*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :) What's the actual reason behind swatching watercolor paint (aside from the satisfaction of laying pretty colors down on paper)? What specific things should we be looking for when testing out a new watercolor paint set, besides differences in color? What are the different variables that may affect watercolors' behavior and their final appearance? In this blog post, I'm going to explain the most important characteristics that you should start taking note of when it comes to watercolor paint. By understanding these different aspects and how they vary from pigment to pigment, you'll be able to make more informed choices when it comes to picking your color palettes/schemes for your paintings, which will make everything go a lot smoother. I'll also walk you through my own personal method for swatching out a new paint set and share why I like testing my paints on two different types of paper. It's very useful to explore a new paint set before actually attempting to create a painting with it. This is especially the case when it comes to watercolors, as this painting medium's inherent characteristics make it tricky to use. For one, watercolors are translucent, which means we can't simply cover up our mistakes like we can when working with acrylics or oils. Secondly, due to their water-soluble properties, they tend to have a mind of their own. Finally (and something that was very hard for me to wrap my head around in the beginning), behaviors and effects can vary greatly from pigment to pigment, even within a set manufactured by the same company. There are also many external factors that can affect our watercolor painting process and the final outcome of a piece, such as how clean our water is, what kind of paper is used, and even the temperature of the room we're working in! Always remember that, as artists, we have to learn to embrace the exploration process. It may seem like a waste of time and resources when we're just starting out, but these smaller studies give us confidence and allow us to find ourselves as artists, so that we're then able to create more effective finalized works. If you're a beginner just starting out with watercolors, I highly recommend checking out my blog post titled 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting With Watercolors. By understanding these ten ideas and applying them in your painting, you'll be able to progress your watercolor skills much quicker and waste less supplies in the process. Let's get to the swatching! If you enjoy this video, subscribe to my YouTube channel! I publish a brand new video every-single-Friday with art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for aspiring artists. There is no right or wrong way to test out a new watercolor paint set. The whole point of swatching and testing out colors is for you, the artist, to have a better understanding of different color behaviors. This way, you'll be able to select the colors you like best depending on the particular subject you paint, your personal techniques and the overall effects you're going for. If you're just starting out and haven't found your style, no problem! As your artistic journey progresses, you'll discover your own way of working and the specific paint qualities that are important for you. Later on, you'll be able to modify your swatching process to whatever fits you best and perhaps leave out aspects that aren't as important. Watercolor Paint Characteristicsa) Mass tones A color's mass tone tells us what it looks like when it's straight out of the tube and at its fullest saturation. Basically, it's the color at its purest and undiluted self. -This is usually the first rectangle I fill in below the hue's name and I make sure to use the least amount of water possible. b) Staining qualities A color's staining quality refers to how difficult it is to remove from the paper when lifting, scrubbing or attempting to reactivate it once it's dry. -To test this out, I like lifting paint from a small section of my Masstone square/rectangle when it's still wet with either a rag or a paintbrush. I also like coming back to my color swatch once it's dried completely to see if any color can be lifted or reactivated because I personally use this technique a lot in my work. There are some pigments that are known for being extremely staining, such as Prussian Blue, and others that lift up quite easily. c) Opacity A color's opacity tells us how opaque or transparent it is. Usually, you're looking for transparency when it comes to watercolors, as this is the quality that gives paintings created with this medium their distinctive glow. -For faster swatches, I like drawing a couple of ink lines in this square/rectangle (allow them to dry completely) and painting over them with each color to see if there is any chalky residue left behind. -Another option is painting a couple of lines or shapes with a different color (a different color from the one you're testing) and seeing how much the subsequent layer of color allows the bottom to shine through. d) Level of dispersion A color's level of dispersion refers to how easily it expands and/or intermixes with other colors when dropping on damp paper. A high level of dispersion means a paint color expands quickly and intermixes a lot with colors around it. A low level of dispersion means it mostly stays in place. -For faster swatches, I like simply wetting this square/rectangle with clean water and dropping the color in in several different places to see how fast it expands. -Another option is dropping a different color in first and then placing the specific hue you're testing out to see how much it expands/intermixes. I do recommend preparing a larger square/rectangle for swatching if you want to test this out. Because I don't do a ton of wet-on-wet work myself, this isn't I take too much time doing. However, if you do a lot of landscapes or even abstracts, it may be very useful for you to spend time testing out this particular one for your different colors! e) Granulation A color's granulation level can be identified by laying down a flat wash, allowing it to dry completely, and observing how even and uniform it looks after. Pigments that have a high level of granulation separate from their binder when mixed with water and tend to settle into the texture of the paper it is placed on. This leads to white dots and a patchy look in some areas. *A high level of granulation isn't inherently bad, as it can be used to create great effects in areas that require them. Many artists use highly granulating paints to their advantage! -I don't usually create a separate square/rectangle to test out granulation, but come back to observe this later on after my paint has fully dried and settled into the paper in all my sections. f) Permanence A color's permanence refers to how resistant it is when exposed to light. In other words, how quickly does it start to fade out? Usually, manufacturers include this information somewhere within the packaging of the product with the following codes: AA (Extremely Permanent), A (Permanent), B (Moderately Durable) or C (Fugitive). -I don't usually create a separate square/rectangle to test out permanence, but come back to observe how much the color has faded out a few months later. g) How do colors react on different types of papers? I usually like seeing how different pigments react on at least a couple of different types of watercolor paper because I know how much of a difference the right paper can make! -For the swatching of this particular Winsor and Newton set, I used both higher quality Arches watercolor paper, as well as cheaper Canson paper. Both of these were 140 lb. Cold Press papers, but the Arches had much more of a texture to it. Another option could be testing your paint out on both Cold Press and Hot Press papers. Check out my blog post/YouTube video Watercolor Supplies for Beginners + Things You Should Know. In it, I explain everything you have to know about watercolor paper and demystify a lot of common thoughts beginners have in relation to watercolor supplies. Swatching Outcome and My Conclusions
Swatching out Winsor and Newton paint set on Arches 140 lb. Cold-Press watercolor paper. This photo has not been manipulated in any way.
Swatching out Winsor and Newton paint set on Canson 140 lb. Cold-Press watercolor paper. This photo has not been manipulated in any way.
