Thursday, July 31, 2014
Quartet Alphacolor Soft Square Pastels, Multi-Colored, 24 Pastels Review
This was such false advertising!!! There are only 24 colors when it says 48 on the front of the package! I can't understand how something can say it has 48 soft pastels and have that possibly translate into only 24 of them. I had no choice and could not return it because it was going to be an art gift that I needed--but this was embarrassing when we all realized there are 24 colors and the package says there's 48. I only gave this a 1 because I couldn't give it a zero. I am NOT happy with this at all right now!!!!This too was a gift for my niece the budding artist. She has some smaller sets of pastels, but she was overjoyed when she received this set. She is really enjoying them.
ProArt Travel Art-On-The-Go Kit - 41 Piece Reviews
got this as a christmas present for my 11yo she loved it! She spends lots of time drawing and loved all the pencils. Great price and quick delivery!
Clover Trace and Create Bag Templates with Nancy Zieman, California Review
List Price: $19.95
Sale Price: $16.09
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
I had been making totes using my own ideas, no patterns. Saw the templates on a Sewing with Nancy show and succumbed to how easy they made it look. It is NOT. There are very many steps and the instructions are quite complex, easy to miss a simple but necessary step. I even read through the entire instructions (which include steps to make 6 different totes) before I started and still missed things. Maybe I was tired or not at my best, and I will try again. But I was quite overwhelmed.
She has material purchase sizes on the instruction sheet, but all the other things needed are on the packaging cardboard. Needless to say, they are all her products and the cost of the tote goes WAY up. There are work-arounds and other sources and it is important to have everything together before you get to the place where they are needed. I had to wait for some items I ordered from Amazon (fortunately Prime, so only 2 days). I was able to skip ahead to some other steps while waiting.
If you are not a detail-oriented person, don't even attempt this. If you like a challenge, the tote came out really nice and my granddaughter loved it. This review would also apply to the other Clover Trace & Create Bag templates.
On the good side, I did learn some techniques that I would not have without the templates.
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The directions were written in such an annoying format (and small type). Some pointers seemed to be missing. For example, how really to attach the flap. I kept looking on line for a Nancy video someplace that might have helped, but it seems to exist as a PBS show but nowhere could I access it.Also, Nancy often is suggesting the use of her products, when she might give some alternative that could work as well.
Beadalon Large Lobster and Tag Nickel Free Silver Plate Grip, Set Review
These Clasps are good quality. They are A little smaller then I thought they would be (what I pictured in my head)but they work well and look nice for a very good price.
Discount Darice GX-1310-06 35-Pack Core'dinations A2 Size Card and Envelope
The cards were just what my 88 year old mother needs for card making using her embosser. However we were disappointed to find that all of the envelopes were white, not coordinating colors as the description had led us to think. My mom likes to emboss the envelopes too and was hoping for colored envelopes.
Cheap Manga Kaoiro Brush Pen Set/6
List Price: $17.25
Sale Price: $12.29
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
These are colorful and cool pens. I purchased the set of 8 manga gray and black pens, which are GREAT for inking, they come in varieties of gray from light to dark and some are "warm grays" and some "cold grays for awesome vareity, and black comes in a brush tip, a medium m tip, and a thin or s tip. I also bought the shonen coloring pens. As for the kaoiro brush pens, they come with one of the warm gray pens also included in the 8 manga pens set I mentioned (it's no big deal for me having a double of one color, just a thought).
You can't really put one color over another to make a new color with these. They are great on various types of paper, but I haven't figured out how to blend them. Some artists suggest quickly wiping a brush of water over the colored area to blend the marker lines together, but I haven't tried that. That is to say, they leave seams between lines, and they're brush tipped, so it's like a flexible marker that you have to learn to use well. The seams don't show as much once you get some confidence after practicing their use, especially if you plan to scan your art into the computer and blur the colored area a bit with photoshop (although, it might not even show so much when you reduce your art by 30% or whatever for posting). I have this fanart of knuckles the echidna i did on a takeout menu at work in front of me, and people who know Sonic the Hedhehog characters know that they are really colorful. Knuckles looks really great with the colors I used from this set and the shonen manga marker set and parts inked from the 8 manga pen set. The colors are really vibrant, but like I said, don't run one over another, leave blank spaces for other darker or lighter colors to be. I haven't used these with watercolors like it's recommended in the product description, and I haven't fully explored combining them with other media like photoshop, colored pencils, crayons, etc, although I want to, so keep that in mind with this review!
