Favorite Art Supplies For September- Exciting Newcomers!!

[@chloegrl1366]

Oh I love that flash color looks like the Turner pastel blue

[@ChantelleArts]

Fantastic video, i love gouache so much

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@nancyloomis3046]

Prismacolor (or in recent years, it changed to Prismacolor Premier) is pretty much an American legacy brand and originally came on the market, maybe in the 1950's, give or take a decade? For art classes, they long held dominance as the "go-to" brand on class supply lists. I still have a set of 90 I purchased in the early 90s, I also have a smaller set of Prismacolor Premier's. I guess their soft core, as they call it, is softer than the older kind I bought in the 90s? They were made by Berol then and were just called "Prismacolor." They were known as the "professional choice" for fine artists and fine art classes. Unfortunately, over the years, they changed hands a few times and I think Rubbermaid , a huge corporation that makes all sorts of commercial cleaning containers as well as lot of containers for home/kitchen use, wasn't as interested in the arts community. Once Prismacolor was bought out by a big corporation, I think they lost sight of supporting artists over the years and Prismacolor kind of got knocked off the throne with more competition and then the quality got to where it just wasn't the same as it had been. I think they have stabilized from their really crappy quality they put out for a while and people do love their softness. Their lightfastness is not the greatest, but most people don't seem too mind about that. Thanks Irit. Sorry for the long comment.

[@iritlandgraf]

My pleasure, thanks for sharing!

[@helencryer]

I always love your colour choices!

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you! 😊

[@deb.e.mixedmedia]

Those Japanese water color sets have beautiful colors! 💜

[@iritlandgraf]

I think so too!

[@swedilli]

Hi Irit! The ones that you buy at Choosing Keeping, are from a brand called Kissho. They are Gansai watercolours, just a different brand. As far as I have found out, the binder they use may be a combination of glue, starch, gum arabic, beeswax, sugar syrup, sugar, and glycerin. There are some videos on KZbin about it...

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks for the info! Very helpful!

[@elaineg60]

They use fish glue, mingjiao, not found in most of (the NEWER) Kuretake anymore. We use it in our traditional Chinese paints also. Kuretake used it until a few years ago. Mingjiao or Hu Mingjiao, is derived from the bones of already dead fish (but still violates the “vegetarian” label). It’s similar to gum Arabic, binds the pigments and enables the paints to be easily used on our delicate xuan (or “rice paper”-it’s not made from rice btw. Also known as Sumie-e paper). My Chinese chips also contain peach sap gum, again, another binder. I believe Japanese paints use tragacanth gum in place of GA. Because of the deterioration of quality of traditional paints (long story I won’t go into except to say these old companies made the business decision to expand into other mediums. It’s a bit of a scandal among many traditional artists and I’ll just say, they are working on a solution); many artists are now using the Japanese paints, something that would have been a heresy a few years ago. Some artists have branched out trying to find other alternatives including making our own paints from traditional natural mineral and plant pigments…OR, one of my primary tutors put me to work last year trying to find ways we could use Professional Western paints on xuan paper. I have found only 2 brands that work really well with what I call “the brush water method”-basically dissolving mingjiao into warm distilled water and either putting a drop or two on top of (most, but not all) Rosa Gallery and some White Nights; OR just using it as my main, clean, brushwater. The fewer pigments or other ingredients, the better. The secret is the mingjiao water, but believe me, it gets expensive. Henry Li, a popular Chinese American Artist (and one of my teachers) is sticking mainly with Kuretake these days, but because he’s taking Masters Classes in Western style WC; he too is experimenting with other western paints. If you know anything about Asian painting, the 2 primary skills are brushstrokes/brushwork and #1 water/ink/liquid control on the delicate xuan paper. I mention that because watching some of my friends, including Henry, attempting to use QOR?! 😂. Prof Chen was live-streaming from China with some western paints I had sent him. When he used QOR “OMG, WHERE IS IT GOING? HOW DO I STOP IT! It is running away!” 😂 He was very excited about Primatek…until he put it through his..spectrograph? His machine. Then he looked at ones I sent him under the microscope. “But, this is an American company! They don’t lie!” 🤯 Oh Laoshi Chen 😔. So as not to get you in trouble; I’ll just say he confirmed that IG Acct..and then some. We’re primarily using our older chips and paints, then making our own from pigments as needed. In fact..I’m doing an experiment this afternoon with my mingjiao and peach sap gum. I got some PB33, PB35 and PR233 pigments and I’m going to TRY and play “mad scientist” as my best friend calls me..and see if I can make some traditional paints without dulling the brilliance of the manganese blue. I also want to compare a kind of light pink earth pigment I have from Xinjiang (there’s a name I can’t remember right now-it’s been used for thousands of years for skin-tones in paintings) to potters pink. I’ve had the mixed binders sitting overnight..but that mingjiao takes awhile to “Clear out”. Anyways..back to Kuretake and other Japanese paints, many still use mingjiao, mainly because it’s been used for literally a thousand years. I had one person tell me they still consider it vegetarian because it’s just very processed bones that would have been burned anyways..in other words, the fish weren’t killed in order to make the glue. In China, it’s a reciprocal relationship between fisheries, restaurants and glue makers. There are glue sticks you can buy that are pure mingjiao.

[@patgessner1853]

That flashe paint looks exactly like Rangers blue violet ink pad which I adore and has been retired

[@iritlandgraf]

It's a beautiful color!

