Technique Friday - Inktense blocks and pencils

[@shirleytrill3151]

Thank you - that was clear, interesting, well demonstrated. My tin of Blocks arrived today - can't wait to get going after watching this. I send you best wishes from across the globe !

[@missladypetalcreations]

have lots of fun with them. they are such a versatile product

[@Hollywouldification]

Yay!!! Thanks for sharing so many cool techniques! Got ideas here that aren't in any of the other Inktense videos.

[@missladypetalcreations]

You are most welcome

[@TheBrogeybear]

Thanks for a great video! Showcased the Inktense really well.

[@tammyoneill6128]

That was an awesome idea shaving the the block and mixing it with the molding paste. 👍🏼 The color was so vibrant. Thanks for sharing these techniques I really found your video useful.

[@croppinmama1054]

Thanks for another excellent vid full of wonderful tips and info besides just about these products. I learned a lot and appreciate the time you put into sharing your expertise and creativity with us. I always love knowing the specs and love all things paper so your explanation of the differences behind watercolor papers is great. Blessings from the US.

[@stephaniegardner6236]

Just got some of the blocks and pencils....wow....amazing! Can't wait to start...

[@mooseballet]

Another great tutorial - thanks!

[@alishatuschewski6247]

Thank you, that has been the most through and easily understood video about intense I have found. I can’t wait to play with my new set and try some of the examples you just taught.

[@judydolan3162]

Wow, just found your channel. And I'll stay there! I've bought Ink Blocks & I love then , but I'm still a newbie and a bit intimidated! You explain things so well & I want to jump right in. Thanks so much!

[@missladypetalcreations]

+Judy Dolan thanks Judy, share the word!

[@thismuseofmine]

Thanks for sharing another technique Friday. I learn something new each time. I used my inktense pencils for my goddess painting for JKIS week three, and was able to achieve some great blended colors. Awesome product.

[@sueb-t2183]

tfs I got some Ink Tense pencils as a gift and I am still experimenting with them but this tut. has really helped me out. thx again.

[@CraftwithAnnie2018]

thanks so much for sharing hun as i just got the blocks and pencils so this will really help me learn what to do with them x

[@elaine-cb]

Really enjoyed your video.... I have small sized tins of blocks and pencils and used them..... But you have brought a WHOLE NEW DIMENSION to my use! Thank you for your detailed tutorial and comprehensive review... I am putting a tin of 72 on my Christmas list!

[@beckysteffens3976]

Brilliant!!!! Thank you for the great tutorial!!

[@changchesserly7591]

I think I shall keep you! Cheers! 💕

[@yvonneamos9677]

Great tutorial. I have a set of 12 and now can see a lot more uses for them.

[@dorothyatchison1825]

Thank you so much for this tutorial .... you are just a "fountain of information" ...

[@missladypetalcreations]

You are most welcome and make sure you practice u sd ing your inktense!

[@NewMJ]

I have used the blocks, I only have a 12 set, for a portrait with very faint dry layers of bark and baked earth then activating and wet blending a section at a time. Bark works well for shadows. This gave a good base layer to work Graphitint and Metallics over. Thanks for your TF videos, they've given me practical and new ideas for stuff I already have.

[@missladypetalcreations]

I have found out since doing this lesson that inktense are not light fast products.

[@jlm517rocks]

Ty for details and tips.

[@rosemariegarone5351]

love the videos thank you. would love to see more on fabric.

[@cherylynn927]

Thank you, great information!

[@ruthannmolyneaux478]

Hi, Miss Lady Petal. I’m Ruth Ann. I am definitely going to subscribe now. I have been looking for an Inktense tutorial for a long time. Yours is the most thorough and helpful. Thanks loads. I’m going to look for the Derwent website for more details on fabric painting. I’ve seen a few, but want to learn from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

[@susanmassey9963]

I just learned about inktense a couple days ago and my mind is completely blown. I'm so glad that I learned that there are more ways to create my art than my limited experience. Thank you so very much for this video. I absolutely love it! Would you make more videos showing more that can be done with the inktense and other mediums? I'm like a sponge, just absorbing everything. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I want to know and learn everything I can about this. Thank you again. You are completely wonderful.

[@missladypetalcreations]

+The Raven thanks for the feedback, just a note, inktense are not lightfast so I don't use them as much now. Very disappointing for such an expensive product with so many possibilities. I use inktense sometimes in my videos with watercolors but because of the lightfast issue I don't usually.

[@susanmassey9963]

What do you mean by light-fast? Would you explain that to me. Thank you.