You should get a set of these, the 8 manga set, and the shonen or shoujo set because just one set isn't fun. They are extremely cheap for their quality and with free shipping too. Sometimes you can get a better deal on for these pens, and utrecht also sells them in their stores and offers a lot of crazy promotions all the time when you sign up to the mailing list, and gives you a 30% discount or something when you show them that you're an art school student with an ID, so try to combine free shipping, promotions, and your student discount to get the best deal on supplies like this.
The black ink pens have an unattractive "bleed" into low quality paper, but you really need expensive bristol board or canson fanboy paper for serious inking anyway. Like I said, the fanart I did on Knuckles on this crappy takeout menu paper looks vibrant and clear and doesn't run through the paper onto the other side, even as a mix of colored and ink pens was used on it. They're high quality pens! I want to learn to use them for webcomics and illustration projects, some people on deviantart make really interesting illustrations with pitt artist pens combined with digital media.
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The colors(markers) are high quality and at a great price than what I have seen from a 'art supply store'. I'd recommend Faber Castell's products to everyone. Finally, a good product that is made somewhere other than usual.(China/Japan/Taiwan)Cheap Fiskars 9521 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter
List Price: $17.00
Sale Price: $11.75
Today's Bonus: 31% Off
I had the opportunity to try the Olfa and the Fiskar rotary cutters from a friend who had both. After trying them for about 15 minutes, I decided I preferred the Fiskar cutter. The Olfa was okay and worked well, but the Fiskar cutter felt better ergonomically. The Fiskar handle was curved, sturdier with a better grip. I don't care for the straight cutters. Another friend also preferred the Fiskar cutter. We all decided Fiskar cutter was the best ergonomically, but will probably buy the Olfa blades. I hope this helps for those who may be on the border between the two. I rate it 4 stars because the blade is better on the Olfa.
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In this video review I cut a number of things with the cutter and review the cutting mat that I purchased at the same time.
I gave this cutter 4 stars because it did everything I expected as well as I expected and nothing more. (If I gave this 5 stars then what would I give to something that wowed me?)
Best Deals for Fiskars 9521 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter
I bought this rotary cutter in 1996 to make my daughter's wedding dress. After that I took up quilting and this cutter has done a wonderful job for me on almost every cutting task for >15 years. Recently the retraction button snapped off -no surprise that plastic got brittle after that long. I bought an identical cutter to replace my old favorite. While tossing the packaging I happened to see the lifetime warranty on the back. I wrote to Fiskars on their web site to ask if my old product carried the same warranty. They didn't need to see the broken cutter... they just sent me a new one. Great product, great company, GREAT customer service. I recommend this comfortable cutter to all my quilting friends. Regarding reviewers who said the blade retracts spontaneously, I suspect this was due to unintentionally allowing their thumb to lean or press against the retraction button. Keep the thumb on the thumb rest atop the cutter and that problem disappears.Honest reviews on Fiskars 9521 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter
I bought this cutter for use in bookbinding and papermaking projects. It cuts paper, even up to 240 gsm quickly and precisely. Using this cutter, a large framing square, and a sheet of plywood gives nearly the same results as a regular paper cutter, but provides more flexibility. I cannot comment on the durability of the blade, but if it is like other Fiskar products, I am sure I will be pleased.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Fiskars 9521 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter
I've always been a fan of any product of Fiskar whether it's the sharp gardening tools or this Rotary Cutter which I just purchased yesterday to help me make a straight cut on wrapping paper. OMG it sliced through the paper like a hot knife through butter and made the perfect straight line cut. I'm thinking of getting one for my Mom and Sister to share when they do their gift wrapping and I'm sure my Sister could use it most for her Scrapbooking too. This is a really awesome tool to have no just for scrapbookers, gift wrappers, or Fabric Crafters but just overall a excellent cutter. I'd recommend it to everyone who wants sharp precision cutters. :DRock-A-Blocks Stamping Block Set 2/Pkg Review
This works okay but you need to do a test stamp first to make sure the stamp doesn't leave outline marks. Depends on the stamp. The big one can fit 2 on at the same time. I stamp a lot of images and then color them later. Haven't found a use for the long narrow one yet.