The colors included in this Winsor and Newton 12-piece tube set are: Cadmium Yellow Hue Cadmium Red Pale Hue Alizarin Crimson Ultramarine Blue Cerulean Blue Prussian Blue Viridian Green Yellow Ochre Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber Ivory Black Chinese White I enjoyed testing out this Winsor and Newton watercolor tube set and look forward to painting a piece with it. Even though this brand's Cotman line is described as being their affordable/student grade option, this particular tube set offers an excellent color payoff, contains a good amount of paint and is quite comfortable to work with. The paint's texture is just thick enough when squeezed out of the tube and onto the paint-mixing palette. Each tube contains 8 ml of paint and the manufacturer has included relevant information on its packaging such as each color's level of Permanence and Pigment Code. A few things I noticed in regards to the differences between the swatches created on the two different watercolor papers: a) Overall, the colors painted on the Arches paper are more vibrant than how they appear on the Canson paper. b) The degree of this varies from pigment to pigment, but I was able to lift up more paint from the Canson paper, especially once the paint had dried. This probably has to do with the fact that the 100% cotton Arches paper absorbs the pigment a lot more effectively. c) Wet-on-wet effects were much more beautiful on the Arches paper, which allowed them to disperse a lot more fluidly and gradually. On the Canson paper, the paint pooled in certain areas and left a patchy effect. d) All colors, except for the Chinese white are completely transparent (which is a good thing). Transparent watercolors allow bottom layers to shine through and give paintings a unique glow. If you zoom into the ink lines below the Chinese white swatch, they appear to have a bit of a chalkiness over them. Watercolor Supplies Used:
*I buy most of my art supplies online through ConsumerCrafts or Amazon. Both of them are excellent options for finding great supplies at accessible prices. Click on images below to learn more about each product.
Subscribe to my email list and get access to my exclusive group of growing artists over on Facebook. Art in Harmony is a safe place to share your art and connect with other artists in a positive environment. I'm at the group daily providing feedback and have a free live class based on topics of members' choosing every week. There are also Weekly Challenges you can take part of, Thursday Art Tips and inspiration to help you make creativity a habit. 
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*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Looking for some meaningful and practical gift ideas that your artsy friend/significant other/family member would absolutely love to receive this Christmas? What items could help encourage an artist to keep creating and pursuing his/her creative passions?
First and foremost, I'd like to take a moment to thank you for reading this post, as it most likely means that you're interested in celebrating your friend or loved one's individuality and passion for art, and want to encourage him/her to keep going. As an artist myself, I can tell you that knowing people close to me support my decision to pursue art means everything, especially when one is just starting out. I'm all about encouraging fellow artists to keep going because I 100% believe the world would be a better place with more art in it. All this said, no matter how mysterious and complex people make us artists to be, we're honestly an easy bunch to buy presents for. Not only do we tend to wear our hearts (and minds) on our sleeves more than others, but there are things we need to constantly replace in order to keep feeding our need for creation. We also need to constantly seek ways to stay inspired and motivated, and a huge variety of things can get our creative minds going. In this blog post, I'll be sharing a list of ten awesome gift ideas that your artistic friend will absolutely love. I've made sure to include options for both males and females, as well as an explanation as to why each item is so great. Enjoy! Perfect Gifts for Artists on AmazonI personally love buying art supplies, as well as Christmas gifts for my loved ones from the comfort of my own home through Amazon. Click on the images below to learn more about each item on this list. 1. A sketchbook (or two)
Illo Sketchbook 180 GSM Paper (8x8). Click on image to find out more about this item.
An artist can only paint as well as he/she can draw, and keeping sketchbooks is a great way for us to continue sharpening our drawing and observational skills throughout our journeys. Not to mention, sketchbooks are portable, allowing us to stay creative wherever we go, and provide a chronological record of our progress that we'll keep forever. You can honestly never go wrong with giving an artist a sketchbook. Find out more about why sketchbooks are such an essential part of an artist's journey in this blog post. 2. An artsy cell phone case
CRAFIC Watercolor Paint Cell Phone Case for Apple iPhone 6 / 6S Plus. Click on image to find out more about this item.
Not only do artists love making their passions known to those around them, but many of us working artists actually depend on it. Especially when an artist is just starting out, it's incredibly important to get the word out about what it is we do so that we can start building up those connections and experience. An eye-catching statement accessory like this artsy cell phone case is a great way for us to transmit our originality and love for art, but also encourages other people to strike up a conversation with us. 3. A leather pencil and paintbrush case
Flyshine Canvas Artist Brush Holder Rollup Pouch. Click on image to find out more about this item.
An artist's supplies are his/her tools for creation, and they must be taken care of. This can definitely be a challenge when we do sketching and painting outside of our studios. A quality paintbrush case or pouch like this canvas roll-up ensures that our favorite paintbrushes will be kept safe. I love the practicality of a roll-up pouch like this one, as there is no space wasted and paintbrushes can be organized/kept in place perfectly. 4. A painter's apron
Artist Canvas Unisex Apron with Pockets. Click on image to find out more about this item.
The struggle is real for us artists to keep our clothes free of paint, which can be a problem because a lot of us prefer to spend our money on more art supplies, than on new clothes! A canvas apron like this one is durable, wraps around the back for a higher level of protection, and I love that it includes different pockets for paintbrushes, rags and other things we might need to have on hand while painting. It's perfect for both males and females. 5. Some high quality hand lotion
Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Hand Lotion, Lavender (12 oz). Click on image to find out more about this item.
Hand lotion is a total must for artists, especially in the winter time. We're constantly washing paint and other harsh liquids off our hands, which makes them extremely dry and itchy. I personally have bottles everywhere, including my studio, and always carry a tube with my in my bag. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day line offers a variety of scents like Lavender, Lemon Verbena, and Peppermint. They are perfect for those of us who need a higher amount of protection/moisture, as they are created especially for people who work with their hands. We must take care of our hands because without them we can't create! 6. An inspiring (and practical) artsy mug
Paint Water & Not paint water - Set of two mugs (11oz). Click on image to find out more about this item.
Whether your friend paints with watercolors, acrylics or oils, chances are he/she's experienced dipping a paintbrush in his/her beverage on more than one occasion. It may sound odd to the non-artist, but I promise you, it happens time and time again when one is immersed in the art-making process! I actually know someone who drank paint thinner by accident. I'll just leave it at that... These mugs appear to be humorous, but they may also help keep an artist safe. 7. A color wheel umbrella
Streamline Rainbow Color Wheel Umbrella. Click on image to find out more about this item.
