PanPastel Independent Product Review – Hear what others think

November 10th, 2011

If you have heard about PanPastel but can’t decide if they are for you, then have a read of the indpendent review by UK Based Artist – Crafter – Blogger, Kim Dellow. You can see the full review by clicking on the logo for Kims blog below:

A snippet of Kim’s article includes quote “Well, straight away I can easily say that I love the colour choices, for us crafters particularly, there are some bang on trend colours on offer. The first thing I did after ‘ooing’ and ‘ahing’ over the colours of course, was to see how the colour laid down …….

Kim used the PanPastels to produce a fabulous altered book page with the Skeleton Gentleman stamp. Kim Dellow is the Guest Designer over at the PanPastel UK Challenge Blog.

You too can enter the weekly PanPastel Challenge Blog for a chance to win a voucher to spend in our on line store Your Creativity Store Shop.

PanPastel 5 colour Set from Your Creativity StorePanPastel are a really vesatile colouring medium that can produce wonderful backgrounds for your cards in minutes. As with Kim’s example you can use them to colour stamped images and a whole host of other things.

If you would like to know more about the PanPastel range and the wonderful Sofft Tools follow this link to our website PanPastel & Sofft Tools

Oh…… i almost forgot – by visiting Kim Dellows blog you can get an exclusive discount code to use on our website – so you can enjoy experiementing with PanPastel for even less money. Here’s the link again

Kim Dellows Blog

Bookmark and Share





Second PanPastel Challenge is underway

October 6th, 2011

Using 20 colour PanPastel trayThe PanPastel second challenge is well underway. The subject this week is – New Beginnings. so you could interpret it as say New home, New Job etc…. You can enter up to 2 items, the second one does need to be done with PanPastel.

For more info visit the PanPastel Challenge blog via this link PanPastel Weekly Challenge Blog.

 You have until 12 o’ clock on Saturday to post your entry. The winner is chosen via a random number generator.

If you do win, you’ll get a £5 gift voucher to spend in our on line store. Click here Your Creativity Website & Store

If you want to try PanPastel, we have a great offer on at the moment. We have 2 trial sets that have a contents worth approximately £20 and we have them available at just £11.99 and we’ll even throw in FREE Carriage.

Each set has 2 PanPastel colours and a selection of Sofft Tools. This is a really cost effective way to try out PanPastel. If you would like to view the 2 sets these links will take you to them in our store PanPastel Trial Set 1 ,  PanPastel Trial Set 2

PanPastel are an extremely versatile crafting colour medium. PanPastel can be applied to all sorts of surfaces and unlike standard chalk pastels you don’t get all that dust. The colours can be mixed and blended really easily. One PanPastel colour goes a very long way so if you are a prolific card maker, scrap booker or altered artists then they are very cost effective.

For more infromation on the PanPastel products and the colour range follow this link : PanPastel Range

Bookmark and Share





FREE WORKSHOPS – PanPastel & Sofft Tools @ Hobbycrafts Show NEC

September 25th, 2011

PanPastel and sofft ToolsSo what is PanPastel I hear you say. Well it is a premium quality Pastel range of 80 colours that can be used in all sorts of crafting applications including Card Making, Scrapbooking and Altered Art. The product is uniquely packed in a pan format and can be applied to almost any surface with Sofft Tools that were specially designed for the task. The colour is so easy to use and can be blended effortlessly, to produce some wonderful results.

If you want to be one of the first to try PanPastel, we will be running 3 FREE workshops each day at the Hobbycrafts Show held at the NEC Birmingham, November 3rd – 6th 2011.

The workshops will be run by Kerry Kennedy who is the PanPastel Design Team Leader. Kerry has been crafting for many years and fell in love with PanPastel the first time she tried them. During the 30 minute workshop Kerry will show you various ways in which you can use PanPastel in your craft projects. The session will be hands on, so you will be able to truly experience the product for yourself. Workshop participants will be able to take home whatever they have made during the session.

Sofft Tools Group shotThe workshops can be booked on a first come first served basis, so please come and register early at Stand J11.
At the show we  (Creativity Store – www.yourcreativitystore.com ) will bring you the full range of PanPastel single colours, PanPastel Sets & the Sofft Tools range. There will be a number of exclusive Show Offers available from the Creativity Store stand which is located adjacent to the workshop area, at Stand N12.