Discount Set of 3 Piston Fill Waterbrush for Sumi or Chinese Painting
The piston fill is great for traveling and not having to worry about spillage, but the brushes are losing bristles every brush stroke leaves at least one bristle in the paint -
Plus, the seals aren't great, one of mine is leaking around the edge of the bristle base, and the bristles are falling out like CRAZY. I can't paint with thesethere's no sense of control over water flow, the bristle hair is cheap and difficult to control direction, and there are bristle hairs all over my works. I've used them twice since receiving them and am very disappointed. They will stay as a backup plan but I'll never buy these kind again.
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These brushes are nice for travel because of the filling/draining methods, but you can't leave water in them (say if you were going hiking or on a plane) since the bristles are continuously being fed water (unlike with squeeze-style brushes that have a seal).Plus, the seals aren't great, one of mine is leaking around the edge of the bristle base, and the bristles are falling out like CRAZY. I can't paint with thesethere's no sense of control over water flow, the bristle hair is cheap and difficult to control direction, and there are bristle hairs all over my works. I've used them twice since receiving them and am very disappointed. They will stay as a backup plan but I'll never buy these kind again.
Best Deals for Set of 3 Piston Fill Waterbrush for Sumi or Chinese Painting
These brushes are so clever and I love using them for erasing my water erasable lines on my art work and sewing items. They are great for watercolor also. You do have to condition them to use them.Honest reviews on Set of 3 Piston Fill Waterbrush for Sumi or Chinese Painting
I am happy with these brushes. It is especially useful when traveling because it's portable. Works wonderfully with watercolor pencil and watercolor crayon projects. Just what I needed.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Set of 3 Piston Fill Waterbrush for Sumi or Chinese Painting
The caps do not stay on and the brush hairs are coming off the barrel. The water drips or flow with very little control I would not recommend.Springfield Leather Company's 3D Scouting Stamping Set Review
The only reason that it does not get a 5 star rating is that there are several ranks missing from the set; no tiger cub, wolf, or arrow of light. Great service though, that gets a 5!
Ease of use. Simply moisten the leather and using a soft mallet give the stamp a firm tap.
Simple.
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I bought the Alphabet set and the Scout stamps together as suggested. The Alphabet set stamping tool is too small for these stamps. Not sure which tool I was supposed to buy but the one they suggest to buy together does not work with this set! Nice stamps and great for our pack but now I have to find a tool so that I can use them!Best Deals for Springfield Leather Company's 3D Scouting Stamping Set
It would be nice to have a set just for the BSA. Product is quality and works perfect.Ease of use. Simply moisten the leather and using a soft mallet give the stamp a firm tap.
Simple.
Buy Set of 2 Stone Carving Chisels/Knives
These are pretty nice knives, though I would reccomend that they be sharpend. My dad has sharpend mine for me. I usually have him sharpen them before I use them, so the carving isn't to hard on me. I have already carved out six seal stones with these, so they do the job quite well once they are sharpend.
Best Royal & Langnickel Premier Painting Chest Deluxe Art Set, 80-Piece Deals
List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $84.95
Today's Bonus: 43% Off
The Royal & Langnickel Premier Painting Chest Deluxe Art Set really is as nice as it looks in the pictures.