An umbrella like this one is not only beautiful and inspiring to look at, but is also large and sturdy to help us keep our work safe when walking to and from vehicles in the pouring rain (which can be very challenging). What better way to let that artist in your life know that you're there for him/her than providing a canopy of protection from the rain? 8. An artsy enamel pin
Pinsanity Painter's Palette Enamel Lapel Pin. Click on image to find out more about this item.
On the lookout for something small, but meaningful? Enamel pins are all the rage now-a-days and are a perfect little surprise that your artsy friend will be able to actually wear while out and about. This is another perfect accessory that can not only help us express our individuality and love for art, but can also be a conversational piece. Making time for conversation with others is essential for us, especially because artists tend to be alone a lot. Some of us forget what it's like to talk with others. True story. 9. An inspirational art book
Living and Sustaining a Creative Life (Sharon Louden) and Art & Fear (David Bayles/Ted Orland) Books -Click on image to find out more about these items.
An artist's life can definitely get lonely and sometimes we need to be reminded of how others have gone through what we're going through. We also need to be inspired by stories from other artists who have reached success so that we can keep working hard to make our dreams come true. Both of the books above are, in my opinion, must-reads for any serious artist. Living and Sustaining a Creative Life is a compilation of 40 personal stories/essays by working artists. Each one of them shares his/her own experiences and struggles as they have pursued making a living as an artist. This book helps us understand the reality of what it's like to sustain a professional creative career over time. Art and Fear is a very popular book amongst creatives of all kinds. This book tackles artistic insecurities, and the internal and external challenges that professional artists face throughout their journeys. Finishing projects, getting our work out there and receiving critique are difficult tasks that artists must learn how to do/handle. This is a book to read over and over again. 10. A painting easel
US Art Supply Tall Tabletop Adjustable H-Frame Wood Studio Artist Easel. Click on image to find out more about this item.
As a painter myself, I have a variety of easels. I enjoy standing when I'm creating my larger pieces, but a desk easel like this one is absolutely perfect for smaller and more relaxing works to enjoy on weekend mornings. Switching from one easel to another is a great way to reset my mind from a piece I'm creating for selling purposes, and one I'm creating for myself. This easel is sleek, sturdy, and is perfectly sized, even for beginner artists working in a small studio. 
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :) Are you eager to start selling your artwork online but perhaps feel overwhelmed with all the options out there? Wondering if print-on-demand platforms like Society6 and Redbubble are right for you? Do the technical aspects involved in creating on online shop and uploading your artwork effectively keep you from moving forward? In today's blog post I'll be sharing my entire process for creating products to sell on Society6, as well as essential information you should definitely know if you're thinking of opening a shop of your own on this platform. I'll also be providing a list of pros and cons about Society6 to help you make an informed decision on whether opening this type of shop is right or you. Society6 is an online marketplace that allows artists and designers to easily create their own shops and sell their work not only on prints, posters, canvases, and other kinds of wall art, but on a large variety of accessories like phone cases, tote bags, apparel and even furniture! One of the reasons why I decided on Society6 over other platforms is because, in my research phase, I heard great things about the quality of their products from other artists. About a year and a half ago, when I first started learning about different options for selling my work online, I was taken aback by the amount of platforms available and the differences between each. Some of them require artists to go through application processes, others ask for fee payments for each artwork uploaded, others keep a huge percentage of the artist's earnings, etc. Of course, there are marketplaces like Etsy through which the artist assumes all responsibility for customer service, packaging and shipping orders, which you can go for right-off-the bat if you want more control and direct contact with your customers. I decided to create shops on both Society6 and Redbubble, as they are fast to open, easy to use and require no monetary investment. However, since before starting with my online art business journey, I knew that my end goal was to eventually sell my original artwork through Etsy. The way I saw it, these smaller shops would be a great way to start developing a habit for creating new pieces and uploading them on a semi-regular basis. They would also enable me to test out what people liked most and to start marketing my different products through social media. I saw these shops as a stepping stone, as I knew I still had a ton to learn about before opening my shop on Etsy. Also, I'm all for creating a variety of income streams and plan to keep these smaller shops running even after my Etsy shop has gained some traction. Setting up multiple income streams is a total must for artists of all kinds, in my opinion. There are three things that you should do before concluding whether a platform/marketplace is right for you or not: a) Research, research, research (but don't get stuck there) This entails visiting the site yourself and reading the information the company provides. You must know what their terms are, the support they provide, how/when you're getting paid, the quality level of their products, etc. I also recommend listening to reviews from at least three different artists or designers that have been on the platform for a decent amount of time. Also, think about whether the company's overall vibe (the mood and attitudes they transmit through their site, social media channels, advertisements, etc.) meshes with yours. b) Give thought to what goals you have for your artwork There are so many ways an artist could go in. Is your dream to sell paintings for large amounts of money and getting into galleries? Are you primarily a commercial illustrator working with clients? Would you like to venture into surface pattern designing? Would you like to have your own larger shop on Etsy (or on your own website) through which you'll take care of all production and shipping to your customers in the future? You have to know what it is you want to do before investing too much time and energy into something that may or may not be right for you. What does your gut tell you? c) Actually do it and give it a decent amount of time Once you've come to a decision (be careful not to spend such a long time in the research phase that you never actually get to anything), it's essential to put in consistent effort and be patient. You might be doing everything right and still see nothing happening for months. Remember it takes time to see results on any platform and it's essential to stay consistent for a while before arriving at any conclusions. Always continue learning what aspects you can improve about your shop and how you can get your work out there effectively.
If you enjoy this video, I highly recommend subscribing to my YouTube channel. I publish a new one every-single-week sharing art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for beginner/intermediate artists! :)
How to Scan, Edit and Upload Artwork Onto Society6 1. Creating Your Artwork
You can upload any kind of artwork onto Society6 and choose any (or all) of the items available to place it on if you so desire. However, it's important to take into account that not all kinds of artwork will look good on all types of products. And, of course, the less amount of items you make available, the less options you will offer to your visitors, which translates into less sales.
