<strong>Review traditional art supplies and places to order them. Talk about traditional techniques. Revel in a life not spent tethered to a computer.</strong> I just bought a bunch of Kolinsky Sables from <a href="http://www.rosemaryandco.com/">Rosemary & Co</a>. A friend of mine, <a href="http://westival.livejournal.com/">Kiel West</a>, introduced me to Rosemary's brushes. She's a woman in England who hand-makes all her brushes at a fraction of the cost of other manufacturers. Manufacturers who seem to have an inverse quality to price ratio of late - I'm looking at you, Windsor & Newton. This will be my first order. I can't recommend them from personal experience yet. She comes so highly recommended, and with prices so affordable, it's hard not to get excited. Just look at how much brush I got for so little dough: <code> 1 x Series 22. Pure Kolinsky Designer. Size: 1 = $6.41 3 x Series 22. Pure Kolinsky Designer. Size: 2 = $20.91 3 x Series 22. Pure Kolinsky Designer. Size: 3 = $25.28 1 x Series 22. Pure Kolinsky Designer. Size: 4 = $9.80 1 x Series 33. Pure Kolinsky Sable. Size: 1 = $4.58 3 x Series 33. Pure Kolinsky Sable. Size: 2 = $14.14 3 x Series 33. Pure Kolinsky Sable. Size: 3 = $15.87 1 x Series 33. Pure Kolinsky Sable. Size: 4 = $5.82 1 x Bamboo Brush Roll. = $7.36 Sub-Total: $110.17 Shipping to the USA: $8.48 Total: $118.65 </code> $118 for 16 Kolinsky brushes with shipping. Wowee. Unless these are the single most atypically useless Kolinsky Sable brushes ever made, that's a miniscule amount of money. 2009-11-12T17:13:25-05:00 24 2009-10-03T17:47:01-04:00 true 0 84651 false false 24821 5738 1 2009-11-21T01:05:30-05:00 686 Wow that's a bargain. Stoked to see what you can do with them. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:00:15-04:00 2726481 24821 2009-10-03T18:00:15-04:00 My choice of medium is whatever is at hand. I feel I can draw/sketch just as well with a biro as I can with an expensive fine tipped pen. Having said that my talent is nowhere near yours. My question is do you find a difference in your finished artwork with different quality materials? 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:02:57-04:00 2726531 28701 2009-10-03T18:02:57-04:00 Absolutely. Different materials have different properties. My Pentel Brush Pen is great for working on the go, but it has no where near the ineffable snap of a real sable brush. Obviously, a lot depends on the type of tool too - most pencils are going to be predictably similar in output. Brushes, though, really have a life of their own. A good brush is worth it's weight in gold. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:05:57-04:00 2726561 5738 2009-10-03T18:05:57-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Absolutely. Different materials have different properties. My Pentel Brush Pen is great for working on the go, but it has no where near the ineffable snap of a real sable brush. Obviously, a lot depends on the type of tool too - most pencils are going to be predictably similar in output. Brushes, though, really have a life of their own. A good brush is worth it's weight in gold.</blockquote> To be honest I have never used brushes and ink. It's a bit too scary, I'd be worried that I would completely screw something up after working on it for hours. Your recent foray into traditional inking has inspired me to try though. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:15:43-04:00 2726581 28701 2009-10-03T18:15:43-04:00 Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :) 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:17:03-04:00 2726601 5738 2009-10-03T18:17:03-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> If I ever get the money for a scanner and printer this is exactly the route I'll go! 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:20:43-04:00 2726611 28701 2009-10-03T18:20:43-04:00 <blockquote><cite>lmt337 said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> If I ever get the money for a scanner and printer this is exactly the route I'll go!</blockquote> If you want to do it the ghetto way, just snap a picture of the finished pencil. Usually works for what it's needed for. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:25:42-04:00 2726631 44251 2009-10-03T18:25:42-04:00 <blockquote><cite>OvenRude said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>lmt337 said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> If I ever get the money for a scanner and printer this is exactly the route I'll go!</blockquote> If you want to do it the ghetto way, just snap a picture of the finished pencil. Usually works for what it's needed for.</blockquote> My current scanner isn't compatible with Snow Leopard, so I've been taking shots of my pencils with my iPhone. It ain't ideal. But, like you said, it usually works. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:28:23-04:00 2726651 5738 2009-10-03T18:28:23-04:00 <blockquote><cite>OvenRude said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>lmt337 said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> If I ever get the money for a scanner and printer this is exactly the route I'll go!</blockquote> If you want to do it the ghetto way, just snap a picture of the finished pencil. Usually works for what it's needed for.</blockquote> The 3 crappy mocks on my page were live traced off a nokia camera phone picture. The pictures came out great. Live trace to dodgy mock ups, not so great! 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:30:53-04:00 2726661 28701 2009-10-03T18:30:53-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>OvenRude said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>lmt337 said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> If I ever get the money for a scanner and printer this is exactly the route I'll go!</blockquote> If you want to do it the ghetto way, just snap a picture of the finished pencil. Usually works for what it's needed for.</blockquote> My current scanner isn't compatible with Snow Leopard, so I've been taking shots of my pencils with my iPhone. It ain't ideal. But, like you said, it usually works.