When I was in college, all my art classes listed a sketchbook as a required supply. I got kind of sick carrying around sometimes 4 wire bound books. I was so glad to find some regular book bound type and switched some of my sketchbooks over them those. In the beginning, I didn’t see the use for these sketchbooks and would rather use sheets of paper. But as loose papers do, those sheets went missing, torn edges and some looked like I dropped them in the parking lot and cars drove over them. I looked a bit like the Peanuts character, “Pig Pen,” though I had art supplies and papers instead of dirt and dust. I was into my second year when all became clear. I had my drawing board that had big clips to hold paper and such and a huge rubber band. It was easy to keep things contained and I didn’t lose so much as I hiked around campus.
The company Faber-Castell has been an art supply company since 1761.
Doing the quick math… 255 years. That in itself is amazing. I was a fan with their fine art products from early in my art life. I bought a sketchbook in Italy when I was there on a 2 month art exploration lead by my Girl Scout leader. I still have the book someplace. Faber-Castell are the pencils to have. I still have some from my high school and college days. Now I have more of their products to be thrilled with.
I do love art supplies. And the quality of Faber-Castell are the best. A little side note is that they support the Biodiversity in Good Company initiative. They care about the artists and the environment. Their carbon emissions are offset several times over with how they produce art products.
Delicious Gelatos etc.
The newest line Design, Memory, Craft is no exception for quality and versatility. These Gelatos, Inks, Textures and tools are for mixed media and paper crafters. I am in love with them. There are 52 wonderful colors, I’m drooling. These are art sticks, that are creamy, vibrant pigment, water-soluble and permanent. But not the Italian ice cream. Which by the way, these creamy art sticks have the feel of painting with lipstick. They can be used with or without water and work well on any porous surface. I read a blog post on the Faber-Castell web site by a friend and fellow designer/artist, Laura Bray, about Faber-Castell Gelatos. She used the Gelatos to paint on fabric and then sewed the piece into a very nice bag to carry your art supplies. But you can do so much more with them also.
So I got to thinking that if you can use these creamy sticks of soft beauty on fabric to paint why not use in a fine art piece. I wanted to play with the colors and texture medium that came in one of the sets I bought. The first set (yes I have more now), came with 5 Gelatos, a palette knife, Texture Luxe, stencils, stipple brush, dot dabber, misting bottles, and drip dropper. I tore open the package. I didn’t have anything in mind other than I wanted to try these on a canvas and make art. I was not disappointed.
Adding the Texture Lux in silver.
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I think I will add some paper to this piece and maybe some more color but while it dries….
My last thoughts.
I want to open people up to new ideas. I want people to be adventurous with their art and supplies. I get a buzz when my students discovers something new. Or if they get excited about what they are creating when they didn’t think they could or their work and creative process is an eye opener for them. This feeds my soul as an artist to see them grow and learn. Just because something is “suppose” to be for one type of art doesn’t mean it can’t be used for other things too.
I had an art escape with a canvas, Gelatos, palette knife, Texture Lux, paintbrush and water.
When we close ourselves off of one kind of art or art supply we limit our creativity. And I believe that when we do that we don’t grow as artists. I wish everyone an adventure in their art and to create from the heart.
So I got to thinking that if you can use these creamy sticks of soft beauty on fabric to paint why not use in a fine art piece. I wanted to play with the colors and texture medium that came in one of the sets I bought. The first set (yes I have more now), came with 5 Gelatos, a palette knife, Texture Luxe, stencils, stipple brush, dot dabber, misting bottles, and drip dropper. I tore open the package. I didn’t have anything in mind other than I wanted to try these on a canvas and make art. I was not disappointed.