PanPastel & the Sofft Tools range will appeal to both those new to crafting and experienced Crafters. To see just how versatile the range is visit the PanPastel UK Blog at http://panpasteluk.blogspot.com/

Workshop Timings – Running Daily, Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th November 2011,  NEC Birmingham.
Workshop 1 10.00 – 10.30
Workshop 2 10.45 – 11.15
Workshop 3 11.30 – 12.00

For examples and ideas of what you can do with PanPastel, visit the PanPastel Weekly Challenge Blog and see what the PanPastel Design Team and others have been doing visit  http://panpasteluk.blogspot.com/

For further information visit:
http://www.yourcreativitystore.com/categories/PanPastel/

http://www.ichf.co.uk/hobbycrafts/

Bookmark and Share





New Craft Challenge Blog Launching This Weekend

September 22nd, 2011

We are delighted to be sponsoring the very First PanPastel Challange Blog.
PanPastel is a unique range of dry pigment colours that can be used on a whole range of surfaces.
The product was originally conceived for the Art market but as it can be used to create fabulous results in Card Making, Scrapbooking and Altered Art, it is quickly being adopted by the crafting market.
To learn more about the challenge and the prize on offer why not visit the blog. I’ve attached a link here for you.
http://panpasteluk.blogspot.com/

The Newly formed PanPastel Design Team have and will be adding more of their creations to the Challenge so you can see exactly what this product can do.
You can enter upto 2 of your creations, the first can be done with any media, the second needs to be done with PanPastel. For a nice easy start, the theme for this weeks challenge is “Anything Goes”.

I hope you enjoy it and have some fun in the process.

Bookmark and Share





Want to try 66 new Watercolours for £4.99?

November 18th, 2010
Daniel Smith 66 Dot Try It Card

Daniel Smith 66 Dot Try It Card

To mark the Launch of Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolours into the UK, you can try 66 different colours from their 230 Colour range for just £4.99.

How you might ask? Well they have produced a fantastic 66 colour “Try It” Sheet. The Daniel Smith “Try It” Sheet contains 66 paintable colour dots which you can paint out on to your favourite paper. As their paints are so highly pigmented a bit of their colour goes a very long way.

The great thing about the Daniel Smith “Try It” Sheet is that they have carefully selected the 66 colours so you can get a taste of the wonderful Quinacridones, Primatek and Luminescent colours. To learn a little bit more about them read on ……

Quniacridone Colours

The “Try It” sheet contains a number of the Quinacridones from the range. Quinacridone colours combine the power of the staining pigments with the luminosity of the transparents. They flow beautifully for extremely smooth washes, have incredible depth of colour and can be lifted easily while still wet.

They have proved to be very popular since their introduction, as no other colours have both the intensity and transparency of the quinacridone family. They are synthetic organic pigments, created in the world’s most advanced colour laboratories. Miniscule pigment particles are exceptionally uniform in size and shape, which translates into unfailing behaviour in the paint.

The quinacridone colour range – rich golds, oranges, pinks, reds and violets – covers a wide swath of the spectrum. Many artists have substituted the fantastic earthy golds and oranges for traditional ochres and siennas, instantly super-charging their palettes with these intense and extremely lightfast colours.

Daniel Smith Primatek Watercolours

You’ll also have the opportunity to try out the Daniel Smith PrimaTek colours. They are unique paints made with pure, authentic mineral pigments that are mined directly from the earth. These colours have captured the imagination of artists for hundreds or even thousands of years. Their diversity is amazing.

Daniel Smith Luminescent Watercolours

There are 18 Luminescent Watercolours for you to experience on the ”Try It” Sheet. Luminescent Watercolours can be used alone or mixed into standard colours for striking effects of light and colour. Miniscule particles of titanium-coated mica are the secret. Different sized particles and thicknesses of coating provide the dazzling array of choices.

Interference and Pearlescent colours appear almost colourless, but when applied over a dark colour they bounce back gleaming colour. The interference colours take on different hues depending on the point of view and how the light is striking them. Viewed from one angle, Interference Green is a shimmering, pearly green. Viewed from another angle, it refracts a reddish hue.

The Duochrome colours bounce between two distinct colours depending on the reflective light providing pure visual excitement! The Iridescent colours reflect light directly and provide a fascinating sense of depth, along with intense colour and sheen.

The Iridescent colours reflect light directly and provide a fascinating sense of depth, along with a distinctive sheen. The colour ranges of these colours are the most intense.

If you are still sitting on the fence we’ll even post the Daniel Smith “Try It” Sheet to you carriage FREE !!!

To order your  ”Try It” Sheet follow this link DANIEL SMITH WATERCOLOUR 66 DOT TRY IT SHEET

To Learn more about the range and each colours properties follow this link DANIEL SMITH EXTRA FINE WATERCOLOUR PAINTS.

Bookmark and Share





Daniel Smith Watercolours Available now in the UK.