With my limited amount of time, I decided to create patterns using the watercolor illustrations I was already creating for the calendars I send out to my newsletter subscribers every month! With one same pattern, I would be covering most of the items offered by Society6 at once and they would look awesome. I know creating patterns might not fit your own artwork but, if you wish to create patterns with your illustrations as I do, I highly recommend creating your artwork with little to no background so that it's easy to "clip out" in Photoshop (or the photo editing software of your choosing). As you upload your first drawings or paintings and start placing them on products, you'll find what types of items suit your work best. As much as it's great to have more products to offer, don't feel obligated to create products that don't make your artwork shine. 
Watercolor food and botanical illustrations by Erika Lancaster. Winsor and Newton watercolors on Canson 140 lb. watercolor paper.
Watercolor food and botanical illustrations by Erika Lancaster. Winsor and Newton watercolors on Canson 140 lb. watercolor paper.
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3. Editing Your Artwork & Creating Your Designs
Once I have a high quality scan of my illustration on my computer, it's time to open Photoshop and move onto the cleaning/editing process, as well as creating any sort of pattern I'd like with it. If you don't currently have Photoshop, and don't want to pay for the software, don't worry! You can download Gimp for free, which is a very popular photo-editing software you can get online for both Mac and PC. This popular alternative is even used by professional illustrators and contains pretty much all the tools that could come in handy for you as an artist.
In Photoshop, I mainly remove the background from my illustration, do any cleaning necessary (to remove hairs, etc.) and perhaps increase the contrast a tiny bit at times. To "clip" the illustration from the background I like using the Pen Tool, which provides me much more control than the Magic Wand selector. You want to be careful when cutting your illustrations out, because any white spots you leave outside of your illustrations will get printed on the products! I always make sure to re-check my work when I'm done.
Every now and then, I also use Photoshop to manipulate colors so that I'm able to create colorful patterns using only one "base" illustration.
Once I've successfully separated my illustration from it's background, it's time to create an appealing pattern with it! I visit Society6's Pixel Dimension Requirement page to make sure I'm creating my file in the right size before working on my pattern. In this page, Society6 lists out the document sizes (in pixels) needed for each of their products. But don't worry, you don't need to create a separate file for each!
What I do is create a new document in Photoshop with their minimum recommended size of 6500 x 6500 pixels and create my pattern there. This size is covers most of the products on the list and the platform will automatically place it on all the products that require this size or smaller, which saves a lot of time. There are currently only 2-3 products that require a larger size than this and you can create separate files for those if you wish. There are also a couple of products like stickers and t-shirts which you'll probably find need a separate design or layout.
Pixel Dimension Requirements for Society6 Products. Click on image to visit site.
Once I'm happy with my pattern, I deactivate the background layer in Photoshop and save the document as a .png, which allows the background to remain transparent. This is the file you'll upload onto Society6.
Because I know I'm most likely going to have to come back to Photoshop to create separate .pngs for stickers and t-shirts, I leave it open.
Click to visit Gimp's website and download the software.
3. Uploading onto Society6
Opening your shop on Society6 is very fast and easy. All you need is a PayPal account. I recommend giving thought to your Username/URL because you won't be able to change it later and filling out your Artist Bio as soon as your able. Upload a banner and an avatar image to make your shop your own.
Once that's done, all you have to do is click on the button at the top that says "Sell" and you're going to be taken through a very straightforward 3-step process. The platform take a minute to process your artwork when you upload, as it's placing it on all available products that it fits on.
Next, you'll have to fill in a title for your work, as well as tags and a description. A tip here is to put yourself in the buyer's shoes. Instead of typing in a subjective title for your artwork, think about what words visitors actually type into Society6's search bar when looking for products. Be descriptive, create a five word title, use up all the available tags, and create a good little paragraph.
Finally, the fun part! You'll be taken to the last section, in which you'll see your design on all sorts of awesome items. You get to decide which to deactivate if you wish. I highly recommend taking time to look over every single product to ensure that your design is at an optimum size in each. All you have to do is click on each item and shift your design's size/location.
As you scroll down the Create Products page, you will see what products require a separate .png file. I usually need to create a separate file for stickers, as a sticker page has to have fewer elements and they have to have a good distance between them (stickers have a white outline around them that shouldn't overlap). I also create separate patterns for t-shirts that are usually more vertical and contain less elements than my initial pattern.
Create whatever .png files you need and upload them separately onto individual products by clicking on those items.
Finally, hit Publish and, in around 15 minutes, your products will be up on your shop!
Once that's done, all you have to do is click on the button at the top that says "Sell" and you're going to be taken through a very straightforward 3-step process. The platform take a minute to process your artwork when you upload, as it's placing it on all available products that it fits on.
Next, you'll have to fill in a title for your work, as well as tags and a description. A tip here is to put yourself in the buyer's shoes. Instead of typing in a subjective title for your artwork, think about what words visitors actually type into Society6's search bar when looking for products. Be descriptive, create a five word title, use up all the available tags, and create a good little paragraph.
Finally, the fun part! You'll be taken to the last section, in which you'll see your design on all sorts of awesome items. You get to decide which to deactivate if you wish. I highly recommend taking time to look over every single product to ensure that your design is at an optimum size in each. All you have to do is click on each item and shift your design's size/location.
As you scroll down the Create Products page, you will see what products require a separate .png file. I usually need to create a separate file for stickers, as a sticker page has to have fewer elements and they have to have a good distance between them (stickers have a white outline around them that shouldn't overlap). I also create separate patterns for t-shirts that are usually more vertical and contain less elements than my initial pattern.
Create whatever .png files you need and upload them separately onto individual products by clicking on those items.
Finally, hit Publish and, in around 15 minutes, your products will be up on your shop!
Back-end of Society6 store. Placing artwork on products.
*Next step! Market your artwork!
No matter how amazing your artwork is, if nobody knows about it, you're going to have a hard time making sales. Don't be afraid of putting your work out there!
While Society6 does a great job attracting shoppers to their site, their marketplace is saturated with incredible artists that have been on the platform a very long time and have formed a history/reputation for themselves. All of us need to go through that and have to accept and learn to enjoy the phase we're in.
If you're serious about selling your work online, I suggest optimizing your social media accounts so that you give your audience a clear idea of what you do and offer. Pick one or two and keep them professional. Refrain from sharing personal things and stick to uploading pictures of your creative process, your favorite tools, what you find inspiring, links to useful articles that your target audience would find helpful, and share your new products!
