A guest blog from Lina Maria Carrillo on developing a personal style as an artist.

I have loved to draw ever since I can remember. Looking back at my work, I can see how I have gradually developed my own style as an artist. When flipping through my sketchbooks now, I laugh how many identical swans a 4 year old could possible draw over and over again. I like to hope that this level of persistence and commitment some day will serve me well in my artistic career. Later on, I have also cringed at some styles I have experimented with, particularly my naked life-drawing phase!

I think this is basically the same story for every person who likes to draw; we each like to hope that our work has evolved over time and stands out in our own way.

I believe the best way to develop our own artistic identity is to follow what we love. If you love to draw realistic, abstract or even finger paint, go for it!. There is no use trying to emulate someone else’s style, as at the end of the day our best work should clearly reflect who we are as an artist and our love for art.

At a personal level, now that my passion has turned into more of a career, I have to think about whether my work is pleasing to the audience’s eye, whether it is commercial enough to be used for advertisement purposes, and most importantly, whether it is effective in putting my point across. Having my own blog pushes me to come up with new ideas every week. I experiment with new techniques with digital media; I like to play around with my watercolors to create patterns that I can scan and play around with on my computer.

Eventually, when a stranger can pick my work out of others because it has my personal touch, this is something I definitely strive for. Developing my own style seems to be a continuous evolution but I am happy to forever be learning new methods and techniques. This is what I love most about being an artist!

Lina Maria Carrillo

Paperplaneslmc.blogspot.com

Keith McMean, watercolour artist tells us about the importance of sketching.

This is the first blog post I have written for Derwent Pencils and hopefully it won’t be the last.

Most of you might know that I am by definition a watercolour artist but as we all know the foundation of any good painting is the drawing that everything hangs on. Imagine what it would be like if the angles on a building were not quite right, this causes the viewer a slight discomfort and sometime they have no idea why but one thing they do know is they won’t be purchasing that painting or sketch!

Drawing and sketching are the fundamentals that any artist should master before even thinking about adding paint to paper or canvas. I remember holding a painting workshop many years ago and one of the students said to me “but I can’t draw a straight line” and my response was “there are no straight lines in nature, only man made” admittedly it was a landscape workshop we were on. But this doesn’t get away from the fact that drawing is key and care and attention should be paid to.

I have completed a small sketch of one of my favourite places, Whitehaven harbour and this is something I have painted and sketched a lot over the past 30 years and I never tire of looking at and painting it.

But what I have tried to capture is the essence of the place with this tonal sketch, sometimes I might even write the colours on the sketch to remind me, such as sky Ultramarine and yellow ochre and so on, this is a great way to bring the scene back when you are in the studio ready to paint.

I don’t underestimate the power of the pencil and I am sure that there are lots of pencil artists out there thinking ‘that’s rubbish’ and maybe it is, what I am getting at here is that using pencils for really detailed work or tonal sketches doesn’t matter, it’s the fact that YOU CAN use them to an end.

So next time you are in the art shop and you stumble on a box or rack full of pencils don’t dismiss them by thinking “what could I use them for?” there are a million and one things you can use them for…so go on use them!

Until next time.

Thanks so much to Keith for his interesting opinions on sketching. For more information on Keith's work, why not visit: http://www.thesocialartist.co.uk

Cartoonist Colin Shelbourn guest blogs about how he uses Derwent Studio 33 pencils to create his fantastic illustrations.

 

The Derwent Studio 33 pencil; it’s slim, perfectly formed and the secret weapon in a cartoonist’s armoury.

When drawing for newspapers, the deadlines are tight. In the case of a front page cartoon it can be as little as three hours. This includes reading the headlines, sketching at least four ideas, discussing them with the editor and then drawing the finished artwork. As part of this process, the Studio 33 is indispensable.

It’s the best blue pencil in the world and it has magical properties.

When scanned in black and white, blue lines disappear. They simply don’t register, which means I can sketch the final artwork with in blue pencil and go straight to ink without the need to erase any lines. This saves a huge wodge of time plus it avoids wrecking the paper surface and subsequently creating a splodgy inky mess.

The printed result is a finely-crafted cartoon of elegance and tranquility; the frantic, blue pencil scribbling beneath the surface is hidden from view.

But the magic of the Studio 33 doesn’t end there. It extends into the wild, where it prevents conflict, altercation and unseemly behaviour.

