Top 18 Art Supplies of 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, we thought it would be fun to look back on some of our favorites of the year. Not all of these were new products this year, but nearly all of them were new to Wet Paint. Read on to see what made our list!

1.Schmincke Horadam Gouache 10 Tube Set

2. Liquitex Acrylic Gouache

We’ve always been a fan of gouache paint, but there seemed to be a new excitement around it this past year. Gouache (pronounced like “ɡwäSH”) is the fancy name for opaque watercolor paint. Wet Paint stocks Schmincke gouache in open stock, but the 10 color tube set is a great introduction to the traditional paint. New in 2018, Liquitex Acrylic Gouache has the opaque, matte finish of classic gouache with the water permanence of acrylic. Both are worth checking out!

Schmincke Horadam Gouache Tin

Liquitex Acrylic Gouache

3. Schmincke Horadam 24 1/2 Pan Watercolor Set

Schmincke Horadam 1/2 Pan Set of 24

2018 was another big year for ½ pan watercolors at Wet Paint.  The Schmincke custom set we partnered with Jennifer McLean on has sold out, but we still have limited quantities of the 24 ½ pan set, as well as options from QOR, Daniel Smith, Yarka, and more!

4. Super 5 Fountain Pens and Fountain Pen ink

5. Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink

Handwriting is also making a comeback! And what better to get on-trend than with than a new refillable fountain pen?!? Wet Paint stocks all of your favorite brands of pens (and inks, too, to personalize your penmanship). A few of our favorites: everyone on staff owns a Super 5 fountain pen…durable construction and free flowing ink make it a dependable choice for everyday writing; we have been charmed by the beautiful Pilot Iroshizuku inks…lovely selection of colors in gorgeous glass bottles!

Super5 Fountain Pens and Inks

Pilot Iroshizuku inks

6. Cigar Boxes

7. Xiem Art Bag

Storage and transportation of art supplies can sometimes be a nuisance when many items are odd sizes or easily damaged. But then came the Xiem Art Bag with its many pockets, wooden handle, reinforced bottom and 25 lbs carrying capacity! Swoon! We also love the classic, and always useful, cigar boxes- not new this year, but still a fave.

Cigar Boxes

Xiem Tools Art Bag

8. Sienna Plein Air 

9. New Wave u.go 

10. Etchr Bags

2018 was also the year for new & different plein air painting supplies- specifically rethinking the classic french easel or pochade box. Whether it was upgrading to something sleeker and easier to carry (u.go), separating the support from the box (Sienna), or using the supply bag as the easel itself (Etchr), this was a great year for finding new ways to get out and paint!

Sienna Plein Air

u.go by New Wave

Etchr Bag

11. Leuchtturm 1917 

12. Koala Tools Gridded Notebooks

So many dots it’s like we’re contagious!  Unlike the measles, though, dot grid notebooks are showing no signs of being wiped out…and we like it that way!

Leuchtturm 1917

Koala Tools Notebooks

13. Golden Acrylic – New 2018 Colors

Golden Artist Acrylic Paint is not new, but Golden did come out with some beautiful new colors for 2018. Plus, they’ve just revamped their online color mixer, which is a great resource for finding that perfect color or matching a color from an image!

Golden Acrylic 2018 New Colors

POSCA Acrylic Paint Markers

14. POSCA Acrylic Paint Markers

The paint markers that everybody had been asking for finally arrived at Wet Paint in 2018…and they’ve been a huge hit.  Lots of sizes, lots of colors and suitable for almost any surface…let’s go write on stuff!

15. DaVinci Casaneo Travel Brushes

Quite possibly the most beloved watercolor brush at Wet Paint since Silver’s Black Velvet…and the Casaneo is all synthetic.  If you didn’t try it in 2018, you’d better make a resolution for 2019!

Da Vinci Casaneo Travel Brushes

Gamblin Custom Color Knew Black

16. Gamblin Custom Oil Paint Knew Black 

We partnered with our pals at Pygmalion’s Art Supplies in Bloomington, Indiana and Gamblin Artist’s Oil Colors in Portland, Oregon to bring local artist, Ta-Coumba Aiken’s, custom oil color, Knew Black, to life. Read all about it here.