Visit Society6's blog to find great tips for getting your work out there.
While Society6 does a great job attracting shoppers to their site, their marketplace is saturated with incredible artists that have been on the platform a very long time and have formed a history/reputation for themselves. All of us need to go through that and have to accept and learn to enjoy the phase we're in.
If you're serious about selling your work online, I suggest optimizing your social media accounts so that you give your audience a clear idea of what you do and offer. Pick one or two and keep them professional. Refrain from sharing personal things and stick to uploading pictures of your creative process, your favorite tools, what you find inspiring, links to useful articles that your target audience would find helpful, and share your new products!
Visit Society6's blog to find great tips for getting your work out there.
Pros and Cons of Society6 (and other similar online shops)
Ever given thought to how you could enhance the way a spectator experiences your artwork, whether it's by simply incorporating a specific type of background music or lighting, or really pushing the envelope by making use of the latest technological advances? As visual artists, in what ways can we appeal to our publics' other senses so that we can get our message across more effectively and even create life-altering experiences?
In today's guest blog post, CODAworx shares a compilation of three groundbreaking contemporary artists that are using the latest technology to create works of art in which the viewer isn't only a spectator, but very much a participant. These artists have succeeded at creating experiences that their public can truly submerge in and take part of, coming out the other end changed.
In past blog posts , I've shared how I believe that the purpose of art is to set forth ideas and awaken people. The artists presented below have proven capable of doing precisely that through the creation of projects that challenge their public in a variety of ways. Through their work, these artists have managed to plant seeds in their spectators' minds and make them think about their world differently.
CODAworx (Collaboration of Design and Art) is a global online community that facilitates the connection between artists and creative companies that make those ideas come to life. They are true advocates for all types of arts and are taking massive action to make the world a better place through them.
Let's get to their article!
3 Artists That Are Embracing The Sensory Perception Of Art
Sensory perception of art relies on understanding through the body. Rather than simply viewing a piece, we experience it. Artists from a variety of disciplines are using sensory art to force us to perceive it in bold new ways. Below are three such artists whose work envelopes you, rather than being separate from you.
Titia Ex
Hailing from Amsterdam, Titia Ex is a multimedia conceptual artist known for her daring light play. Her work explores the relationship between light and place, examining how one manipulates and acts upon the other.
This relationship is exemplified beautifully in her 2008 installation, The Waiting. Ex floated 40 red LED lights in the tranquil waters of the Dutch island of Vlieland. The effect was akin to a the will-o'-the-wisps of European folklore, the lights silently blinking at random on the still pond.
The waters were imbued with the deep red light, the patternless blinks evoking a timelessness, an inability to see a tangible order to the light. As night fell, the lights became suspended in the darkness, not tethered to any place or object. Light and place, once joined, parted ways again.
Ex recently spoke at CODAsummit, an innovative conference exploring the intersection between art, place, and technology. The first annual CODAsummit was held at Santa Fe’s Center for Contemporary Arts by CODAworx, the beating heart of the commissioned art economy.
And while The Waiting helped secure Ex’s place on the bill, it was her 2014 piece, Dolmen Light that really stunned CODAsummit’s attendees. This time taking place in the Hondsrung Tunnel in the Dutch city of Emmen, this urban setting played host to a series of intricate dolmens made out of light.
Dolmen Light by Titia Ex from CODAworx on Vimeo.
Dolmens are megalithic structures laid by the prehistoric predecessors of Emmen’s current residents, forming part of the city’s rich cultural heritage. Ex transformed these megaliths into towering light structures, melding ancient history with utilitarian urban structures to create a literal tunnel of light.
Ex uses light to engage the viewer’s senses, toying with perception through the manipulation of light. It’s daring, striking and, as with all her work, utterly immersive.
Matthew Mohr
Also at CODAsummit this year was Matthew Mohr, an Ohio-based artist and Associate Professor of Design at Columbus College. With a background spanning graphic design, silk screen printing, and even web design, Mohr is renowned for his bold pursuit of beauty through technology.
His thesis project, Spatial Narrative, comprised a series of moveable screens to explore a frozen, intangible moment in time. Viewers were encouraged to reach out and adjust the screens to explore a pre-recorded scene, all the while unable to interact with the subjects.
Spatial Narrative’s success relied on its viewers becoming participants in the piece, physically touching and moving the screens to experience it wholly. Just as our smartphones have become our conduit through which we connect with the world at large, so too did Mohr’s screens become a channel to experience his art.
The project was eventually picked up by Samsung for their flagship store in Manhattan’s Time Warner Building, displaying products and advice to customers. But it was his vast permanent installation As We Are that garnered him the most attention at this year’s CODAsummit.
"As We Are" by Matthew Mohr from CODAworx on Vimeo.
As We Are consists of a 14-foot high human head made 24 layers of intense LED screens. In its powered-down state, it looks more like a golem than a person. But hidden within its depths is a 3D photo booth in which visitors can have their photo taken. The image is then projected onto the head outside, a Moai monolith for the digital age.
With As We Are, traverses the relationship between the self and the representation of self through an immersive sensory experience. As with Spatial Narrative, Mohr forces the viewer to become a participant, engaging with the work to become part of it, ultimately creating a new piece of art in the process.
Nick Ryan
Where Ex and Mohr lend their talents to exploring light and the visual, Nick Ryan turns to the auditory for his art. Buoyed by his fascination with synaesthesia, Ryan creates multisensory work that blends both sound and vision.
A fine example of this is his piece Synaesthesia, commissioned by the musician Imogen Heap. Ryan worked with the London Contemporary Orchestra and the visual artist Davide Quayola to transform imagery into audio that is simultaneously seen and heard.
Synaesthesia is a dramatic crescendo of visual and auditory texture, wholly enveloping the viewer (and listener) in a sensory experience for the eyes and ears. Music is, of course, art, and blending it with dynamic moving visuals makes for an exquisite piece of art that reaches beyond simple passive vision.
The three artists mentioned here all embrace sensory perception in their art. Light, sound, vision, touch — they all intersect in the artists’ works, with breathtaking results.
As a result, their art becomes more than just a passive piece to simply be observed. Each artist’s work immerses the viewer, transforming them from an observer into a participant. It’s bold and innovative and opens up brave new avenues for artists and art lovers alike.
