I was lucky enough to get a packet of pens to review from our friend and enabler The Poor Penman at the San Francisco Pen Show. Not only is he a pen enthusiast but also an employee at Pentel America. So, since this is Inktober month I decided this was a good time to try…
I can’t believe its the first of October already! It totally snuck up on me this year. This is probably late for many people to start thinking about the annual Inktober challenge but, at the same time, I don’t think that this should be something that is so intimidating to do that you can’t start…
Review by Tina Koyama Akashiya Sai ThinLine Brush Pens ($4.95 each or set of 5/$14.25) are, by far, the thinnest brush pens I have ever used. Available in five earthy colors, the pigment-based inks are waterproof, which is still relatively rare among bristle brush pens. After waiting less than a minute, the inks could be…
Review by Tina Koyama I’ve been curious about Pilot Frixion erasable products ever since Ana reviewed the pens and markers and the “color-pencil-like pens” several years ago. But it wasn’t until Pilot came out with actual erasable colored pencils (as opposed to gel pens that are called “color-pencil-like” but are not, in fact, color-pencil-like at…
Back in February, you may have read about how I misjudged the size of the Lihit Lab Smart Fit Mobile Pouch – it’s too small for my Samsung Galaxy S9. But I still need a replacement for my little bag that I use only for bare essentials when I’m fitness walking. This time I read…
Review by Tina Koyama I’ve seen a few brush pens in my day, and most with bristles have the same average-size tip. Pentel’s Ultra Fine Artist Brush Sign Pen ($3.65) is a rare exception. (I chose black to test, but it comes in 12 colors.) On the outside, it has a basic plastic body typical…
Review by Tina Koyama Concentrated watercolor paint stored on paper has intrigued me for a long time: Thin and lightweight, it seems like the ultimate portable paint kit! Several years ago when I first began urban sketching, I bought a booklet of Nicholson’s Peerless Water Colors with that thought in mind. Around the same time,…
