#still better than the Staedtler pen

[whiteclericmaris]

Pen Review: Stabilo 68 pens/microns point 88.

Now to start things off I will admit that myfirst time with a Stabilo was the point 88 micron looking pens. I was glancing art supplies and hooked to the color lavender as a character I liked had it as a hair color. In comes me trying to find a replicate for that color and while Stabilo did disappoint in being a tint darker than thecap advertised I would soon purchase more at an art shop for other character's hair colors. I would soon be gifted a set of 30 pens from my sister, which while they weren't cheap at the time, would become a core art supplies I'd use in drawings.

Note the Stabilo pens are water based and sometimes when I'd color in the bases I'd get smudges from when pressing on the paper. However they are so cool in that they barely leave a trace mark when coloring from side to side.

As an example here is a work with the point 88 on the characters and background blue.

Notice how smooth it looks even in a flat tone?

Do I recommend these? If you don't mind water based pens then yes. I even use one point 88 to cross out the date in the calendar we have. I'd say it was worth the price pre alcohol marker domination. They are thin which I have a preference to small instead of big and am an avid pen user but the microns did come in handy to give lineart a similar color to the base colors in sketches. It's only 30 and worth $20 for the point 88 on Amazon and $26 for the 68.

Yeah a limit in color but a little went a long way for me.

My rating is 9/10 and only 9 because that lavender color was a let down.

[petermorwood]

O senior pen user! I have been a dedicate of pencils for years but finally found a pen I like (Staedtler triplus fineliner). How do I tell when to stop using the pen? It seems wasteful if ink still comes out, even if it's a pain/not fun to use anymore. And if I like these sharp points, small bodies - is there a refillable/fountain pen I should investigate?

If the pen's getting scratchy it's time for a new one. Scratchiness means the tip - AFAIK Triplus Fineliners are fibre-tipped - has worn down, or there's not enough ink coming out to properly lubricate the contact between tip and paper. Either way it's refill or (unless recyclable) landfill.

*****

Check Goulet Pens and Jet Pens for refillable fountain pens with fine nibs.

It's possible to experiment without spending very much, for instance the Jinhao 993 Shark from Goulet is $3.95. I might get one of these for @dduane, because of Ed-related Reasons. :->

The Platinum Preppy from Jetpens is $7.00...

...and the Pilot Penmanship, also from Jetpens, is $10.00.

All are refillable using cartridges or (AFAIK) a convertor for bottled ink.

Personal opinion: in my experience Pilot nibs at the cheap end of the range have been consistently superior to how they might reasonably perform for the price. Maybe I've just been lucky, however DD's two Pilot Metropolitans continue the "better than paid for" trend.

I'm pretty sure both Jet and Goulet could refine the search even further if you emailed them with a query like "What (inexpensive) fountain pen writes as fine as a Staedtler Triplus Fineliner?", although my recommendations may already fit the bill. :->

I've bought stuff unavailable in Europe from both companies - those Pilot Metropolitans had stub and fine nibs, for instance; for some reason the Pilot MR equivalent over here is medium-only - and they were very prompt and friendly even though my orders were just small ones from a customer unlikely to be frequent.

Hope This Helps!

[magicmetalblog]

What’s inside my pencil case?

No sponsorships. No affiliate links. 

Some sustainable options, some really freaking not. Most of these have been legitimate game changers. 

From left to right:

Pentel pocket brush pen I've had this for years. It's practical but not water resistant unless you refill it with pigment-based fountain pen ink.

Sakura Gelly Roll Not my favourite pen but good in a pinch/on the run. If I'm home and need white ink, I would rather use a dip pen in Daler Rowney FW acrylic ink because it's MUCH more opaque and water resistant and not a single use plastic pen. I do not recommend this pen. 

Isograph .20 technical pen. Imagine microns but sans felt tip and infinitely refillable. A bit of an investment but worth it in the long run. mircon prices are out of this world and also single-use plastic.

Not Tuff Stuff?? Used to be called the Tuff Stuff eraser but then got discontinued. Now called the Factis BM2 Mechanical Eraser but I still call it Tuff Stuff because I can't seem to remember the new name until I'm staring at refills in the store. It's the best. It's so much thinner and stronger than a normal mechanical eraser. Changed my life.

Sailor Pro Gear Slim Shikiori 14K The galaxy pen. My daughter. Available in a bunch of colours. The Pro Gear Slim is an """entry level""" gold nib fountain pen. Got it for the price of two switch games and haven't needed to buy a pen since. Also, it always writes. You can fill it with any colour of fountain pen ink you can imagine (clean between colours). Sensory HEAVEN. Mine's inked with Sailor Manyo ink in Sumire.

MUJI wooden mechanical pencil 0.5mm I like this mechanical pencil that's not too long. I'm normally a 0.7 person because I press too hard but I dig it. The wood feels sooooo nice in my hand.

Staedtler 0.5mm pencil lead. 'nuff said.

Pentel Ain eraser.  Works a bit better than Staedtler Mars for me and is smaller so it runs out before it can get hard and crusty.

Whiper Mr correction tape. I like it because it doesn't take up as much space as other correction tape. I don't use it much but I like knowing that if I need to replace the correction tape, I can at least only buy a refill instead of replacing the whole thing. I wouldn't argue that it's sustainable since it still uses plastic tape but hey, it's the lesser of evils in a rare pinch.

I also have a beat up 15cm/ 5" plastic ruler I've had since getting it in my middle school geometry kit. not pictured because I forgot it at home: generic water brush pen.

Everything but the Gelly Roll can be refilled, which I prefer for both the planet and my wallet. I used to be averse to investing in supplies that cost a bit more upfront but very slowly saving up for a splurge has proven to be pretty economical in the long-run.

| my main art blog is @magicmetalbird​ |

[packconfig]

Editor and Designer Desk Carry

I’m so grateful that what started as a tiny side project has grown into an ever expanding portion of our working lives, and I know I’m really blessed to be able to do something I love as my day job. While any work will always have stresses and challenges, but with the amazing, loving support of my wife and business partner, we are carving new paths into 2022.

Laid out here are some the items that don’t often get shown in my loadouts as they are “carried” in/on my desk instead of a pack. That said they are key to my role in the other portion of our business, Surefoot Studio ltd. This is the design company my wife and I started some years ago. I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about these items:

Swatchos cards. These were a gift from Mrs Config, something I’d never heard of before. I work with swatches all day, combining colours, or coming up with new ones for clients to fit with what we’ve already put together, or to stand out. I love anything tactile and I love cards (as you’ll see) so the perfect gift really!

Apple Magic Mouse. My sister’s doctorate (very proud of her!) touches on the fact that tools or clothing we use every day become an extension of who we are. This mouse is very much that, as I use it to create patches, artwork, design, edit photos. There are probably other better mice out there, but this is like that favourite pair of shoes that are riddled with holes that you just can’t bear to part with.