17. Stillman & Birn Nova Toned Sketchbooks

Featuring double-sized, 150gsm toned paper in either beige, black or gray Nova Series sketchbooks are the perfect “go to” for mixed media applications. Can’t decide which tone is right for you?  The new Nova Trio has all three of ‘em in one book!  (And, the answer is: they’re all right for you!).

18. Caran d’ Ache Technalo RGB Tinted Water-soluble Graphite

Super subtle hint of color in brand new pencils or sticks…barely red, barely green and barely blue never looked so good!

Stillman & Birn Nova Toned Sketchbooks

Caran d’Ache Technalo RGB Tinted Graphite

It’s been fun reminiscing about all of our favorite creative supplies from the past year…it’s making us excited to see what 2019 will bring!  What made the top of your list for 2018?

Happy New Year, everybody!

Cultivating Our Creative Community

This blog post is written by Virginia, the Programming Manager at Wet Paint.

Having planted the garden and tended to its growth along the way, now comes the harvests’ bounty. And we have a bountiful season of creative opportunities for you to sample.

New varieties abound! – from the satisfaction of making stunning Crepe Paper Sunflowers and jewel toned French Lace handbound Journals, from the deeper dives of Self Portraits 3 Ways and Experimental Drawing, to the rich exploration of creative life questions such as “Who Am I Now?” Organizational Journaling for Pre and Post retirement.   There’s a whole new crop of classes designed for the absolute beginner who wants to try painting and drawing with themes like painting pets, miniature landscapes, painting in the style of Monet, Matisse and more!

 

Paper Flower Workshop: Sunflowers

Self Portrait 3 Ways

Experimental Drawing

Matisse Landscape

Pet Portraits

Perennial favorites form the base of any excellent feast! You’ll find fresh and fortifying classes by top-notch teaching artists in watercolor, acrylic painting, encaustic painting, drawing, book binding, rosemaling and hand lettering…including a new Monthly lettering practice Meet-up on the first Monday of the month.

 

Don Colley Returns Oct 26-27

Cranes of Hope Artist Trading Cards Project

Speedball Road Show Nov 8-10

Bright notes and deep flavors round out the season! Look for show-stopping classes and demos by visiting artists in sketching, relief printmaking and silkscreen printing as well as other great demos and hands-on events that will surprise, engage, edify and cultivate your creative life.

To see the full bounty, head on over to our events page to browse the whole lineup!

Portable, Practical, and Always Unique: The 2018 Wet Paint Schmincke set is on its way!

Just in time for World Watercolor Month in July, and the travel & outdoor activities that come with the warmer summer months, we’re pleased to announce the imminent arrival of our 2018 custom Schmincke Horadam ½ pan watercolor set.  As with previous sets, the 2018 version features 12 moist, professional-grade colors in a Schmincke tin, plus room for adding more…but that’s where the similarities end!

Our new set is an exciting partnership with Jennifer McLean, watercolor & mixed media artist, and blogger at justaddwatersilly.com and doodlewash.com.  Jenn got her first Horadam ½ pan set from Wet Paint in 2013 and has been a fan ever since: “Schmincke has some wonderfully unique watercolors that I cannot get anywhere else and since this palette is such a fantastic deal, I’ve always supported Wet Paint every time there was a new palette out. To think you get a quality tin and twelve half pans which should cost over two hundred dollars.” As a great supporter of Wet Paint and our custom palette Horadam sets, asking Jenn to choose the colors for our 2018 tin was a no-brainer.  Her choices – radiant, transparent warm & cool primaries, plus two favorite semi-opaque colors – make this selection the brightest, cleanest mixing palette we’ve offered.  Check out the color chart below, then go to her blog to read Jenn’s account of her color picking process.  When you visit her blog, you will also find Jenn’s recommendations for additional colors to supplement your new set, as well as information about entering an exclusive giveaway!

Another major difference between the 2018 set and prior incarnations is the tin.  We’ve skipped the 18 ½ pan square format tin this time and instead packed Jenn’s 12 colors in a long, narrow tin that accommodates 24 ½ pans and a full size brush.  Best of all, this tin has a brilliant, full color watercolor graphic on its cover (and the Schmincke owl logo, of course!).  Beautiful!

If you’re new to Schmincke’s Horadam ½ pan watercolors, you need to know that all 139 colors are filled a quarter at a time to insure the greatest consistency & immediacy available in a “dry” watercolor.  Also unique, the formulation for Schmincke’s tube color is exactly the same as that for their pan color, making it easy to go between tubes in the studio and pans en plein air.

