Change can be hard when you are used to living your life a certain way. Not only hard for you, but others also. If you are used to doing everything for everyone and putting yourself on the back burner, it may come as a shock to them when they have to start putting away their own socks. Many times when we find ourselves angry and exhausted it is because we are doing things we no longer need to do. Yep, your 15 year old can do his own laundry. So get used to it! The same goes for your art. It is your own world and you can make it any awesome way you like.
Little Ruby
If you like black and white and red all over, go for it. Glorious colors are your thing? Don't hold back. You do not have to try and follow someone else's style because they are popular. Make your own style, then find the people who like it. There are Facebook groups, Google hangouts, Meetups, and endless social media forms where you can find your people.
Ruby, grown up.
So stop conforming! Be like a comet and blaze your own trail. xo Oh! Don't forget to enter the February Art Giveaway RIGHT HERE. Good luck!
(This blog was inspired by awesome art agent Lilla Rogers and her Monday Moments. You can find her HERE.)
As an I artist I love trying new pens and markers. I was looking for some brush pens because I was starting to practice script writing. I also read that many were using these brush pens to outline art or create beautiful pictures. I Googled around and found that Jet Pens had a sample set of five brush pens, one each from Kuretake, Pilot, Pentel, Zebra, and Tombow. I've used the Pentel brush pen and have a colored marker set from Tombow, both of which I am very happy with. The other three will be new to me. (Love JetPens.com BTW. Easy ordering and super fast delivery--and no, they do not pay me.) I was looking forward to trying the Kuretake pen because I heard it had a very springy tip and lasted a very long time. I was also excited to try a brush pen with a super fine and hard tip like the Zebra because I'd had no experience with them at that point. Getting the delivery was exciting. All of the pens are made in Japan, and the packaging is different from what we are used to in the USA, and it made it very interesting to open and begin. A big PLUS for me--all of the brush tips are made from felt or synthetic hair so NO animals are hurt in the process. Below are writing samples from each pen.
Below is a video describing from Jet Pens describing each pen and showing it in action.
The Kuretake pen had a nice solid tip. The ink flowed well but not too fast. It allowed for nice control. I like the feel of this pen.
The Pentel pocket pen is the most popular brush pen on the market. It is a refillable pen with a springy tip and a heavy flow. Although I loved writing with it, being a beginner it allowed for the least control of all the pens. That being said, I loved it and feel it will be worth it to continue using it and improving.
The Pilot soft brush pen is very interesting. The ink flowed very dark and nicely, but if too much pressure was applied on the down stroke the entire tip lifted, and the point of the tip would pop off the paper. BUT--that makes for very interesting lettering and the ability to stylize. It was the only pen that squeaked as I wrote.
The Tombow pen was an all-around nice pen. Good control and good ink flow.
My favorite of the pens was the Zebra fine. To me it was the closest to a Crow Quill or calligraphy pen with a nib. It offers great control and the ink is very dense and black. It also makes a slight scratchy noise as you write. I like that.
Here's a short video of me using each pen. I've just started with script writing with a brush pen so my samples are not beautiful like some other videos out there.
I have a feeling that as I improve and get used to using these pens that I may change which is my favorite.
This drawing was done with the Pentel brush pen.
If you would like to enter a giveaway to win the all the pens in a JETPENS sampler set, click HERE. All entries will be entered into Random.com on February 1st and the winner will receive the Brush Pen Sampler that I reviewed above! Winner will be notified by email and announced in a post on this blog. If there is no response from winner within one week, a new winner will be chosen. Brush pens will be sent to winner within thirty days.
So please follow my blog and enter the contest for more art, kid lit, pen addiction posts, and a chance to win!
My mother started to get grey hair when she was 16 years old, and people tell me I look like her. She has pure white hair now, and so do I. I did not pick up her flair for really good cooking unfortunately. My father is a wonderful photographer, and although I like taking pictures and some of them are very cool too, I do not have his skill or his knowledge. But I did get his very long legs. Both of my parents are artistic. My mother used to oil paint when I was a kid, and my dad would draw pictures of eyeballs running down the street and rising like the sun that would rival Dali in style. My sister does not think she draws well, but she has other artistic skills. She is an amazing interior decorator, and can host an event that would Martha Stewart jealous.
Pastel by great-grandpa Paul.
I am starting to learn that the artistic thing goes back beyond my parents. Seems I had a great grandfather that had a flair for art also. We found his portfolio that is so old it is crumbling, and we are going to try our best to salvage and frame some of the artwork. It ranges from cartoons to oil paintings. If both your parents have blue eyes, the chance that you will have blue eyes too is very high. I wonder what the genetic chance is in becoming artistic if there are artists in your family?
One of his cartoons.
According to a study at Penn State artists are both born and made. They feel natural born talent, along with societal influences, shape the artist. In any event, it can't hurt to draw and paint with your children if they love it. And doing art helps them with critical thinking, decision making, and self confidence--so go for it! So I wonder, did my love of art come from my parents drawing with me as a kid, or did I inherit it in my DNA? xo
We all remember drawing turkeys when we were kids by tracing our hands on paper. This Thanksgiving lets do it a little differently! Instead of tracing our hands onto paper, lets draw turkeys on our hands. :) It's simple: You will need-- 1 non-toxic marker~this is used for the outline (I do not recommend Sharpies--although they are a favorite for drawing on paper, even the Sharpie website does not recommend using them to draw on the skin.) Read about Sharpies HERE. OR a liquid or pencil eyeliner in a dark color.
If you like, you can trace your hand first first and figure out what your turkey will look like before you transfer it onto your hand. (Remember, if you are right handed you will be drawing the turkey onto your left hand, so your RIGHT hand will have to be traced onto the paper--palm DOWN.) But if you decide to just WING it (no pun intended--wink) don't worry if you make a mistake, you can wash with soap and water and start over! Your fingers will be the tail feathers, your thumb will be the neck and head, and your palm will be the body and wing of the turkey, just like our turkey pics from back in the day.
When you are done with the outline, you can color it with non-toxic markers or even watercolor paint. Please send me pictures of your artwork--I love to post it on my ART BY YOU page. Kids love to see their art there, too. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! P.S. I do not eat turkey~I would be more likely to be found giving one a big HUG. Here's a more intricate for the older kids:
Five fat turkeys are we--
We slept all night in a tree--
When the cooks came around, we couldn't be found--