Playing Cards. As you’ve probably noticed from my photos, I have a growing collection of themed playing cards. Loving print and tactile things, there is usually a few cards on display and a pack on the desk that I practise cardistry with to keep my hands active.

Super secret patches. I’ve been really privileged to work with some great people over the years, and some of those people have loved my patch designs and want to collaborate on a design. If you’ve been in the pack world for any amount of time I know You Know The Bo! I was really excited to work with Bo Ismono on this project (and maybe others!). You’ll have to speak to him about getting hold of one mind, this is my only one!

More Cards (!) and Erasers. Transferring Pack Config photos to my iMac always involves scrabbling blindly to find the SD card slot, plus I’m always sketching ideas in my notebook. Sometimes I’m in the flow of an idea or patch design that I don’t want to stop and start again to change it, so out comes the trusty Staedtler.

Zebra Sharbo X LT3. This is like those colour changing biros you get with the 4 colours, but for professionals. With a mechanical pencil, red and black ink (my choice, you can adapt as you like), this adapts quickly to what I’m doing without needing to find the right pen. I had a black one that the clip went on back when I used to carry it daily, but a permanent place on the desk is where it lives now.

Wacom Intuos. I don’t often get out the Wacom as I find the mouse best for most tasks, but usually when working on illustrations this comes out. I did have an older, larger wired model, but smaller and bluetooth is so much better!

“10 blade”. Nope, I’m not a wannabe surgeon! The Swann Morton surgical scalpel with 10A blade is frequently out on the desk as I mock up ideas in paper form. These were the tool of choice all through my design degree and this one has stayed with me throughout. The big box of 100 blades I picked up is still going too. Ru Titley made me a Kydex sheath for it which works a lot better than the one I made out of loop material and sellotape!

Zippo Lighter. This is used to burn every lanyard I churn out for the many Ru beads we sell in the store. The butane insert is by far the best for last-ability and a quick singe. This actually stays in my pocket as I love to fiddle with, the iconic noise it makes can often be heard wherever I go.

Minimal Desk Setups Wool mat. Having something more comfortable than a hard desk (however cool that desk might be) is great for a day of editing, designing or illustrating. I recently switched over to this wool mat which I love for it’s texture, but it does bobble a bit around the mouse. The 10 blade sorted that out, but I think the occasional trim is worth the added comfort, plus you can stick patches to it!

Finally, hiding, the digital callipers. Not one of the very expensive all metal ones, but this is super quick for measuring, especially things like new products from Ru, or when I’m comparing patch sizes when working on a new design.

–

Pack Config is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Find out more.

>>> Support Pack Config when you shop on Amazon <<<

More loadouts on packconfig.com/loadouts

[kedreeva]

Okay so I'm cleaning out my closet and there's a few things that I figured I could give away rather than throw away. Most of this stuff was never used, and the stuff that was "used" was used once or extremely lightly EXCEPT one paint brush handle that all the paint is peeling off of; I don't think I ever used the brush, it's just doing that.

So, here's the deal. If you want any of this, I will send it to you for the cost of shipping. Descriptions of what's in the picture are under each pic.

Random art supplies. The sequined bag is supposedly for tablets but it will hold all of this crap except the long paintbrush. The pens all look like decent inking pens. The colored pencils I don't think have ever been used. The prismacolor ones are boxes of blues; ultramarine, non-photo blue (looks like a pale blue), and indigo blue. Why did I need so much blue? I apparently didn't. The mechanical pencils are all 0.7mm, but the extra lead is 0.7 and 0.5. the package on the left is some kind of calligraphy pen + nibs. This stuff has been claimed!

I actually have a staedtler calligraphy set too, if anyone wants that, I'll even leave in the deranged notes in the practice pad made by my partner before we got together. I don't think any of the ink still works, but the pens are nice. You'd just need to get some ink replacements. This stuff has been claimed!

The writers toolbox. It's a neat little kit for prompts you don't have to think of yourself, and for random character creation and other writerly things. I've never used it, but it looks neat. Might be fun to use in a group, or make up a game around. This one has been claimed!

Green/blue/grey scales fingerless gauntlets (knitted). Only one is pictured but it's a pair.

Black fingerless gloves (knitted) with furry cuffs at the fingers and the opposite opening. Laced with a thin leather strap. Only one is pictured but it's a pair. These have been claimed!

Three buttons, they're fairly small, just a bit bigger than a quarter.

Small Beanie Baby McDonald's toy, still in the original packaging. It's the only one I saved because I just like anteaters. This one has been claimed!

Anyway, please send me a non-anon message or better yet drop me an email at itamashiisparkle@gmail.com if you want anything or everything.

[acaseforpencils]

Suerynn Lee.

Bio: Suerynn Lee is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BFA in Printmaking at RISD, and her work has been featured in The New Yorker and The New York Times.

Find this print here!

I don't have very fond feelings towards anything I've drawn, especially after it's done, but if I had to pick, I suppose my favorite of the cartoons published so far is this one. Formally, I think it's the most interesting.

Tools of choice:  I firmly believe that specific tools do not make or break the artist. If there were some kind of art tyrant who decreed that I could never use the tools I currently do, I would of course try to use them illegally, but if that posed too much of a threat to my safety and well-being, I'd just use different tools and let my anger and bitterness at not being allowed to use my preferred tools inform my work. Who knows, maybe it would be an improvement.

For now, these are the things I use to hand-draw cartoons:

- Staedtler non-photo blue pencil

- Pentel Presto! Correction Fluid pen, fine point

- Sakura Foam eraser

- Platinum Carbon ink

- Platinum Desk Pen, medium nib

- Rotring Artpen, fine and medium nibs - Pentel Pocket Brush Pen

- NuMuv Multi-Use Grip Aid

- Martin Universal Design Sun-Catcher Tracing Board

I pencil and ink everything on Strathmore Bristol Board (300 series, smooth surface) and scan, edit, and clean up digitally, using either Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint.

For digital drawing, I use my iPad Air or a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium tablet with my laptop and desktop monitor.

Tool I wish I could use better: Probably Procreate, since it's the newest addition to my toolbox, but I don't tear my hair out over it. There's always a learning curve with mastering new tools, and I think that as long as you're excited or even minimally intrigued by the process, you'll step up your facility with that tool/technology/medium soon enough. Heck, maybe you'll develop a certain level of skill but never really be satisfied with where you are, and that'll propel you into obsessively trying to best yourself at it. Tool I wish existed: Maybe software that could directly and accurately translate internal experience into a drawing. Kind of like the eye-tracking software that allows a paraplegic person to control a PC or tablet to draw, but you'd control it with your feelings and thoughts, rather than eye movement.