We have confirmed shipment from Germany, and expect our sets to arrive in Saint Paul in late June. If you want to be among the first to get the 2018 set, we are now taking pre-orders. We will not be making changes or substitutions to the colors in the new set.  We anticipate a heavy influx of orders for this set – they will be processed in the sequence they are received. Order fulfillment may be longer than usual due to volume, once they arrive.

The other exciting news from Schmincke-land is our Semi-Precious Stone 3 Tube set.  This special edition set of 5ml watercolors features historical earth tones that are well suited for outdoor and nature painting (and are a fun addition to a springtime sketching session). Lapis Lazuli, Red Opalite, and Green Porphyry stones have been specially milled to create semi-opaque pigments. These granulating colors have subtle tints and are incredibly lightfast. While not strong mixers, we have found that combining them in a wash with a tiny bit of modern pigment such as Pyrrole Red or Hansa Yellow has produced some great two-toned effects where the larger particles add great texture, even on smoother finish papers. As with any particularly heavy pigment, these stone-derived colors may settle in the tube somewhat. If this occurs, we recommend mixing the pigment back into the binder (stirring in the tube with a long pin or needle tool) before use. These are a limited edition only available in 5ml tubes and will not be added to the standard Schmincke color selection.

If you want to create tactile and visually unique pieces in miniature, then new-at-Wet Paint Hahnemühle watercolor postcards are the perfect choice!  The round-edged, cold pressed postcards, with the address field printed on the back, are perfect for on-the-go creative souls, from watercolor and plein air painters to urban sketch artists. The 30 cards have a weight of 230 gsm and can be safely transported in the stylish metal box, to be painted and then posted wherever you are. Holiday greetings, a travel portfolio, a picture story…there’s no limit to the possibilities. The softly textured paper allows for easy use of brushes and every kind of pencil or pen, while the card’s natural tone allows the colors to glow.
Hahnemühle’s Watercolour Book is the ideal companion for urban sketchers or artists on the go. The natural white, alpha cellulose 200gsm acid free paper features a fine grained surface structure on both sides, making it ideal for creating full width panoramic paintings.  With 60 pages / 30 sheets, the Watercolour Book is compact while offering an ample number of pages for painting your memories on. Watercolour Books feature a handsome, durable cover and a rubber band to hold the cover together to protect your artwork. Available in the landscape formats A6, A5 and A4 and portrait format A6 and A5…click here for more info!

FM Brush’s Faux Kolinsky and Faux Squirrel – two of our most popular watercolor brushes – are on a great promotion this summer: buy any three (of any combination) Faux Kolinsky or Faux Squirrel brushes at 25% off and get a ½” Faux Squirrel “Whale Tail” brush FREE!  FM Brush Company has developed a proprietary blend of Techno-Synthetics that recreate all the attributes of natural hair brushes, but as a socially responsible alternative to animal hair. The Faux Kolinsky series mimics the elusive natural tip of a Kolinsky brush. It’s generous reservoir yields unmatched performance. The brushes are elegant with a cupro-nickel ferrule and long satin black albata handle. Faux Squirrel brushes are made of synthetic fibers that hold as much paint as a natural squirrel brush, allowing for a generous, even flow of paint…while retaining their shape and durability better than their natural-filament counterparts. Faux Squirrel’s seamless crimped nickel-plated ferrules and innovative soft coated handle allow for a sure grip through hours of painting. Made by FM Brush and completely assembled in America.

Da Vinci Brush’s Casaneo Series brushes are coming soon to Wet Paint.  We’ll be stocking these thirsty, synthetic squirrel brushes in a classic quill and a travel brush.  All the precision of your favorite synthetic, with the release of color usually associated with a natural hair.

It’s watercolor season!  Ready or not, Wet Paint has got you covered!

Fresh classes to fit your summer

This blog post is from Virginia, our Classes and Events Manager at Wet Paint:

Summer is here.

Down pace your life to something more relaxed and curious. Summer classes at Wet Paint offer you ways to refresh your creative spirit, support for your continuing creative pursuits or perhaps explore new materials or techniques for the first time.

Here’s a look at what’s in store:

You’ll find many more single session classes along with a handful of shorter multi session classes ranging from lettering and book + paper arts, to printmaking, painting and drawing and some unique specialty classes.