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CODAworx is on a mission to transform every space in the world by making great commissions happen. Its network connects artists and creative teams to architects, design and art professionals, and the universe of companies that provide services and products for commission projects.
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I'd like to send out a huge thanks to CODAworx not only for reaching out and sharing this amazing article with us, but for being true advocates for the arts. I highly recommend you check out the amazing work they're doing to make the world a more imaginative and inspiring place!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Welcome back, fellow artists!
I'm very excited to share that I made it through my first time participating in the Inktober drawing challenge!
In today's blog post, I'll be sharing my last time lapse compilation of Inktober sketches, as well as things I learned by having pushed myself through it. Though the drawings I'll be sharing were created specifically for Inktober, most of the information I'll be including throughout the post (and video) can relate to any type of daily art challenge.
There's no question that being able to produce a new piece every-single-day for an entire month (no matter how small), is extremely difficult. However, there's a ton to learn from participating in art challenges like this one, as they allow us to improve not only our cold-technical skills (drawing, shading techniques, etc.) and our time-management abilities, but also test us mentally in many ways.
This is why I made the decision to finally take on Inktober this year!
If you visited my blog or YouTube channel at any point throughout October, you're probably aware that I've been sharing time lapses for every-single-one of my Inktober sketches! I've also talked about a variety of topics pertaining to it.
Make sure to check out my past Inktober blog posts and find the rest of my time lapses over at my YouTube channel:
5 Tips to Make it Through Inktober and How I'm Going About It
My Inktober Supplies and Time-lapses for Sketches 6-11
Inktober Sketches 19-25 + Reviewing My Supplies
If you enjoy this video, I highly recommend subscribing to my YouTube channel. I publish a new one every-single-week sharing art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for beginner/intermediate artists! :)
What I Learned from Inktober
Technical Aspects
1. Stay present/mindful while you're creating art
I noticed pretty quickly as I was starting with Inktober, that when I was tired and/or my mind was just not in the art-making process, my drawings turned out much sloppier. I either went overboard with my mark-making, which led to certain areas appearing very flat or I created too much of a texture where I wasn't intending to.
Now I know that, no matter how small a sketch or study I'm working on, I have to do my best to stay present (whether it be 5 minutes or an hour). If I'm too tired or unable to concentrate, I'll consider resting and getting back to work the following day, or take a break to do something else that will allow me to de-stress before getting back into it.
Now I know that, no matter how small a sketch or study I'm working on, I have to do my best to stay present (whether it be 5 minutes or an hour). If I'm too tired or unable to concentrate, I'll consider resting and getting back to work the following day, or take a break to do something else that will allow me to de-stress before getting back into it.
2. Take it slow and respect the process
With this, I don't necessarily mean to force yourself to lay down each line or brush stroke super slowly if this isn't your thing. Personally, I love working at a faster pace and leaving some sort of expression, rawness and imperfection in most of my work.
What I mean with taking it slow is learning to enjoy the different phases of creation (brainstorming, preparation, preliminary sketch, developing marks/colors/values, etc.) and acknowledging each as an essential part of the process. I realized this halfway through the challenge. Whenever I skipped a phase, my piece didn't turn out as well as it could have.
With a daily challenge like this one in which I had limited time, many of these phases were done simultaneously with other tasks, but I made a point to go through them, nonetheless.
What I mean with taking it slow is learning to enjoy the different phases of creation (brainstorming, preparation, preliminary sketch, developing marks/colors/values, etc.) and acknowledging each as an essential part of the process. I realized this halfway through the challenge. Whenever I skipped a phase, my piece didn't turn out as well as it could have.
With a daily challenge like this one in which I had limited time, many of these phases were done simultaneously with other tasks, but I made a point to go through them, nonetheless.
Mental Aspects
1. Practice increases confidence (and speed)
The only way to really improve your self-confidence with any particular activity is practicing it and experiencing it first-handedly on a continuous basis. The more you do something, the more skilled you become, which makes you more comfortable doing it, which translates into doing things better and faster.
I had previous experience drawing with pen and ink, and have even shared different tutorials on mark-making and shading techniques both here at my blog, as well as over at my YouTube channel, which I highly recommend you check out:
Guide to Shading Techniques: Hatching, Cross-Hatching, Scribbling and Others
Pen and Ink Sketching: 6 Shading Techniques
Shading a Hand Using Pen and Ink
However, I had never drawn with pen and ink as continuously as this drawing challenge pushed me to. By the end of the month, I was creating my sketches a lot faster than in the beginning. I was also able to tell when I was making a mistake quicker, which enabled me to stop in my tracks and succeed at making them less noticeable.
I had previous experience drawing with pen and ink, and have even shared different tutorials on mark-making and shading techniques both here at my blog, as well as over at my YouTube channel, which I highly recommend you check out:
Guide to Shading Techniques: Hatching, Cross-Hatching, Scribbling and Others
Pen and Ink Sketching: 6 Shading Techniques
Shading a Hand Using Pen and Ink
However, I had never drawn with pen and ink as continuously as this drawing challenge pushed me to. By the end of the month, I was creating my sketches a lot faster than in the beginning. I was also able to tell when I was making a mistake quicker, which enabled me to stop in my tracks and succeed at making them less noticeable.
2. Creativity is a muscle that gets stronger with consistent use
I'm sure you've heard this saying about creativity being a muscle before, but there's really nothing like participating in a daily challenge to really understand what pushing our creative limits every-single-day for a long(ish) period of time can do for us.
At the beginning, I really struggled to come up with the ideas behind my drawings. I was also really unsure about what arrangement/composition would look best and took a long time to decide these things. By the end of the month my ideas came to me a lot faster and I was able to visualize more visually-pleasing compositions quicker. I knew whether an idea would work or not right off the bat and, if I thought it wouldn't, I moved on to thinking of a new one.
At the beginning, I really struggled to come up with the ideas behind my drawings. I was also really unsure about what arrangement/composition would look best and took a long time to decide these things. By the end of the month my ideas came to me a lot faster and I was able to visualize more visually-pleasing compositions quicker. I knew whether an idea would work or not right off the bat and, if I thought it wouldn't, I moved on to thinking of a new one.
3. Persistence and determination are essential in order to reach any meaningful goal
In my blog post titled Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive, I explain how important it is to get to know ourselves so that we can truly come to a conclusion about what we want in life. This is the only way, really, that we can set meaningful goals so that we can then work towards them consistently.
