Metal leaf in sheets or flakes *you can save the extra you brush off for future projects. You can also skip this and use metallic paint (included in the above acrylic paint kit)
Assorted brushes, pliers for removing jump rings on the skeleton
Keep in mind I worked on these over a couple of days so if you are crafting with kids you will want to plan for that. I like to use large scraps of cardboard for a worksurface that can be lifted off the table when not in use so your craft project doesn’t hold the kitchen table hostage LOL! I’m sure you have your own mess-free crafting tips too, feel free to share them in the comments below. Happy crafting!
Hi friends! Today we are going to look at a couple of new marker packs from Arrtx and see if they might be right for you (or duplicate what you already have.) See them in action in the video below! *These markers were sent to me for free for review. Affiliate links used. I have reviewed most of the Arrtx marker sets so if you want more indepth info on any of these markers check out these videos.
The Arrtx pastel tone alcohol markers are available in 2 versions: Alp (Fine bullet tip and chisel tip) and Oros (Brush tip and chisel tip.) *At the time of writing there was a 20% off coupon for these sets. This is a beautiful selection of clean pastel tone alcohol markers. They are very pale versions of pure colors as opposed to desaturated muted tones. There are some pale peach tones suitable for light skin. This set does not include a clear blender. Keep in mind if you already own the 80, 90, and skin tone arrtx sets then these pastel tones will be duplicates. Since pastel tones tend to get used the most for blending out it’s nice to have a way to repurchase them at once, that said if you don’t use pastels much that these won’t be a good choice LOL! Arrtx markers are on the Shinhan color numbering system. Art-n-Fly sells refill inks to match many of the Arrtx colors, just go by the number and ignore the letters.
I wondered how these compared to the Ohuhu pastel set of 48 that came out last year. I found that the Ohuhu set had more muted and greyed tones and fewer of the clean light colors. I wanted to compare these two sets in case you had the Ohuhu and wanted to know how they compared. We also looked at the ALP 2.0 Skin Color Markers that filled in the gaps in the original skintone set of 36 that leaned very pale and cool undertoned. Here are the original skin tone sets of 36: Alp version and Oros version. I was also curious as to how those compared to the Ohuhu 24 skintone set that came out a couple years ago. The Ohuhu colors had really warm and orangy undertones as opposed the Arrtx 36 which were cooler. The Ohuhu were more in the range of the Alp 2.0 booster pack of 12. Ohuhu now has a 36 skin tone set that has some more cooler light colors tho.
My advice is to see what you have and where the gaps are in your stash and choose the colors you don’t have to make your set of markers more useful. This might mean buying a pack of markers like I reviewed today as the per marker price is cheaper, or if you just need a couple of markers, choosing a few open stock from an art store to meet your needs. Whatever you choose the best way to get value from your supplies is to use them! Happy crafting!
Hi friends! I just posted a new podcast episode with tips on selling at craft fairs. There were few craft fairs last year due to the pandemic but I imagine there will be more this holiday season. If you are thinking of renting a table I have some tips for success!
On the next episode we will go in the other direction and talk about whether or not you should turn your hobby into a side-hustle. Until then happy crafting!
Hi friends! You know how Discovery channel will have “shark week”? Well I feel like I am having granulation week LOL! The want monster has been super interested in all the super granulating watercolors coming out. The sensible part of my brain knows that have have plenty of watercolors and can come up with a more than adequate collection of granulating options from my stash. So, I am listening to “sensible Lindsay” and using what I have.
A real-time version of this painting can be found in Critique Club! For $5 a month you get access to 66 in-depth tutorials in a variety of media, 33 past creative prompts plus 2 new lessons and 1 new prompt every month to keep you inspired and creating! What’s more, is you can even submit 2 paintings a month for feedback from me! If you like longer classes and want to grow as an artist while supporting my channel check it out, we’d love to have you as a member! Check out the time-lapse below for tips on getting the most from granulating colors.
Granulating watercolor paints such as Daniel Smith Primateks, I recommend the sticks as they rewet better and dried tube paint and they are a better value. Look for French Ultramarine, Sodalite, Serpentine and any of the cobalt colors are good bets for granulation *This Supervision tube set looks really good too if you want to add some granulating colors to your palette. **Schminke also has some supergranulation sets
We talked about lots of stuff! I’ll try and list everything!