There are some new instructors and classes to point out:

When the Work Doesn’t Flow taught by Ellie Kingsbury addresses those dry spells artists inevitably experience and how to work with them; Intro to Micrography taught by Kyna Levi  (also offered for young artists); Intro to Screen Printing taught by Tim Cronin and Jeff Hnilicka. They are also teaching a Summer Printmaking Sampler for ages 10-15; Floral Abstractions: Onsite Sketching to Finished Painting taught by Paige Tighe; Intro to Calligraphy classes for young artists and families taught by Mary McKee; plus 2 classes in the works: Wet Paint Watercolor Paper Sampler Exploration class and How to Paint Dew Drops in Watercolor taught by Illinois Watercolorist Jane Mason of Watching Paint Dry.

Many returning instructors are offering new classes such as Custom Playing Cards and Tarot Cards taught by Jeff Nelson who has three offerings in August; A whole series of new Artists Way classes taught by Tara Tieso including Abstract Urban Sketchbook, a Mixed Media Triptych and Artists Way Mini Retreat; Painterly Drawing: Water soluble Colored Pencils taught by Monica Fogg; Os Style Rosemaling taught by Julie Anderson (pictured); Watercolor + Pastel Workshop and Watercolor/Gouache/mixed Media Plein Air Workshop taught by Carl Oltvedt; Drawing Pet Portraits in Pastel Pencil taught by Susan Beck, A whole slew of classes taught by Liz Carlson including Mail Art-A-Go-Go and Cut + Paste Illustration; plus two new offerings from Bridget O’Malley Handbound Book: Japanese Side Stab Binding, and Holding it All Together : Longstitch Binding with Cave Paper.

In addition to classes you’ll find free events and demos:

Monthly Sunday Sketch-In’s, Andy Evansen Watercolor Demo in July, Bullet Journal Meet-Up in August, and our Annual Summer Postcard Project all summer long!  Keep an eye out for more events and classes in the works on our Facebook page, website or in-store posters.

…and finally, there are numerous ways to join us for fun art activities in the community this summer:

Grand Old Day Master Artwork Selfie Station, Pinners Conference and Expo in Minneapolis, Monthly Artist Talks at Lyngblomsten, Lyngblomsten Mid-Summer Festival, American Swedish Institute’s Great Makers Exchange, Pet Portraits during Paws on Grand.

With 50+ classes and events, it’s going to be a lot of fun in the classroom and we hope to see you there!

Wet Paint’s 5th Annual Summer Postcard Project

Going somewhere fun this summer? Or, having a productive stay-cation? Draw, paint, or mix up your media on a postcard-sized paper and mail it to Wet Paint! We’re putting together an exhibition of mail art from our friends and fans wherever they may be. As postcards arrive, we will photograph them to share on our social media pages and then display them in our storefront windows. At the end of the summer, we’ll host a public art opening here at Wet Paint for all of the contributing artists!

There’s no limit to how many postcards you can send, but in order to participate, postcards have to arrive at Wet Paint via our friendly postal carrier – – no dropping them off at the store! Don’t forget to sign your postcard(s) and let us know how to reach you. We want to make sure we’re crediting you when we post the work online and we want to be able to contact you with details about the end of summer art opening on August 17th, 2018.

General Guidelines:
-We are a family-friendly shop, so please tailor your images & words to be suitable for viewers of all ages.
-We reserve the right to not display postcards that we feel are inappropriate for this activity.
-All artwork must be original.
-In order to have your postcard displayed in our end of summer exhibition, you’ll need to have it postmarked by August 13th, 2018.
-All participating mail art must arrive at Wet Paint via US Mail.
-Keep in mind that postcards will “wear” a bit depending on how far they travel- which is part of the fun of mail art!
-Contact your local post office for shipping and postage information.
-Send one or send one every week! We’ve got big windows!

Wet Paint Address:

Wet Paint
Summer Postcard Project
1684 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105

Knew Black is the new black

There’s a brand new color in town and we think you are going to love it!

Knew Black was designed by our friend, St. Paul artist Ta-coumba Aiken. His formula for a chromatic black has been adapted by Gamblin Artist Colors and manufactured from a unique mixture of Dioxazine Violet and Ivory Black for this limited edition. Knew Black is an oil color with a subtle cool undertone that works great in mixtures and when tinted with white.