Many of us are able to set those goals initially, but we fail at sticking to what we have to do because we lack motivation or life simply gets in the way.
It has been through gaining clarity on what I want in life and sheer persistence, that I've been able to get to where I am today. I think I owe my completion of Inktober to this basic understanding. I knew that participating in this challenge would be difficult, but that it would help me progress my skills further, faster. This is important for me at this point in my life, and I honored my decision by sticking with it.
Many of us are able to set those goals initially, but we fail at sticking to what we have to do because we lack motivation or life simply gets in the way.
It has been through gaining clarity on what I want in life and sheer persistence, that I've been able to get to where I am today. I think I owe my completion of Inktober to this basic understanding. I knew that participating in this challenge would be difficult, but that it would help me progress my skills further, faster. This is important for me at this point in my life, and I honored my decision by sticking with it.
4. Chasing perfection is counterproductive
Perfection is probably the biggest enemy of creativity. It cripples us as artists and stops us from producing the work we need to create in order to keep moving forward. Getting something done, no matter how small (or flawed) is better than not doing it at all.
In art, exploration and learning to embrace the process is incredibly important. Even more important, I would say, than creating a finalized masterpiece. Once I learned this, my skills progressed a lot faster. Perfection is overrated.
Something I've come to realize is that constantly chasing perfection has a lot to do with an innate fear of not being enough and having to prove to the world, in some way, that we are. You don't have anything to prove to anyone but yourself, and what matters is to strive for progress, not perfection.
Life is way to short to let our fears stop us from doing the things we want to do in life. It is usually the people who are able to acknowledge their fears and move on despite them that succeed in achieving their goals.
In art, exploration and learning to embrace the process is incredibly important. Even more important, I would say, than creating a finalized masterpiece. Once I learned this, my skills progressed a lot faster. Perfection is overrated.
Something I've come to realize is that constantly chasing perfection has a lot to do with an innate fear of not being enough and having to prove to the world, in some way, that we are. You don't have anything to prove to anyone but yourself, and what matters is to strive for progress, not perfection.
Life is way to short to let our fears stop us from doing the things we want to do in life. It is usually the people who are able to acknowledge their fears and move on despite them that succeed in achieving their goals.
5. Staying flexible is a must
Life is unpredictable. We can plan as much as we want to, but things will always come up and we have to be okay with shifting things around. As someone that thrives on routine, I'm still learning to be okay with modifying my schedules and specific things I had planned.
It's perfectly okay to take a break if you feel you need to (I did this a couple of times myself throughout the month). However, keep your priorities in check and get back to it as soon as you're able to.
There are two main ways that I stayed flexible throughout Inktober. For one, I had to accept that I would have to move my sketching to a different time of the day because things came up that I had to prioritize, or certain tasks simply took longer than expected. Sometimes I had to accept the fact that I would have to work on my Inktober sketch at the end of a long day of work.
Another way that I stayed flexible was with my supplies. The pages of the original Leuchtturm1917 sketchbook I planned on using ran out about 3/4's of my way through Inktober (I talk more about the specificities of my Inktober suppliesin this blog post).
Initially, I thought it would hold all of my sketches, but my heavy application of ink made it necessary for me to skip pages in between each piece. I had to make due with what I had on hand and be okay with using another sketchbook that didn't exactly match the characteristics I was looking for with this project. I accepted it and moved on.
It's perfectly okay to take a break if you feel you need to (I did this a couple of times myself throughout the month). However, keep your priorities in check and get back to it as soon as you're able to.
There are two main ways that I stayed flexible throughout Inktober. For one, I had to accept that I would have to move my sketching to a different time of the day because things came up that I had to prioritize, or certain tasks simply took longer than expected. Sometimes I had to accept the fact that I would have to work on my Inktober sketch at the end of a long day of work.
Another way that I stayed flexible was with my supplies. The pages of the original Leuchtturm1917 sketchbook I planned on using ran out about 3/4's of my way through Inktober (I talk more about the specificities of my Inktober suppliesin this blog post).
Initially, I thought it would hold all of my sketches, but my heavy application of ink made it necessary for me to skip pages in between each piece. I had to make due with what I had on hand and be okay with using another sketchbook that didn't exactly match the characteristics I was looking for with this project. I accepted it and moved on.
6. Always focus on the good
There are two ways in which I applied this throughout Inktober: throughout the creation process and whilst analyzing my finished pieces.
If you've been following my Inktober work, you're probably already aware that I decided to go with following the official prompts this year. There were honestly some prompts that weren't inspiring for me at all and I struggled to think of a good idea for my piece. However, in these situations, I decided to focus on what I could enjoy and what could go well. Even if I wasn't smitten with my idea, I set out to use the opportunity to improve my cross hatching/line work, etc.
To be perfectly honest there were several sketches that I didn't like very much, either because the idea just wasn't that great, or because I feel the execution was sloppy. Nonetheless, I decided to take it easy, pat myself on the back for getting the work done for the day, and always focused on the good.
There are always things that go well, no matter how much more our mistakes stick out to us. Being able to recognize both possible areas of improvement as well as our strengths is essential for us to improve our skills and find our artistic style.
If you've been following my Inktober work, you're probably already aware that I decided to go with following the official prompts this year. There were honestly some prompts that weren't inspiring for me at all and I struggled to think of a good idea for my piece. However, in these situations, I decided to focus on what I could enjoy and what could go well. Even if I wasn't smitten with my idea, I set out to use the opportunity to improve my cross hatching/line work, etc.
To be perfectly honest there were several sketches that I didn't like very much, either because the idea just wasn't that great, or because I feel the execution was sloppy. Nonetheless, I decided to take it easy, pat myself on the back for getting the work done for the day, and always focused on the good.
There are always things that go well, no matter how much more our mistakes stick out to us. Being able to recognize both possible areas of improvement as well as our strengths is essential for us to improve our skills and find our artistic style.
My Inktober Supplies:
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Thanks so much for checking out this blog post! Did you participate in Inktober this year? If not, are you planning to in 2019? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below! :)
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Hey, there!
In today's blog post/YouTube video, I'll be sharing Inktober sketches 19-25, as well as a review of the supplies I've been using throughout this challenge. I wanted to really put these products to the test and have a good amount of experience with them before I actually expressed any opinions.