[@missladypetalcreations]

lightfast means that a product or medium wont fade in the light. not direct sunlight but filtered light say a painting hanging on the wall. so for me if i use inktense underneath my watercolors (which are lightfast) the inktense colours will start to bleach and turn yellow. this means that i can't frame and hang any watercolour painting or sketches done with inktense pencils or bars. hope this helps to explain

[@susanmassey9963]

So if I wanted to do a drawing of my grandson with inktense, my son and his wife couldn't hang it because it would bleach? Then what purpose is there to use inktense at all?

[@missladypetalcreations]

i wouldn't recommend doing that in inktense no. there is no purpose in using them as they are not lightfast but they can be used in journals. i find my work doesn't bleach in the journals as they are not exposed to light permanently. i like working with them for sketching portrature and form and feature in those journals and then using an aqua brush for the wash element.

[@danlitland8144]

I'm just learning how to work with these

[@artbyjune]

Very informative.

[@anitaholmes6824]

Great video....just found your channel and will watch some others. TFS Anita

[@missladypetalcreations]

Great Anita. I need to load some more

[@anitaholmes6824]

Can't wait to see more!

[@artzology]

I really like the blocks but am on a spending freeze right now... will be adding these to my wish list! Great video!

[@missladypetalcreations]

artzology yes wait until a sale and then make sure you will use them as mine have not been used as much as I'd like because I don't like the tins they come in!

[@melissaedwards7431]

Please explain what illumination is. It sounds fascinating! I loved this tutorial and you are great at explaining things. I learned a lot from this video and now I'm ready to order some Inktense!

[@missladypetalcreations]

Hi Melissa. illumination is calligraphy panels with painting, drawing and gilding on them. most commonly found in medieval bibles they were produced when books were hand written by monks in monastries mainly. the art today is a more modern form but is just as fun to do.

[@doreenstrachan1119]

Hi, I wondered if you can use them like distress inks

[@thomasjohnstone2087]

Can you use both these items on fabric

[@missladypetalcreations]

+Thomas Johnstone yes you can

[@hamerray]

I got the inktense blocks and pencils. Now as for the pencil sets on the cover of the tin box it's a little misleading for instance I got the 24 set on the top left it says 24 inktense you don't get 24 inktense pencils you get 23 and I know it's the same for the other set of pencils. I know on the back of the tin box in small prints it says you get one liner pencil. What Derwent needs to do is to get rid of that liner brush and put a inktense pencil in there.

[@owingsart]

Hi missladypetal creations - Great video. I love your idea with the trays, you're right they are flimsy. I've used these and the pencils for several projects, but find they aren't very lightfast at all. What have your experiences been with longevity?

[@missladypetalcreations]

Owings Art I have found them to have a reasonable lightfast rating. I'd be very interested to know how they've been used and activated and then are the pieces displayed in sunlights etc? I'm always interested because it usually takes some time for that fading to occur.

[@owingsart]

missladypetal creations Thank you for the reply. I just set them out without treatment (fixative or spray) and just let the light hit them for a couple hours a day. I noticed fading almost immediately (a couple days) and after 3 weeks almost all the color was completely gone. Compared with the same test on Winsor & Newton, Caran d'Ache and Schmincke watercolors, those brands did much better with Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle's holding up the best. I have some new Qor watercolors that I'm in the process of testing now and they claim to be extremely lightfast. Either way though I enjoy using these Intense blocks and will continue to do so for sketching. Thanks again for the video and the response.

[@missladypetalcreations]

Owings Art did you activate them with water? or just sketch with them? To be honest I cannot see the point of just using them for sketching when there are better sketching tools out there that are lightfast. the idea behind these is to have them activated with water, clear gesso, matt medium, gesso or you get the drift, then once they are activated they are permanent. You've intrigued me now. I've been asked to do a large watercolour commission and I had planned on using those inktense blocks to lay down the underpainting for a huge outback Australia sunset. the attraction in that is that they will not move and I can layer watercolour on top and build that without the bottom layers moving. However if they are not lightfast in this scenario that is extremely good to know as I do not want to charge a lot of money for a fabulous water color piece only to have parts of it's vibrancy wane once hung

[@owingsart]

missladypetal creations I would definitely reconsider using these on a commissioned piece. If you have doubts you can easily put them to the test and just lay out a few colors and set them in the light for a few days. I like your idea about the application, but I might be more inclined to just use regular ink. About sketching, I did activate these for both sketching and my lightfast test. For sketching I wanted the vibrancy, something that really pops, but I just found that my Schmincke watercolors were as vibrant with the added benefit of being extremely lightfast. Anyway, let me know what your test reveals should you decide to try that yourself. I also hear that the quality can vary from batch to batch as they're shipped out. Good luck!

[@missladypetalcreations]

Owings Art yes. I'm thinking i'll conduct the tests but I wont have time to let them run their course before I have to start the commission. and yes I'll being using artist's inks instead then. thanks for this I really appreciate it. Every time I've used them up until now is in art journals so the lighfast test just isn't viable when it's not exposed to light in a book. I think Derwent would have a lot to answer for with the price of these items if they are not lightfast. it's worth purchasing something like schminke inks which are amazing instead

[@pw6titanium]

How light fast are these ? ASTM ?