 

 

Visit our store or click here to see some samples of beautiful colors that have been created using Knew Black.

Wet Paint of St. Paul, MN and Pygmalion’s Art Supplies of Bloomington, IN are partnering for the first time to launch this new color into the artistic world of 2018.

Best of all, you can try this cool, new limited edition color and support your local arts community at the same time: All proceeds from Wet Paint’s sales of Knew Black will be donated to The Show Gallery in Lowertown St. Paul. The Show Gallery Lowertown is a nonprofit art space which seeks to create accessibility in the arts and unite artists of all abilities.

37ml tubes of Knew Black are only $8.95 and supplies are very limited…get yours before they’re gone!

Join us in our store on Friday, February 23rd at 6:30 pm to celebrate Knew Black’s debut! Ta-coumba will talk about why this color is unique, what inspired his choice and the name, and how Knew Black will be useful for painters. We’ll have solvent free oil paint stations set up, so you can try it out yourself.

Like the Knew Black Logo? While supplies last you can get a tube of Knew Black and a limited edition logo t-shirt for just $19.99.  Order today, or pick up your tube/t-shirt combo at the event on the 23rd.

Top 17 Art Supplies of 2017

As chosen by the Wet Paint Staff! In no particular order, here are 17 picks of our favorites new to the store -or new to us- this year.

Kate: Leuchtturm 1917 Journals and Sketchbooks– “These have great paper for pens, and I love the aesthetic look of the limited edition covers”

Anna: Tombow Dual Brush Markers– “These markers are really fun and easy to work with in my sketchbook, they have become my go-to drawing tools this year.”

Justin: Stillman & Birn Nova Series Softcover Grey Sketchbooks– “I have really enjoyed drawing on this toned paper- it is a totally different drawing experience! The grey paper really shows off the highlights and the heavy paper weight works well with many types of media.”

Jorden: R&F Pigment Sticks– “I have been having so much fun with these this year since they set me free from having a brush!”

Greg: Faux Kolinsky by FM Brush–  “I have been doing a lot of gouache painting lately and these have become my favorite brush to use. Real sable brushes are too soft for gouache, so these have just the right amount of resistance in the paint.”

Chris: Talens Ecoline Liquid Watercolor – “Available in brush pens and bottles of ink, these products work really well together- dip a marker in an ink and you can get some amazing ombre fades!”

Amanda: GOLDEN Acrylic Gel Mediums– “Sculpt with them, add them to your paint to build texture, or just save some money by extending your color.”

Paul: QoR Watercolor Paint– “I hadn’t really given this line a lot of thought since it came in a few years ago, but my opinion has changed this past year. The granulation and color is great…these paints are now a part of my regular palette.”

Tzvi: Speedball Professional Relief Ink in Supergraphic Black– “This ink cleans up like water-based inks, but has the smooth consistency of an oil-based ink, which makes it easy to use as a beginner, but it is artist quality.”

Paige: Fabriano Artistico 300lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper– “I am LOVING this paper! It is great to slop on water while I am painting and not worry about curling or buckling- and the price is great, too!”

Emily: OHTO Horizon Needlepoint Pens– “I’ve been really into the OHTO Horizon Needlepoint Pen lately. I’m typically more of a pencil user but I took the Horizon on a trip abroad and it served, and continues to serve, me so well. The aluminum hexagonal barrel not only keeps the pen from rolling but also provides a comfortable grip and greater precision. The needlepoint offers a very fine line and retracts with a satisfying push button on the side of the barrel. They also look pretty classy and come in a variety of colors– I’ve been sporting the yellow at work and the white at home.”

Mariah: Angelus Leather Paint– “I love these vibrant colors on leather! They worked great for my leather earrings!”

Rebecca: Stonehenge Aqua Watercolor Paper in Hot Press– “This paper is really great for making work that you then scan for reproduction. The silky smooth surface also gives you extra float time for easy lifting and longer working.”

Kristina: Palomino Blackwing Volume 73 Pencil– “I have been a fan of the Blackwing pencils since we got them, but this one has been my favorite: I love the grip of the topography lines, the blue color of the barrel, the soft dark graphite, and the environmental subject of Volume 73.”

Virginia: Princeton Neptune 1″ Mottler Watercolor Brush– “I was very surprised at how much I love this brush- I bought it for Monica Fogg’s Tonal Transformations class and I use it all the time with my watercolors, ArtGraf, and charcoal! It is so expressive, it feels like an extension of my hand!

