Sunday, February 10, 2019

Inktober (Part II) (long overdue!)

Days #10 & 11 - Marvy Uchida for Drawing:



My comments on the pen: disposable plastic nib pen - it's deliciously smooth on this "cheapo" paper. I'm not sure whether this "for drawing" pen is the same as the Marvy LePen (I don't have one so I can't tell) but it's awesome nonetheless. The barrel is a little bit fat for me but the smoothness of the pen sure makes up for one. This one makes my "must try!" list.  

Days #12-13 - Copic Multiliner SP 0.2:



My comments on the pen: refillable plastic nib pen - the "switch-ability" of this pen is attractive. It's refillable and the nibs are apparently replaceable (which is a good thing for me because my pen pressure is murder for plastic nib pens). This was a recent gift and I'm loving it this far. How can you go wrong with a Copic? Because the barrel seems to be made of metal, it has a lovely weight to it (though some might find it a tad heavy). 

Day #14 & 15 - Ohto Graphic Liner 01:



My comments on the pen: disposable metal nib pen - I've never quite fancied metal nib pens but it appears that the lines from metal nib pens are generally more "precise". This one was lovely and smooth on this budget store paper. 

Day #16 - Maxon Sketch Liner 01:



My comments on the pen: disposable metal nib pen - this was a gift from the sister when she traveled to Japan. I can't get it locally and finding an online vendor to link was difficult! However it is worth the try. Deliciously smooth (to a point where you almost forget it's not a plastic nib pen) with crisp and precise lines. I've tried this pen on other papers and had a bit of a "crunchy" start. Visually the pen does not appeal to me as much as others (I don't know why!) but once I started drawing the Joki swirls I just couldn't stop! I suspect this pen takes a while to "warm up" before use (either that or it does will with budget store yet made in Japan paper). 

Day #17 to 19Rotring Rapidograph 0.20


My comments on the pen: refillable metal nib pen - this was another gift from the sister! She had bought a Rapidograph set and apparently it came with a "free" 0.20 Rapidograph which was offered to me. I've tried it on other paper before and loved it but on this "cheapie" sketchbook, it was a little scratchy and fluffed up the paper a little when colouring in the narwal. It's a deliciously smooth pen that leaves crisp fine lines. It looks very fragile but seems to be able to take quite a lot of torture (taking into account my pen pressure!)!
 
BONUS the white on black tile was of course done with a Sakura gelly roll... need I say more!
 
Day 20 & 21 - Pilot Drawing Pen 01

 
My comments on the pen: disposable felt nib pen - this was one of the first pens I bought to try. I loved it and still do. Sadly the barrel isn't very attractive and the ink life doesn't seem to be particularly long. The "01" ness seems finer than the Sakura Micron 01. It is well worth the try for an inexpensive technical pen but it seems to be less readily available (here at least).
 

 
My comments on the pen: disposable felt nib pen - I wanted to try this pen because of how much I loved the Ecco Pigment pen that was featured in the first half of my Inktober feature. Wasn't quite sure how think "S" was but it seemed thicker than the Sakura Micron 01 - sure enough Jetpens says it's 0.3mm (whereas the 01 Microns are 01). I didn't really enjoy the pen as much as I did the Ecco somehow but these guys can be purchased loose. They are more expensive than the average disposable technical pen and I don't think the price difference really shows in the feel or the outcome.
 
Days 25 to 27 -  Shinhan Touch Liner 01 (together with a Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle 2B)


My comments on the pen: disposable felt nib pen - This was an interesting pen to try. I think it's the only allegedly Korean pen that I have. It was quite nice but I felt like the ink would "cut out" now and then - though this could be because I have damaged the pen nib with my pen pressure. Whilst I liked the feel of drawing with the pen I quite dislike the "design" of the pen that has like layers near the nib (open the link and see the picture!). Because I tend to hang on to my pens for dear life, it does kinda hurt / cut in after a while. More expensive than the Micron but cheaper than the Pitt. Good to try but hard to find.  Days 28 & 29 - Zig Mangaka 01 
 
My comments on the pen: disposable felt nib pen - while Zig pens are one of the more readily available technical pens available locally I have to say that they aren't one of my favourites. They are easy to use even when you're trying to vary line pressure but there are small niggling things that really turn me off this pen (though I could be jut being difficult): (1) the barrel is much thicker than a normal pen which I find a tad uncomfortable to use (2) the design of the pen and barrel don't appeal to me (3) the nib somehow seems hard and I don't like the "feedback" that this gives my hand - it's not scratchy... just hard.
 
I confess to not having completed Inktober last year but I did want to post whatever I had completed both for my own reference for the tangles and the pens as well as people who may be interested in finding out what pens I tried!
 
Thanks for reading! Till next Inktober!

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

A long overdue post

Recently attended a Brush Lettering class with Leah Chong of Leah Design - I must admit that whilst I was skeptical, the reviews of her classes and what she says she will deliver are pretty accurate.

I tried to learn Brush Lettering on my own, with purchased worksheets from The Postman Knocks but I felt like I didn't really know what I was doing and I didn't feel or see any improvement. Don't get me wrong the worksheets were gorgeous but perhaps I'm the kind that needs a bit more guidance. 

I must admit that at first I was a bit shocked at how young she was - most classes I've attended were taught by at least middle-aged people who've spent yonks learning to do what they do. However it became clear almost immediately that Leah knew what she was talking about and was skilled in transferring knowledge. 

Even though I only attended the first of the 3 classes with Leah, I feel that I know a lot more than I used to, that I'm writing a lot better than before and I'm a lot more motivated to keep practicing. She's young and cool and open to continuing support (e.g. sending her pieces of work for her to crit so that you know whether you're headed in the right direction or what you should and should not be doing). 

These are the gift tags that I've written up for office valentine's. I think they aren't that bad but of course, there's always room for improvement: 


In case you're wondering why the message is so weird - the are getting personalised bag clips clipped to bags of snacks.

Also sharing my first zentangle tiles of the year: 

Started when I was feeling crap so used some of my favourite tangles on a home-cut Canson Watercolour tile. 

knightsbridge.funsin.shattuck.meer.huggins.frunky.andromeda

My Diva Challenge #384 contribution on a bijou tile, feat. Anthem. I love Anthem and am grateful for the Diva for sharing it.