Tricks:  One of the tricks that's serving me well right now is taking frequent, timed breaks and forcing myself to stretch. I try not to draw for extended periods of time in one position because this invariably results in a lot of pain. I also rely on this strange, gridded silicon egg to open up my grip when holding different drawing utensils, including digital styli, as well as my Martin drawing board, which lets me adjust my drawing angle to a few different positions. I even put my iPad and/or Wacom tablet on it so I don't suffer later. Your body is the one tool that can't easily be replaced or substituted. Yet. Misc: There aren't any rules. Just use the tools that best serve your purpose, and change them out when they stop being useful. We're all just that ship that has all its component parts replaced while sailing from one port to another, begging the question, "Am I still the same ship that started this journey with entirely different parts?" And the answer is probably both yes and no. Website, etc. 

Website

Instagram

[swordkind]

thats,,, so many fancy pens,,, i have some fine 'marker' things someone got me and for lettering i use either those or occasionally papermate inkjoy pens (but they have to stay and dry for like a day before i can erase the pencil underneath which i hate) and i have some mildliners i also use for school theyre so nice!! occasionally i use these metalic markers from like target or smth i dont even dream of buying tombows or smth (i spend too much at the used bookstore). i do have two pretty nice fountain pens!! theres a medium and a fine but i write t i n y so even the fine is a little too thick at times i mostly use these cat pens my gf gave me a few of theyre like plastic i dont think theyre fancy at all but theyre so fine and smooth to write with?? hhh lovely and theyre nice colors and they have cute little cat faces!! i also have some stadetler (? idk how to spell that) triplus fineliners but theyre kinda dried out and the tips are a bit flattened (and i lost my favorite bright green one a few years ago :( it was the best one) anyway i love pens also and this was not meant to be so long ((ps: i have this like $8 bujo its yellow the brand is like taotree or smth and its so nice i use it for a planner so if youre looking for a cheap one its rly nice to use you can barely see my markers through it)

okay i typed out a whole massive response to u and then my laptop shut down so lets try again!!

hhmggm,,,,yeah,,,i,,,have so many pens hhsdkfsdkfdfgdfgn its terrible (i... may or may not have gotten even more today...) but honestly? none of them were super posh or expensive? the tombow dual tips were probably the biggest investment i’ve made (except for like. paper hsdfn) they’re like $30 off the shelf which is yeah a bit pricey but i got mine on black friday sale + w/ another 40% off coupon so they only came to abt $10 i think? michaels/ac moores usually has rlly good sales so i. would recommend taking advantage of them bc honestly they are the best markers i’ve used they are well worth it; the colors are excellent, the brush tips don’t wear out, they are a delight (but yea deffos try and get em while theres a sale goin on or 50% off coupon or smth). also the tombow fudenosuke brush pens are genuinely the best thing i’ve bought they are dirt cheap considering calligraphy pen prices ($5 or so for a set of two hardnesses) and they are. Really good probably some of the best affordable brush pens u can get they somehow manage to be fancy and cool but still inexpensive enough that i can get several sets to lose lol. they make brush lettering SO easy honestly. yeah hsdfsdfgdfgn. the microns,,,,,yeah they are,,,,fancy,,,and,,,terribly expensive,,, i have awful indulgent tastes and i have to have rlly fine tip pens for writing tho and micron makes the only consistently good quality fine tip pens that don’t break and go thick (literally i use an 005 tip hsdfsdfn) that i have found :-/ . also like, they don’t fade when u erase over them which is. a godsend tbh.

ooh midliners!!! i confess... i do not have a Single midliner... 😔 they always look rlly nice but they are never on my priority list smh but. sometime i will!!! they look rlly good for school stuff tho? like highlighting? the colors look SUPER nice i love the idea of highlighters in less... abrasive neon colors gsdnfsdgfng

oohh metallic is good!!! honestly i. genuinely. do. not have any metallic ones either im!! literally i keep meaning to get a good gold/silver one but i never get to it!! i had rlly nice silver + gold + white paint pens a bit ago but uh. one by one they decided to disembowel themselves, sometimes on my notebook in the middle of class -_- so. that. is my sad story w metallic ones gskdfdfng. (also i find it hard to find ones i rlly like? the gold always seems too dark, yk?) YESSS fountain pen SUPREMACY you are a gentlethem of GREAT taste and discernment (ough yea ikr tho they are just. almost thin enough but never quite.) omg i know those cat pens i think!!!! i was finna get some the other day!!! they are SO cute ahhh!!!! i think i had a totoro one (or similar one) a while back and yeah i know exactly what ur saying there is just. something abt the way they write that is. so good ;-; ooh what do u think of the staedtlers?? i’ve been eyeing em for a while but idk how fine they are/if i’d use the bright colors enough to make it worth it :/ but yeah!!! pens are!!!! really good!!!! hshdfsdnfne!!! (:O pen,,,,ur name,,,,,iM ::O eureka moment,,) 

(ahh tyy!!!! i’ve been looking for a new bujo and i hate doing it online b/c u can never tell whether the paper will bleed or not :( tyy!!!!!!)(hhhh this is already Very long but!! if u are looking for Good Paper!! i rlly rlly recommend rhodia brand paper? its kinda pricey, $9-12 (american) for a pad of 80 sheets or so but honestly it’s. SO good it’s rlly smooth and like, thin, but nothing ever bleeds thru , even fountain pen. it also holds colors WAY better than normal paper it makes the colors like 10 times more vibrant and it’ll never blur ur ink and make it smudgy it’s definitely definitely worth it i can’t say enough good things abt it. literally it will make ur lettering exponentially better)(also if u get the dot grid ones, the dots r like, light grey instead of Black and they’re v subtle v good) so!!! yeah!!!! that was long but!!! pens!!! :DD

[daisystudies]

[click image for better quality]

(disclaimer- these are obviously not all the pens/fineliners that exist in the studyblr community, these are just the ones i own and thus am qualified to review. also, this is just my experience with these pens... if you’ve experienced something different, feel free to share and i’ll reblog)

i will be considering the following categories: color, smudging, scratchy or smooth, consistency, design, and overall thoughts.

pilot juice pens - color: very vibrant colors  - smudging: i’ve experienced smudging with the black ones right after writing, but the colored ones aren’t bad at all about it. - scratchy or smooth: not very scratchy! - consistency: very consistent! - design: solid pen design, i love the spring-loaded clip! it makes clipping them on something much easier and they rarely ever break off. - overall thoughts: the black pens are my go-to pens for taking notes in class, and i use the colored ones pretty often as well. overall, i love them!

rating: 9/10

staedtler triplus fineliners - color: the colors are so cute! if you get a larger pack (36 or 48) it comes with soo many different shades of each color to choose from!  - smudging: haven’t really experienced it as a problem but i’m sure it can happen. - scratchy or smooth: smoother than some other fineliners, but being that they are fineliners, they are a bit scratchy. - consistency: very consistent! - design: i love that they are triangular because they’re super easy to grip. and the silver body looks v nice and sleek! - overall thoughts: these tend to be a little bit more on the pricey side, but amazon makes them a bit more affordable. that aside, these are by far my favorite fineliners and i use them almost every day!