November 18th, 2010
Smalt Genuine Daniel Smith Watercolour 15ml tube

Smalt Genuine Daniel Smith Watercolour

Artist Dan Smith, started his business in 1976 with the objective of bringing the highest quality inks to the print-artist community. Building on this earlier success Dan then set out to create a range of Artist quality watercolours with one goal in mind: to bring the watercolour artist the very best product available. However not only did he aspire to bring artists the best quality, he also wanted to be innovative and bring something new to the table. His dream came to fruition with the introduction of a hugely innovative American-made collection of paints that just happened to change the world of watercolours forever. You too can now experience and enjoy these wonderful Watercolours right here from a UK supplier.

Daniel Smith was the first to offer Quinacridone pigments in artists’ paints. These fantastic, powerful colours, originally created for the car industry, give artists new and vibrant choices perfect for glazing. 

Today there is more than 200 colours in the range! The sheer range of possibility they offer is endless and unparalleled in the industry. The amazing selection spans the spectrum from the historical, to natural earth and PrimaTek™ Colours, to the brightest, boldest colours modern technology has to offer. The sheer amount of pigment packed into each tube is exceptional, as is their policy of providing complete product information on each label.

If you want to know more about the Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolour Range follow this link to our website.We stock 230 colours in the Watercolour Tubes and 40 colours in the Artist quality Watercolour Pigment Sticks. Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolours

Bookmark and Share





Great New Range of Art books

August 5th, 2010

For the first time ever, a great new range of art books have become available for purchase in the UK.. The range is known internationally as the Leonardo Collection. There are 46 titles in the series which were designed and created as both a valuable tool for beginners and a strong support for professional artists.

Drawing Animals No.13 Leonardo collection

Drawing Animals No.13 from The Leonardo collection

The Leonardo Collection offers exhaustive information on methods and strategies in both drawing and painting, starting from the basics of drawing and gradually presenting various media and techniques in a vast range of subjects.

 The first five titles of the series have been adopted by many art schools throughout the world because of the informative and easy to follow step-by-step practice and demonstration approach.

Each manual in the Leonardo Collection explores a single subject matter, but taken together they create a comprehensive survey of drawing and painting, useful for artists of all levels and abilities who want to expand their knowledge and skills. Each book measures 24 cm wide by 34 cm long, with 36 pages including the cover.

The range covers: The Fundamentals of Drawing and Painting; Drawing the Human figure; Portraiture (including caricatures); Drawing Animals and Pets; Drawing and Painting Landscapes; Still Life; Flowers; Cartoon and Comic Drawing, and even Decorative Patterns and Calligraphy.

Priced at just £6.99 each they are great for learning new skills and techniques, as you can work and learn at your own pace.

For more information click here Leonardo Range of Sketching, Drawing and Painting Books

Bookmark and Share





Want Darker than a 9B Pencil ?

July 9th, 2010

 

Derwent Onyx tonal comparison

Have you ever been drawing and thought I need a really dark pencil? When I say dark I mean even darker than a 9B.

You may recall that with Graphic pencils the H stands for Hardness and the B for Blackness well 9B is the highest it goes in terms of Darkness. Well that was until Derwent launched their new Onyx pencil.

 The Derwent Onyx pencil is made from smooth dark graphite and allows you to instantly create dense rich jet-black tones. Its 4mm wide core has a non-crumbly texture which means it will sharpen and hold a fine point for longer making it ideal for hatching. Also, it will smudge allowing you to blend it with your finger tip or if you prefer to keep your hands clean use a Tortillon.

Landscape drawn with Derwent Onyx Pencil

Landscape drawn with Derwent Onyx Pencil

 The Derwent Onyx pencil is equally good for quick expressive sketches as well as detailed technical and architectural drawings. If you require really deep tones these can be built up by applying increased pressure. Less pressure will achieve lighter tones ideal for more precise work.

Derwent Onyx is available in two tones, Medium and Dark, which can be purchased individually for around £1.50 each or in a pack containing 4 pencils (2 Dark Onyx & 2 Medium Onyx) with a sharpener and eraser for around £5.00.

If you want more information about Derwent Onyx is wish to purchase them then follow this link: Derwent Onyx Pencils

Bookmark and Share





How to get the most from your Art Accessories Part 2

June 16th, 2010

There are an array of artists accessories available on the market today. Some of the newest and most innovative products have been developed by The Cumberland Pencil Company (more commonly known as Derwent pencils to you and I). In developing the range their premise was to try and enhance your creative enjoyment whilst also caring for the tools of your trade – the pencils.

Embossing Tools

Derwent Embossing tool to create fine detail

Use embossing tool to add fine detail

An embossing tool works by making an indentation in the paper. Coloured pencil will skim over the indentation; colour will be put down on the surrounding area but not in the indentation. This allows you to make fine white or light lines in a dark area. This is a very useful technique for grasses and certain flowers, animal whiskers or even leaving your signature in a dark area of your work.

