days ago and just as it says ... fine details with "black ink." The Brush tip is short compared to the other brush pens mentioned however, it has great range from semi-wide to ultra thin brush stroke lines. You can easily make fine lines "consistently" and "without effort" as small as 0.03 or less if using a light touch with minimal effort. This Pen also makes lines slightly greater than 0.5/0.7 (measured against my professional mechanical inking pens). However, the Sakura's "fine brush pen 50025," strength lays in making fine to very fine brush strokes. It works very well with both Copic and Faber-Castell Ink Pens as well as Higgins. I am extremely pleased with the way this Brush Pen performs and it does exactly the fine lined detailed work it's supposed to do.
I just bought another 2-pack set of Fine and I bought a set of 3 (Fine Medium and Bold) Sakura Pigma Pro. Brush pens. I expect good things from this set also. I love my Pitt pens from Faber but, I'm excited that I no longer have to worry about fine lined brush stokes anymore with this addition to my inking tools.
Background:
I am a portrait and comic artist, (yes I know, it seems like two extremes). I own and use Inking Nibs with Higgins Ink. I have my old school Koh-I-Noor + Staedtler Mechanical Pen Sets (the whole range 0.025 to 1.2, though I don't use these often anymore... take to long to clean), Sakura Inking Pens (0.1 to 0.5), Copic SP Multiliner (the whole range from 0.03 to 0.7 and the brush), Faber-Castell Pitt Pens (Ink Pens - Fine through bold and of course the Ink Brush Pens and different Brush Pen types) and of course Prismacolor Illustration Pens (same as the Faber but less of) and several other brands.
These days I primarily use the Copic SP Multiliner Pens (the classic nibs) with the Faber-Castell Pitt Pens (Primarily the Brush Pens). I've felt previously that I always lacked a consistent Fine-Lined Inking Brush Pen and would have to break out my brushes and a jar of Higgins Ink, more often than not for fine brush strokes. I can honestly say that these Sakura Professional "FINE" Ink Brush Pens, will now be a primary option for those fine details that I want with a "brushed" style of thin to very fine and ultra fine strokes.
Since this is the first review written for these pens on amazon.com, I opted to be as detailed and through as I could; i hope it's not to much.
I don't know yet how long these pens will last (aka how much ink is in the pen) as of yet. When I know, I'll update my review. However, the pen is as thin and long as a normal writing pen (perhaps a tiny bit longer. I'd imagine, the "Fine" pens should last a while considering they are designed and built for "Fine & Ultra Fine Details." Used as such, you're more than often going to switch out pens to something wider for everything else but details. Thus, they should last a long while, with a good amount of use, if stored correctly. Wider versions would be used up more often; as such normally goes. Basing these on my other Sakura Pens with Mechanical Nibs, they last surprisingly long. Sakura makes good products. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Work on 140 lb watercolor paper? This is the light box of choice. This is a wonderful light box! I had ordered another light box, but returned it because it did not work for me. I am a watercolorist working mainly on 140 lb watercolor paper. I used to draw directly onto the watercolor paper, but decided I would try drawing on sketch paper and tracing my own drawing to the watercolor paper to keep the watercolor paper clean and free from erasures. The first light box I ordered was not bright enough to see the details in my drawings. This one works really well! It is so much quicker easier and cleaner to use a light box instead of using messy transfer paper or having to take the time to put a layer of (also messy) graphite on the back of your original drawing and trace over that. The highest praise that I can give this light box is that I would definitely buy it again and recommend it to friends. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Purchased the 60 Dual Tip Markers & the 96 Glitter Gel Pens. 60 Dual Tip Marker Review:
These came in a nice but unorganized box. The pens are not numbered so I lined them up and numbered them myself in order to create a color chart. Some of the fine tip markers seem a bit on the dry side but I have not tried to "wake them up" yet. Some of the pen lid colors are a bit misleading as the actual ink is a different. Overall good color. After creating my color chart I noticed there were a few lids that were not fully closed so be sure to give them a good once over before packing them up.
Review 96 Gel Glitter Markers:
Will update this portion when I've had a chance to dink around with them! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Reminds me of Steadtler triplus fineliners. Huge assortment of colors at a price point below the more famous name brands. These are *very* similar to Steadtler triplus fine liners. I don't intend to find out if they keep moist without the caps on for an extended period of time like the triplus. As others have mentioned, these pens don't have names or numbers, so you'll have to index them on your own. I like them and don't regret the purchase. I've been trying out other Arteza products and haven't been disappointed with any of them yet. It's great that there is an affordable brand that performs decently to allow more folks to feed their creativity. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Might be a good machine but without instructions that apply or a way to contact the manufacturer, it's pretty much useless. This might be a decent machine after I've had a chance to use it but so far it is nothing but annoying. The instructions seem well written - until you try to use the machine and you realize they don't apply. Here is my experience:
Plugged the machine in and turned it on, as instructed. The screen was supposed to "prompt me to enter my temperature and time", but I saw nothing that looked like a prompt. No cursors, no flashing displays, no indicators of any kind as to what I should do. The set temperate was on 392 and the set time was 30 seconds.
Next, I noticed the "actual temperature" display was increasing and the "actual time" was counting down. After the actual time reached 0, the machine started beeping non-stop and no amount of button pushing would stop it. There was no display to indicate why it was beeping and the instruction manual's only reference to the machine making noise is the beep it makes 3 seconds before the timer expires.
The temperature continued to increase over the next 10-15 minutes as it got hotter and hotter, and the beeping got annoying-er and annoying-er. It's a loud beeper. In the meantime I re-read the instructions and verified it gave absolutely no clue as to how to set the temperature and timer, what the beeping means, or how to stop it. The only troubleshooting provided is related to how well your transfers work and how to adjust the settings to fix transfer problems. NOTHING about the machine itself.
Eventually the temperature reached 392 and the beeping stopped. Wow. I started pushing buttons individually, pushing button combinations, holding buttons, etc, and eventually the screen changed and I was able to set my temperature (320). Now the beeping started again, but at a slower cadence. I guess fast-beeping means the temperature is too low and slow-beeping means the temperature is too high? So that means no matter what, the darned thing beeps non-stop because there is no way it's going to remain at exactly 320. For the entire time I've been writing this review it has not stopped beeping.
I would try to contact the manufacturer but they don't exist. The instruction book has a full page dedicated to telling me how great Gecko is and there's another full page for the warranty. But nowhere do they tell you how to contact them, no address, no web site, no phone number, NOTHING. An Internet search reveals only sites that are selling Gecko machines; no Gecko company. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Dylon fabric dye - Terracotta. I have not used this brand until now. My choices were limited in that Terracotta is not a common color. Other brands mix several different dye colors to get Terracotta, which means I would have to buy several packets of dye and waste most of it. I wanted simple and quick...Dylon was the perfect choice. I just purchased a new yoga mat with Terracotta accents. Nobody sells a Terracotta yoga strap, so I dyed my own! I added Epsom Salts and White distilled vinegar to the hot water mix, stirred the dye in, and let the White cotton yoga straps sit for several hours. I have to say I'm extremely happy with the outcome. The color is terrific. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Overall, of very limited use. great machine. GARBAGE proprietary software is ONLY option. "help" line not helpful. DIYers BEWARE:
If you plan to do anything more complex than basic shapes on thin paper, do not buy any cricut machine. I conducted extensive tests with the explore air 2 and the maker and neither can handle materials thicker than 1mm without ripping corners.
I found a workaround (creating svg files where every line is its own object, so that the machine cuts every line separately instead of attempting to turn the blade while cutting) but their proprietary software (which is the ONLY option -- even hardcore hackers won't mess with modern cricut machines due to intense restrictions) is such abysmal garbage I was unable import and cut any files with more than ~100 cut lines. Even breaking into smaller files was no use as the registration is pretty bad -- all designs seem to choose a random point within about 5mm of (0, 0) to begin cutting -- you can't align multiple designs.
Every time I tried the help-line it was a person whose grasp of english, and of the machines/software in question was very limited (no shame on them, but they were totally unable to assist).
I gave 2 stars because the machine itself is capable of a lot, but the software is so limiting it becomes useless outside of a minimal sandbox of scrapbooking purposes.