rating: 10/10

muji pens - color: v bright and v cute - smudging: not very bad at all, but i’ve had the .5mm smudge a bit when being highlighted over. - scratchy or smooth: honestly smoother than you’d expect thin tipped pens to be - consistency: can skip, but aren’t very bad about it. - design: i prefer the spring pens rather than the capped pens because it’s easier to use, but muji has a nice array of options so you can chose ones you prefer! also, i love that you can buy the ink separately so you can save money if one of your pens runs out of ink. - overall thoughts: a fav of the studyblr community, and rightfully so! 

rating: 8/10

stabilo point 88 fineliners - color: very nice colors! however, the lighter colors and pastels can be a little hard to read bc they can be so light. - smudging: not really honestly. - scratchy or smooth: kinda scratchy, i don’t love the feeling of writing with them. - consistency: like most fineliners, these don’t skip! - design: love the hexagonal shape these have, they’re very easy to grip! however, they are really tall and can be hard to store in a pencil pouch the pouch isn’t very long. - overall thoughts: not my first choice of fineliners because of the way it feels to write with them, but still very good!

rating: 6/10

pilot g-2 pens - color: i only really use the black pens, but the colored ones are pretty good too! they’re pretty vibrant and i know a lot of people who love them. - smudging: similarly to the pilot juice pens,  - scratchy or smooth: .38s are on the scratchy side, .7s are smooth - consistency: very consistent and rarely skips! - design: very classic pen design. - overall thoughts: these were my go-to black pens throughout high school (before i got into pilot juices) and they were very solid. they can also be found at pretty much any store, so they’re super convenient!

rating: 7/10

thank you all for reading x

[critterpdf]

What kind of things do you use for your traditional art? Like supplies n stuff gjfk

hey bud! I hope u are ready for a big ol’ tangent dssfvjdf

TOOLS

So like for sketches (which y’all rarely see) I just use a graphgear 500 .3 mm lead! I also have 2 different eraser sticks? eraser pencils? what are they even called sbfhsd

EDIT:  The blue eraser is the Staedtler Stick Eraser and the green one is the Tombow MONO Knock 3.8

my brush pens.... my inkers... these two pens are my babies that i love and will die for. the grey one (which is what i used for the pinecone pic) is the Pentel Aquash light black (its grey. its grey pentel you can just say grey). It’s just so fckin PRETTY and gives such good textures!! the black pen is the “Pentel Pigment Ink Brush Pen - Extra Fine“ if you ever just wanna look for it on amazon lol. I got my first one of these like. in 2014? 2015? and i love them so much for the good variation in line thickness. Super thick to super thin without even having 2 change pens! Plus, if you have a shaky hand, this pen is pretty forgiving - you cant really see mistakes as easy. 

these! are what i use for lil’ deets in white or when i wanna fill a space! The gel pens (gellyroll) are pretty good for like, adding chatter or patterns, but the posca pens are better for when i need a more opaque option. I’ll give a little more detail on that in a bit!

And these!!! you guys also dont see too much color in my traditional artwork, but these are my pens - Faber-castell pitt artist brush pen..... as u can tell i just really love brush pens. They don’t have the same sort of brush tip as the ink pens, but they are defs still brush-like in nature and i love them

honorable pen mention: the pebeo masking fluid marker. i’ve been doing my art in a very Weird way as of late which like. doesn’t work well w the drawing gum but!!! i really love using it when i actually use the correct kinds of paper that can, u kno, stand up to being rubbed!! which like, is how u remove this stuff

TECHNIQUE??

recently ive just been doing art funky, like, just ink straight onto cheap tracing paper. like, yea, the paper curls really bad which sucks but also you get such a nice texture from it!!!

The other fun thing abt tracing paper is layering! What I do is I will line the image on one side of the tracing paper, and then color the reverse image on the back. Once all the ink has dried, I take my pc-5m white posca pen and just cover up the back!! that way i can have areas where the color still pops, while other areas are transparent. What also works really nicely is like. it helps w tonal stuff too? like in the pinecone pic I went ahead and used my light black (its just grey oh my god) pen on both sides of the paper, and that’s why marina’s tentacles are darker than her skin despite using one pen.

When I am being a “””””Good, Proper Artist””””” (no such thing, moving on), I like to use strathmore sketchbooks (usually the recycled paper bc its a little more off-white), and I just recently found the strathmore mixed media visual journal which is nice for like, ink and stuff.

There’s some other stuff I don’t use too often - actually bottles of ink w actual brushes, watercolors, etc - but these are my mains. 

tl;dr i main a brush in both splatoon and irl

[spitestudies]

hello everyone!! as a high school junior taking 4 aps, 3 other classes, preparing for the act, trying to do college research, stage managing a musical, and trying not to lose my mind, here are some fun n handy tips for not Dying when ur schedule is hell!  

if you found this post helpful maybe give it a like/reblog and check out my other posts here!

01 | PLANNING AND PREPARING

so much of getting and staying organized has to do with organizing your time in advance.  there are a million ways to do this--google calendar, a bullet journal, a planner, some post-it notes.  my system involves three parts: a google calendar, a planner, and an online to-do list app.  

google calendar: this is mostly for events.  i can see when i have rehearsals, classes, doctor’s appointments, etc.  this helps me see how much available time i have and budgeting it properly.  

planner: i take this with me to school, and i use it to right down when i have assignments and tests.  i use the ban.do planner, but these are a bit pricey, and really anything will do.  just somewhere to put down tasks so you can keep track of them

getplan.co: this app is, honest to god, the only reason i am still alive and breathing.  it plugs into your google calendar and then allows you to create and schedule tasks around events.  @studycxlture has an amazing post about plan here that i def recommend checking out!

general tips about planning: 

plan out the events of your month at least two days before it starts

set aside a night (i like sunday evenings) to set up a system for the upcoming week and go over what you have planned so you don’t forget anything

you are NOT gonna remember that assignment that teacher told you about.  write it down.  

you do not need a fancy system.  it’s okay to try lots of different things until you find what works 

never spend more time planning out tasks than completing them.  unless you have that much free time, don’t dedicate two hours to making a lovely weekly bullet journal spread.  

color codes!!! are a life saver.  i have one with a color for each class (red for english, orange for spanish, yellow for history, green for science, blue for math, etc) as well as some for my extracurriculars (pink for the musical, teal for model un, etc).  

always have ur planner open when ur working, so that you can make sure u r actually completing all the tasks u said u were gonna complete