Drawing in trains, cafés and at live events is tremendous fun but carries a risk: I’m a cartoonist so when I sketch someone, the results may not be flattering. An ink or 4B pencil cartoon can be spotted from several yards away but the magic blue pencil is invisible. This gives me plenty of time to spot an incoming victim and turn the page before they arrive. Oh look, I wasn’t drawing them at all, it was my shopping list.

Colin Shelbourn is a professional cartoonist. He can be found extolling the virtues of the Derwent Studio 33 pencil to anyone who will listen, but usually at workshops or in the pages of his new book, Drawing Cartoons (Crowood Press). www.shelbourn.com

© Colin Shelbourn

We asked world-renowned web designer Grace Smith to tell us a little about how she uses sketching to develop ideas for her design work.

Sketching & Design: a Perfect Combination

Sketching isn't optional for me as a designer, it's essential. I can't go straight to digital at the start of a project, I always start off with some browser templates or Moleskine (and a few Derwent pencils!)

Sketching kick-starts my creativity and allows me to get ideas out on paper and is the fastest way to brainstorm and convey as many ideas as possible with the least amount of effort.

Process

Staring at a blank Photoshop canvas is not a great way to start a project. Although it may sound exciting to just jump straight in, it can also be quite overwhelming. Sketching gets you over this hurdle and allows you to quickly explore concepts and ideas. I see it as the frame upon which I craft my projects.

Whether it's a website design, logo design or iPhone app design, it all begins with a pencil and paper. Sketching enables me to break down ideas and fully explore design and layout options and I find putting it down on paper tends to raise questions and ideas, and leads to changes.

I focus on wireframing and layout when sketching for Web Design and iPhone UI Design, looking at the overall picture instead of minor details too early in the process. I usually start by jotting down the main points and goals of a project on a separate page, which I can then quickly refer back to when I'm sketching.

This is the exact process I used when redesigning my own site - Postscript5, which was recently relaunched. Brainstorming ideas and sketching out layouts for each area of the site led me down some creative avenues I wouldn't have experimented with had I not taken the time to sketch!

I sketch quickly and freely as I'm not concerned with how it looks but on developing and exploring ideas. Plus usually no one but you sees the sketches so don't get caught up in  trying to draw a masterpiece!

My process for Logo Design differs slightly in that the sketches are scanned and digitally treated (in Photoshop or Illustrator). However before the sketches are treated they are shown to the client for feedback and revised, only at this point are they then scanned and given a design treatment. This allows for quick iteration and feedback and makes for a much more efficient design process.

Benefits

As you begin sketching at the start of a project, you soon discover potential obstacles and problems that you may not have seen until much later in the design phase. I've therefore found that while the approach may differ slightly on each project, sketching has cut down dramatically on revisions later in the design stage.

As a designer it now means huge amounts of time aren't invested in refining concepts and solutions which may not be in the right direction, as the sketch (or a sketch turned into a wireframe) can be shown to the client, for approval.

Resources

1. Sketching Resources for User Experience Designers

2. To Sketch or not to Sketch

3. Collection of Printable Browser and Wireframe Sketching Templates

4. An in-depth look at my Wireframing process

Conclusion

Too many people get hung up on not being able to draw, but great drawing skill isn’t necessary to capture your ideas. Sketching should be fast and loose, you're not trying to recreate a Picasso, it’s about transferring ideas from your brain to paper.

It's the place where you make your mistakes and your discoveries and lay the foundations of your ideas.

Now excuse me while I go and grab my Derwent Pencils and Moleskine and get sketching!

Bio

Grace Smith is the principal designer of Postscript5, a small, boutique web design studio based in Northern Ireland, where she works with clients from around the globe.

 

THIS COMPETITION FINISHED AT 12PM, 17TH AUGUST

Derwent make their fine art pencils in one of the most beautiful parts of England, the Lake District so they are very conscious of how important it is to love and protect the world around them.

Derwent cares about trees; it uses Californian Incense Cedar wood from forests accredited to the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) in the manufacture of its pencils.

The new Derwent Fine Art eco Sketching Pencil, with its hexagonal barrel and unpainted natural finish, is made using high quality artist-grade graphite, a naturally occurring substance sourced from Sri Lanka. It is available in 5 key degrees from a crisp, non-scratchy 2H for fine lines to a soft and smudgy 6B for darker shading. The first time, Derwent believes, that an eco-friendly sketching pencil has been made available in a range of degrees which are perfect for sketching and drawing.