I have released several blog posts sharing tips and tutorials about pen and ink drawing that I highly recommend you check out if you haven't already (two very popular ones are this one and this one). In past YouTube videos, I've shared how much I enjoy using this drawing medium and why I think it's so effective at helping us progress our artistic skills.
All this said, I had never used pen and ink as consistently as I have with this drawing challenge. I committed to participating in Inktober this year because I knew that creating a new piece every-single-day for an entire month would lead to amazing growth in a short period of time. The challenge would help me not only exercise my creativity continuously and gain confidence in my pen and ink technique, but would also test my time-management skills and even more mental/personal aspects.
Over at my YouTube channel, I've shared all of my Inktober sketch time lapses so far:
1. Time lapses 1-5 + A Bit About My Thoughts and Process
2. Time lapses 6-11 + How I Come Up With the Ideas Behind My Sketches
3. Time lapses 12-18 + My Struggles So Far
*The video included in this post is my fourth compilation of sketch time lapses and I'm closing this Inktober series with a last video including my final drawings, as well as a bit about what I've learned. Make sure to subscribe to my channel and stay tuned for the last compilation of sketches coming up next Friday (Nov. 2)!
If you enjoy this video, I highly recommend subscribing to my YouTube channel. I publish a new one every-single-week sharing art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for beginner/intermediate artists! :)
If you enjoy this video, I highly recommend subscribing to my YouTube channel. I publish a new one every-single-week sharing art tips, drawing/painting tutorials and encouragement for beginner/intermediate artists! :)
My Inktober Supplies
I knew since before starting the challenge, that I wanted to make a careful selection of supplies and stick with them throughout the entire month. This way, I would be able to come up with solid opinions about them.
All of my supplies were acquired online through either Amazon or ConsumerCrafts.com, which are both excellent online options to find quality art supplies at great prices.
1. Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook
This was my first time using a Leuchtturm sketchbook and I really enjoyed it, especially in combination with drawing pens and ink. These sketchbooks are definitely on the more expensive side, but I'm really glad I invested in one and decided to use it for this drawing challenge!
The sketchbook is 15 x 21 cms. in size and is made up of 96 pure white 180 g/m drawing paper that is quite smooth. I love that the sketchbook includes two bookmarks and an elastic to keep it safely closed. These characteristics make the sketchbook perfect to take out for drawing in plein air or coffeeshops.
I had a couple of different sketchbooks to pick from laying around that I could go for, but I went for this one for two main reasons:
a) I knew that I wanted some areas of my Inktober sketches to have thick applications of ink and the thickness of its pages would allow for this.
b) The pure/brilliant white of its pages would really allow my black ink lines/shapes to contrast and pop out!
Though I find this sketchbook amazing for drawing purposes, I wouldn't recommend it for sketching with watercolors, as its paper is too smooth and I don't think it would hold/absorb water very well. I think it would, however, work pretty well for gouache and even acrylics.
It's always a smart idea to give thought to what kinds of mediums you're planning on using in your sketchbooks before making a decision about which one to buy.
The sketchbook is 15 x 21 cms. in size and is made up of 96 pure white 180 g/m drawing paper that is quite smooth. I love that the sketchbook includes two bookmarks and an elastic to keep it safely closed. These characteristics make the sketchbook perfect to take out for drawing in plein air or coffeeshops.
I had a couple of different sketchbooks to pick from laying around that I could go for, but I went for this one for two main reasons:
a) I knew that I wanted some areas of my Inktober sketches to have thick applications of ink and the thickness of its pages would allow for this.
b) The pure/brilliant white of its pages would really allow my black ink lines/shapes to contrast and pop out!
Though I find this sketchbook amazing for drawing purposes, I wouldn't recommend it for sketching with watercolors, as its paper is too smooth and I don't think it would hold/absorb water very well. I think it would, however, work pretty well for gouache and even acrylics.
It's always a smart idea to give thought to what kinds of mediums you're planning on using in your sketchbooks before making a decision about which one to buy.
2. Staedtler Pigment Liners
I've had this set of drawing pens for a while and I've always used them interchangeably with my Micron pens. I think these two brands/products are pretty close in terms of quality and price, and produce almost the same results. I will continue buying Staedtler drawing pens for the time being, as I found throughout this challenge that I really enjoy them.
The four-pack of drawing pens that I have includes .1, .3, .5, and .7 millimeter points. The majority of my Inktober sketches were created using only the .3 and .5 points. I find the four pack includes a perfect variety of point thicknesses and don't think I would personally need anything smaller or larger.
The ink in the Staedtler Pigment Liners is waterproof, bleed-proof, smudge-proof and fade resistant, which leads me to think they would be perfect for use in combination with watercolors. The lines created by these drawing pens are also very crisp and dark.
Lastly, the ink in these pens also lasts a very long time. Even though I used them every-single-day for 31 days (and pretty roughly-I might add), they never started drying out.
3. Speedball Drawing & Calligraphy India Ink
I acquired this little 2 ounce tub of black ink a while back for exploratory purposes and I'm very glad I had it on hand for this Inktober! It allowed me to create the flat black geometric background shapes that I decided would be the unifying aspect of my drawings prior to starting.
This Speedball drawing/calligraphy ink is a rich black and a bit on the thick side. However, it can be diluted to create a variety of values and a runnier texture. I used a small, angled, soft-bristled brush to apply it onto my paper and the wash always came out quite even. I never noticed any granulation, even in areas where I applied the ink thickly.
I also loved the fact that it washes off from skin pretty easily and that it has no overpowering odor to it. Lastly, the shape of its bottle is genius, as the bottom of it is wider than the top and makes it more stable. This avoids it from tipping over and creating a huge mess!
This Speedball drawing/calligraphy ink is a rich black and a bit on the thick side. However, it can be diluted to create a variety of values and a runnier texture. I used a small, angled, soft-bristled brush to apply it onto my paper and the wash always came out quite even. I never noticed any granulation, even in areas where I applied the ink thickly.
I also loved the fact that it washes off from skin pretty easily and that it has no overpowering odor to it. Lastly, the shape of its bottle is genius, as the bottom of it is wider than the top and makes it more stable. This avoids it from tipping over and creating a huge mess!
That's it in terms of my Inktober supplies for 2018! I hope that you found this blog post/YouTube video helpful and inspiring! :)
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