02 | STAYING ORGANIZED 

oh my god oh my god oh my god staying on top of your work is SO important when you’re busy.  being able to find your worksheets and keep track of your homework and your million responsibilities is essential to being successful.  to stay organized, i have an expandable file folder with tabs for each class.  because i take most of my notes in notebooks instead of binders, this is a good way to keep all of my handouts, worksheets, and syllabi centralized.  

also, make sure you have a way to keep your online materials organized.  create a folder for each school year, and within that folder, create more folders for each class.  from there, it’s up to you about how you’ll organize files. you can create even MORE folders (yeet) for things like homework, notes, study guides, etc, or folders for each unit you study.  the possibilities are endless!!!! isn’t technology exciting

here r some pieces of advice for staying organized: 

have a series of folders/binder/expandable file folder to hold your worksheets.  or one for each class, though i prefer to keep all my papers in one a) to save money and b) to save space.

label your notebooks/binders so that you know which ones to bring home with you

never just shove something into your backpack.  never.  i’m gonna manifest into ur classroom and FIGHT you if u do that.  it’s not good, it’ll end up getting lost or crushed under the weight of all ur textbooks, and you’ll end up panicking when u can’t find it 

have ur planner on u at all times

keep a good filing system of ur stuff at home.  u don’t need to carry around every single bio assignment you’ve gotten back, but by the time ur final rolls around ur gonna want 2 b able to look at all the materials you’ve gotten during the semester

that being said, throw stuff away when the year is over!  i, for one, know i’m never gonna think about calculus after this class is done, so i will be recycling all of my papers (save the earth) and moving tf on 

keep a recycling bin in your room!  even if it’s just a paper bag, it’ll make throwing paper in the trash way less tempting (save the earth)

u don’t need a ton of pens.  i’m being a giant hypocrite saying this but you really don’t need all that stuff.  if you want it and you can manage it, great, but if it’s just another thing to keep track of, leave ur staedtlers and ur mujis and ur fineliners and ur calligraphy pens at home, and just take the essentials with u to school

03 | MAKING THE MOST OF UR TIME

in order to succeed, it’s v important to make every second count.  this doesn’t mean studying 48 hours straight (pls don’t), but try not to waste time. whether this means you spend fifteen minutes napping, doing some reading for english, or having a quick snack, make sure u are being productive and healthy!  i, for one, sometimes have 1-2 hour breaks between school and rehearsal, and i like to use these to walk to the grocery store by my school and get some food and then study in the deli.  

some ideas for being productive! 

carry a clipboard around everywhere.  this way, u don’t need to spend as much time transitioning in and out of tasks, u can just put ur work onto the clipboard, and put it in ur backpack at the end of a break, and then the next chance u have to work on it, just take it back out.  easy peasy

work during commutes! nOT if ur the one driving the car though that’s VERY dangerous and distracted driving = bad.  but if ur on the bus, or ur mom is driving u to school, that might be a good time to go over some notes you took last night, or some reading you need to catch up on.  nothing too insane, please don’t do ur chem labs on the public bus but.  u know.  

read over the notes you took that day on the ride home.  this will help reinforce the information in ur brain, and it’s not super difficult. i go over my apush notes during the 40 minute drive home and sometimes talk about them w my mom, which gives me a much better grasp of the material

don’t waste time on social media.  either delete instagram altogether, or log off/mute notifications before u start work.  same with tumblr.  don’t start scrolling obsessively if u have three tests to study for. 

power naps!!!! napping for about 10-20 minutes, maybe on the way home or to practice/rehearsal/whatever u gotta do, can help u feel refreshed!  anything longer will make u more tired tho, so be sure to get up when u say ur gonna get up.  

study smarter: when ur going over material, u don’t need to handwrite 60 beautiful flashcards.  use quizlet instead.  don’t revise if it’s not gonna help u.  prioritize which assignments r gonna be most impactful over the little ones u can easily make up

take good breaks!! breaks r VERY important and should be utilized properly.  here r some good suggestions for things to do: 

throw in a load of laundry

empty the dishwasher

stretch/do some jumping jacks

drink some water!

go for a walk

talk to a family member 

get a snack!

read some fun novels n such

scream?

!! in case of emergency !! the following tips should only be employed when ur short on time.  don’t use these just bc u can, this is just when it’s about getting close enough to grasping material, not actually grasping it

do every other math problem assigned, and either star the ones u didn’t do, or get the answers from the back of the book.  this way, u get some practice but u also save time

sparknotes ur reading beforehand.  this way, u can recognize what’s going on.  it’s not v good for developing ur reading comprehension, but assignments will go by quicker

NEVER google translate ur language homework, but u can use word reference for helping u find the right word and proper conjugations

flagpole it: didn’t study enough for a test?  are u guessing on like 10 of the questions?  if it’s multiple choice, but the same answer for all the ones u have no clue about, unless that answer choice seems highly unlikely.  then pick a different one.  this way, ur statistically more likely to get some of the ones you guessed correct. 

when u have an online assignment due at midnight and it’s 11:53 and u haven’t started, find another assignment you’ve already completed that has a similar document name.  for example, “scarlet letter chapters 9-11″ instead of ur actual assignment “scarlet letter chapters 12-14″.  submit the other one, and then when u finish the other assignment (either that night or the next morning) email ur teacher and apologize, say u accidentally submitted the wrong document

if ur parents will let u (if ur in high school) or u can let urself (if ur in uni), it’s okay to skip a day to catch up.  just make sure u actually work, get the notes u missed, and talk to ur teachers/professors abt the material u missed.

04 | STAYING HEALTHY 

ur health comes before any assignment, test, or extracurricular.  i know lots of ppl r probably telling u that and it doesn’t seem like they mean it, but i mean it.  no exam is worth sacrificing ur mental, physical, or emotional health for.  yeet!  so here r some things to keep in mind

eat!  ur fuckin!  breakfast!  whether it’s a smoothie or oatmeal or a cup of orange juice or an apple or an elaborate french toast dish, u need some food in ur stomach so that u have the energy to start ur day

remember to take ur meds if u need to!

drink water!  drink! water!  have a glass when u wake up, and then at least one with every meal, and one before u go to bed.  hydration is v important.  if u can, invest in a water bottle and take it with u to class.  

pack a lunch!  and if ur staying later after school, pack snacks!  tech week for me is always hell because i get to school at 7:30 am and don’t usually leave until 11 that night.  it’s v important to stay nourished and hydrated so that u don’t get dizzy or faint.  

remember!  that u are beautiful, and ur body is beautiful, and it deserves 2 b loved! especially by u.  

get 6 hours of sleep.  aim for 8, but six at the very least.  if ur done with ur work, go to bed early!  don’t just stay up for no reason.  

shower everyday, or every other day at least.  give yourself those 15 minutes as a break from work or school or anything else that’s keeping you busy

write down ur thoughts in a journal?  