If you like my earrings you can get them from LosArtesanosShop *If you like the cute earrings they gave me you can find them there. They gave me a coupon code to share as well: FRUGALCRAFTER for 10% off and their earrings are reasonably priced too!
NEW 320 set of dual-tipped (Bullet/chisel) Ohuhu markers are coming out on the 26th. Here is the link. It will say it is unavailable until the 26th so don’t worry, you haven’t missed out if you look at it today. Affiliate link used. 20%off coupon Code, 320EARLYBIRD Start date, 09/26/2021 7:00 PM PDT End Date, 09/28/2021 11:59 PM PDT
Speaking of art stuff: Artify 48 acrylic paints I used on my Halloween projects: (Great coverage for a budget-friendly paint!)
I’m thinking of pulling together the granulating watercolors I have and making a custom granulating palette. Is that anything you would be interested in watching a video of? With high priced granulating specialty palettes being all the rage these days I figure there are other cheapskates out there that want to DIY them. Any takers? Let me know in the comments. Happy crafting!
Hi friends! Today we’ll take a look at the Schpirrer Farben colored pencil set of 96. I purchased my set on prime day on Amazon. I wasn’t in need of more budget pencils however many viewers requested a review of this set and I am to please!
Details: These pencils have a 3.3mm oil-based lead in a standard barrel. Half of the barrel is gold and the other end is the color of the lead separated by a silver ring. Info in printed on the color reference end in silver foil. Click on the video to see them in action!
Pros:
Price (about 48 cents per pencil)
Good color variety Firm, smooth lead with good color payout
Sharpens easily with no breakage
Layers well (7 layers in my test)
Blends out with water or OMS
Open stock is available in their Etsy shop if you use up a color and they may offer it on amazon at some point.
Cons:
Silver printing is hard to read.
Bottom Line: The Schpirerr Farben pencils have been touted as a budget-friendly alternative to Polychromos. They are similar in feel and color laydown but, no surprise the Polychromos has a slightly better pigment load and better lightfastness. Still, for the savings, if you are not concerned with lightfastness it’s a good deal. These seem to be the same pencils are the Creative Mark Cezanne so I would recommend comparing prices if you are thinking about buying them.
I have heard rumors that the Marco Renoir and Sargent Art pencils are the same as these but I can’t confirm that as I have not used either of those brands but if you have please let me know. Happy crafting!
Hi friends! Today I am sharing 2 videos! I love making custom cards so today I will share the cards I made for each of my daughters for their birthday last week.
First up is Maizy’s card! I chose images that are personal to her but weren’t easy to combine. I’ll show you how to make unrelated elements go together.
Supplies for Maizy’s card: *These supplies are old favorites and most are discontinues but I tried to fine them or substitutions if available but it is unlikely you will make a card just like this as you will create a bespoke card for your loved one. Still, in case you really loved something I used I tried to find it. *Affiliate links used in this article.
Stamps: Epic Celebration Stampin Up (retired) Similar
Now on to Lila’s card, I had a lot of fun with this one!
Supplies for Lila’s card:
Rubber stamps, you will want 3 backgrounds you can layer, a strong focal image, and some accents. I found vintage fashion, stitches, and script here if you like things similar to what I used
White cardstock: This is the accent opaque that is super smooth and great for ink blending and OK for alcohol marker. The heavyweight is a good card base option and well priced. I use the 80# for layering. You can choose the weight you need. Cheaper than Neenah classic crest but not as good IMO for alcohol markers but not bad. It is as good for ink blending and stamping tho.
The skintone marker set I’m using is from Art-n-Fly
Other: Inkpads, sprays, blending brushes *If I had to do it again I would only get brushes with white bristles. I like the colored handle ones too. Lots of inexpensive options here. larger size is better IMO
I think the lesson from these tutorials is to use the things that make your cards meaningful. It doesn’t matter if you have the latest stamps and embellishments, what matters is that you make it from the heart. Happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 