Returned both machines.
Done with cricut forever. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Smooth writing, permanent, fine line. I enjoy using PITT artist pens. They are convenient and reliable. This pen is an extra fine point, around 0.3 or 0.4mm.
I do a lot of small ink sketches that I like to color with watercolor. It's a challenge frequently to find a paper or sketchbook with paper that will take both ink and watercolor equally well. One I found and my favorite is Arches Text Wove (renamed a while back to Velin Arches), which is used also for text printing. This paper has a bit of tooth to it, which means that most fountain pens are tough going to draw and write with. Only a broad fountain pen tip doesn't drag noticeably. But for a small sketch a broad point produces an ink line that's too unattractively thick. However, this PITT pen works very well on this toothy paper, providing a smooth, free-flowing, reliable thin line. (It also works well on smoother paper too.) And I don't have to press down hard to get a line; a light tough does it. After a brief wait for it to dry, like a minute or less, I can float in the quite wet watercolors and the waterproof ink stays put, doesn't come up a bit.
I wouldn't particularly recommend it for a lot of handwriting (to me, too thin), although I do take notes with it next to my sketches, and it's fine for that. But for extensive handwriting, I think an F or M would be better.
But I highly recommend this pen to anyone who wants a thin, waterproof ink line in drawing, whether for artwork or even mechanical drawing. It's a joy to use. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love this product. I do a lot of jewelry work, also inexpensive faux glass pieces. This incredible wax does everything it promises. It adds a bit of color (more if you add more) and does buff to a beautiful shine. If you want more color it is better to use more coats than more product in one coat.
It is true a very little goes a long way, so it may seem expensive per tube but it lasts forever.
Another use is the current fad of 'steam punk' and if you're making jewelry, cards or turning toy guns into something that looks old-west and authentic Rub n Buff is a must-have.
My only complaint is that, to get other colors, you have to buy many other things (particularly if you are a 'prime' member). Otherwise they won't ship it, even with a shipping cost added on. In fact I don't like Amazon's "Add-on" program at all. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
These are very nice sketchbooks. The first thing I noticed is the . These are very nice sketchbooks. The first thing I noticed is the paper is kind of rough textured, which might not be a good thing for some artists but works perfectly for me. The paper is nice and thick, and it is perforated, which I thought was nice. I was worried at first that the paper might tear out of the sketchbook when I didn't want it to, but that turned out to be a non-issue. You have to deliberately tear it out even though it does have perforations. As a surprise bonus, there are 20 sheets of black paper in the back! I wasn't expecting that, and it's very nice to have. Gel pens look great on it, as well as metallic pencils. All in all, I'm very happy with this sketchbook and would purchase another in the future. (I received this in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A+ paper in a wire bound book, good for thinking art. this is about the top end you can get for a utility book.(I call it utility due to the binding only, not the paper qty) I tend to favor Bee Paper and Stillman & Birns as Top shelf drawing paper! As a note I find the paper formula in bee paper a little smudging for heavy pencil shaded drawings. Maybe it is how the wire bound holds the paper. As far as paper goes this can handle pen and ink,pencil and watercolor with ease. I like the landscape format as much as this size. For the holidays last year I got my niece the larger size of bee paper. The thickness of the page can take a creative beating.
I do wish a nicer paper company like bee paper..would do a limited Moleskine set..I like the 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 book,great cover and binding..but I don't like moleskine paper, It would be nice..to have some sort of real artist version..Bee Paper would be choose.
My review is 5 stars on the paper..but the wire bind is a limited choose..good for drawing on the fly..but I don't know about you..if I do good art..I hate to tear it out..a wire bound page..and to show off art is nicer in a perfect bound book compared to a wired book. I don't tend to like the gummy bound books.make something perfect bound worthy of the paper! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
4 Round Quill. I love this brush, unlike the Neptune, this brush handle has weight to it that feels better and comes across as higher quality when held in the hand. The brush head is dense and full and really behaves much like my DaVinci Blue Squirrel French Quill mop brushes that I love and depend on, but I am looking to use/purchase fewer animal products and this brush allows for that without sacrificing performance. It holds a lot of water and pigment and really works just like a mop brush should. The fibers are spliced at the tip to create a soft porous-like surface that natural porous hairs have, allowing for more water and pigment retention. Its definitely worth a try, I think people will be very pleased with the feel and performance of this Quill Mop brush. I find having a small size in this mop (1/0 or 2/0) brush that is equivalent to a size 7 round brush and a size 4 or 6 in the Quill mop allows me to get a wide range of uses out of them. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fantastic TOP QUALITY product. I bought a set of 36 colors before my son was born in 1982. I did do some work back then with them. I was a little surprised 13 years ago to find out they still worked. After a small project back then I tucked them away. A current project inspired me to dig them out of storage. All but four of the thirty-six still work fine. I believe the four that don't work maybe the ones that the kids got a hold of and left the caps off before I tucked them away.
I still have the work that I did in 1982. It was placed in a scrapbook that I still have. While the cover of the scrapbook shows the ware of the years the colors in the drawing are as vibrant as if I drew the picture yesterday.
So I guess I hold the record (26 years). | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Don't waste your time or money. I bought this etching medium to use on glasses for my wedding. I have used a similar product before in a class and thought I would try this brand because it was cheaper and easier to find. The bottle has little to no instructions - just "Shake well. Stencil, brush, sponge, or stipple." There were no directions on how long to leave on the stencil, the medium, whether or not the final product could be washed, how to care for it...the list goes on and on. When I logged on to the company website, there was not much more in the way of instruction. I ended up scrapping the project because I didn't have enough time before the big event to buy something else to try. Very disappointing! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
LOVE IT. I started a custom t shirt business from my home, more like a hobby for me because i have twin babies, a 4 year old, a husband who works full time for National Guard, and i go to college full time. I used to work in a local sign shop/ embroidery/ heat press and screen printing shop. I was in the heat press department and we had these presses (older models same brand) So i did not want to use a cheap 300.00 press that might break on me or heating element go out. THis is supposed to have life time warranty on heating element so i forked out the extra money and you get what you pay for! No problems so far and I have had it about 9 months now! I use mostly material from stahls because i am familiar with it also and they are the best quality i have found so far. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
You CAN assemble this great easel without going nuts. Amazon got this to me 2 days ahead of schedule. It was well packed and all pieces were in good condition. Every item was labeled and packaged in envelopes of one kind or another. There was a two page printed instruction diagram with labels for each envelope and piece of wood. The wood pieces had number stickers on them.
If you keep the parts in their envelopes and study the diagram and the labels, assembling this easel is quite easy. We had no trouble. They even included two screwdrivers and a hex wrench.
If you pour everything out and mix it all up, good luck getting it all together. Take your time, study the diagram and go one envelope at a time. It will come together perfectly. The drilled holes are precise and everything fit. The only problem I had was a barrel bolt connector which somehow got a drop of solder in the screw head. I took a Dremel cut off wheel and cut the solder out so the screwdriver blade could turn the bolt into the barrel connector and it worked fine. Assembly is not rocket science if you follow the diagrams carefully.
The assembled easel is a steal for $190 delivered. Heck Jerry's had an almost identical easel on sale for a similar price but it cost $175 to ship it! Amazon Prime shipped FREE. Best deal in town. And the horizontal feature is great. Very stable and sturdy with the "table" on 4 points instead of the much more unstable Lobo easels with horizontal tables. Good wood, good hardware and great design. Instructions could be improved but they are adequate to the job so long as you use some common sense. Two girls did it in a couple of hours.