To limit waste the packaging is made from recycled paper and is 100% recyclable. You can also remove the perforated hanging tag and re-use the pack to store the pencils when not in use.

Derwent works hard to protect the planet. They have been awarded the Queen’s award for sustainable development for their commitment to the environment. They developed a unique eco friendly process, using UV light, to coat the barrels of their pencils thereby avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and solvents. And, when they built their new factory in Lillyhall they incorporated a number of eco-friendly features; they store and re-use rainwater, while waste wood chippings created in the manufacturing process are burnt to heat the factory and all the offices feature motion sensor lighting in order to save energy.

To win 1 of 20 packs simply answer this simple question:

What kind of wood are our pencils made from?

Just leave your answer at the bottom of this blog post to be in with a chance! We'll pick a winner from the correct answers at random on Wednesday, 17th August 2011 at 12pm. Only one entry per person please. Good luck!

Thanks to Facebook we found an amazing artist who really astounded us with his skill at photo-realistic pencil drawing. We asked Diego to share his work and bio with us:

DiegoKoi was born in Lamezia Terme (CZ) October 25, 1989. As a young man he started out creating tattoo designs & was inspired by the work of Katsushika Hokusai.

In time, Diego’s technique moved on from the sharp and heavy lines of Japanese tattoo drawings and he progressed on to the lightness and delicacy of pencil drawing. The pursuit of perfection is an obsession for Diego.

He has the ability to see hundreds of shades of grey & achieve extreme realism in his works. He spent a brief time training with the great artists Calabrese, Maurizio Carnevali who helped him define his drawing skills to be able to communicate his vision.

Diego has made a great name for himself and is commissioned regularly from all over the world. His work goes beyond the simple picture and has wowed the public with exhibitions in the picturesque area of Calabria, Italy.

Diego uses Derwent Graphic Pencils "I tried many but the Derwent pencils are the best, because the feel of the pencil allows you to draw in a classic style, the core is also very strong & will not break."

See his work below - it really is beautiful. For more information on DiegoKoi please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/diegokoiart
http://diegokoi.altervista.org/
http://diegokoi.artelista.com/
http://www.equilibriarte.org/member/9004
http://www.ioarte.org/artisti/Diego-Fazio/

We are pleased to showcase the winner of our Decorate Derwent Competition: Alan Jones! Below is Alan's winning entry and some more info about him.

I was born in Wrexham, North Wales in 1954 and have always had a love of drawing. I knew I wanted to do something connected with art from an early age but didn’t know what. On leaving school my art teacher suggested I go onto Art College but the only course available at the time was graphics, which I studied for 3 years.

I have worked in the creative industry for over 35 years. My career started in a major retail-furnishing outlet creating interior designs, shop window displays and exhibitions, then moving on to a large signage company producing designs, visuals and artwork where I became studio manager.

I then joined LEGO UK Ltd as designer in the Marketing Dept. where I worked for over 17 years designing and producing all LEGO national promotions, shop in shop retail environments and themed window displays.

I now own and run a small design company in Wrexham with my business partner Dave Savage called Mako Creative Solutions.

Somebody said last year you “must really love design and art” and yes I do but realised in a light-bulb moment that running my own company and working in the corporate world meant I was so busy with the day-to-day “stuff” that I wasn’t doing what I really enjoyed all those years ago which was drawing.

So during a horrible bout of flu in November 2010 I couldn’t sleep and got up in the middle of the night and just started sketching. I started using graphite and was encouraged by friends and family to do more portraits, which progressed to private commissioned work with moderate success.

Then in January I discovered coloured pencils for the first time and they blew me away! They are such a fantastic medium to use and I am amazed at the depth of colour and detail that can be achieved. My weapons of choice are all things Derwent. Studio, Coloursoft and pastel pencils being my favourites. In the short time I have been drawing I have experimented with lots of different brands, but found Derwent to have such fantastic quality that keeps on delivering time after time.

I still only have time to draw in the evenings and at weekends and have a great passion for what I do. I get a huge amount of satisfaction and pleasure when people comment and get enjoyment from my drawings.

I love drawing pets, portraits and wildlife all with coloured pencils or graphite and would be happy to do any commissions.