Scott: Art Advantage Art Box Easel– “We use this in our kitchen for the ipad when we need a recipe or sketching when we are creating art, but it is easy to move and pack up when we don’t.”

Darin: What Is Painting? “Yes, what is it?  Julian Bell’s book approaches the question from the angles of philosophy, social science, and art history and comes up with a readable, inspiring analysis.  This lavishly illustrated hardcover just arrived at Wet Paint.  Not to be confused with the also fantastic and highly recommended What Painting Is by James Elkins.”

If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be write

The holidays are the perfect time to give the gift of fine writing…at the very least you can expect a hand written thank you from your friend, colleague or loved one!  We’ve been emphasizing both classic and contemporary pens & pencils at Wet Paint all this year…Scott and I have searched the world over to provide a fun, comprehensive selection for you.  We brought that emphasis to our Holiday Catalog, where we’re featuring a bunch of our favorite utensils…let’s turn the spotlight on a few of them:

It hardly gets more classic than Manuscript’s “1856” resin barreled fountain pens.  The translucent resin almost seems to glow from inside, with pattern and light ebbing & flowing as the pen moves.  The medium-sized, steel handwriting nib glides smoothly over the page, applying ink from either a universal cartridge or a converter (both included).  We brought in our three favorite colors: “Northern Lights” – a deep pearlescent blue with yellow marbled stripes…it reminded us of the Wet Paint colors; “Red Storm” – a fiery red with swirling white patterns; and “Oyster Mist” – a handsome ivory colored pen with striations that look like a museum-quality geological discovery.  The person that gets one of these is gonna smile every time they use their pen!  Each 1856 comes packaged in a gift box.  And – did I mention they’re on sale?

If the “1856” is a little too formal, may I suggest Caran d’Ache’s “849 Series” metal barreled fountain pens?  The bold, rounded-edge hexagonal barrels are made of aluminum…they look heavier than they actually are.  Both the barrel and the stainless steel nib are super durable; the pens boast a lifetime warranty for a reason!  The calling card of the “849,” though, is the barrel colors: a range of “can’t miss ‘em” fluorescents; sleek, glossy, contemporary white; and matte, industrial-looking black or blue.  The decision to get one is easy, deciding which one to get is the hard part.  To make it easier, they’re on sale – so you can get more than one.

Blackwing Pencils continue to be hugely popular at Wet Paint.  The smooth, dark graphite lines…the distinctive square ferrule that holds the distinctive (and refillable!) square eraser…the unique, “blink & you’ll miss them” limited edition themed pencils…dreamy!  With this in mind, we brought in two great gift ideas for the Blackwing enthusiast: the Pencil Roll and the Desk Set.  The former is a durable, waxed canvas roll that comes with five pencils and has space for a pad and a sharpener (not included).  (Speaking of pads…we just received some brand new blank and dot grid books from Blackwing…just sayin’.)  The Desk Set comes with eight of each “standard style” Blackwing pencil – 24 pencils in all – plus a coveted long-point sharpener.  This bounty is packaged in the most handsome pear wood box that you’ve ever seen.  Wow, would that box look nice on somebody’s desk.

 

Lamy Gift Sets aren’t in the catalog…but they’re a super good deal, so I will tell you about them.  These sets pair a dashing Filofax notebook with a Lamy fountain pen: choose a red notebook with White Safari (extra fine nib); a magenta notebook with a Black Purple Safari (fine nib); or a lime green notebook with a super rare Charged Green Al Star (extra fine nib).  They’re already in a box appropriate for gifting…your work is done!

Also not in our catalog, but really new and really cool, is the William Mitchell Mapping & Drawing pen with reversible nib.  The short, plastic quill-style nib holder conceals a hidden super-fine metal nib…flip it around when you’re ready to write or draw; flip it back when you’re done.  No more broken nibs or poked fingers!  Now you just need a bottle of ink to dip the pen in…

Oh, look at that: it’s Herbin’s new “1798” Amethyste De L’Oural ink…right on cue!  This deep, rich purple ink has an appealing silvery lustre…perfect for shimmery, hand-lettered highlights or penning your Minnesota Vikings dream season remembrances.  “Amethyste” is the first in a series of new ink colors that will make up the Jacques Herbin 1798 Collection…get in at the beginning!  The jars themselves are as beautiful as the ink.