Update 6/16/2018 - After painting some oil paintings in vertical mode and some acrylic and tempera paintings in horizontal mode, I can say that I would buy this again without reservation. It is sturdy and versatile. I might have done the clamping system a little differently if I were designing this but there is nothing wrong with the standard design. i just did some tweaking in the woodworking shop in the basement to get it exactly how I want it. Anyone can do the tweaks. So go ahead and buy this without fear. It is a great product and a terrific value at the price. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
BUYER BEWARE! MADE IN CHINA. My friend bought this and asked me to help when the regulator would not screw on into the correct position. The fittings going into the head are screwed in before the paint is fully dry (they also allowed paint to get into the threads where the fitting screws into) without Teflon tape. The fitting snapped while trying to remove it for the application of Teflon tape and thus began my nightmare. The dried paint its now acting as an adhesive and the rest of the fitting is unwilling to come out. I've tried easy outs and tapping on it to get it free. I partially removed the head to get a better grip on the easy out and this resulted in a crack in the head just to the right of where the fitting should be. Time for epoxy/metal repair. $145+ garbage. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great, Matte, Acrylic Paint. Love, love, love, love, love. I've tried SO MANY brands of acrylic paint and this is honestly my favorite for a few reasons.
1: IT DRIES MATTE! That's so hard for me to find, for whatever reason. All the paints I've found don't dry matte and I hate it. I like all my stuff to be matte, not shiny.
2: I can dry it with my heat gun. Yes, that's right, you heard correctly. You can set this paint in literal seconds with a heat gun, and it doesn't give off a harsh smell, it doesn't peel, it doesn't bubble (unless you're careless and overheat it but a quick pass and you're good). You can tell when it goes from wet to dry because, oh hey, it turns matte!!!
3: The color is very true to what is on the label, and I personally love it. It's a very thick paint, and I don't find that I often need two coats for coverage. I don't think I could be any happier with the color, honestly. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
New life to my old chair. I purchased 6 cans of the burnt orange to cover a Queen Ann chair that was formerly a pale pink. The fabric was in good shape, but the color was faded and dated. The chair came out great! Everyone that sees it is so impressed. I did use 5 cans to cover the chair and both sides of the seat cushion. I sprayed the back of the chair, as well. I did several light coats of paint and waited about 30 minutes between coats (it was a humid day). The chair has wooden legs that I covered with Glad Press 'n Seal and that worked well to keep the paint out. The color came out very even. The burnt orange is a very rich looking color. I am very pleased. I do not see a place to insert photos or I would show a before and after. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Decent quality and the other sizes work well. These are just fine. I bought two but actually didn't end up using them because I apparently don't know how to measure and these ended up being 4 inches too short. Totally my fault though and not the products at all. I ended up buying the same brand but in 29 inch length for my canvas. They were the same quality just a little longer. They worked out great as I am sure this size would have also and for the price I wasn't too upset with myself for not knowing how to use a tape measurer.
You can read my review for the other 29 inch bars on that products page here: <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Lightweight-Stretcher-Bar-29-inch-length-single-strip/dp/B007ESGWKS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Lightweight Stretcher Bar 29 inch length - single strip</a> Not a whole lot to say but it's the same company so maybe it will help you out if you're looking to stretch your own canvas. The price was right and I would happily purchase these again (only I would first double and triple check my measurements). | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A fantastic way to get into Craft Painting on clothing. This is a great product at a fantastic price, and I bought the extra tips as well, so why 4 stars instead of 5? Because for 30 plus years I have been, (and always will use), Tri-Chem paints first and foremost... but the cost is 4 or even 5 times higher... so when someone that I know wants to "try" my paints to make a custom t-shirt, or quilt panel, etc, I buy them a set of Aunt Martha's. They are a fantastic substitute, a good starter set, and they fade only a little faster than the Tri-Chems over the years... but for the money, or if you are just going to dabble with a couple of shirts, this is the way to go. I am not knocking this product in any way shape or form, I just prefer the others for my own work, but I have bought several of the Aunt Martha's sets this year alone. Seriously though, buy at least two sets of the extra tips, as if you get hooked on this, you will need them. Painting on fabric is like drawing on fine sandpaper with a ball point pen, the heat and the friction wears out the tips long before the tube is empty, its the same with all paint tubes like these, so stock up! You will be happier if you have the new tips at hand instead of having to order them after the fact. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not compatible with my iPhone4. Could not pair with my iPhone. Then I read the fine print: it requires iPhone 4S or newer so it will not work with my iPhone 4. As I study the product information on Amazon, I see it says iPhone 4S or 5. I guess I should have noticed that before. I thought I had studied all of the important information at www.sticknfind.com and I seldom (almost never) encounter compatibility issues with my iPhone so I paid insufficient attention. So check your iPhone version before you order. I will return these. When the new iPhone comes out, I will order again. I love the concept. If it works, I'll buy a bunch of them. (Sorry about the two star rating. I could not submit this information unless I put in some rating. ) | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love these. Absolutely love these markers. Only negative I have is I wish there were more colors offered in this style from this company. There are multiple greens and only 1 red and yellow could change that up a bit. Other than that though I love the way these work with multuple different papers and have used them for several different projects. I will be buying these again when they need to be replaced. Having the fine tip end and the broad paint brush type end works for so much more than I had even planned on when I first purchased them. Very bright and vibrant colors not muted at all. Have been using them for a couple of months now and they have not dried out at all and are still as bright and fresh as the day I boight them. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
12 Brush Set For On The Go Artists. This 12 piece paint brush set from US Art Supply is awesome. These are some long handles and they come in a really nice carrying case with a carry strap.
Unless you are an artist the numbers will mean nothing to you but each brush has a number on it to represent. They basically mean the size of the brush in length or width. I am not an artist I just know what I like. My favorite brushes are the angle brush, round brush, fan brush and really thin ones.
The brushes fit neatly in their own spot in the brush holder. This is perfect for those on the go. I love going to Wine and Paint classes and never like the brushes they have. I will from now on be bringing my own. This is perfect for this class.
Each brush is hard when you first open the case. I soaked each in water and dried them out. All bristles seem to be intact and secure for now. I will know more as I use them more. Will update as I go.
I think this a great price for this set.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. My reviews are 100% honest and true based on my personal opinion not on a companys description or request. No monetary compensation was offered or received. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Got it to replace my Cricut, so happy I did. Had a Cricut Expression 2 for 4 months, and could never get it working out of the box. It was replaced twice and still never worked. Then there was the hit and miss Craft Room software and expensive cartridges. The Silhouette comes with design software that is limitless. Unlike the Cricut, which software seems limited to resizing, Silhouette allows you to create your own designs and manipulate them however you'd like. it can cut pieces of vinyl up to 10ft long (I believe, I've never needed to cut any that long), and it cuts without a cutting mat for items that have backing.
My favorite feature is the print and cut feature. I can create a design using the included software, send it to my printer, print it out, put it in my machine and the machine will cut around the design. It's great for making business cards, gift tags, etc.
Occasionally, the machine seems to be thrown out of alignment and will miscut the designs, but this is quickly corrected by a) adjusting the settings, or b) restarting the machine.
I think it's a much more versatile, grown-up, designer-friendly, professional machine. I love it! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good but flimsy. When I bought this chipboard, I was currently an art student in college.
I had been taking a book making class and we used chipboard for the covers and backs to the books we were making.
At first I had jumped at the price because chipboard even through my school was quite expensive. And since it was medium weight I figured if necessary, I could just glue two pieces together and have a real sturdy piece like the 1/4" thick ones we had used.
Best part about it was certainly the price and it arrived in a timely fashion. However, upon inspection of the boards I was a little let down. Medium doesn't quite describe it. They are thin, extremely bendable and as such I had to use multiple pieces to form one good solid cover and back. I went through the entire stack much faster than I had expected because of this. If you aren't swayed by it being a bit on the flimsy side then I would still end up recommending this product it. It certainly does get the job done for what I was using it for. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Very pigmented, great variety of colors. These watercolors are great! At first this palette didn't seem like it would have a good range of colors, but after doing a color chart of the twelve colors I found that they make a great variety of colors. They are also very pigmented, which is another thing I love about these paints!
Although they are marketed as artist grade, they aren't. But they are closer to artist grade than most student grade paints. They also sell individual refill pans in case you do run out.
One thing to note is that these paints are "re-wettable" so if you've already painted something that's completely dried, going over a painted area with a wet brush re-activates the paint. This could be useful for redoing mistakes, but you should also be wary of accidentally removing a layer of paint or smearing the paints when they are made wet again.