Thanks so much to Alan for sharing his biography with us & showing us his drawings. For more information email: alanjonesart@yahoo.co.uk or visit Alan's page on Facebook!

Below is some more examples of Alan's amazing work.

 

 

 

 

When Derwent first asked me to write a blog piece for them, they said I could write about anything I liked – straight away I thought “Coloursofts”!

 

Ever since they sent me their products to try Coloursoft pencils have been my number one favourite, I love the softness of these pencils, the way they blend so easily & the vibrancy of the colours. They have an almost buttery texture that goes on so smoothly and blends like a dream!  You can see here how you can use the colours to make light and shade leaving no harsh lines and how you can even mix the colours as in the last one using blue and pink to create purple, gorgeous!

 

 

In the craft world at the moment, colouring in is a big trend, its gives us that feeling of a simpler time, when you were little and would sit with a colouring book for hours, it's so soothing to use your stamps and spend a few hours just colouring them in ready to use on cards and craft projects.

Here I’ve used one of the very popular ‘Magnolia’ images of a little girls and coloured with my Coloursofts.

 

 

 

I start by adding the blush to her cheeks using the Red pencil very softly; I then add shading to her face using the Orange and Rust colours before using the Orange pencil very lightly to blend over the whole face, using circular motions to blend the colours as I go.

 

 

 

The face looks a little orange at this point as if my Magnolia has been fake tanned! So I blend the White pencil over the whole face, this tones the colour down, blends all the colours together perfectly (using a lighter colour over the whole area gives it a lovely shiny finish) and used more firmly in area of light, i.e. her nose and forehead gives a highlight to her face.

 

 

 

 

With the hand I don’t colour the whole hand, just the shading, I then use the White pencil to blend the pigment out over the white area to show where the highlights will fall – the pigment is so soft that you can use a white pencil to move the pigment around a little bit and blend outwards – just remember to scribble on some scrap paper between uses so you don’t contaminate your colours!

 

 

 

After colouring her hair and dress I use a soft cloth to gently buff over the surface to finish the blending and make sure there is no stray pigment. I then use the Burnisher pencil (sold separately) very gently over the top to give the image a shiny finish.

 

 

 

Here is the finished card.

 

 

And some more cards made using stamped images with my Coloursoft pencils.

 

 

Bear in mind I’ve only used a set of 12 to do these images, with all 72 colours you could create even more detailed images – the possibilities are endless!

 

 

 

My top tips!

• Start with the darker areas and use your lighter colours to blend into and over them so there are no harsh lines
• Make use of the White pencil – it really is a fantastic tool for blending and moving pigment around as well as for creating highlights
• Blend blend blend! Make sure you keep a soft cloth, blending stump or some kitchen roll next to you as you work
• For animals and surfaces with texture don’t use the Burnisher, the texture of the pencils makes them look almost fluffy and more realistic (as you can see from the chicks on my step by step card)
• Keep your pencils and paper clean of pigment, dust the image lightly as you go to remove stray pigment and clean the tips of your pencils by scribbling on some scrap paper so you don’t muddy your colours
• Keep a light pressure – you can always add colour and build up but its much harder to take it away and tone it down
• Keep practising – there are NO mistakes in crafting only experiments!

Have fun!

 

Thanks so much to Sarah for her fantastic post on just how easy it is to incorporate colour into your crafting projects!

 

For more information on Sarah Hurley visit her website www.sarahhurley.com

Or you can 'Like' her on Facebook www.facebook.com/SarahHurleyDesign

 

 

 

 

 

Above: The Courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts at Burlington House by Katherine Tyrrell.  

11.5" x 17" pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils in large Moleskine Sketchbook

 

 

We asked Katherine Tyrrell to guest blog for us; here's her 10 Reasons to Sketch with Coloured Pencils!

 

1. Not a lot to carry!

2. As many colours as you want

3. Go where other artists cannot go

4. Scope for mixed media

5. Get a true record of colours and tones 

6. Work small - and large

7. Impervious to rain

8. If you make a mistake....

9. Coloured pencils don’t run 

10. No waiting for the paint to dry!

 

 

This article focuses on sketching with coloured pencils - a topic that I feel passionate about, as I’ve been using coloured pencils for sketching for very nearly twenty years.  

 

It’s also a topic that very often gets too little coverage in coloured pencil circles.  