talk to a friend if ur feeling sad, or just feeling things very intensely.  share ur joy with other people!  vent ur sadness and anger so u aren’t carrying it around everywhere. 

make some time to have fun.  see a movie w ur friends or ur bf/gf/datefriend or ur family over the weekend.  go to a museum.  hang out at the mall.  sleepover at someone’s house.  taking breaks is healthy.  

make an effort to have dinner with ur family if u can (also if u like ur family.  i know some ppl have bad relationships w them so skip this step if that’s u).  it can be nice to reconnect w everyone, even when ur stressed or they’re annoying u, it can be nice.  

remember that it’s okay to be imperfect!  u don’t need to be good at a lot of things.  i got a b for the first time last semester, i just got a c on an apush test, i failed my driver’s test again yesterday.  but i also aced my math quiz, i celebrated six months of knowing my best friend, i walked my dog, i helped put a production together.  it’s okay to have rough days and bad days and bleh days, as long as you keep pushing through them and working for the days to get better.  

i love u!!! stay hydrated and nourished and get enough sleep.  put on some lotion if u have it available.  brush ur hair.  if u ever wanna ask a question, my ask box is always open!  <3

[compscigirl-blog]

muji notebooks

frankly speaking, I have a love-hate relationship with these notebooks, but I guess love does trump hate bc I ordered them and am pretty excited to test them out! okay, so I love these notebooks because of their simple design and freedom of which you can design it yourself, but these notebooks only have 30 sheets! so, probably not ideal for school, hence why I had to buy so many of them, and let’s say it did not come cheap lol (at least for me). I bought it for $9 (per a pack of 5 notebooks) off amazon, but had to purchase multiple packs, so the price was bit steep. I would recommend it to those who plan to use it for recreational purposes! for students who just love the aesthetic and build of the notebook, go ahead and buy it, but make sure the price is worth it. these notebooks come in multiple sizes/types. I bought the B5 muji notebooks, however, they also come in A5, A4, B6, B4, etc.

pilot juice pens

I just ordered a 36 pack, but I’m splitting it with my sister since I wanted to save money. I’ve used these pens before and love the free flow of the ink and how it works with various handwriting styles! they come in so many different colors and shades making it fun to experiment with! I bought them off of amazon for $30 I believe (but technically payed $15).

staedtler fineliners

I remember being obsessed with using these when my friend had bought a pack and honestly I still am. these fineliners are so beautiful and really thin in terms of the tip (.3mm). they come in various shades depending on what pack you get. there’s the pastel set, 10 pack, 20 pack, 36 pack, etc. all coming at various prices, however, they are not the cheapest, nor the most expensive. I may buy some eventually, and they sell on amazon for $7-$35 depending on which pack you purchase.

kokuyo campus notebooks

okay if i being honest here I used to abhor the design of these notebooks but after checking them out and doing my research I found myself falling in love with them. they are a bit more expensive than muji, nonetheless they’re still worth it. I plan on buying them when I have money (rip wallet) or maybe just solely sticking to muji notebooks. you can find them on amazon for about $10-$11 per pack of 10 notebooks.I know that @studyquill uses these notebooks, so go ahead and check out her posts and videos if you’d like a better insight on them!

kanken backpacks

*starts drooling* these backpacks are just so…so…aesthetic. for lack of a better word. however, aesthetic shouldn’t be the only role that plays into it, and it sure isn’t. these backpacks have amazing quality in terms of build and can last for years. they come in various colors giving you many options to fit your style. however, and you may want to prepare your wallet for this, its cost ranges from $80-$150 (or even more from what I’ve seen). amazon sells these for pretty good prices, most of the classic ones costing $80, so save up your money if you’re looking to buy one ;)

washi tape

washi tape has so many different uses! use it as you would any tape, or for decorating your bullet journal, notes, etc. they’re really pretty and come in various designs. in terms of pricing, the more “flashy” the design is, the more expensive they get, but they range from $2-$15 dollars (also depends on how many rolls per pack). I’m thinking about buying these, but I don’t have a real purpose for it yet, besides maybe decorating my binders with it.

lihit lab pencil case

i just purchased this online at amazon for about $10, but it takes such a long time to come!!! i won’t be getting it until school starts, so rip (lol). i love how efficient it is, in terms of space for so many items, and the design is really nice too. the price is really good for me and…yeah! haha. oh! they also come in multiple versions/colors, fitting various styles.

zebra mildliners

I actually just ordered these and plan to do a swatch/review on them, but what convinced me to buy these were the wide range of colors and the fact that they’re double sided (highlighters and markers), so I was like a 2 in 1? yes! (I need to save all the money I can get lol) I bought 3 packs (yellow, blue, and pink) for $14.88 on amazon. the prices are pretty good, but try not to buy all 4 at the same time because some sellers charge $40-$50 for it (helll naaaaw, too broke for that). make sure to scope out good deals!

hope you guys liked this post! s/o to anybody who saw me accidently post an unfinished version of it on my main blog lol. inbox/hit me up with an ask on what you’d like me to make next. also, some original content comin’ up with my notes, and study space, and other stuff (haha)

[bushmonsterr]

Could you give me some tip on how to water color really want to try and I thing your art is amazing

1) When you want to watercolor something, I suggest you to use a 200gsm paper or higher since it resist to water. Using a printer paper (let’s say it’s 70gsm) the paper can’t hold too much water. 

when watercolor with a printer paper (70gsm) the paper could be easily torn apart when there’s too much water at the paper. It doesn’t blend well with different colors.

when watercolor with a 300gsm (i think) watercolor paper, it resist to water perfectly. The water dries longer than the printer paper. Two colors blend well together. It doesn’t rip the paper apart since it’s thicker than the printer paper.

2) Use good brushes. I personally recommend you to use a synthetic brushes because it really works well with watercolor. I also recommend you to have a round and flat brushes.

The hairs from the synthetic brushes doesn’t easily come off and works very well with watercolors. Although usually when you’re not careful enough while using these brushes, one strand of hair could pop out and might ruin the effect of the brush. The brush could also get frizzy when it’s not properly used. So it’s better when you treat the brush carefully.

You can control how big or small you want the paint to apply with a round brush. A flat brush can be used to cover large places neatly.

3) When coloring a pen lineart with watercolors, use pens/inks that are waterproof on paper. Usually waterproof pens are always written on the pen itself, so keep an eye when you found one. 

used with Staedtler 0.2mm waterproof pen

Once the watercolor is applied, no smudges can be detected

4) Pen sizes, the smaller the size, the more details you can add up to your drawing.

i personally recommend you to use these 3 different sizes of waterproof pen. But it’s totally your choice!

5) Have a plate or palette to put puddles of water to adjust the colors that you want to apply.

Since the colors are individually apart, you can easily try mixing and applying the paint.

6) (Optional) Use a sketchbook paper (around 150gsm/ could be less) to know how the colors shows on paper before applying it to your work.