The chest itself is attractive dark wood with brass tone fittings. It's fairly solid although it may not be built for the ages, it doesn't feel flimsy either. There is a drop panel in the front that hides two storage drawers. When using the chest on a table, the front panel is positioned in such a way that the bottom drawer is slightly impeded, but a bit of fiddling will allow you to open and fully extend the bottom drawer.
Included inside are a variety of paints oils, acrylics, and water colors (both tubes and cakes). The paints are fresh; the texture and consistency are pleasant and easy to apply. The colors are good with rich pigments.
Brushes for each type of paint (oil, acrylic and water color) are included, too. Royal and Langnickel specialize in brushes, so these are above the quality you might expect in an average boxed set. There is a row of holes in the top of the chest, which allows you to stand the brushes upright a very nice touch that you won't find when you're using a tackle box for your art supplies.
The box also includes sketching supplies pencils, sharpener, and eraser.
The bottom line is that the chest is something you'll be proud to own and it comes with an excellent set of basic art supplies. It's not inexpensive but it is a good value for the money.
Recommended.
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Since I descend from a long line of artists over two hundred years, I grew up learning about paint, pigments and art. When studying in art schools (1978-1983 and again in 1990-1992) I either mixed my own colors with raw pigments and mediums, or bought premium artist's-quality paints by respected brand names, most notably Sennelier. You might think that qualifies me as an art snob who would hate these cheap paints. On the contrary, I think they are just fine for students and hobbyists who which to discover the fun of painting.Last year, my daughter attended art school and we got this for her classes. My thinking was that these are good enough for student experimentation since permanence and pigment density are not big issues for students. So, I helped her try out these pigments by making color-wheels, paint mixtures, value-hue-tint-and shade charts. Here's what we discovered...
The blues, particularly Pthalocyanines, are nearly as strong as professional pigments. That is a characteristic of all pthalopigments, not the manufacture. So, you can count on the blue-green families of colors to be vibrant, strong and powerful. Students and hobbyists alike will quickly learn they do not need much of those pigments when mixing colors. They will also learn it is difficult to mix neutral grays with any pthalocyanine pigments, regardless of hue-compliment.
The alizarin crimson is a hue, which means it is a mixture of pigments, not a pure single pigment. Professionals might not prefer the "hues" but students will find them accurate enough for standard color-theory mixing.
The yellows are a trifle on the weak side, so over a semester she ended up using more of the yellows than any other primary. That's normally the case with any yellow-family pigment, but more so with student-quality products like these. That's no big deal since you can always go to the local art-store to replace dwindling supplies of most-used colors.
The case is actually pretty good for a stapled-together-mass-produced box. Although she hated it because it was too cumbersome to carry to classes. Hobbyists who work at home and prefer to keep their painting areas neat will probably enjoy the case more than students who must carry materials around campus. Painting supplies have a tendency toward explosive entropy, so this box is a boon to apartment and dorm dwellers or anyone with OCD issues. Even if YOU are not a "neat-freak, your roommates will appreciate you keeping your mess contained in the box! That can help prevent arguments in the dorm.
Regardless of the cumbersome box size, this represents a great value and superb ease-of-shopping for anyone interested in beginning painting. Instead of laboring over myriad choices and spending a LOT more for individual colors, this set provides a nice range with all the standard colors a student could need. By itself, that makes it a good value since you save time and headaches selecting colors. Students want to experiment. They do not need every possible color-choice and are usually better off with few colors. In fact, most art teachers I've met insist students begin with a limited pallet to insure students learn color-mixing and values before going crazy with many expensive colors.
The brushes are actually quite good... incredibly good for the price. Obviously the watercolor brushes are a trifle stiff and do not carry paint the way Kolinsky Sable will. But, that's OK too. Most students will get fine performance from the synthetic brushes for water-media and the bristle brushes for oils, which are just fine even for a pro.