Overall, this palette is really great and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for higher quality, artist grade-like paints without the artist grade price! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good design, Okay Quality. The Craftmaster Table proved to be a fairly good design table provided it stays in its level position. The materials it is constructed from are of fair quality but should hold up well to normal wear and tear. However, the drawbacks are instructions that are somewhat difficult to read with graphics that could stand improvement. The instructions also reference part numbers that are only on half of the parts. The other half had stickers that seem to reference some other part identification system. Luckily, most of the major parts were identified correctly. Another issue was that there are no spare parts included, especially nuts and bolts. Thus when one of the nuts, a self-locking nut critical to locking the hinge bolts in place was overly painted to the point where it could no longer be threaded onto the bolt without stripping it, a substitute nut and bolt had to be used. The tabletop could not be inclined until the replacement was found. I know that the table is offered at a good price but just a little more effort with packaging, instructions written by an English speaking non-engineer and a few spare parts, especially unique ones like self locking nuts and extra wood screws could earn it an extra star. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
These pencils were okay. I did not buy these off amazon, howeve,r I bought these off ebay for half the price. The package I got said it writes up to 6 times longer. They are strong pencils. The entire pencil is made of graphite with a coat of paint. They do write nice, I gave it 4 stars because I am not accustomed to these type of pencils and I am not sure how well they do in everyday writing. When I use a pencil I let the lead get down to the wooden nub, then I know it is time to sharpen. But with these pencils there is no wood at all or material simulating wood. So, I believe that the pencil will eventually become blunt like a crayon. I don't know what else to say about this product other than it was good but these pencils are not my cup of tea. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Yellow desk of beauty. This desk is very nicely made and a fantastic price. The only reason I gave 4 stars is it arrived with a slight dent in each side, purely cosmetic, and didn't make it's paint chip, (I got yellow!) but still dents. Wasn't enough for us to package it back up and return, because that's a pain and added time. I work as an illustrator for my job and needed it right away. When anyone walks into my studio it's one of the first things they comment on, really good looking and nicer design than the other ones out there I sifted through. Plus the yellow body with black glass top really looks modern and adds a nice punch of color. BONUS! I work a lot from reference photos and was wondering where I would place my laptop to look at when I'm drawing, but I found if you get a rubber case for your computer like i did (kuzy brand) it sticks SOLID onto this glass top desk and does not slip. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I loooooove them. If you've been looking for markers to use with adult colour books that won't bleed through on dual sided, decent quality paper, these are the ones to get. I am thrilled with these! There is a wonderful array of colours (including greens and browns) and a fatter tip as well as a very sturdily constructed fine tip. These markers feel good in your hand. They are heavy and cleanly manufactured. The caps close tightly but are not difficult to remove and replace. They hold a lot of ink and each tip is the same, there are not some that pool and some that seem dry.
Even the darker colours do not bleed through on heavier paper and I am so excited that these can be used on dual sided pages without destroying the other side of the page. With sixty colours to choose from with no repeat colours, this should be just the thing for those who want to colour. The thin side also works very well to draw hair, feathers and other things that require fine lines. The colours blend beautifully together. I have zero complaints about these and will most definitely reorder them when these start to run out. Excellent!!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Not the white one as pictured, you'll receive the black one. Terrible brush. I purchased this brush to replace a white bristle mop which I lost. I'm a professional full time water colorist. I need things that work. The brush pictured in the sale is white bristled. I, like other buyers, recieved the black mop. I'm not sure the difference. I recently got a commission to paint some fishing boats with stormy skies and rough seas, for a couple cast members of a popular tv show. I needed a new mop for the skies. I orders this brush. Before taking to the actual painting which I spent a week drawing, I did a test on another piece of scrap. The bristles splayed out and made a huge mess of things. You can't get a good clean mop effect. The bristles don't hold together, big clumps of them sticking out in every direction. They make big lines and scrapes where you don't want it. For $7 you get what you pay for. Straight into the garbage.....I'll use something else. Don't buy this brush! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I purchased this set of Caran D'ache Pablo colored pencils . I purchased this set of Caran D'ache Pablo colored pencils, hoping that other reviewers were correct in saying that they sharpen exceptionally well and keep a sharp point and this was the case! I also discovered that this pencil can be used as a first layer to more completely fill in the tooth of the paper with light to medium pressure if you prefer not to see as much of the white from a paper with more tooth and do not want to use solvents. I am using these pencils with the Caran D'ache Luminence colored pencils and they work exceptionally well with them. The overall diameter of the Pablo pencils is smaller. Due to hand problems I am experimenting with different pencil grips or wrapping pencils (using blue painter's tape) to increase the diameter for comfort. The Pablo pencils are worth this extra effort. Now I want the entire set! For your reference, I am just a beginner using colored pencils. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Nice range of colors for someone starting out. Ive become addicted to watercolor pencils, and now prefer them over regular watercolors. I occasionally like to add gel pains for even more fun effects. This is a nice set. It includes 72 pre-sharpened watercolor pencils in a roll-up canvas case. Also included is a small pencil sharpener, eraser, 2 paint brushes, and a pencil holder. Theres a good range of colors that covers anything that Id need. Ive used these pencils pretty extensively and haven't had any problems with them so far. I use dry pencils for a more muted effect, and the watercolors when I want them to pop. For watercolors I put a wet paper towel in a small dish and just dab the pencil on it to slightly moisten. The brightness difference between dry and wet is like night and day. Sometimes I go back over the dry pencil with a wet brush to really give it a painted look.
The pencil sharpener thats included works fine nothing special. Of the two brushes that were included, one works great and has a fine tip, the other has bristles that stick out so it can only be used in large areas. The canvas case is nice for taking pencils on the go, but at home I sort my pencils by color and put them in some old tin cans. It just makes them easier for me to grab what I need.
This is a decent set that would make for a fun gift for yourself or someone else, and I wouldnt hesitate to recommend them to my friends.
This watercolor pencil set was provided to me at a promotional price for evaluation purposes, but I was under no obligation to give a favorable review | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Okay for the price, but there are better options. For a while I've been using palette paper, and finally decided to get a reusable palette. Great for the price, but could be better. I don't find it as non-stick as I was hoping: The paint has to be a thick layer for it to peel off, and even then it can be finicky and leave pieces behind. I don't waste paint, so I find that it's a real pain to clean, and end up just layering paint on top of paint for days until I can peel it off. I'd wash it, but if it doesn't peel off it needs to be scraped off. I've scratched the surface with just my finger nails trying to scrape it off, and it leaves scratches in the palette and I worry too many scratches and the paint will be even harder to get off. I do like the white and the round edges, though. It's small enough I can fit in my backpack no problem. It's sturdy but thin enough to not make a difference with all my school books. Next time, though, I will pay more for a nicer one, probably glass. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
nice. these are nice, i bought them for traveling but i now use them all the time. the set has no black which is annoying. the smell is different than regular oils, not as pleasant, and the texture can get gloppy. i looked these up on the internet; they are made by adding detergent. i think you probably save money over regular oils by a lot because of how much easier the cleanup is. and if you dilute them with water they make a kind of gouachy texture. i like these paints because i can make a thin overcoat using mostly water to alter the shade, and these do dry a little quicker too. your brushes will thank you if you buy this paint. i don't know how my paintings will hold up over time with this paint, but let's face it that will probably be moot. i wonder if you can make your own water-mixable oils by adding detergent to oil paints? | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love love love. I love my markers so much. I use them so often and am willing to admit that I now have a Copic addiction. They work so smoothly and blend super well. I'm super glad that I got this pack to start my collection. Now I have about 80-90 markers and really need to stop buying them. It's hard when they work so well. The photo I posted is a drawing I did with copics- the colors in the drawing probably aren't all in the pack but I wanted to show the quality of the markers. If you're on the fence about it just know it is an investment and totally worth it if you use them often. I also love that they are refillable and you can replace the nibs and all that. Super useful and fun to use! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Excellent product. I don't know what all the whining is about. To me, the product is exactly as described. Thick 60 lb artist paper with perforated 6" square tiles and moderately aggressive surface keeps all types of writing tools flowing (hard and soft core pencil, ink marker, gel, ball, etc.) perfect for sketching or Zentangles. The only thing that I have not personally tried on it yet are watercolors. But everything else so far does well - very little bleeding either sideways or through the paper (I've used both good quality Sakura and cheaper quality markers/pens.)
