Category: Art Supplies
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Favourite Art Supplies of 2024
The post-Christmas sales are now really in swing and there are lots of good deals on art supplies in shops and across the internet. It’s a good time to take stock of what you already own, what you enjoy using and what you may need to get more of, especially if you’re lucky enough to…
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All 100 Luminance Pencils
After discovering that Caran D’Ache’s Luminance pencils were the perfect fit for my drawing style two years ago, I’ve been gradually building up my collection. Last week, I took delivery of the final pencils I needed to complete the full range of 100 colours. My old swatch sheet was a download from Caran D’Ache that…
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Travel Sketching and Christmas Fairs
I had a wonderful time away at a family wedding last weekend, and took my ‘Colours of Nature’ travel palette with me in case I had a chance to sketch during the trip. The weather was very grey but the autumn colours on the trees still looked fantastic! I managed a couple of sketches and…
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Colours of Nature: Palette Creation
Among the colours featured in the book ‘Nature’s Palette’ by Thames and Hudson, there are several that are described as ‘characteristic colours’ as they are used as reference points to describe other colours. As I’m going on a short trip to the UK soon, I thought it would be fun to create a travel palette…
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Winsor and Newton Revival Collection
I’m a sucker for a paint collection, especially if it includes heritage pigments or anything new. I was therefore quick to buy the ‘Revival Collection’ from Winsor and Newton as it contains new versions of heritage colours. Designed so they’re safer to use and with improved permanence, I was very keen to see how they…
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Supplies and Resources for Ink Drawing
Ink drawing is such a joy, and I was delighted to share my love of it with the wonderful participants of the ‘Sketching Wildflowers in Ink’ workshop that I taught this week. We explored some of the techniques involved in line-making, shading and creating texture using fineliners, dip pens and fountain pens. It’s such a…
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Works in Progress
As the residency at Studio Umami continues, I’ve not had much time to think about a blog post. I’ve been spending much of my time at the studio talking to people about the Isle of Man Nature Journal display and the idea behind the interactive map. It’s wonderful to see the positive response and genuine…
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Colours of Nature: Swatches from Bramble Blossom
The Island’s brambles are in full bloom at the moment and some are starting to develop the first signs of berries. Blackberry bushes are a difficult and often unsightly plant when they take hold in the garden and yet their flowers are such a beautiful sight when seen in the hedges. The delicate colours of…
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New Horadam Naturals and Watercolour Palette
My main palette for PleinAirpril 2024 has consisted of watercolours and three of the new Horadam Natural paints, recently released by Schmincke. These paints are a new type of watercolour that Schmincke describes as having properties of both watercolour and gouache. They’re vegan and contain heritage and plant or earth derived pigments, so are a…
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The Wettest PleinAirpril?
I know I said I wanted to try watercolour, but this is ridiculous! I really didn’t expect so much water to be falling from the sky. I haven’t been out every single day but there has been some braving of the elements, along with a little drawing from my window. To find out how I’ve…
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PleinAirpril Plans
Just a quick blog post this week, as I’m busy spring-cleaning the studio and prepping for lots of new artwork. I’m also getting ready to take part in PleinAirpril, a challenge created by the US-based artist community, Warrior Painters, to encourage people to get out and paint en plein-air (outside), every day during the month…
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Experimenting with Watercolour and Coloured Pencil and the Final Inkvent Inks
To be fully creative, it’s necessary to try out new art supplies and new ways of working. The exploration of materials often sparks inspiration and is the point at which we become most childlike in our creativity (no bad thing). This week, I’ve been testing out some Khadi watercolour paper to see if it can…
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Winter Activities and Inkvent Christmas Tree
The week after Christmas can be a great time to wind down and spend time with family. It can also feel a little empty and like there’s not much to do, but on the Isle of Man there are lots of fantastic exhibitions and activities to see or get involved with. Join me, as I…
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Our Recent Waxwing Visitors and the Next 7 Inkvent Inks
We were recently lucky enough to have a visit from waxwings in Ramsey at the end of November. The European Waxwing is a distinctive bird species native to northern Europe, Scandinavia, and parts of Asia. Every so often, they visit the Isle of Man in autumn or winter in their search for food. Their arrival…
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Countdown to Christmas
Christmas is fast approaching and I’ve been busy preparing for the upcoming open studio day on Sunday the 10th. Among the preparations of artwork and Christmas cards, I’ve also been enjoying a daily treat from my Diamine Inkvent Advent calendar. Join me as I share the ink sketches from each day’s ink so far, and…
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Colours of Nature: Luminance Pencil Swatches
Of all the art supplies that fill my heart with joy, Luminance pencils must be right up there with the most uplifting. I wanted to dislike them, mainly because they’re so expensive, but using Payne’s Grey and Silver Grey over my ink sketches was just too good an experience to ignore and I had to…
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Supplies for Outdoor Sketching
Sketching outdoors is a delightful and rewarding way to connect with nature, observe the world around you, and unleash your creativity. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting, the Manx countryside offers a wealth of inspiration just waiting to be captured on paper. To ensure a successful and enjoyable outdoor sketching experience, it’s essential…
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Embracing contrast: Sketching with Ink and Focusing with Watercolours
Sketching is an often essential part of the artistic process, allowing artists to capture fleeting moments and concepts with lines and shades. The combination of ink and watercolours in a single artwork opens up a world of possibilities, enabling artists to create impactful pieces that are both dynamic and effective. In this blog post, I’ll…