What's so special about Neocolor 2 crayons? I'll tell you what I learned.

Today's video asks, what's all the fluff about Caran d'ache Neocolor 2 crayons and Derwent's Inktense pencils? I recently ordered some and this week, I gave them a test run. You'll see me mixing and matching these new (to me) products with ink sketches and my regular watercolor palette.
The subject of the week has been: hellebore flowers! They are blooming and seeding out all over Portland right now, inspiring a closer look and a lingering meditation.
Thank you for clicking on this description! At this very beginner phase of my "content creation" experience, it is very exciting just to imagine that people watch my videos. I do a metaphoric backflip for each new subscriber. I know, I'm new. (358 subscribers at the moment I shared this video)
There are amazon affiliate links sprinkled around in here. These are items that I have found to bring joy to my life and I hope they do the same for you. If you click on the link and actually buy something (anything!) from amazon, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you - and that helps to support this channel.
Materials I used in this video:
Arches cold press watercolor paper: amzn.to/41cwLNC
Caran d'ache Neocolor 2 crayons: amzn.to/3VSokpj
Pin Fineliner Drawing Pen: amzn.to/42romGz
Derwent Inktense pencils, set of 12: amzn.to/3oj1dXV
Strathmore Artagain drawing paper in coal black: amzn.to/41blpIY
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I mentioned the fabulous video on how to stitch a Coptic binding by Sea Lemon. Here is the link: • How to Make a Sketchbo...
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Favorite supplies that usually appear in my videos:
1. A porcelain plate or tray from the goodwill makes a great palette. So does a plastic lid from a yogurt container.
2. A used talenti ice cream cup is perfect for swish water; also a great way to buy art supplies when you "have to" eat the contents first.
3. A cheap Robert Simmons Expressions brush is perfect. The one I'm using here is an E85 Round, size 12. You can buy one at Blick Art.
4. I use a glass bottle that used to contain facial toner for my spray bottle. The toner was expensive, but it has a very pretty label. The spray is a fine mist and the bottle is the perfect size for using at home and also for taking out on location.
Some of my favorite art books:
Breaking the Rules of Watercolor by Shirley Trevena: amzn.to/3IoJLZL
Taking Risks With Watercolor by Shirley Trevena: amzn.to/3SMqCV8
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards: amzn.to/3kIwiDd
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What I use to film and edit my videos:
Small, flexible tripod with screw-on grippy attachment that holds my GoPro: amzn.to/3mEEGUU
Desk mount device that I use with the screw-on grippy attachment that came with my tripod - the desk mount (in combination with the grippy attachment) holds my GoPro 18-inches above my table: amzn.to/3L81XbK
Blue yeti microphone: amzn.to/3Fw1IE7
Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor - this is what I use to connect the blue yeti microphone to my ipad for voice over editing: amzn.to/3ZNxuUE
GoPro Hero10: amzn.to/3TFnvyU
It takes some getting used to, but for filming on hikes it is much better than using my iPhone.
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Instagram: kendra.lwebuga?...
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#Neocolor 2 hellebores #floral illustration #mixed media #caran d'ache #derwent #inktense #inktense hellebores #watercolor swatches #watercolor palette #hellebore painting #neocolor 2 #neocolor ii

[@michelleh9685]

When sharpening your neo2s , keep the shavings separately in individual pots or pans as they can be used to paint with too

[@klwebuga]

That's a great idea! I'm going to try it! :-)

[@Elizabeth-xi5jx]

love your crayons on dark paper one- perfectly captures those moody purples that hellebore flowers have and the lines you made make it seem vibrant and full of life 💕

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for your kind words, Elizabeth! :-)

[@cbarzo1]

thank-you for this demonstration. I use Derwent Inktense pencils with my watercolours, but wanted to learn about these neocolor 2 crayons. Your hellebores are beautifully done.

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for your kind words! The neocolor 2 crayons are really fun to work with.

[@tinaevans4894]

Love hearing what caught your eye of the flower

[@klwebuga]

Thank you! :-)

[@sueharper1976]

Good morning Kendra from a hot and sunny Norfolk England😀I’ve watched this video a couple of times now, each time seeing something I’d not seen before. I so love the way you draw, and those beautiful flowers emerge from under your crayon. It’s like they are dripping out from the crayon itself. Mine don’t do that yet 😊 but I’m going to love the process of coaxing them to respond like yours do👍🏼 take care

[@klwebuga]

Hello from a rather temperate Portland, Oregon today - and thankful for that, especially as a huge chunk of my country is under a heat warning. Thank you again for such kind comments. For sure, if you keep going, keep drawing and painting, lovely things will emerge. As I look back on my earlier attempts (say 3-4 years ago), I feel so glad that I have kept going.