Over all an excellent product - I have already purchased 2 with no quality issues and I plan to continue to in the future! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Too watery and does not come off from clothes. So this is the second brand that I tried. I previously purchased this
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/CHALK-MARKERS-Best-8-Pack-Set-of-Bold-Vibrant-Colors-by-SillySticks-Erasable-from-Glass-Plastic-Mirrors-Metal-Whiteboards-Chalkboards-Perfect-for-Teachers-Kids-and-Moms-Nontoxic-and-Odorless-Enhance-Your-Arts-and-Crafts-Projects-Now/dp/B00P4CM50C/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">CHALK MARKERS, Best 8 Pack Set of Bold Vibrant Colors by SillySticks, Erasable from Glass, Plastic, Mirrors, Metal, Whiteboards, Chalkboards, Perfect for Teachers, Kids and Moms, Nontoxic and Odorless, Enhance Your Arts and Crafts Projects Now!</a> and I much prefer this by Sillysticks.
The Chalkmaster one has 10 colors which is nice but Sillysticks is much more vibrant and thick in color. Chalkmaster is too watery compared to Sillysticks. I tried on glass, blackboard and whiteboard and the result was obvious on every single one.
Also, the Chalkmater does not come off from clothes, even after stain remover and scrubbing. In contrast, Sillysticks does not require anything to remove the stain off from clothes, just dump in the washer. So if you have small child(ren), I recommend Sillysticks! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
A pretty and flexible complement to any scrapbooking style. As a long-time scrapbooker and editor of <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Things-We-Do-Scrapbook-Titles/dp/B008GOTZNK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Things We Do: Scrapbook Titles</a>, I thought I had my scrapbooking style all set in stone. Along comes K&Company with their pretty packages of awesome called Smash Folios, and I couldn't resist! I've always loved pretty notebooks, and this is it!
Even though I enjoy scrapbooking, there are lots of little things and events that just don't make it into albums. But I still want to record and preserve these memories. The Smash Folios are perfect for them. Because they're already beautifully designed, I have the flexibility to keep the pages simple or add whatever I want.
I also love the glue-and-pen-in-one, and the size of the notebook is just right for toting or keeping on my desk. It's the perfect complement to any scrapbook (or even if you don't scrapbook, they're still great for recording memories!). | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Functionality, but. I teach classes and LOVE this style easel. The "lyre" function allows me to tilt it forward to cut glare, and the tripod footprint and reasonably light weight is great for smaller spaces and moving things around. It is also very sturdy for what I need. It will easily accommodate a 36x48 painting!
The only problem I have is that the bolts (hand screws) will strip out, and they are not easily repaired or replaceable. In fact I can find NO replacement parts for them! My husband is handy, and has a woodworking and metal workshop, so was able to fashion a "fix" but it was a lot of work! I couldn't do it myself. I keep about ten of these in the studio, and it is a constant problem. Providing replacement parts would be a huge help! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Perhaps the Best Easel I've Owned. I was pleased that this easel arrived very quickly. I had it within a week of ordering online. I was rather eager to put it together and to use, so was very amazed to see that only the bottom canvas rest/tray and the top canvas holder needed to be assembled to the main body. I remembered, having read other reviews, that it came unassembled and was difficult to put together without directions, so I was happily surprised at the ease of assembly. I, too, did not have directions, but only having two parts to attach was a breeze. It probably took a total of 20 minutes from opening the box to having it all put together.
This is a very sturdy, rather pretty and functional easel. I have not placed large canvases on it yet (to see how it handles), but it looks as though it can easily accommodate and steadily hold them. I am incredibly excited to start a grander piece.
I gave it four stars because the box arrived with a gaping hole in the front and there were small pieces (bolts, washers and knobs) that were shaking around loose in the box. Other than that, I adore this thing! I can't wait to further wear it in with lots of artistry, love and those ever-errant drips of paint! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Excellend Sharpener. It's a pencil sharpener - who cares? Right??
Well, this pencil sharpener surprised me. I don't know if the blades are sharper - or if I've simply bought and used junk in the past. This sharpener takes only minimal effort to sharpen my new Prismacolor pencils. The 2 sharpening options really are functional - offering a sharp point for fine work and a wide point for easier shading. It seems like a silly point (no pun intended) but the flip-up lid is great as well as it prevents the spilling of pencil shavings in my pack. I almost didn't buy this item - thought I'd save a buck by going to the local dollar store - but I'm glad I purchased it: it works really well and has earned its keep! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
but this one has been great for me. I have not had a light table before, but this one has been great for me. As a life-long artist, I started taking a colored pencil class at college. It is a great challenge and having a light table has been so helpful. I read all the reviews and chose this one for the size: best size for the price. There was some comments about the light switch, but I have had NO problem what so ever. In fact I don't know how you could manage to accidentally turn it off. (The complaint). It has multiple settings for the light. Once you turn it on, you touch the on/off circle and hold until it dims or brightens to your liking.
It was the first of several products that I ordered to arrive. I am enjoying it and even recommended it to my professor. She is thinking of getting one for travel.
I would recommend it and think it is a great buy! thanks. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Sometimes old school is best. The VJR is not a new brush but it is still one of my favorites. It uses a floating nozzle a la the Paasche VL which more and more manufacturers including Paasche seem to be abandoning. I prefer the floating nozzle as it's easier to clean. This is not a brush that you hear much about, however some of the best airbrushers in the world still use it. The .254 mm nozzle can produce fine lines that rival its much more expensive Japanese and German made brethren. I have expensive brushes like the Micron but I find myself going back to the VJR. It's not as refined or sophisticated as the expensive airbrushes, but nor is a 65 Mustang compared to a 2015 BMW but I love them both. The Paasche Talon series is the spiritual replacement for the VJR and I thought that the latter would be heading the way of the DoDo. However it still here alive and kicking. Try one out. At $60 you have nothing to lose......My 2 Cents | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
After a little time to adjust. I'm an animation major, so I definitely needed a light table. I was getting tired of checking out one from the school's limited supply of tables. So, my friends and I started to look around. And we found this one. I was hesitant to buy it, but after my friends got her's - I realized how happy she was with it and needed one too. So, I bought it. I attached a peg bar close to the bottom and was ready to go. I was a little intimidated with the size, but after using it for a bit - it seemed perfect. The light inside is super bright. I mean, super bright. I've had about 7 or 8 pages laying on the table at once and I can still see through them. That is crazy! This was a great investment.
I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in animation, or illustration, or anything dealing with transforming roughs to finalized images. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love love love. Great for Inktober. These are amazing for the artist on the go. I carry them around in my bag all the time in every color I can get my greedy little mitts on. I love the way they get color on the page and have a paintbrush tip. So far, I've never had any problems with one leaking (and I'm not all that nice to them in the first place), though I did manage to squeeze one so hard that it blotched onto the page... but that was on me, I'm just letting you know it's possible (I was squeezing the very life out of it to see if it would drip). Being from 'across the pond' they unscrew in the opposite way that you would expect, and even though they're technically not refillable, I have managed to refill my black ones a few times. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Deal for a mantel, but its unfinished, not white like in their photo. Well worth the Money compared to other mantles of the same quality. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it comes completely unfinished: we're talking bare wood. I'm aware it says "unfinished product" in the description, but after viewing the photo I assumed maybe it came with a white primer or something. Installation is easy enough. You just need to purchase some wood screws, liquid nail, & brad (finishing) nails. It comes with the rectangular block you need to mount to the wall first (using wood screws & liquid nail), then you attach the mantel cap/shelf to the block using liquid nail & the finishing nails. Its recommended you pre drill some holes in the top of the shelf to put your brad nails through to attach it to the rectangular block. That way you don't risk splitting the wood. Last 2 steps are to use a "nail set" or a punch to gently tap the brad nails below flush of the top of the shelf, and then just paint it. The instructions are included & explain everything pretty clearly. It definitely needs to be painted with a color so you can't see the wood type/wood grain. I believe the top piece is MDF (fiberboard) & the rest of the shelf is a different type of wood. It looks very nice though. Smooth, nicely sanded, sturdy, etc. Delivery was incredibly quick: Ordered on a Sunday & it was delivered by Tuesday, even using the standard shipping. I uploaded some pics before I painted it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great for aspiring watercolorists. (with a mini art lesson. These are a great choice for serious amateurs.