 

1. Not a lot to carry 

 

If you want to be able to sketch plein air - but don’t want to carry a lot – try taking a pocket sized sketchbook and a small pencil case.  Often it’s possible to use a sketching kit that you can slip in your pocket or a small bag.  

 

Below: Derwent Pencil Wrap and Coloursoft pencils

 

 

 

 

A pencil wrap is also a very suitable alternative to carry your coloured pencils and is easy to accommodate. 

 

Mixing the colours optically on the paper means you can do a lot with just a small number of coloured pencils.

 

2. As many colours as you want

 

Many coloured pencil artists work from complete sets of coloured pencils and would probably never ever contemplate taking their large wooden boxes or tins to sketch plein air.  

 

However there are lots of ways in which you can take LOTS of different coloured pencils on a trip without crashing through weight limits!  In fact there’s no limit to how many you can easily take away with you.

 

First you can create a collection of smaller pencils.  

 

I find I can take lots of colours out sketching with me just by picking out the stubby smaller pencils that I’ve used a lot and transferring these to my sketching kit.

Below: Colour sets in pencil wraps – because Venice means walking everywhere with your art kit

 

You can also take coloured sets of full size pencils abroad very easily if you use a pencil wrap for set of colours.  

 

I went to Venice one year with all these pencils!  A little OTT but it was a very lightweight way of carrying pencils and also made me happier!

 

3. Go where other artists cannot go

 

Coloured pencils have a major advantage over all other forms of coloured art media – because coloured pencil artists can take them places no other artists can go!

 

Few, if any of art galleries and museums will allow artists to bring art materials which involve water or solvents or dust into a gallery without prior application and special permission.  However dry media is usually acceptable e.g. graphite or coloured pencils and pen and ink (if contained within pen).

 

Permission to paint is typically only given to serious art students wanting to make a copy of a painting.  You see them now and again in galleries with an easel making studious copies.

 

However I have sketched with coloured pencils in virtually all the major London art galleries!  Sketching paintings by the masters is a great way of understanding how they work.

 

Here’s my latest sketch of a John Constable painting “Boatbuilding near Flatford Mill” which I drew while visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum.

 

Below: John Constable’s “Boatbuilding near Flatford Mill” – sketched in the Victoria and Albert Museum

11.5” x 16” – double page spread in A4 Moleskine Sketchbook

 

 

4. Scope for mixed media

 

There’s lots of scope to mix coloured pencils with other media.  They work very well over quick watercolour or acrylic washes – which can be pre-prepared as underpaintings if you so wish. They also work well with pastel pencils.

 

I very frequently sketch using both pen and ink and coloured pencils.  I find that the paper used in Moleskine sketchbooks is absolutely perfect for both and enables me to create the sort of work I want to do.  It’s like the very best Hot Press paper; it creates a lovely rich colour and takes any amount of punishment in terms of layering and scribble.

 

5. Get a true record of the colours and tones you see

 

Sketching is an invaluable activity for people who want to develop their landscape work. Photographs rarely record colours and lighting faithfully.

 

I started to use coloured pencils for sketching in 1993 because I was so fed up with reference photos that didn’t look like the scenes I remembered. I needed a better record of the things I saw on my travels and followed a tip from a professional artist who used them all the time.  

 

Coloured pencil sketches now provide me with invaluable information for developing work done at home in the studio. As a result I can paint landscapes that look like what I saw – and not what the photo looks like.

• Use your photos with incorrect colours and/or values as references for the architecture, shapes and relative proportions only.

• Use your coloured pencil sketch for the colours and values you actually saw.

 

6. Work small AND large

 

Although most people working outdoors tend to work in smaller sizes there’s no reason in principle why you can’t work large.  It’s essentially a question of experience, technique and the aides you use to help.  Plus of course a sketch does not aim to have the level of finish of a work in the studio.  This sketch of the blossom and scene in Smithfield took under two hours.

 

Below: Spring in West Smithfield by Katherine Tyrrell 

11.5" x 17" pen and ink and coloured pencils in large Moleskine sketchbook

 

 

7. Impervious to rain

 

If it starts to rain you don’t need to mutter expletives under your breath.  Unlike watercolours your work is not now ruined!  

 

Ordinary artists’ pencils are impervious to water – although you will obviously get a response if water mixes with watercolour pencils.