[@julielondon4759]

Irit, I am actually very interested in your thoughts about gouache and Japanese paint formulation. I share your frustration about gouache dispensed from tunes. As such, your initial words are much appreciated.

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks Julie! I think for me they are really the answer. Time will tell but for now I am loving using them as gouache. My one issue is the huge pans but I'm also on a journey to be more organized and so it's less of a problem now (to find the space to put them when I'm painting) than it used to be for me in my messier days. The formulation is perfection if this is the type of paint you're after. Hope that helps!

[@ashleyhawkeswatercolor]

Daniel Smith is releasing 55 new gouache colors in November! 🎉

[@iritlandgraf]

That is amazing news!

[@valasafantastic1055]

I mix watercolours and gouache no reason not too! Fun stuff thanks!

[@iritlandgraf]

yup if it's working go for it!

[@MsMoniqueWilson]

I am waiting for Jackson's or Amazon to have the Neocolor II on sale. I love your colour palette :)

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you! Hope it goes on sale soon!

[@LCLand]

I went for it as I cringed pressing the payment submit. But once it arrived I never looked back. They are so fun! If you can afford a splurge just do it

[@MsMoniqueWilson]

@@LCLand I love me a good enabler! :)

[@LCLand]

@@MsMoniqueWilson lol

[@leannehurren9907]

Do you have a video showing the gouache colours and brands you have squeezed out into that palette? The colours are gorgeous!

[@iritlandgraf]

Thank you! Coming soon!

[@leannehurren9907]

@@iritlandgraf perfect!!

[@MichelleMouldArtist]

The Art Nouveau set is very beautiful. I have just ordered the winter set from choosing keeping.

[@iritlandgraf]

Good choice! Have fun!

[@BlissfulCrafter]

It' so good to see you! I miss it when you come and paint with us tho.

[@TsukabuNosoratori2]

I live in the US and we don't have as many options for Japanese watercolors- it's mainly Kuretake, Turner and Holbein, but this last year I managed to snag the Art Nouveau set from Kuretake when Amazon had it in stock and it's been so nice having the expansion of colors. I love the kuretake range of watercolors and had the 36 set and the 6 starry color set for ages just on their own, until they released the set of 12 with skin tones and pastel blues/pinks. And now with the set of Art Nouveau I feel like I'm fine with the Kuretake range. I hope you find enjoyment with your set when it gets to you!

[@iritlandgraf]

Thanks for sharing! I got it yesterday and it's lovely!

[@Miniblini]

What is you paint stay wet pallette? 😊

[@iritlandgraf]

Mix of brands, Windsor and newton, Holbein, a couple of Daniel smith

[@Miniblini]

@@iritlandgraf Oh my, I totally typed that wrong. I meant what brand is your stay wet palette? The palette itself.

[@LCLand]

@@Miniblinilooks like meeden if you mean the one in the intro. I have one of those

[@ashleyhawkeswatercolor]

Yes, it is Meeden 33 well palette. I have one for my gouache too:)

[@iritlandgraf]

there's a link in the info section to the palette :)

[@jc1865]

I hardly used mine at all, and the pigment was basically gone. Perhaps the pans I received were all restricted amounts as a mfg savings for Kuretake. I won't buy them again. Pour value for what I paid.

[@iritlandgraf]

Oh no! Sorry that's been your experience! I actually haven't heard negative opinions on the paint quality but no brand is perfect always.... Such a shame!

[@rinavogels4262]

Hi Irit, I think it's the same. The old one Kuretake and the newer ones Gansai. They often call them Kuretake Gansai Tambi. I myself have the Kuretake and love them too. Thanks for sharing 💗

[@iritlandgraf]

Hi! Thanks for sharing Rina, as far as I know Gansai is the Japanese word for traditional Japanese watercolors, not a brand. I can't find any info regarding the sets on the CHoosing Keeping website, nor on the boxes... The Kuretake sets have the brand clearly marked on the stickers in the inside part of the box so I suspect the sets from Choosing Keepings are not Kuretake... Mystery indeed!

[@rinavogels4262]

@@iritlandgraf you must be right Irit, I didn't know dat Gansai wasn't a brand ☺️ The colour range is beautiful and the large pans are so nice with large brushes. Have a nice weekend!💞

[@iritlandgraf]

you too!

[@intuitiveinspiredart4366]

One word on those Japanese watercolors.... I've heard that they are FAR from Vegan.

[@iritlandgraf]

oh no... thanks for sharing!

[@intuitiveinspiredart4366]

@@iritlandgraf I love the look of them, but I've been resisting them for years. I know that many other watercolors aren't vegan. I've tried to stop buying them.

[@intuitiveinspiredart4366]

@@iritlandgraf btw... did you know that there are actually vegan Birkenstocks now? I love mine!

[@iritlandgraf]

I did!! I'm waiting to find a color that speaks to me ;) I've had a black pair for years and years before I stopped buying leather, they are still going strong but I'm so over them lol... Which ones did you get?

[@intuitiveinspiredart4366]

@@iritlandgraf I have 3 pairs, because when the company was sold I was afraid they would stop selling the vegan versions. I have black clogs (Boston), and two different black sandals. My favorites are the Vegan Boston clogs and the Gizeh Vegan. I would buy them both again, in a heartbeat. : ). And I find the Gizeh very comfortable, despite the piece between one's toes.