Paper and Ink Arts Blog

Since seeing the white canvas roll-up pouches that we have in stock, we’ve all known that they could be decorated well in the hands of the right artist. Thus, we were excited when Certified Zentangle Teacher Sanda Westcott e-mailed us a picture of the roll-up she created for a friend. Using Sakura Micron pens for the black and brown and a Marvy fabric marker for the sepia tones, Sandra created a true work of art!

You can see more of Sandra’s work at:

http://www.zentangle.com/index.php?option=com_czt&action=userdetail&id=180

If you find her work as inspiring as we did and are ready to try your own pouch, you can purchase one here: http://www.paperinkarts.com/whtrol.html

Sakura Microns can also be found on our site, and the Marvy fabric color markers are available at: http://www.markersupply.com/madema1.html

This past summer, I had the pleasure of attending the IAMPETH convention in Phoenix. Among the many exceptional teachers was Heather Held, and the class that she taught was entitled “The Artful Flourish”. This past fall, Heather partnered with us  to create an apron with her artwork for the 2012 catalog (http://www.paperinkarts.com/aprhea.html).  Her work is easily recognizible for its beauty and elegance, so I was thrilled when she shared a piece for our blog.

For creating lovely backgrounds, Heather recommends the pastels created by Diane Townsend.  ”Diane Townsend Pastels contain the very pure pigments which provide vibrant effects on the paper. They can be burnished into the background using a pastel brush. Because the pigments contain no chalk fillers, the pigment does not clog the surface of the paper,” says Heather. Because of this, writing and flourishing can be done on top of the pastels relatively easily without the pigments building up on the nibs or causing the ink to resist the paper. “Even the most flexible pointed pen can successfully be used on top of the pastels. I use the Diane Townsend pastels to add a depth and a glow to my flourishes that is quicker and easier to achieve than applying a watercolour wash.”  For the writing, Heather chose her favorite pointed pen ink- McCaffery’s brown. “I use McCaffery brown ink to achieve a Victorian effect in my work. Using a moist brush technique, I can add watercolour washes to my floral flourishes and the McCaffery brown does not bleed or feather.”

You can see more of Heather’s work on her website (www.heathervictoriaheld.com ) and her blog (www.inkflourishes.blogspot.com). Visit our store to purchase the pastels (http://www.paperinkarts.com/paints—brushes-pastels.html) and the McCaffery’s ink (http://www.paperinkarts.com/inks-mccaffery.html).

created by Heather Held

Recently, calligrapher Carol DuBosch was asked by a local gallery to write the title for a show of calligraphy. “I wanted something that was lively,” said Carol, “I decided that a style of letter that was contemporary and loose was the energy that needed to be communicated for their show.” As she prepared to create the title, Carol chose to use a Paper and Ink Arts Folded Pen to do the writing. “I like to use a folded pen when I have the chance to do loose script-type letters. I can create letters that have slightly rough edges, which lend a casual feel to the final version,”she said.

As far as ink, Carol used Moon Palace Sumi because it “is a delight to use. It flows freely and is always very dense. When I’m doing work for reproduction, dense black Sumi ink gives the best results.” Arches 140# Cold Press Watercolor paper was Carol’s paper of choice due to the fact that it “is a favorite surface for the Folded Pen. The Cold Press texture of the paper enhances the rough edges that a Folded Pen makes naturally and handles the Sumi ink very well.”

Once she had completed the title, Carol did  a reverse of it in Photoshop, and it was that reverse that the gallery chose. “They liked the drama of the black background with the white letters.” As you can see, Carol’s incredible creative and artistic talents combined with the products she chose delivered a splendid result!

Fine-Tec products are quite popular here at Paper and Ink Arts, and the gold palette is a particular favorite. Thus, when Risa Gettler sent us her examples of work she created using the Fine-Tec, we were thrilled! She purchased the gold palette at IAMPETH this past summer and decided to try it instead of a shell gold or French gold. In her words, “I think you’ll agree the application is glorious.” We certainly do agree! Though we cannot claim credit for her wondrous artistic ability, we are pleased to be able to contribute a product that can create such beautiful results. We hope you enjoy Risa’s spectacular work as much as we do!

Photograph by Josh Romero

Study in Grisaille

The Creation of the Sun and Moon

Master of Jean de Mandeville

French (active 1350-1370)

- Encouraged by the refined tastes of court patrons, French artist of the 14^th century created a tour de force style know as camaieu, in which elegant figures painted in a monochrome or grisaille technique were sent against gaily colored backgrounds and enlivened with fine gilding.

5″ x 5 1/4″ vellum

Gouache and FINE-TEC (vs. gold leaf or shell)

Shop for Fine-Tec products at: http://www.paperinkarts.com/paints—brushes-paints-finetec.html

As we begin our adventure of running Paper and Ink Arts, we want to provide a place for our wonderful customers to showcase their work as well as a place for us to share with you what’s happening here at the shop. In addition, we may also post tutorials on using popular products, answers to frequently asked questions, etc. If you are interested in having your work considered for a blog article, you would need to submit a photo of your work and a brief description of how you used the products (or simply information you’d like to share about the project/piece itself). You can also share ways for other customers to contact you (ex-your website or e-mail).