Stipple Brush

Derwent Stipple Brush for creating texture

Create sand like texture by stippling

 A stipple brush is an artistic tool that can be used to create dimension, texture and other details to artwork. This can be achieved quite effectively with watercolour pencils. Simply dip the stipple brush into wet colour and remove excess colour on a piece of spare paper. Then dab the brush evenly on to your work. This can be done repeatedly with different colours in order to make an entire range of subtle textures. Perfect for creating the sand texture on a beach and rocks.

Fan Brush

The shape of this brush spreads colour across the page quickly and in an interesting manner. It can be used with water-soluble pencils and is great for creating grasses or rainbows of colour. The fan brush can also be used dry with pastel pencils to blend colours into each other in a subtle way.

Derwent Fan brush spreading colour

Fan Brush for spreading colour

Rubber Shapers

Derwent Rubber Shapers for smudging and blending

Rubber Shapers for smudging and blending media

Derwent Rubber Shapers (sometimes also called Colourshapers), are very useful for blending and smudging pastels, charcoal and graphite. They are perfect when precise control is required.

All of the above items form part of the Derwent Essential Drawing kit which includes 1 Stipple Brush, 1 Fan Brush, 2 embossing tools with different shaped heads and a Rubber Shaper. The full set costs around £10. for more information follw this link:

Derwent Essential Drawing Kit 

Bookmark and Share





How to get the most from your Art Accessories Part 1

June 16th, 2010
Creating the speckiling effect

Creating the speckling effect

 

There are a comprehensive range of accessories available on the market today. One of the newest and innovative ranges has been developed by Derwent pencils. In developing the range their ethos was not just to ensure that you care for your pencils properly, but to also add to your creative enjoyment. Many are ideal for creating unusual effects and for experimenting with different drawing techniques.
Outlined below are a few ideas of how to use these tools. 

How to use a Sandpaper Block

 

You can use a sandpaper block to create a speckled effect: Draw a shape on your paper with a wetted paintbrush then using the sandpaper block sharpen the side of the pencil point and tap the resulting pencil ‘dust’ onto the wetted area on your paper. The colour will only adhere to the wet areas of the paper. If you use this technique with Derwent Watercolour Pencils (or other watersoluble pencils like Derwent Inktense), you can observe how the colours dissolve and create some fascinating effects.

  

How to use a Kneadable Eraser to Create highlights

Lifting colour out to create highlights

 

A kneadable or putty eraser is pliable and can be shaped into a point to erase small areas of tone. It can also be used to  add highlights; you can remove areas from the drawing to reveal the white underneath thereby creating areas of light and dark which can define the shape of an object. Don’t worry if you lift too much off, you can easily add some back in. This simple technique can really bring your drawings to life. 

How and What to use a Waterbrush For …

The Waterbrush has been described as an artist’s dream. The brush houses water in the barrel of the pen which is supplied to the fibre brush via a valve. The flow of water is controlled by applying slight pressure on the barrel when the brush meets the paper. To clean it simply apply pressure to the barrel and the water will flush the paint from the brush. 

Using a Waterbrush and Watersoluble sketching pencils

Using a Waterbrush and Watersoluble sketching pencils

 

You can use the Waterbrush to lift colour from the tip of a Watercolour pencil or Aquatone stick which you then apply to the paper. Or you can draw the colour onto the paper and then turn it into paint by simply running the Waterbrush over your pencil marks. Thats how you turn your drawing into a painting … 

How to Hatch and Cross Hatch

This technique involves laying down colour in the form of lines and adding a different layer in a different direction each time. 

Cross Hatching with Pencils

Cross hatching

 

For example: Draw the first layer of lines in a horizontal direction; draw the second layer of lines, on top of the first, but this time in a vertical direction. Each different direction adds more tone to the shading. Different colours can also be used. This technique can be performed using any Derwent Pencil media. 

How to Blend to Create Tone, Shade and other Colours

Blending involves the merging of one or more colours. Blending is especially important for creating tone, shade and other colours. There are numerous accessories and tools you can use to blend your colours together, below we look at four examples: 

Lay your colours down on the paper close to each other, then, using your finger, paper stump, rubber shaper or stipple brush, merge the colours together. 

blending with your fingers

Blending with your fingers

 

Example 1 shows how the finger can be used to blend two shades of blue together.  

Example 2 shows how a paper stump can be used. The effective use of a rubber shaper is shown in example 3 . Finally example 4 shows  blending using a stipple brush. 

blending with a Derwent paper stump

blending with a Derwent paper stump

 

blending with a Derwent Rubber Shaper

blending with a Derwent Rubber Shaper

 

blending with a Derwent Stipple Brush

blending with a Derwent Stipple Brush

Bookmark and Share