They are vibrant and wonderfully opaque (if that's what you want).
The best lesson I learned in art school:
I was appalled when my freshman-year watercolor teacher told us to throw away our first 100 paintings. (As a child, everything I did was a masterpiece!)
But, now that I've done hundreds, I know he was right.
Watercolor is not oil painting -- don't spend weeks on that one great masterpiece. It's more like snapshot photography. Do lots of them and you'll get lucky with a few frameable (or sellable) ones. The more you do, the better your luck.
So, before you launch your career as a professional watorcolorist, you'll want quality-but-afffordable paints and paper so that you can tear them up and still afford food. (Good brushes are worth going hungry for. Those last.)
These paints hit the sweet-spot for cheap-but-good. Use them to have fun. Experiment. Fail like you don't give a damn. And to get lucky.
PS: I do a lot of visual journaling on found paper and these colors work well, since they are unusually opaque. But, unlike acrylic, they still absorb into the paper. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Use your thumb; wear gloves. I've read the previous reviews, so I will keep this brief. First, in terms of your result -- it will be 'charcoal, not black. It looks pretty good, despite the erratic nature of spray painting... this is a fabric stain so it absorbs into the fabric and spreads itself and evens out ... drops and hotspots do blend as they dry.
Anyway, I primarily wanted to address one consistent complaint - that these cans don't have much paint and fizzle out. I found a solution. These cans DO fizzle after a few minutes and your 'first' finger will get sore. Instead of holding them like a gun-trigger, use your thumb, which is much stronger and allows you to grip the can. I found that with a 'gorilla grip,' using my thumb, the cans were reborn and I was able to empty them. In short, the trigger takes a ton of pressure to work.
Another suggestion would be to wear latex gloves. Your hands will end up covered in stain. It is washable with soap and water and scrubbing, but gloves saved a lot of hassle when I put them on. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
well. A good set for the over 14 group who are starting to express them selves through art and the like. Younger kids might not understand the differnces between pencil types , eraser types and such so a more basic set might be right for them. This one however is not too bad and reasonable enough if the Da vinci phase is short lived and if it does last is a good starter kit. I only wish that companies that make sets like this in boxes would use less glue on the label and smooth out the wood better as kids will tend to use the box as a makeshift easel and your artist will be etching glue residue and wood grain while they dream of being the next David Mann. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I think it was good. I got pretty high quality latex paint (YOLO brand) and mixed according to directions. I got several bottles, as I was worried I would get the bottles another reviewer described as "watery" and such. All the bottles were exactly the same consistency- they were "watery". But it's hard to make comparisons when I have none to make as I've never dealt with this chemical before.
I mixed it with the paint, and I painted my couch. The idea came from Fabric bliss- rather than reupholster, paint! The paint on the couch does not appear to be flaking in anyway. It's not a soft couch any longer, however- stiff. A perk is that it now seems to be moderately waterproof. At least, with pets, I consider that a perk! In the long run, I will probably add some cloth cushion slips to the cushions to soften it back up again.
I have no previous experience to say whether this product did as it was supposed to do. But I now have non flaking latex paint on my couch. Goal accomplished. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Cups. I searched online for a while for the perfect cups and these are it, for me. I wanted one for each color that could be mixed rather than just 4 basics, but I didn't want to pay a lot because how often will they really be used? I am really pleased with the sturdiness of these and the no-spill feature on the lids work perfectly. They tip over constantly and nothing comes out!! They were a bit tricky to get the lids on to fit so I had to help my 6 year old do it, but I would help her either way so it wasn't a big deal to me. I bought the Crayola 10 color set of paints and watered them down so they mostly filled each one of these cups. Super fun!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Cheap Products. Not Worth the Money. Many of the items that come with this art set are quite cheap, specifically the crayons and markers. Once I received the set in the mail and looked at the picture on the cover I realized that I had made a mistake.
The paints that come with this set do not seem much different than the paints we buy for my daughter at the dollar store. The colored pencils are small and nothing special.
Be aware that the eraser, paper clip (seriously? a plastic paper clip!), & pencil sharpener count towards the 120 pieces.
I have not yet tried the oil crayons, but it certainly wasn't worth the price just to play with some oil crayons.
I am sad that I wasted money on this set. Buying art items a la carte from a crafts store would result in much higher quality products. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great set. These brushes represent a great choice for a wide range of painting tasks and styles. The soft bristles seem to hold their shapes well, and come in a very useful assortment of sizes and shapes. The zippered case helps protect them from damage and environmental crud, and opens out into a stand that makes every brush visible and easy to grab. These brushes don't go down to the smallest sizes, so I need others for some of my more delicate work. Also, I found the largest somewhat oddly shaped - the bristles form almost a U shape, longer at the sides than in the middle. An ordinary straight or angled shape would have worked better for me.
One thing to keep in mind is the size of this set - about 1.25x5.5x15" (for brushes 11.25" to 13.5"). Although the case works well to protect the brushes, it's big. My studio space meets a lot of different needs, shelf space is at a premium. And, if you're planning to travel with your brushes, this won't be the set to pack up smallest.
I can't comment on these brushes' longevity, but so far so good. And, it's hardly "the last set I'll ever buy," despite the ad copy. I often want brushes that are larger, smaller, stiffer (these are quite soft), or just different, to match habits I've built up with other tools, and I sometimes have more than one brush of a size going with different colors. But, for the range they cover, these seem like great tools.
-- wiredweird | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great. I use this as on office pencil sharpener. It works very well and gets a sharp tip in a couple of seconds. Much better than cheap sharpeners from Walmart. This product might be flimsy for travel, but it's fine just sitting at my desk, and I really like the lid that caps it off and keeps the shavings inside. I've had it for a week, and so far the blade hasn't dulled yet.
Edit: Blades are still sharp. Just tried this with Prismacolors. The first couple of times the tips broke. It wasn't the pencil's fault. I was actually applying too much pressure. After sharpening the pencil slowly at a good angle, the prismacolors don't break at all. Still, sharpening pencils really slowly so the tips don't break is what I used to do with #2 pencils and Walmart sharpeners. Works, but not ideal. I don't use Prismacolors too often, so taking some time to sharpen doesn't bother me, but I'd have to experiment with other methods if I did. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Pleased About Delivery, and more. While my order was at the Post Office yesterday, that doesn't mean that it didn't come the day before, or even two days earlier since sometimes I forget to check and see if I've got mail!! Call it a Senior Moment or Brain Fart or Brain Cramp, et al, but I am so tickled that it came and so quick! Now for the drawing pad that I ordered.
I have another 'similar' drawing board in storage, but at this time am a bit weak from my Cancer Chemotherapy treatments so had to order another one to use in the mean time. I used a similar Art Board in college, while there was a variety of clips to choose from. When you're in a class though with so many other students, one not always has a choice!!