Ara’s Top Picks for Kid’s Art Supplies

Guest blogger, Ara, with her 3 children

Hello!
I am writing to share my top picks for art inspired gift giving for kids. I am a local artist, author and illustrator- but more importantly, I am a mother of 3 children- ages 9, 7, and 5. I have a background in early childhood education, and many, many years of teaching, creating and making joyful messes with children. I am frequently asked what I would suggest purchasing for kids to encourage creation and inspire creativity. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to get children REAL art supplies. Yes, they are a bit more money, but I have seen firsthand the difference in quality of art and love of making when children are given higher quality art supplies. Skip the big box sets of “100 ITEMS!” – most of which are lost, broken, dried out and faded within hours of opening. Instead, opt in for a few simple, but vibrant supplies, that are sure to make satisfying and stunning pieces of art. I am fiercely devoted to shopping at Wet Paint for materials, because the selection, vibe, and staff are beyond excellent.

orange face girl- Freyja, age 5- playcolor on paper

Girl on a branch- Wren age 9- watercolors, inks and beeswax crayon on basswood

3 kittens and their windmill house- Wren, age 9- acrylic inks and beeswax crayon on basswood panel

blue fox and dragonfly- Wren, age 9 (though much younger when she made it) – beeswax crayons and molotow paint markers on basswood panel

Bees- Kaj, age 7- marabu art crayons and beeswax crayon on watercolor paper

blue girl – Freyja, age 5- playcolor on paper

1. A Utility sketch book
These guys are nice, heavy paper for any kind of drawing, bound like a book, and a full 288 pages! We keep a couple in the car for drawing when “bored”, my kids travel with them, and have one next to their bed for late night drawing. I love that they’re bound, because it allows a collection of art (288 pages!) to be saved easily.

2. Playcolor
These bright solid paint sticks are my most recommended to parents who are looking to get something new and interesting. They are capped like a marker, but smooth like a paint. They are deeply satisfying to draw with, almost like a lipstick. They dry fast, are not very messy, and come in varieties like metallic and textile. I think kids as young 3 and as old as me would enjoy these!

3. Yarka Watercolor Palette
Yarka’s palettes are semi-moist, vibrant watercolors. These are SOOOO much better than those dried out, barely there color, other brand watercolor paint palettes we all used in school. Creamier and brighter, kids love painting with these. I especially love watercolors with kids if the paper is wet from a spray bottle or big brush. Watching the colors swirl and mix is so much fun process, and if you use a decent watercolor paper, the images can be saved for gift wrapping, card making, and other fun crafts.

4. Niji Watercolor
A step up, for my kids, is a tube or liquid watercolor. The Niji brand is affordable, and kids love to squeeze a bit of paint onto a palette and mix it up with water. It’s also great for learning how to color mix and creating unique shades. Wet Paint also carries two other already mixed liquid watercolors, which are also fantastic.

5. Watercolor Paper
I like the Strathmore vision watercolor pad. It isn’t top shelf paper, but it is a million times better than flimsy kid craft paper. You get 30 sheets for $10, and end up with frame-able kid art and great watercolor abstracts for various paper projects.

6. Faber-Castell Beeswax Crayons
One of my personal favorite art supplies, I use these crayons for almost all of my base sketches, and my children use them whenever they color. I think they are brighter and smoother than a typical crayon, and they are amazing with watercolors or inks as a resist. Plus, beeswax is a natural and renewable resource, unlike petroleum-based paraffin of other crayons.

7. Ampersand Art Panels
I have used art panels in many of the classes I’ve taught to young artists. I always ask them, “how do you like painting on the panels?” And everytime they all say IT IS SO MUCH FUN. The Ampersand art panels come in many finishes, and I love them all. My favorites are basswood and claybord, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them. They are smooth, sturdy, and hold endless amount of material (so they’ll never get soggy like paper, no matter how much paint your kids pile on). Kids feel VERY proud of art made on these panels, because they are instantly ready to gallery hang, which makes any artist feel legit.