</blockquote> you can try transferring your sketch to a new page (i prefer bristol board) using some tracing paper and the double transfer method, and now your free to ink away with original draw nice, clean, and safe. 84651 Post 2009-10-03T18:47:55-04:00 2726721 7360 2009-10-03T18:47:55-04:00 So into this thread! I'm looking to start inking with some real brushes and move more away from the pens. What type of ink do any of you recommend? I've used your typical speedball calligraphy inks but never ventured to look into others. And once again stoked for this thread! 84651 Post 2009-10-03T19:00:45-04:00 2726851 5462 2009-10-03T19:00:45-04:00 <blockquote><cite>lmt337 said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Absolutely. Different materials have different properties. My Pentel Brush Pen is great for working on the go, but it has no where near the ineffable snap of a real sable brush. Obviously, a lot depends on the type of tool too - most pencils are going to be predictably similar in output. Brushes, though, really have a life of their own. A good brush is worth it's weight in gold.</blockquote> To be honest I have never used brushes and ink. It's a bit too scary, I'd be worried that I would completely screw something up after working on it for hours. Your recent foray into traditional inking has inspired me to try though.</blockquote> <blockquote><cite>Frenden said:</cite> Easy way around that - scan in your finished pencils. If you DO screw things up, you can print out a fresh set of blueline pencils to ink over again. :)</blockquote> I'm assuming you also can scan something you've "messed up," but perhaps still had a lot of quality inking. Then later you could combine the two later. Right? 84651 Post 2009-10-03T20:20:29-04:00 2727521 12325 2009-10-03T20:20:29-04:00 I ♥ Copic markers and charcoal pencils 84651 Post 2009-10-03T20:29:49-04:00 2727611 1404 2009-10-03T20:29:49-04:00 That's absolutely insane, that's awesome. I used to hate shelling out for brushes, so I would just paint with cheap brushes 84651 Post 2009-10-03T20:38:15-04:00 2727661 2712 2009-10-03T20:38:15-04:00 I got my Rosemary & Co. brushes a long while ago. They rock socks. Been using Kuretake or Sumi ink with them. 84651 Post 2009-11-10T17:38:35-05:00 3196991 5738 2009-11-10T17:38:53-05:00 so your favorites yet? I am always looking for good liners... I dont buy brushes frequently enough and traveling with mine freom location to location when I live paint is murder on them... ill have to check these out 84651 Post 2009-11-10T19:39:07-05:00 3198361 2870 2009-11-10T19:39:07-05:00 Brush wise I really use what I've got and hope for the best, I've always got a few favorites but when they get old and battered I often find it hard to replace them, I just have to find the closest thing to them and compromise. What's been bothering me the most is how alot of my brushes are pretty bad at holding paint/water, but I think that's down to the cheap paper I'm using aswell. Living in the UK I might have to pick some of these up :) Cheers Ray. 84651 Post 2009-11-10T22:39:17-05:00 3200651 10508 2009-11-10T22:39:17-05:00 I still keep my old and battered brushes because I love using them. But that's just me, because I have a penchant for gritty, textured, brush strokes. Where I'm from, I don't have too many options either. <img src="http://i34.tinypic.com/69pf0n.jpg" /> 84651 Post 2009-11-10T22:48:41-05:00 3200731 24821 2009-11-10T22:48:41-05:00 Nice. I've got some super cheap brushes for acrylic/water color. I buy sable for inking only. If I start to paint more, maybe I'll replace them. Is there a shortage of art supply stores where you live? Just curious based on your comment. 84651 Post 2009-11-12T13:24:04-05:00 3223681 5738 2009-11-12T13:24:04-05:00 I barely use my sable brushes (you can still see that they're still white and unused). I only use them whenever I paint with watecolor, which I never do these days. The sable brush I keep using is the smallest one in the middle, size 5/0. Yep, art supplies are rare, and the stores here (in the malls, and the ones downtown) practically sell the same thing. If you wanted acrylics, there are like only a couple of brands available, and the color choices are limited. The most expensive brush I've bought is just a couple of dollars so, I'm guessing, they're not as good as the ones you just bought. I have to travel by plane to a different island in the archipelago to get really good stuff. Ridiculous. 84651 Post 2009-11-12T13:47:50-05:00 3223991 24821 2009-11-12T13:47:50-05:00 I ordered the Rosemary brushes online from the US - they're UK. The shipping wasn't bad and the brushes were pretty darn cheap. Might be an option? 84651 Post 2009-11-12T16:27:12-05:00 3225761 5738 2009-11-12T16:27:12-05:00 Windsor and newtons are the brushes i swear by. <img src="http://www.artsupply.com/winsornewton/septre2.jpg" /><img src="http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/27/e/AAAADFNfdEgAAAAAACfkUQ.jpg" /> 84651 Post 2009-11-12T16:40:59-05:00 3225931 38531 2009-11-12T16:40:59-05:00 <blockquote><cite>CDR said:</cite> Windsor and newtons are the brushes i swear by. <img src="http://www.artsupply.com/winsornewton/septre2.jpg" /><img src="http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/27/e/AAAADFNfdEgAAAAAACfkUQ.jpg" /></blockquote> The bottom ones look like the ones as soon as you put in water the glue dissolves and they double in size... I hate those. I buy most of my brushes from Pen and Paper in cardiff, know anywhere better? They never have the ones I want in stock :/ 84651 Post 2009-11-12T17:10:25-05:00 3226371 10508 2009-11-12T17:12:49-05:00 Bristle brushes are practically disposable, so I'm fine with cheap ones. But I'm definitely picking up a few brushes from their store. By the way, Frenden, what's the best surface to paint on with ink? I really want to practice my line art skills, it's something I never got to develop since I entered art school. My lines are never "concise", and I think I should start being economic with my lines. 84651 Post 2009-11-12T17:13:25-05:00 3226481 24821 2009-11-12T17:15:09-05:00