Hey Everyone!
October is fast approaching and with that Inktober! For those of you unfamiliar, Inktober was created by Illustrator Jake Parker 9 years ago as a 31-day challenge to improve his inking skills. It since has grown exponentially popular on Instagram with worldwide participation. In this month’s Artsnacks box I received not one, but THREE ink pens that are going to be perfect for that upcoming challenge. Let’s have a look at this month’s box!
Items in the Box:
- Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Magnus Watercolor Pencil
- Princeton Synthetic Sable Round Brush
- M. Graham & Co. Artists’ Watercolor
- Zebra Zensations Brush Pens ( Super Fine, Fine, and Medium)
- The Snack – Cry Baby Extra Sour Bubble Gum
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Magnus Watercolor Pencil
If you follow my blog and Instagram regularly you probably already know of my deep love for this product. The Magus version which is larger than its original form is great for larger areas and is surprisingly not uncomfortable despite its increased size. I love how this product performs in its dry and water-soluble form. One thing I would love the change from a design perspective, however, is the silver foil information on the casing. I mean, I love shiny things as much as the next person, however, from a practicality standpoint it’s really hard to read. I also didn’t love this particular shade of grey for the purposes of my drawing but in a scenario where you wanted to build up a subtle grey hue, it would be great.
Princeton Synthetic Sable Round Brush
I’m a big fan of Princeton brushes and this little fella will be going in my A-Team brush pot. It held the pigment wonderfully! I was also able to create clean, crisp lines for details. This brush’s synthetic sable hair was specially designed to work well with watercolor and it definitely shows.
M. Graham & Co. Artists’ Watercolor
The more I try different watercolor products the more I fall more head over heels with it. This particular brand is made with honey so that it retains its longevity and moisture. I loved the consistency and vibrancy of the pigment in its fully saturated and diluted forms. This is 100% a product I would buy more of. The fact that it also is supposed to last potentially years without use is a plus since a single tube of this paint is a tad pricey and you don’t need to use a lot of it to go a long way.
Zebra Zensations Brush Pens ( Super Fine, Fine, and Medium)
Artsnacks subscribers hit the freaking jackpot this month with these three ink pens from Zebra Zensations. The 3 different weights are exceptional with their flexible nibs rich black color. The water-resistant nature of the ink is actually closer to waterproof when fully dry. I attempted to use it to my advantage by blending out some the ink with water, but I found if the ink had dried too much its actually didn’t budge. That being said, I still wouldn’t recommend treating it like a waterproof pen. Once again, I’m also a sucker for the beautiful design of these pens.
Because this month’s box didn’t come with a paper sample I used a favorite of mine, the Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 140lb watercolor paper. What a love about this paper is that it has excellent absorbency with minimal to no warping and its smooth tooth makes it excellent for mixed media colored pencil or pen work.
Here’s a look below at my final panda bear illustration using all of the products from this month’s box. I have to say I loved all of it again. The only exception being the Albrecht Dürer watercolor pencil but that has more to do with the color I received as opposed to the product itself which I am normally a fan of.
For a more in-depth look at my process behind these drawings and to see the products in action, check out my YouTube video below.
Sign up for your own Artsnacks box by following the link: http://www.artsnacks.co/
Have you tried any of the items in this review? Which did you like best?
Share with me in the comments!
Please Note: I am in no way being paid to promote this product. The opinions in the blog post are my own.