Overall, this is a great value on medium-quality paints; good enough for anyone in college and delightful for weekend painters who don't care to read volumes arcane scientific literature about chemical-pigment formulations, color-theory, fugitive pigments, transparency-vs-opacity, staining vs sedimentary, etc. A student (or student's parent) can save a LOT of time and money by simply buying this set, and possibly adding to it as paint runs out or brushes fail.
Are these professional quality? No, of course not. Professional quality paints demand ten times more. Professional watercolor brushes cost fifty times more.
The bristle oil-brushes are nearly pro-quality though, and it is a fairly complete set of decent colors in three mediums that most art-students will need; All in a nifty box that, although too big for a fashion-conscious coed to carry, is perfect for organization at home.
The only complaint we can make is that some of the watercolors were hard in the tube and separated from the gum-arabic binder.
That's not a huge problem if you know how to resurrect hardened colors. Just put sealed tubes in boiling water for ten minutes, then squeeze the tubes (with your oven mitts on!) to massage the gum-binder back into the pigment. You can also stick a toothpick inside the tubes and rotate it around to re-alloy pigment with medium. That works for oil-colors too, but do NOT try that with acrylics! Heat changes the polymer emulsion and makes acrylic paint clumpy.
I suspect that very few hobbyists buy these complete kits because they balk at the initial cost, so the sets lay dormant in inventory for a long time. That's probably why the WC tubes were hard. If hobbyists were to add up the cost of all the individual items for comparison, they would undoubtedly change their minds. You can do some research for yourself! I did, and discovered that to buy similar ranges of products from my favorite online discount stores, I would pay one-and-a-half to three times more for all the same stuff! This set, combined with a couple of 140# watercolor pads and a few yards of cotton duck will get any beginner on the path.
Compared to the cost of buying everything this kit contains separately, it is a fantastic value and HUGE time-saver. If you want to experiment with several mediums or have a fledgling art-student preparing for school, this is a great deal. That's why I recommend it.
Best Deals for Royal & Langnickel Premier Painting Chest Deluxe Art Set, 80-Piece
The set is very nice. Complete with an all you can need for the child or beginner artist. The case is solid wood very nicely arranged. However, when you open the last drawer and it is on a flat surface it is quite cumbersome. When u get it you'll know what I mean. Would not stop me from getting it but it could be better.Honest reviews on Royal & Langnickel Premier Painting Chest Deluxe Art Set, 80-Piece
I received this set and the Deluxe drawing set as a raffle prize from my local art store. I LOVE it! I had been sketching for a while and decided I might pick up a cheap paint set to dabble in but before I had a chance to, I won this set. So my journey began. I haven't used the oils yet, but the acrylics and watercolors are very nice. They're not a "cheap" paint but probably not "professional" either. There is a good range of brushes as well. The box makes it easy to keep all my painting supplies in one place which is helpful since space it tight in spare bedroom where my art desk is set up. This slides easily onto a bookshelf and is tucked out of sight yet doesn't take up so much space on my desk when in use that I can't work around it. I'm really glad I received this item and would recommend it for someone who wants to try painting and wants a robust "starter kit" or is wanting to try the various paint media without investing a fortune.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Royal & Langnickel Premier Painting Chest Deluxe Art Set, 80-Piece
When I received the package I was saddened to see that the wood case was damaged and looked as if it was falling apart. I was able to use carpenter glue and wood vices to reattach the sides. With a little touch up paint and polish, the chest now looks like it is brand new (which is the way it should have been received). After inspection, the contents appear to be undamaged and in great condition. I contacted Amazon customer service and they were kind enough to give me a promotional credit of $30 for my troubles.Thank you Amazon.
