Faber-Castell Mandala Stencils

I love working with stencils. Drawing geometric designs tends to take my mind off of everything else because it requires so much concentration. The stencil below took about 45 minutes to complete. While I was working on it, I thought of nothing other than drawing the tiny, thin lines. I used Faber-Castell Pitt pens in XS and S.

Faber-Castell makes uniquely-designed stencils. They are very precise but they are made out of cardstock – not the plastic I’m used to working with. Even if you tape them securely with painter’s tape, they can still lift up while you are drawing. This could cause messy, uneven lines so you have to be very careful when using them.

Regardless, they are so fun to use! I recommend them to anyone who likes zoning out while stenciling and coloring. They are a great way to break a creative block or just to try out new supplies.

*Closeup of the finished line work. As you can see, there were a few places where the stencil lifted up.*

I’m using Arteza gouache to paint it. The opacity is a wonderful way to hide any line mishaps. It’s going to take awhile to paint, but I’m enjoying it!

Sneak Peek – Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils

I’ve been spending all my free time testing my new Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils. I’m going to write a longer review but I wanted to share some pictures of my tests.

*Activated pencils on Canson Watercolor XL.*

The Search for the Best Colored Pencil Paper: Part 4 – Stonehenge Hot Press

It’s no secret that Stonehenge is one of my favorite brands of paper. There’s good reason for that – they make high-quality, affordable products. There are also many varieties to choose from with each option coming in a variety of sizes.

Since I primarily make tiny art, I always search for the smallest pads I can find. Legion has many of their products available in mini-sizes. This pad of hot press is 2.5″ by 3.75″ which is slightly bigger than Strathmore Artist Trading Cards. These pads are perfect if you work on a small scale.

I want to spend some time with my set of oil-based Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils, so this test of Stonehenge Hot Press only pertains to those.

From the very first pass, I knew I was going to love it. It has the perfect amount of texture for the oil-based pencils, which excel on a medium-tooth surface. Even though I didn’t try wax-based pencils on Stonehenge Hot Press yet, I anticipate it to be a good substrate for those as well.

The Verdict: this an excellent choice for Polychromos colored pencils (and Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour Pencils, which I will discuss in a separate review).