The last few weeks have seen lower COVID cases and higher vaccination rates. More businesses and events have started to re-open and loosen mask mandates, number of occupants, etc. This shift has meant trips to the local pool for some, going to a pen show for others. For me and Laura, it means our first…
Review by Tina Koyama Years ago when I was making abstract, mixed-media collages, one of my favorite media was Caran d’Ache Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastels. I don’t use them for urban sketching because the broad crayon sticks require larger paper than I want to carry, but I remember the fun of making huge scribbles,…
When I ordered the PenBBS replacement nib from Ebay, I wondered if it would make a cool keychain-style dip nib. Honestly, at about $10, I just thought it would be cool to have a nib on my keychain in a way that only other pen nerds would appreciate. The nib is screwed into a keychain…
The new Vinta Inks Collection sets have recently arrived and I couldn’t be happier– despite a little inktastrophe. There are two collections, Neon and Vintage, and each include three-15ml bottles in a divided tray in a decorated slip jacket. The Neon Collection features a bright pink (Tagpuan Electric Pink), a bright cyan (Magnetic Blue) and…
I think this week’s title says it all — it was a good week for pencil posts. There are several wonderful posts on pencil history and a guide to Blackwing Wings. It seems like a good time to start sharpening your pencils too — new planner season is coming and JetPens has created a sign-up…
I recently realized I had accumulated quite a stack of sketchbooks to review. I was not sure the best way to present them so I decided to just review them altogether. There are EIGHT different sketchbooks from seven different companies and include different types of paper, binding methods, number of pages, price points and other…
Review by Tina Koyama Around the time that I had discovered the reasonably priced Moonman S1 fountain pen with a fude nib, I noticed another, even less expensive fude: the Hero 330 ($4; available in dark red, dark green and black). After some so-so experiences with other inexpensive Heroes years ago, I have hesitated about…
