The main reason I'm an artist is that one of my absolute glimmers is the magic of colours and anything sparkly really. New paints, pens and pencils send me into a gorgeous spin.
As a result, I'm attracted to shiny, new products and art supplies like a kid in a candy store. They make me clap, my feet jiggle, and I tend to make an, 'Ooooo', noise similar to the one I make when Ben pours me my first beer. Ben's my favourite Bar Man.
If you aren't aware, glimmers are small moments that spark joy or peace, and can cue our nervous system to feel safe and calm. Happy.
As a public service to our Sunshine Peeps we want to spread that happy vibe by letting you know what's in our paint box each week.
Enjoy playing with all the new pretties and let us know if there are any products you think would make us sparkle!
1. Palomino Blackwing 602 Firm Graphite
At first glance these beauties are not exactly colourful but the Palomino Blackwing is ever so shiny, long and stunningly elegant. These are the pencils I use for sketching fairly exclusively. The act of sharpening a Blackwing is almost too much.
The length and weight is so precisely calibrated that the pencil seems to dance in your hand, moving with your particular speed and motion. They never catch or scratch, always giving an even texture and shade.
The fact that they were Walt Disney's preferred tool for many years doesn't hurt the retro appeal.
You can get them from many places in your local area but I generally get mine from Art Supplies On-line in Australia.
2. Water Mixable Oil Colour
This is a new discovery for me, having avoided painting with oils for years because of the mess, the slowness, and the clean up. What can I say, I'm a 'gotta do it now girl' with no time for domestic chores.
I've always loved the look of oils on canvas though and was stoked when I found out you can now get Water Mixable Oil Colour.
They flow like butter, with a gloss and shine only an oil paint can give. These ones dry quicker than regular oils with half the clean up, whilst still being slow enough to allow for blending and layering of colours.
As a bonus, brushes and skin wash clean with just a little soap and water and less of those fumes.
I'm currently having a love affair with Winsor & Newton Artisan Oils, available at https://artsuppliesonline.com.au but there are now many brands available for a variety of budgets. You could try brands like Cobra and Mont Marte, if you're willing to experiment a bit.
3. Speedball Mona Lisa Simple Leaf Metal Sheets 5.5"X5.5" 18 Sheets
My current collection has gilding features on each piece which is stunning but having not used gold leaf before I wasn't really aware of how fiddly it can be...We won't mention the day I turned the fan on like a twit just after I got my sheets out.
I've now experimented with a few different types of gold leaf and the best results for my work have been with the Speedball Mona Lisa brand. Beautiful realistic shimmery colours, easy to lay and quick to dry.
And who doesn't love a bit of a sparkly sequin on a night out.
4. Surf Paints
Sunshine & Pineapples Custom Designs
What can I say, I'm a sucker for bright colours and these are all kinds of vibrant.
Surf Paints are an acrylic paint pens designed for use on surf boards and skate decks and they work like an absolute charm. Of course I bought EVERY SINGLE COLOUR, even though the board I ended up designing was in black and white.
My kid and I use them to decorate our own boards, windows around the house they find tre' boring (said with a french accent of course), rocks, pretty much any surface you can think of.
These pens have a consistent, bright colour lay down, dry fast and last the distance. They don't seem to block and stop working like some paint pens can as long as you store them well and keep the lids on.
Get them at the Surf Paint https://www.surfpaints.com.au/collections
5. Sakura Pigma Micron Pens
I am a bit of a Sakura fan, using their Jelly Pens to detail my water colour pieces with all sorts of groovy mark making, but it was when I saw some very fine detailed sketches from a local tattoo artist and asked about their pen of choice that I heard about the Pigma Micron Pens.
The 01 is an exceptionally fine tip, less than a hair I'd say, creating the most lush detail and precision imaginable.
They dry fast so I'm less likely to smug lines moving around my page and they lay down a beautiful, opaque black that scans well with no reflection or gradation.
You can get these from loads of places but I get mine from https://artsuppliesonline.com.au/products/sakura-pigma-micron-pens