 

8. If you make a mistake…

 

You don’t need to worry – as you can erase coloured pencils!  I find one of the few essential pieces of kit I take out with me when sketching is my battery powered eraser as it enables me to create highlights and lowlights through erasing.

 

Below: Charing Cross Bridge & Parliament from Cleopatra's Needle, on the Embankment.  11.5" x 17", pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils in Large Moleskine Sketchbook 

 

 

9. Coloured pencils don’t run

 

Sketching does not require an easel.  If you’re working with your support at an odd angle you don’t need to worry that your watercolour paint will run the wrong way!

The sketch of the River Thames was done in about 90 minutes while perched above steps and on the base of Cleopatra’s Needle on the Embankment in London!

10. No waiting for the paint to dry!

Unlike those working with paints of any variety, if you work in coloured pencils you can get up and walk away as soon as you’ve finished.  There’s no need to wait for the painting to dry or to have suitable equipment for carrying your work while in a wet state.

Advice about sketching

You can find advice about how to sketch – and how to sketch using coloured pencils – on my Making A Mark website.  See How to Sketch – advice and information by Katherine Tyrrell 

View more sketches

If you’ve liked the sketches in this article, you can see more in the Travels with a Sketchbook page on Katherine's portfolio website.  Plus you can see new ones on a regular basis on her sketchblog – Travels with a Sketchbook

Plus you can see new ones on a regular basis on my sketchblog – Travels with a Sketchbook.

 

Note about the Author

 

Katherine Tyrrell is a writer and very popular art blogger.  Her main blog Making A Mark is ranked at #3 in the top 25 Arts blogs in the UK.  She is also a contemporary artist who uses coloured pencils on a regular basis for sketching and fine art drawings.  Her artwork has been regularly exhibited in juried exhibitions in the UK - by the UKCPS and the Society for Botanical Artists - and in group exhibitions overseas.  Her Travels with a Sketchbook blog and information and advice about "how to sketch" were recently highlighted and recommended by "The Times" newspaper.

 

All images and text copyright Katherine Tyrrell

We're so excited that the Craft Test Dummies chose to review our Metallic Pencils that we're sharing it with you on our blog! Read on to discover more about our shiniest, sparkliest product:

 

"Colored pencils are so basic that I think most crafters overlook and underestimate them. If you’ve read my review of the Inktense Pencils, you know that I’m very impressed by Derwent quality & feel that they are a “must have!” Recently, those kind folks sent me the Metallic Pencils to try out, too.

Here’s the product description from the website:

Introduce a little sparkle to your sketches and drawings with these bright, highly reflective pencils. They work best on a dark background (try Derwent Black Books) and can be used on their own or with other media to add brilliant definition and glowing highlights. Derwent Metallic is watersoluble, so you can also create interesting line and wash effects. Great for all kinds of creative projects.

Um. Wait a second. Did you say water-soluble? Swoon!

So of course, I had to start off with some swatching, just to get a feel of how the pencils laid down color on paper…

 

And then I had to get out my H2O pen and give them another whirl. First on the white cardstock:

 

The colors stay nice and vibrant on the white background- good for using as washes.

Here on the black, you’ll see the color disappears somewhat. You still get a faint metallic sparkle, but the color dulls significantly.

 

Next I decided to stamp an image and give it a coloring with the pencils:

 

 

I’m a sucker for the water-soluble bit, so I did give it a go-over with an H2O pen. I also used some of those staturated colors as a wash for the background.

Next, coloring on black paper. To create the image, I stamped on the paper and then embossed with clear powder:

 

 

Doesn’t the color just pop on the black? OH so much fun!

Here’s another fun tip: draw on the paper with a Blender pen first (I used one by Tombow) and then color over the top. The blender pen will act as a resist, giving you a cool negative image:

 

 

Overall, I think these are great. I will probably use it for watercoloring only on light paper, and keep black for sketching/coloring and the resist technique. And really, for under $16 USD (£14.99) these area  great value and even come in the tin for easy storage. I think these might be slipping into my traveling craft kit, too! Can’t wait to Zentangle on black paper with these babies…..

I’d love to hear how you use pencils in your art/craft, and what you think of these…" 

Thanks so much to the Craft Test Dummies for reviewing our product! It was an interesting and informative read.

You can follow Craft Test Dummies on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook!