Favorite Art Things #6: Stamps

Favorite Art Things

Stamps

Feathers, Birds and Date Stamps 

Inkadinlkado Feather Stamps
Stampabilities Bird Stamps
Stampabilities Months of the Year Stamps

These are my all time favorite stamps. I use them in almost all of my art work. I like stamps that give me a starting point to create but allow me the freedom to make it my own. These feathers and birds give just enough shape to leave an impression but also allows me to add curves and details that are unique to my style. 

The date stamps are a complete find. I use them to quickly establish pages for my weekly journal. 

Favorite Art Things #5: Gesso

Favorite Art Things

Gesso

super heavy white gesso

I use gesso alot in my journaling. 

I use it as the first step in preparing my pages... 

I use it to cover up things I don't like...

It use it to create a light surface for writing...

I've used many different types of gesso including clear, black  and  regular white gesso. I prefer the white gesso. The clear gesso is just too gritty for me and the black gesso doesn't seem to be any better than just using carbon black acrylic paint.  

So  my all time favorite white Gesso is this super heavy gesso. 

This is my go to gesso because it is so creamy and thick.

It blocks out just about anything in one coat.

This is really important to me because my pages 

can often become really dark and saturated.

It's great to have something that with help lighten up my pages 

and give me a lighter surface to doodle and write. 

I also like that it drys pretty fast (as long as I don't place it on too thick).

Favorite Art Things #4 : Gel Medium

Favorite Art Things

Gel Medium

Super Heavy Matte Gel Medium

My all time greatest gel medium is the Super Heavy Matte Gel Medium. I use it on most of my journal pages like glue. It is the perfect texture for adhering thick or thin collage elements to my journal pages.  I find that it doesn't leave the same amount of bubbles as regular glue.  It leaves a nice matte finish which (once dry) allows me to write on top of glossy images. (Just imagine finding a perfect image in a magazine for your journal and being able to cover the page with matte medium and suddenly you can add doodles and text...transforming the image to a personal work of art! )

I also REALLY like that drys fairly quickly (I'm so impatient about waiting for glue to dry completely before I continue my journal pages :) ) 

The biggest win for me, about the super heavy matte gel medium, is that it goes on so dang smooth! I often use my hands as tools in my art work and when mediums are smooth to the touch and feel great to use...

I and immediately sold.

So that is my FAVORITE gel Medium...what's yours?

Favorite Art Things #3: Art Journals

Favorite Art Things

Journals for Art Journaling

Here are two of my current journals. I "live" in the little black one for art journaling and playing with art supplies.  I "live" in the slightly larger red one for all my bright ideas, notes, thoughts and what ever I need to work out through writing (rather than images). The red one has a book plate I got from Staples and its an easy way for me to label my books for easy reference. I still refer back to many of the workshop notes and ideas from years gone by and its great to have the books labeled.

I'm really funny about the journals I use for my art journaling work.

My favorite Journals are  Global Arts Handbook Journals  for my art journaling and Moleskine for my bright ideas

I know every artist has their journal criteria, 
so if you like my criteria you might like these journals too.

For my Art Journal, I like ...

• Hard cover (solid black or red)
• Small-ish in size (5X7 or so...small enough to fit in my purse)
• Bound like a book (I'm not a fan of the spiral bound. I'm too messy an artist and I often loose pages with spiral bound books)
• Rectangle or Square shaped book ( I prefer square, if I can find it, it makes every page look like a framed work of art. :)) 
• Moderately thick pages (but not too thick or heavy to make the pages hard to turn)
• Pages textured like watercolor pages. (This is often called "tooth" - thanks Andrea)
• Pocket in the back to capture bits and pieces

For my Bright Idea Journal, I like ...

• Hard cover (solid black or red)
• Horizontal Lines
• Small-ish in size
• Bound like a book 
• Rectangle 
• Smooth pages 
• Pocket in the back to capture bits and pieces
• A ribbon book mark ( to easily mark the spot where I can continue journaling)

So here is my favorite art journals and my criteria for selecting a journal.

 What's your favorite journal and what makes it special to you?

Favorite Art Things #2: Paint Brushes

Favorite Art Things

Paint Brushes

Soft Grip Taklon Paint Brushes

I have over 30 different paint bushes, many of them are really fancy and expensive. With all those brushes I have only one favorite brush...
it's really inexpensive and I got from Micheal's. 

My favorite brushes are the Soft Grip Taklon Paint Brushes.
The brushes have a soft gel grip so it fits nicely in my hand. I have long fingers so its nice to have brushes that rest where they should. The grip allows me to paint longer and with more control. 

I also like brushes with light or white bristles. It helps me see the paint color better. I usually load my brush up with multiple colors to create a rainbow effect, so it's helpful for me to see what colors are already on the brush and if a brush needs a bit more color before I continue using it.

The other thing I love about these brushes, is that they apply paint or medium really smoothly. No lines or streaks. I like tools that flow with me and don't leave any unnecessary marks.


That's my favorite set of brushes...what's yours?

Favorite Art Things #1: Writing Pen

Favorite Art Things


Writing Pen

Pilot G2 10

My all time favorite writing pen is the Pilot G-2 #10. They are hard to find. You may find the Pilot G-2 #5 or #7 it is not the same. The Pilot G-2 #10 is in a class all its own. It looks like the others but I performs differently.  Finding the pens is such a thing that I often have to find them online or if I happen to see them in a store I snatch up about 3 packs. 

It is the ONLY pen I use. 

What I love most about the pen is that it is really juicy.
Jet black ink just flows no matter what position I'm in when I'm writing.
It glides so beautifully on my journal pages. 

I really think I write better with this pen.  

It's not the best for writing on top of acrylic or glossy mediums
but it will write over matte gesso and watercolors. 


What are some of your favorite writing pens?