I think 150gsm paper is not specifically for watercolors, but it resits water pretty well which is a great to try new colors.

Sometimes the paper likes to move around, so you can use a tape to hold it down if you need to.

I also use this paper to remove a little bit of the access if I grabbed too much pigment on the brush. Stroke it once or twice on the paper, then it won’t be as pigment as the first stroke.

7) Whenever your water container is already dark and murky, change it, Because when you keep using it, the dirty water could effect the watercolor palettes.

8) Use reference if you need to. Try to pick an object that you can watercolor on. Let’s say a plant. You can go outside and see the trees and plant. Or you could just google it.

9) White pens for outlines or adding up details. White pens are totally optional, but i really do recommend you to use it just for finishing touches or adding small details on your work!

Pen recommendation, gellyroll white pen and hybrid gel grip.

10) Always experiment! Use different colors and explore more about watercolors!

Experimenting is very important! Try scribbling your brush around the paper. Think of something you wanted to draw. Try something you haven’t done before! Fill in the blank pages with your creativity and imagination. There are no limitations.

Keep practicing your watercolor skills, a small doodle or scribble counts as a progress! Even without reference, you can still picture it by using your imagination. This helps you by expanding your creativity.

Get inspired! Find artists that interest you and motivates you to do the same. You can always try using the same techniques as they do and soon you’ll develop your own style! 

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes counts as a progress of improving your skill. The more mistakes you make, the more you learn from it.

Have fun! It’s important for artist to enjoy what hey paint. If they don’t then what’s the point.

note: Hi there! I’m not really an expert on giving tips about watercolors. But i hope this helps! Also this was a really fun ask to answer, I really enjoy making this~

[pidgydraws]

What traditional drawing tools/supplies do you use?

OHHH~!!! (O    w O) thank you for asking! i’ve used pretty much everything and anything over the years… but i’ve definitely narrowed it down to just a handful of favourite items in recent years!

1) zebra M-301 .5 mechanical pencil - i LOVE this pencil (7O   A O)7 i love, love, LOVE IT! i’m sad when i can’t draw with it. i don’t use any better or cooler led inside than your standard .5 mechanical pencil led you get from Staples, but i just love how narrow and sturdy it is. the metal body of this pencil and the hard grip surface make it my all-time fav!

2) prismacolor premier fine line markers - i have use SO MANY expensive fine-line pens over my lifetime… UGG! and i’ve mostly hated all of them. very few of them held their line size over a long period of time or gave me the kind of true-black i was looking for. BUT OH BABY!!! i adore my prismacolor pens! they aren’t the most expensive and they don’t even seem that fancy, really! but the pen tips hold their shape great and the black is VERY black! i have yet to have a pen tip spread on me ~ something my very expensive copic pens did ALL THE DAMN TIME!!! my three go-to sizes are .005, .01, and .05!

3) staedtler mars plastic 526 60 eraser - has every artist owned this eraser? LOL! it’s THE BEST ERASER in my opinion! but!!!! i work exclusively in cheep, standard, HB mechanical pencil led! i can’t say what it’s like for other pencil types. but if you’re a mechanical pencil fan like me~ it’s THE BOMB!!! stupid cheep, available anywhere, and IT NEVER SMUDGES! at least, it never has for me! it also doesn’t ruin the shade of black pen lines as much as other erasers i’ve used. you’ll still lose maybe 10-15% of your blackness when you erase over it, but as long as the ink is dry i’ve never had a problem with smudging.

4) canson universal sketch book - i’ve had so many types of sketch books over the years… good gawd! and honestly… i mostly draw on computer paper these days because i draw SO MUCH that it’s a waste of sketch books! BUT! when i DO want to use a sketch book, my favourite is the basic canson one! the paper is pretty bright (i personally hate working on yellowish or greyish paper) and the tooth of the paper is pretty low. i don’t like a lot of texture because, again, i work entirely in mechanical pencil - so i don’t want a bumpy surface. it also takes ink well and is heavy enough not to bleed through for most uses. (though i always work with a backer paper anyway!) 

5) kneadable eraser - i don’t have a favourite brand yet of kneadable eraser… but i will say this… I CAN’T DRAW WITHOUT IT!!! my process is 100% dependent on having a kneadable eraser!!!!! if you’ve never used on before - F’n go out and try it! OMMMGGGG~!!!! I LOVE IT SO MUUUCCCHHH!!! for anyone who’s never used one, a kneadable eraser is… just that! it’s squishy and stretchable and soft! (you have to keep it in a box or package at all times when you’re not using it! else it becomes filthy and useless!!!) you can shape it however you need! for me though… i use it to “layer” my work! after i finish a basic sketch i use it to remove 90% of the drawing’s opacity by “sponging” away the pencil lines! this makes cleaning up the sketch SUPER EASY!!! then i can remove 90% of THAT version (thus pretty much fully eliminating the basic sketch) and cleaning it up again and again until i’m happy! then i take away most of the pencil layer again before i ink! making it ULTRA easy to see my lines! (too bad it doesn’t help me draw them back in in ink better! LOL!)

anddddd… that’s it!!! (O    w O) anything else i use is purely experimental, i am no longer a traditional artist… i made the switch over to digital too long ago… (T  w T) i don’t really know what i’m doing by hand anymore! it’s too frustrating not to be able to cut and paste, size and rotate things! i was never a perfect artist and drawing by hand makes it even more obvious! THOUGH!!! (-^   O ^-) i’ve been getting more and more comfortable since i broke my tablet like a month ago now! hahaha! as usual~ practice, practice, practice is what it’s all about! no two ways about it! LOL!

in fact! i just bought that sketch book in the photos a couple days ago~ and i’ve been braking it in with a piece of my newest OTP!!! (oO   w Oo) the hiatus has left plenty of time for games! and by “games” plural ~ i mean “game” singular… AKA… Persona 5 (no spoilers please!) (=   w =) hehhehe~ (MC) Akira / Yusuke ~ aka shukita is my jam (T   w T) omgggg… misunderstood criminal boy and soft artist boy… oh goodness… MY HEART!!!! WELL! (O     v O) there will be a bit more traditional work to come before i get a new tablet~ so thank you very much to everybody who’s hung in there with me! i can’t wait to be back in action! (T   w T) *feeble but loving hugs to you all*

(this question is also from many days ago~ (oO AOo) and again, i’m so sorry! the Tumblr app didn’t send me any alerts about new mail! i’m going to check more diligently myself until my hiatus is over when i get a new drawing tablet!)

[probablystudying]

I just wanna say thank you once again for 1K followers!! AAAHH

And yes, as you can see I’m doing a small giveaway in celebration of this. Not gonna lie, I’ve been delaying this for a while, but it’s better late than never. Right? 