Again though, I am quite impressed at how quick it came and do recommend them for your future orders. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Cute lettering. I purchased this stencil so I would be able to write the names of my deceased animals on their "headstones". I've never stenciled before so I can't comment on the thickness of this stencil, though the plastic is pretty thin. It took some practice but I was able to do what I wanted to do with it. I don't see this template holding up over the years but I don't see myself needing it too often, hopefully my last two cats will live long lives, lol. My suggestion would be to tape the stencil down onto whatever you want stenciled...the whimsical parts of the lettering easily pop up unless you're careful. I had more paint on my hands than I did on the headstones!! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Some are smooth some are scratchy so sadly enough the pencils are not consistent and the pigment is worse then then Crayolas and. Just a notch above my Sargent pencils. Some are smooth some are scratchy so sadly enough the pencils are not consistent and the pigment is worse then then Crayolas and Faber Castell Triangular Ecopencils! Maybe I got a bad batch because other people are saying they are good. I gave it a 3 because of the amount and variety in color that you get. I created a chart and did not get duplicates. The colors are different and for the money for the amount that you get is quite good but again the 2 brands I mentioned before seem to have better pigment. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Brightest glow pigments/powders on the planet. I've been using Glow Inc's glow in the dark(GITD)powders for many, many years. I manufacture glow in the dark key fobs and other items, and my business has been quite successful. Without trying to sound too vain, I know GITD powders, what works and what doesn't, their quality, longevity, and brightness. I have to know this as I want to produce the best quality product that I can!!! The Ultra Green v10 powder that Glow Inc. markets is by far a step above anything else in the industry. It's the brightest and longest glowing powder (highest quality) that I've been able to find! With my business, I've been contacted by various manufacturers of GITD powders from around the world, trying to get me to use their own version(s). Those vendors have sent me free samples to entice me to buy from them. I've also purchased small samples from other vendors. Those other vendor's products just don't measure up! With all that said, for my products, where I want the brightest, longest lasting glow, with no deterioration of product over time, I will only order from Glow Inc. There is nothing comparable! I could order cheaper, duller, shorter duration powders from these other vendors, but why bother? I'm striving to make a product that glows as bright and as long as possible, so why settle for another vendor's inferior product when I can just purchase the best from Glow Inc.?? | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Major transfer issues with ink/pencil. Ink transfers way too easily with this product. Frustrated with this, I once left the page exposed for 10 minutes so allow the ink to dry before finally closing the book - and even then, the ink STILL transferred to the surface of the opposite page. This was my biggest problem with this product and a deal-breaker for me, since I use these books for art and I can't afford to have the ink from one page ruining the art on the opposite page. This is not an issue I've experienced with other sketchbooks even nearly to this degree. And it was impossible to use pencil on these pages: they smudged and transferred and - amazingly - didn't erase properly, leaving even more smudges across the sheet. Incidentally, if you use even a small marker on these pages, that ink will bleed into the other side of the page - which is not uncommon for sketchbooks, but also not a redeeming feature of this one. Altogether, I would not buy this again. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
It works ok, but it is not intuitive. We got this a few months ago and have just had a chance to use it. It cut paper great, felt ugh it is NOT good.. We wanted to cut out some numbers for a plush advent calendar, but the cutter just could not make it through the felt. First off, installing the blade is was not exactly second nature because the blades come with a ratcheting attachment that you set the blade depth with, but we had no idea when we opened it... so we ended up going over the same piece a few times before we realized we needed to remove the attachment. Also, to this day we are still not positive what direction the blade has to be installed. The guides to not really make sense and if you look at videos online some people have the blades one way and others another. I would think that might be very important so the cutter makes the best cut in the material. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
They leak. Believe those 1 star reviews. I don't know what kind of art is done by the people who gave these brushes 5 stars. They leak like mad. I thought I'd figured out that holding the brush straight up and down when you squeeze it, allowed the leaks to drip onto the brush tip, but before long, leaks were coming from all over the place and plopping down on the watercolor paper. And this was from barely squeezing them. Full barrel or almost empty barrel. To quote the president __ Leakers!!!! And, though the package said that a flat tip was included, all four tips were pointy. I'm very disappointed because the little use I got from them, the tips handled beautifully. The concept is fantastic. I frequently work at my computer desk, looking at my comuter at a photograph I've taken. These brushes are the perfect solution to not spilling water on the keyboard. And I don't have to worry about dipping them in my coffee instead of the water jar. So if anyone has found a brand that doesn't leak, please let me know. Meanwhile, these are going back. Thank goodness for Amazon's return policy. It's why I took a chance in spite of the consistent complaints about leaks. I've included a photo of a leak. It's kinda cool. You can see the keyboard reflected in the drip | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
As lovely as they are made out to be. I read once that one of the major appeals of Waldorf education is that all the materials used are luxury items. This is our first foray into beeswax art supplies but won't be our last. They are as luxurious as they are made out to be.
Another reviewer said it perfectly that while you can see the difference between Crayola and these, what you can't do is feel how smoothly and beautifully these transfer to paper. Soft pressure produces much richer colors than hard pressure with a Crayola crayon. And the feel of gliding the crayon across the paper is so smooth and lovely it's hard to explain.
My five year old hasn't stopped coloring with these since they've arrived and I am loving seeing her artwork in such bright, beautiful colors. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I love the ten inch square format- it gives me much . I am fairly new to keeping a sketchbook, but I was looking for something that had paper suitable for a variety of media and that came in a larger format. Seawhite and Brighton's sketchbooks do just that. I love the ten inch square format- it gives me much more freedom than A5 sketchbooks that seem to be so widely available. The book is sturdy and well made- the pages are bright white with a slight tooth ( which I really like- not as slick as moleskine)- and it stays pretty close to completely flat when opened. So far the paper has been great with pens, brush markers, and watercolor that I typically use. The paper buckles slightly with the watercolor and only slight ghosting is visible with the brush markers. The company was very kind and prompt when I asked questions about them sticking their watercolor sketchbooks on Amazon- we might be seeing those soon! I ordered their A3 sketchbook and it arrives today along with the starter staples A4 sketchbooks- so excited. I'm thrilled about the A3 size and hope that they stock the case bound book soon too! I'm already a big fan. I will try to post pictures that show how the paper performs. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Cool Tool; Old School. Before computers and graphics workstations, before drafting machines, there were T-squares and triangles to meet all of a designer's straight-line drawing needs. This square is well-made and dependable and delivers a reliable perpendicular angle to any straight guide surface it is used with. I ordered it as a replacement for "Mr. T," my workhorse T-square which had faithfully performed its duties since my very first high school art class nearly 40 years ago. Unfortunately, Mr. T was no match for the cackhanded moving crew who managed to destroy him en route to our new house. Since I have no plans to move again and am now in my 50s, I fully expect this T-square to be a lifetime supply of T-squares for me. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Annoying 60Hz flicker, nice felt carry case, simple touch operation. <div id="video-block-R1SGUA3H57VYGK" 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/D1QQjPTrCSS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91IApZMmFFS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> This is a review of the Parblo A4 LED tracing pad . I received a free sample.
This is a basic LED tracing pad, A4 sized. It operates from a provided AC Adapter 120-240V, 50/60Hz. However the provided adapter caused a very annoying 60Hz flicker from the LED backlight that I think would drive most people crazy particularly if you were working for long periods of time with this. There is a workaround for that... you can actually use a power bank to power the tracing pad and that works well and eliminates the flicker. Perhaps a better quality power supply would eliminate the flicker. I also find that the provided USB to Micro USB cable that is included is way too short. I am very limited as to where I can place this and a longer cable would help in that regard.
The unit is turned on/off and the brightness level is adjusted by a touch sensitive button. A single tap turns it on or off. A tap and hold will either turn the brightness down or up. There is significant light leakage around all 4 edges of the pad.
This comes with a very nice felt carry case with a snap closure on the top flap. The case has two thin, external slash pockets for storing the cable and power adapter.
If this did not have the annoying flicker caused by the cheap AC Adapter, I'd rate this 4 stars. Unfortunately many people won't find using a power bank an acceptable solution, nor should they be expected to use one as a workaround for what is clearly a cheap power supply with inadequate filtering.
It works, but has that flicker that might just annoy you enough to make you wish you had chosen another product. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
I WILL ONLY BUY MY STENCILS FROM THIS COMPANY FROM NOW ON. I never bought from Blue Hills Studio before but their ratings were good so I took a chance. I'm pleasantly surprised! I love that you receive 2 sets of letters with one larger and the other smaller. The sheets are strong and not flimsy like other stencils. I use them just to trace the letters with a pencil or pastel pencils not paint. I will only buy my stencils from this company now. The only suggestion I have for them is to please not say it is 4pc because the 2 pieces of paper are only there so the customer can clearly see the cut out letters. Blue Hills...your products can easily sell themselves because of their good quality. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great Variety. I had a very small home painting project to do and I knew I would need a few different types and sizes of brushes. I didn't want to spend a lot of money and I didn't want to start my project and realize I didn't have the correct brushes so I needed an inexpensive set and this was perfect. It had a great variety and all different types/sizes. Are they the best brushes in the world? No. But I wasn't trying to paint the Mona Lisa on my wall. They worked out great, cleaned up nicely and will work for future projects. I even used some of the smaller brushes for nail art for my pedicure. I like to get my money's worth AND be creative. WIN WIN! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fun to use. I love this cuttlebug machine! This machine does what it says and then some. I use it to make cards and for decorating scrapbook pages. I also sometimes use the dies and embossing folders for my planner pages. The embossing folders make for very nice designs on cards and scrap book pages also. It is very easy to learn how to use this machine. Just be sure you have all of your plates, A plate, B (2) plate Mat etc. As you may or may not know there are so many dies and embossing folders on the market and you could do just about anything.