[@ladyflimflam]

Such a useful process video of a type i rarely see in art videos ❤❤❤

[@klwebuga]

Thank you! :-)

[@ladyflimflam]

So many people just show finished product and how they got there without talking through decision making process or learning process of exploring a new subject or medium. This video felt like a friend talking to me about art practice rather than someone showing me how to replicate their work. So much more useful. (Had a migraine this morning so couldn’t quite capture specifically what I was seeing that was different. I know specific input is more helpful than general enthusiasm.)

[@frankierichards9176]

Hello Kendra thank you for explaining the reasons behind why you explore the different materials and nature finds. I am enthralled by your understanding of the subject and transporting it to the two dimensional. I am going to try replicating some of your work as it is infectious! I’ve always aspired to drawing and painting Hellebores, now is the time. Funny I’ve always loved Shirley Trevena as well, her work is dimensional in more ways than one. We must have something in common. Now I love your work, you will be writing a book soon! Lots of good vibes and best wishes 🥰 Lynda xxx

[@klwebuga]

Lynda, thank you for the super kind words and for making my morning coffee that much sweeter! How wonderful to wake up to such a happy message. I’m so glad you’ll give the hellebores a try.

[@andreatorraca8755]

Sooooo pretty

[@peggy011]

The emerging growth and colors of Spring compliment your textural experimentations. I like the mixed media you have chosen to highlight the season and look forward to experimenting with similar combinations myself. Cheers to creativity!

[@klwebuga]

Hi Peggy! Thank you (yet again!) for your kind words - it means a lot to me to see your name there with a kind note, week after week. I love experimenting and OH BOY am I happy to see spring roll around again this year. :-)

[@user-bk8qn9rh5k]

Thank you for your videos on Neocolor II. I don’t feel that I know how to best use them & I am eager to learn. I love their vibrancy.

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for your kind words! :-) I’m still learning what I like best about them, too. I found that using them for iris flowers was really fun - I made a video about that recently.

[@sofar_sogud4929]

It’s impossible for me to throw away a good box. Thanks for the introduction to a new (to me) flowers even though I’ve been in the area for many years….now to figure out how to spell it

[@klwebuga]

No kidding! Those wonderful boxes are made for such a longer life than as single-use buy-a-product-and-toss-it! The new contents make me very happy. :-) Those plants are spelled “hellebore” and they have a wonderful, terrible backstory - they are poisonous and were used to disable a city once, leading the attackers to a bloody victory. I also read they are an essential ingredient for witches’ potions. ;-) LOL.

[@riverAmazonNZ]

I love inktense and neocolor II together. I just discovered that the karin decobrush pigment pens work great with them too. I did a bunch of test drawings combining my mediums. Sadly the polychromos did not work with the neocolor at all! But the decobrush pigment really surprised me! I can use the polychromos for portraits, so they won’t go to waste.

[@klwebuga]

Thanks for your comment! I will put it on my list to look at the Karin deco brush pigment pens! :-)

[@mochatheclown]

Thanks for a lovely video. Could you share what tape you used along your paper edges?

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for your kind comment! Yes, that’s washi tape.

[@ChapmanGriffith]

Thank you for sharing this with us. Giving very clear information regarding both mediums. The pencil sharpener you used, whose the manufacturer? In my limited experience sharpeners are not one size fits all.

[@klwebuga]

Thank you for the kind comments! :-) The sharpener is by Dahle - I find that the two options (wider pencils and thinner ones) are useful for getting a fine tip to my pencils. Here’s a link to the sharpener: amzn.to/3Ns8zTc

[@dianelodico2166]

Kendra, so glad I found your channel. I do like your process, and thank you for showing it detail. Do you seal the Neocolors with anything? Is it necessary?

[@klwebuga]

Hi Diane! Thank you for your comment! :-) The Neocolor 2 crayons feel very much like gouache to me - even though they can sometimes look like oil pastels! So, no, I don’t seal them and I haven’t found them rubbing off on the next page in my sketchbooks. They are a really fun product to work with!