Crayola Color Wonder Disney Princess Glitter Paper and Markers Review
List Price: $10.99
Sale Price: $9.79
Today's Bonus: 11% Off
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program What could be more appealing to a little girl than princesses, bright colors and glitter? The 12 sturdy pictures in this coloring book feature a series of pretty Disney princess poses, each printed on a background of glittery paper. The glitter is integrated into the paper and does not flake off. The 5 included Color Wonder marker pens interact with the paper to turn the pictures into pretty works of art. The markers apparently do not leave stains on clothing or furniture, though I didn't put them to the test. Though the recommended age range is 3-15, I believe this would most appeal to little girls up to about 7 or so. At ~$1/sheet, it's a rather steep price to pay for what is essentially a coloring book, but definitely a special occasion gift that a little girl will appreciate.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I used to work in travel related retailing, and I learned a vitally important lesson. Parents are absolutely starved for activities that are self contained and mess free. For this reason, I actually stocked quite a few of these Crayola products. One of our biggest sellers were the Color Wonder series. In Color Wonder, the magic markers can only react to the provided paper. So you can create an artistic masterpiece with no worries that your child will splatter themselves, neighbors, clothes or upholstery with ink. It's an ingenious idea, to be sure, and now they've taken it to the next step. This series featuring the Disney Princesses (always an easy hit) is actually done on a special glitter paper. So you've got both coloring and glitter effects with absolutely no mess. It's a winning scenario.This set has 12 pages to color and five different color markers. Truthfully, the designs aren't the most complicated or detailed but that's probably to be anticipated. There is only so much you can expect with this super magic technology! This may not entertain for long trips, but it is a fitting diversion for a short period of time and an easy recommendation for the budding artists in your clan. KGHarris, 10/13.
Best Deals for Crayola Color Wonder Disney Princess Glitter Paper and Markers
My daughter was so excited to get this because she loves glitter. However, you cannot even color on the part that contains the glitter. It's hard on the markers and the color doesn't show very well. You're better off going for the metallic or the glitter pages without the actual glitter.Honest reviews on Crayola Color Wonder Disney Princess Glitter Paper and Markers
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program There is one true thing about this item – the paper does have a glittery sparkle with no glitter mess. That is where the pretty much the only truth to the cover. First off, your pictures will not look anything like those on the cover. The picture on the box is bright and vibrant. Our pictures never looked that bright. Also, if you want to color the princesses the way they look on the box, you will have to buy additional markers because you don't have the necessary colors.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Crayola Color Wonder Disney Princess Glitter Paper and Markers
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program My daughter is a huge Color Wonder fan, and over the last three years, we've bought just about every Color Wonder book out there. We've tried Metallic and Glitter books several times and, unfortunately, have never been really happy with them. The older Glitter books, in particular, got those little sparkly bits all over everywhere, including on the tips of the markers, thus preventing them from working.Anyway, I'm happy to say that Crayola seems to have completely redesigned their Glitter books, and we love this new incarnation. There's nothing to make a mess... instead of actual glitter, the pages of the book simply have a background of sparkly foil around the parts of the picture you can color. The foil effect creates a really beautiful finished look, and my daughter was so proud and pleased with her work!
The only real negative about this coloring book is its price. Not only is it more expensive to start with than the regular Color Wonder products, but it has fewer pages... just 12 instead of the usual 18 or 24. I'm not sure it's worth paying almost $1 per page, but my little artist definitely loved it!
Buy Sargent Art 22-4101 Colored Half Square Chalk Pastels, 32 Count
List Price: $12.37
Sale Price: $8.66
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
These Pastels turn any normal drawing into a beautiful, vibrant work of art. However, Amazon has the description mislabeled as "Each chalk stick measures 2-1/2 inches by 3/8 inch ". Please note these are Half Chalk Pastels, and the actual length is 1.25" x 3/8".
Still a great deal, especially with Prime shipping.I love this color set, you can easily blend colors to create dramatic shades or just use the plain colors by themselves. It is awesome to paint my gum paste flowers with contrasting and vivid colors.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Buy Prima - Prima Press - Rubber Mounted Stamps - Alphabet - Set 2
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $9.18
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
The Prima Press stamp set was exactly what I expected and works very well. I would like to get some other fonts in future but the typewriter font is what I was looking for and I love it.
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