This little bugger is small and convenient to use. You may think when you are cranking the mats through that something is going to break, no it won't happen. It just makes that noise. You cans set this up with little space and get to work right way. The instructions that come with this are very clear and easy to follow.
You can emboss just about anything and you can use dies from other companies on this machine, sometimes with a switch or addition of a mat or plate.
Overall if you do any crafting then this is for you, I think you will love this machine and get great use out of it. It is easy to use, quick to learn and a multitude of things you can do/make using it. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Pleased with the canvas, but small details overlooked. Description states wire hanger included. It was, however they have already attached it. I thought I would be getting the wire to attach myself. The wire is attached is on the wrong side for my needs. I need the wire to run the 34" for a long, narrow painting. It is attached for the smaller width of 18". I will have to remove it and replace with longer wire. Perhaps the seller could ask for the position required? Or, make sure the listing states how the wire will be attached? The front of the canvas looks well done. The canvas is very nice quality. The canvas is stapled securely on the back of the frame. However, the edges of the canvas (in the back, along the frame) are not neatly done as it appears in the photo. The canvas edges are ragged, and sloppy, and hanging well over the edge of the frame. In some spots the canvas is hanging off of the frame a full inch, and as you go along the edge it is very uneven. I can of course, trim it back myself. But I am surprised the last detail was done so poorly. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
These do work well with diluted ink (havent tried using undiluted yet. I just ordered a set of these and haven't gotten them yet but I have had one of these brushes for awhile now and it was really good, easy to use, and had a great point. However, after awhile of use something happened to it, I didn't take care of it as well as I should have and it became almost impossible to squeeze water out of it. After cleaning it pretty thoroughly it worked a tad better but came to the realization it wouldn't be the same as it once was anymore so I decided to experiment and put some ink diluted with water in the barrel so I could make gray washes/shadows on ink drawings. It works great! To all those who keep saying they aren't meant for ink, just because something was made for a specific purpose doesn't mean it can't be used for other purposes outside the one it was intentionally made for. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Addicted! GREAT Product. These markers are SO amazing! The colors are beautiful and really stand out! Great for adults and kids because they don't leave any chalk dust and the ink flows very smoothly once you get them going (it did take about a minute for the ink to come down, but if this happens to you just be patient!). They also don't leave any residue when wiped off with water. We have used them on chalkboard walls, chalkboard paper, mirrors, and windows and they work fantastic on every surface. I actually bought all the colors the company sells and love the varieties! I wish i would of found them a long time ago because they are truly so fun and I love finding new ways to use them! I highly recommended the product. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Good mirror, dangerous edges. The mirror itself looks great. It doesn't have much if any distortion to it when up close. When farther away it does.
Like many other reviewers, I bought this for my infant as a baby safe mirror to put on the wall. While it does have rounded corners, which is great, I didn't think to check the edges first since so many reviewers said it worked great for babies. My son ended up gashing his thumb pretty badly on the edge within about 20 minutes. FILE THE EDGES before you give this to a baby! Now I have to try to file them while it's on the wall (I used adhesive squares and they are very well stuck), and hope my son's thumb heals without issue.
Also, my son is in the stage of being obsessed with pulling up to standing. What I wasn't anticipating is that this surface (being different from a wall, door, etc.) would allow his tacky hands enough grip to "pull" to stand using it! I wish I had installed it vertically so he could still see himself when standing. Just a thought for others that installing vertically might be more stimulating for a longer period of time. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Perfect for all; colors, washable and scented too. These bright colored scented washable markers are wonderful. First, we had to smell each one (Red-cherry, Orange-orange, yellow banana, green mint (strange choice), blue blueberry and purple grape). Being washable we weren't concerned wed mark up our noses as we smelled them. Afterwards, we tried them and the chisel point allows one to draw with various thickness of ink. I gave these to my daughter who is a teacher and her ids love them! Through her job, every September, my wife fills backpacks with school supplies for underprivileged children and these markers will be added to the list. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Great eye shadow applicators. Don't laugh, I use these with the accompanying handle for eye shadow application. I love it! As the previous reviewer said, I would give it five stars if it weren't for the fact that it needs a gentle hand or it will tear easily. Still, one head lasts me quite a while before I have to replace it, and because it tears easily, it purposely makes my hand more gentle on my eyelid. Have used these for almost two years and still love it! I've tried all the applicators made for eye shadow with mediocre results, then some article I read somewhere had a makeup artist who said she goes to the art store for great makeup brushes and applicators, which led me to look for this. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
This is not a die "with foam" - it's a thin metal die. Disappointed that description misled me. But it cuts paper & cardstock. Works well for what it is even though the description is misleading. I bought these because the description says "with foam" so I believed these to be a thicker, blocky die that would cut thicker/heavier materials like foam, felt, burlap, cardboard etc. These aren't a foam block die - It's a thin metal die. I considered returning it & giving a low rating, but returning it is a hassle, and it does cut well and I like the results so far in paper & cardstock. I will use these flowers in my cards, journals & projects, just not in the way that I intended them for. So while I'm disappointed that the description is misleading, this die does what it's intended for, hence the 4 stars. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Dryer Sheets for intricate dies. The best way to use these intricate dies in the big shot is to lay down your first B plate and then lay down 2-3 used dryer sheets folded in half, lay your piece of cardstock to be cut on top of the dryer sheets, then lay your die face down and then your second B plate and run it on through. I live by these dryer sheets they even get rid of the tiny unwanted cutaway pieces that you usually throw away, they're very, very useful and I keep a bag of them always handy because of the washing of my clothes. You can also reuse them over and over so they last a while! I no longer have a fear of buying intricate dies, I hope this helps... Anunka Rowell | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Fantastic for On-Location sketching and painting. I love these paints! They are perfect for travel art making. They screw together for a compact and many color choice little batch of amazingness. I hadn't really worked with pan watercolors but I love these. They're reasonably priced and excellent... Do they have refills for these? Because I feel like I am going to run out of a few colors. :( Already. I tend to use watercolors ata less watery consistency, so maybe that's why they go so quickly for me.
I definitely recommend these to beginner and advanced artists alike! They produce excellent color! I do wish that they had a pink and purple... And I think some of the colors could... Maybe not be in the pack. But, I find that each color does get used a little. At this price, it's a win-win. | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Love. I had the normal Cricut Expressions. My husband bought me the new one for Christmas and I absolutely love it! I keep finding new features! It can cut different size objects at the same time! You can see the mat on the screen so you know where it will be cut and how big it actually will be before pushing cut! It is quieter than the original.
The only thing I don't like, is that the screen is so little. I understand it has to be small and you can zoom in. But, it makes it difficult to see. I HIGHLY recommend getting their free computer software : Cricut craft room. You can design on there and then cut so the size of the screen doesn't matter! Love this machine! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
Step Up Your Art Game. This is amazing for painters/artists who have difficulty depicting images. I make a free stencil online for phrases or print off pictures of what I'd like (a tiara, an elephant, etc.) and trace with ease! Just be careful not to push all over the paper, or you'll have to erase all over your project (not hard or damaging, just time-consuming). Here are the steps for your best results!
1) Cut the appropriate sized paper for your project (one piece can be used multiple times!)
2) Lay on top of canvas, wood, or whatever surface you wish to use (I like to use scotch tape to secure it and avoid shifting)
3) Place print-out on top of transfer paper; measure to be centered and secure with scotch tape
4) Use a dull pencil to trace the design completely
5) Remove stencil and transfer paper and paint/color/fill in as desired
6) After the project is dry, lightly erase the chalky white outlines
10/10, will improve your art game! | arts-crafts-and-sewing_painting-drawing-art-print |
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