8. Claytoon
Pretty clay in fun packs of four colors, and it never dries out. Unlike other clays, it isn’t crumbly, and so less messy and easier to clean up. Soft and smooth clay is easier to create detail work, and to sculpt into the perfect figure. I suggest getting a lidded plastic pan/tray, that the clay can be kept in. Then it is easier to tidy up, and keeps it all in one spot. Bonus- add a couple IWAKO Japanese mini animal erasers to your clay tray. My kids love to sculpt tiny furniture and gardens and lands in the tray for the eraser guys to live in. Tiny clay bunkbed with a tiny eraser bunny = CUTE.

9. Marabu Art Crayons
Somewhere between Playcolor and watercolors, is the new Marabu Art Crayons. Silky and satisfying like Playcolor, they are a joy to draw with. But add in a paint brush and cup of water, and they turn to pretty washes and blends. These come in sets, or a la carte, for the perfect set of favorite colors.

10. Yupo Paper
Yupo is fun paper to play with and experiment new techniques on. I can’t imagine any child wouldn’t love it! It is silky smooth and lush, and with ink or markers is complete joy. Our kids love to use the Sakura Gelly Roll pens on it, or the Touch brush markers. The markers just saturate the paper with color, and the gelly rolls are glossy and glittery.

11. Kuretake Bimoji Pen
My favorite pen, for drawing, sketching and writing. We can’t keep enough of these in our house. Everyone loves them. Solid black, smooth, felt tip, they are great for outlines and detailed drawing work.

12. Cigar Boxes
Now that you have all the supplies, make sure you grab a $3 cigar box. Cigar boxes are the best! When I was kid I kept all my crayons in my grandpa’s old cigar boxes, and so it is nostalgic for me. But besides that, they are appealing to look at, practical for storage, stackable, sturdy, and a great size for almost anything.

I also love: Amsterdam acrylic inks, Gelly Roll pens, Papermate felt tips, Sakura Micron Pens, Molotow paint markers, Strathmore blank cards/envelopes, Art Graf carbon disc + Aquash water brush, and Traveler pocket journal sketch

Here are some lovely combos:

Basswood art panel + Beeswax crayons + Niji watercolors + cigar box
Basswood art panel + Playcolor + cigar box
Basswood Art Panel + Marabu Art Crayons + cigar box
Claybord Art Panel + Amsterdam acrylic inks + beeswax crayons + cigar box
Utility sketchbook + Gelly pens + Yupo
Utility sketchbook + Kuretake Bimoji Pen
Yupo paper + Kuretake Bimoji Pen + Touch Brush Markers + cigar box
Yupo paper + Gelly Pens + IWAKO eraser for cuteness + cigar box
Strathmore vision watercolor pad + Niji or Yarka watercolors + cigar box
Strathmore vision watercolor pad + Marabu Art Crayons + cigar box
Strathmore vision watercolor pad + Art Graf carbon disc + Aquash water brush
Claytoon + IWAKO erasers + storage container

Who’s a cute Acryla tin?

The dust has finally settled on fall back-to-school and preparations for our annual Holiday Catalog…now there’s time to show off the catalog and all of the cool stuff we packed into it!  I will try to highlight one or two of the products we’re thinking about each week thru the end of the sale, so watch this space, as well as our Instagram and Facebook posts.

Holbein Acryla Gouache Custom Set Color Mixing Grid by Anna Miller

This week’s “star of the show” is the item we’re most excited about in the whole catalog: our exclusive Holbein Acryla Gouache Set.  Everyone loves Acryla…it’s the gouache that dries permanent like acrylic and the acrylic that is velvety matte like gouache.  It has no color shift from wet to dry, and it’s totally mixable with other gouache, other acrylic, or pretty much any other water-based media you can think of.  And the color palette is large and unique…there’s colors in Acryla that you won’t find in any other paint line.  In fact, this was the catalyst for our exclusive set: combining a range of bread & butter primaries with best-selling, esoteric colors like Ice Green and Horizon Blue.  We think the super sale price for the eighteen 20ml colors alone is enough to make this custom kit a homerun…but wait, there’s more!

 

To make our set extra special, Holbein North America imported these fantastic, cylindrical metal tins – embellished inside & out with the illustrations of Japanese artist Yuko Higuchi – to package the paint.  Durable and eye-catching, these tins have just enough room to add six more of your favorite 20ml Acryla colors…there’s even a color chart included to help you choose your favorites!

If you’re thinking ahead to gift-giving season, consider this paint set for the graphic designer/illustrator/watercolorist/architect/wood carver on your list…it’s only available at Wet Paint!

Plus, check out the little video we made about this awesome set!