[@missladypetalcreations]

They are not as lightfast as archival products

[@julianaleo631]

So they are not THAT permanent, then?

[@nokiot9]

When you say you have a wet and a dry set, what does that mean? What does it mean to activate one? Like did you wet them once and they dry and then they're activated? Or do you have to work with them already wet? I'm confused.

[@missladypetalcreations]

1. I have 2 sets and i use one for dry drawing and then activate with water or matte medium or gesso. 2. Activating means to mix with water or any of the above. When dry they are permanent. 3. To use wet on wet is to wet your paper or fabric first and then draw on it with the crayons. The crayons are used up faster with this method. And dont need as much water to activate. You see the true color of the bar as you apply though. Hope this helps

[@nokiot9]

+missladypetal creations ah, I see. That makes a bit more sense. These aren't cheap either! 85$ for a 24 pack! NUTS! They had em all behind bars too, I couldn't even look at em. I'm trying to figure out which one I need. The pencil or the block to start. Do they sharpen easily, the blocks? Because if I can get a good point on it like I can with a pastel or compressed charcoal, then it would make the pencils pretty redundant. I guess some people just like the wood wrap.

[@missladypetalcreations]

+Tommy Ohlrich I wouldn't pay that much for them. there's been some discussion on this video about light fastness. now it's pretty clear that inktense although permanent are not too lightfast. so while I love mine I wont be using them for any fine art in the future.

[@kathybrenneman1868]

Tommy Ohlrich You don't sharpen the blocks. You use the corner of the edge to outline, the flat side if the block to fill in. Most people use a brush on the edge of the block and draw with the water brush. You can purchase a grater from Derwent to flake off some ink to mix with water for use like ink or paint or put in a spay bottle to make color sprays. The inks colors are very bright and very versatile. If you just draw the pencil would work best for you. If you do mixed media the blocks are the way to go. The company recommends using the inks dry and activating or setting the color with water for best results. See the Derwent website and they've made some videos which are here. Highly recommend.

[@creativecompanion]

What is heat-setting? And how do you do it on fabric? thx

[@missladypetalcreations]

Use an iron after water activation and it's dry

[@peterdimitrov3721]

How did you speed the video up and zoom in and out?Do you use a camera,missladypetal?

[@missladypetalcreations]

I have a have video camera on a tripod on my studio table Peter.

[@missladypetalcreations]

I also use good video editing software

[@peterdimitrov3721]

+missladypetal creations Thank you!

[@peterdimitrov3721]

+missladypetal creations Can you give me the name of the video camera and the video editing software?

[@missladypetalcreations]

Cyberlink pro. Well worth the money

[@AnneWilliamsonanneliesecreates]

I am jealous of your sets. I have the pencils.

[@missladypetalcreations]

Anne Williamson anneliesecreates aww don't be jealous, just wait until the blocks come on sale at amazon like I did and snap them up then!

[@AnneWilliamsonanneliesecreates]

Actually to be honest Dick blick art store here was having an online sale I got them for a good price plus free shipping.

[@missladypetalcreations]

ahhhh then you have no reason to be jealous at all. but you must use them and not just look at them! promise me!

[@AnneWilliamsonanneliesecreates]

True! Can't wait to get them Dear Peta

[@reneelanier3475]

Hi! Are you still making T F videos?

[@missladypetalcreations]

Do you have something youd like to learn?

[@victorialehmann6879]

What's causing all the traffic and other noises in the background?

[@missladypetalcreations]

Most likely street noise and my boys!

[@carolm4094]

Great info. I've also made ink sprays with mine.

[@hazielanath]

My fude pens move after I apply...

[@missladypetalcreations]

remember with any pens that it depends on the surface you are applying them too. if you are applying an ink pen that should dry waterproof and fadeproof on paper it will soak into the paper and dry faster. if you are applying the ink pen to a surface that is non pourous, like over paint, collage medium etc you will have to wait a lot longer to allow the ink to dry as it sits on the surface and has to naturally cure rather than soak in and set.

[@1Sweetness]

morning coke..not morning coffee?? or tea??..lol

[@jasonpos1537]

If I am not allowed to see your number of likes, you will get a dislike.

[@malusmantis4025]

Quit smacking your tongue and lips, might get a like

[@bjulianaleo3025]

its from all that Coke, worst thing to drink, makes you gain weight...

[@tessamae4477]

YOU CAN THROW UR BOOK IN THE GARBAGE CAN DEAR!!!!

[@reaberilla7134]

I don't like LOUD frugal crafters!!!bye!!!