Included in it are some of my favorite supplies and stationery of all time. I picked these items specifically to maximize book bag space as much as possible. With the school year beginning right around the corner, I’m sure you guys would also like to receive some free supplies 😎. 

So here’s the catch. One winner will receive the following:

1 mini notebook (gridded + ruled with a header for date and subject)

1 mini booklet of assorted post-its

1 mini legal pad

2 Staedtler white erasers

1 black Pentel RSVP fine ballpoint pen

1 red Pilot G-2 05 pen

1 bronze-metallic washi tape

(as a bonus) a personalized note from me 😘

Giveaway rules:

○   Must be following my studyblr and studygram 

     (because after all, this giveaway is for my followers!)

○   Must reblog this post; likes only count as bookmarks

     (avoid spamming with reblogs please)

○   Must have parent/guardian’s permission if under 18

     (yes, I will ask for age when messaging winner)

○   Winner has 48 hours to respond to my message

     (I will pick another winner if I get no response)

Other important details:

Message me your IG username when following my studygram!

I am still in the process of determining if I want to make this giveaway international. This is only because I’ve never shipped anything to anyone before. If I am not able to figure out how international shipping works before I announce the winner, do not worry. I will have future giveaways that are bigger and better which you are more than welcome to participate in.

Giveaway will close Monday, August 14th. I will make an announcement in a separate post saying that I have messaged the winner. If you don’t want to miss any important updates, follow the tag #probablystudying1k

          GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! 

[emyyystudies]

30 Day Back to School Challenge

7th October 2017 || 4. Study essentials and 15. Supplies + reviews

I’ve missed a few days of posting this challenge because it was my first week of lectures for this academic year and I’ve been really busy! Also, I decided to combine these two prompts, because I found them quite similar.

The photo on my left shows my study essentials:

Agenzio medium black grid notebook from Paperchase. I use this for my bullet journal. The paper quality is good with nice sized squares, and there’s lots of pages- I’ve used it since January 2016 and still have quite a bit of space left. It’s also quite sturdy to carry around.

Uni Pin fine line 0.4mm. This is the main pen I use in my bullet journal. It writes really well and has lasted me for a while.

Stabilo point 88 mini 0.4mm. I’ve been using these in my bullet journal since January 2016 and they’re still going strong, apart from the black, which I used a lot more than the rest. The nib of the orange has split a bit, but otherwise they have lasted well.

Stabilo Boss original pastel highlighters. I’ve just started using these in my academic diary, but so far they’re really good- I love the colours!

The photo on the right shows some other supplies that I use fairly regularly:

WHSmith fineliners. I mostly use these when I need a larger range of colours for my bullet journal, or sometimes for revision notes. I bought these instead of the Staedtler fineliners because personally I prefer the tips, which I find work better at the angle I write at.

Blott retractable ballpoint pens. These have been sitting around in my drawer for a while (since before May 2015 in fact, as that’s when Blott merged with Tinc). I find that the colours are strong, especially the light ones like yellow and orange- other ballpoint pens I have in these colours don’t show up well on paper.

Pilot Frixion pastel highlighters. I used these in my diary last year, and for the year calendar in my 2017/2018 diary. The colours are really nice, although the lilac is a bit on the grey side. They erase quite well.

Bic Marking highlighters. I use these for general highlighting, and I would perhaps prefer the tip to be a bit wider. Also, purple is my favourite colour, so I’m always a bit sad when a highlighter set comes without it!

[acaseforpencils]

Teresa Burns Parkhurst.

Bio: I was born in Albany, NY, and received my Associates Degree in Commercial Art from The Junior College of Albany. My under-under grad work was done in the local Catholic schools, where I majored in Irreverent Humor, with a minor in Knee Sock Management. My cartoons have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, The Harvard Business Review, Reader’s Digest, Playboy, Airmail and The New Yorker. I design greeting cards for Oatmeal Studios, and Sellers Publishing, and appear in Everyone’s A Critic, The Ultimate Cartoon Book. I am both proud and ashamed to have been counted among the Usual Gang of Idiots at Mad Magazine for sixteen years. I still live in Albany, and enjoy not going places.

Find this print here!

Tools: Well, until November 2019, when I purchased a magical drawing box, I used pencil (Staedtler - Mars Lumograph B or HB), a pink eraser (like from grade school), Micron pens, Derwent watercolor pencils, and markers (favs are COPIC Sketch, because it’s very economical to get the refills for high-use colors ). However, now all of those long-used beautiful tools sit staring at me, tearfully, wondering how they wronged me. But it is I who wronged them, betrayal with an iPad Pro, 11 inch.

So, now my tool is the white stallion Apple Pencil. And yes, it is totally stuck-up. Um, the only tool I couldn’t live (happily) without is the idea machine in my brain.

An unpublished cartoon, representative of Teresa’s recent switch to digital. You can find another example of her more recent work, here.

[For greeting cards] I use Derwent watercolor pencils and then blend them with a blending marker. Made it up as I went along. 

Tool I wish I could Use Better: Let’s see, the tool I wish I could use better is the Attention Span instrument (also in my brain), which would allow me to watch tutorials and read lengthy instructions on how to maximize my use of the iPad. Instead, I just do things wrong until I accidentally do it right, then I try and remember what it was I did, so I can do it again. Also, a paint brush. I have no idea how to paint.

Tool I Wish Existed: Hmmm, a tool I wish existed would be a microchip that could comfortably be installed into the consciousness of editors and publishers all over the world, that would give them inexplicable cravings to buy cartoons.

Tricks: Well, drawing on the iPad is all one big trick, so I need to think about my old timey ways...oh, I have one. So, if I was all but done inking a drawing and behold, there was a screw up, I would take the flat edge of an exacto blade and gently scrape it, then take an emery board and file any scraggly parts off the paper. You need to be really careful after that because you’ll get a lot more bleed, so use a really thin nib when you draw over it. Then I would make a good Act of Contrition (ask an older Catholic).

Misc. If there is any wisdom I have gained from being fortunate enough to draw cartoons for money, I would say get used to the waves. The hard one to ride is the one that is telling you that you really need to get good at something else, like, stacking produce efficiently and stylishly, or taking in laundry, because avocados and bath towels won’t reject you every five minutes. Then you sell something, and surfing that sale refills the pain-in-the-ass sense of hope that won’t leave you alone, and that is bigger than any rejection. And so the ride continues.

Website, etc. Links to New Yorker cartoons

I also have greeting cards published at Oatmeal Studios, and Sellers-RSVP Greetings.

———

Editor’s Note: I hope everyone is doing well and that Teresa’s lovely Case brings you some joy! Also, if you are on the market for some new books, here is a list of some awesome Black-owned independent bookstores that you can support via AfroTech.

More Cases coming up soon, but in the meantime, you can also find more posts about art supplies on Case’s Instagram and Twitter! Thank you!