Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Which one do you use most? I've been coloring with Prismacolor pencils and was hoping that SU would come out with more watercolor pencils. Since they haven't yet, which tool do you prefer for coloring images?
so, for prisma pencils I melt the pigments with a colorless blender from prismacolor... I doubt if an aqua pen would do anything to those pencil at all.
for watercolor pencils I DO use an aqua brush sometimes, and sometimes a watercolor paint brush and a container of water. ( depends on how detailed the image is)
my su blender I tend to use with the chalks ( they call them something else but, you know what I mean right?) I do not have the su watercolor pencils so, I don't know how the blender works with those sorry.
I love SU blender pens! You get fine, controlled coloring. The aqua painter is messy in my honest opinion. You do not have to use watercolor paper with the blender pens as there is not as much water.
That's how i feel Arlene! Do you use the blender pen with markers, or is there a way to use them with ink pads?
You can use the blender pens with your markers by scribbling onto a piece of acrylic/acrylic block.
To use them with the pads, "flex" the pads to get ink in the tops and pick up your color from there. You can also apply the pad ink direct to acrylic as well to do it in a similar fashion as with the markers.
I haven't used 'blender' pens in years.
I would be lost without aqua painters though. Love those for any/all watercoloring techniques. I do have a limited number of "real" watercolor brushes, but as I'm not a true watercolorist, I adore my aqua painters for the majority of my card making. ;)
For colored pencils (not watercolor pencils) I still prefer odorless mineral spirits (Gamsol) with paper stumps. I adore the "color book feel" that comes with this method. :rolleyes:
Are the blender pens you're talking about like the Dove blender pens? I still have mine, and I make my own refill solution.
Yes, the SU ones work like the Dove blender pen. But you get 3 in a set, and they have pen points on both ends, so they're a good deal at $10 a pack! You wouldn't use them with Prismacolor pencils though. You can use them with watercolor pencils (or Inktense pencils) and with ink from ink pads that you smooth onto the inside of the lid. I do prefer Aquapainters in general, but the blender pens are great too.
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
Yes, the SU ones work like the Dove blender pen. But you get 3 in a set, and they have pen points on both ends, so they're a good deal at $10 a pack! You wouldn't use them with Prismacolor pencils though. You can use them with watercolor pencils (or Inktense pencils) and with ink from ink pads that you smooth onto the inside of the lid. I do prefer Aquapainters in general, but the blender pens are great too.
Thanks. I haven't used my blender pen in a long time. Time to use it again.
I use Dove blending Medium to refresh my SU blender pens. Works great. I have a small plastic container that had SU sequins in it. I keep a little solution in there so when I watercolor, I have it handy to dip my SU blender pen tip in. And sometimes I take the tips out and let them soak in there for a little while, works like a charm. I use stamp pads to color and just touch my blender tip direct to pad.
__________________ Carolyn My Gallery - Fan Club Member "Snowmen fall from heaven...unassembled." Author unknown
I have never had luck with blender pens, and they always dry up on me. I like the aqua painter, or a paint brush and water. Love my aqua brushes. I also, just recently found a pack with three different sizes, too. At Joann's , I think.
It seems that most people prefer the Aqua painter, but i just can't seem to get the hang of it! i'm always out of the lines, or have too much water, or some crisis!
Going outside the lines is pretty acceptable with watercoloring. For controlling the water a bit better, try blotting on a paper towel or napkin before adding to your project.
I've had really good success with the SU blender pen, but I tend to only use it in small areas or for precise details - usually lines, stems, or grass. In general I use regular paintbrushes and water, or a waterbrush if I'm in a hurry since it cleans with just a squeeze.
It seems that most people prefer the Aqua painter, but i just can't seem to get the hang of it! i'm always out of the lines, or have too much water, or some crisis!
Any tips for a beginner?
When the brush is 'too wet', soaking your card stock, making the color move more freely than you wish ... you can use a paper towel to wick out a lot of that excess water. Then it feels a bit more like coloring with a marker. I really make use of a paper towel or other cloth. In doing so, I enjoy coloring on card stock at times, without moving on to watercolor paper. (It all depends on the look I'm seeking for the image I've stamped.)
It's just paper & ink. Play. There's no mistake when you are playing on purpose. ;)
What do any of you use to refresh the S Up blender pens? Mine are almost 20 years old and finally getting dry ( I don't use them a whole lot, obviously) but have been trying them again.
Sue
You definitely get two different effects. I generally use the blender pens. I like the control and condensed color that I get with them. The brushes seem to give more of a washed look, which I guess is what watercolor is actually about.
Forgot to mention that I found a recipe that renews blender pens: 1/2 liquid glycerin and 1/2 water. Dip pen in solution and lay horizontally over night or pull off nib of pen and pour solution into the chamber of the pen. Hope this helps.
Can anyone explain the secret to properly using a blender pen? I have never liked the results I get - way too much color where I first begin to color with the pen, color lines/strokes, the ink I pick up seems to fade off fast so that one area has a lot of color and other areas have little to none, etc. I have been using blender pens for years and can't master it. Any tips? Thanks!
I use Dove blending Medium to refresh my SU blender pens. Works great. I have a small plastic container that had SU sequins in it. I keep a little solution in there so when I watercolor, I have it handy to dip my SU blender pen tip in. And sometimes I take the tips out and let them soak in there for a little while, works like a charm. I use stamp pads to color and just touch my blender tip direct to pad.
Carolyn....thanks for the idea.....what ink do you use to stamp your image before colouring it?
TIA
Jo
__________________
Jo
Proud Fan Club Member
...sure it�s got a catchy beat, but can you stamp to it?
life is something that happens only when you run out of cardstock
What do any of you use to refresh the S Up blender pens? Mine are almost 20 years old and finally getting dry ( I don't use them a whole lot, obviously) but have been trying them again.
Sue
Read my post on #17, that's how I refresh my blender pens.
Carolyn
__________________ Carolyn My Gallery - Fan Club Member "Snowmen fall from heaven...unassembled." Author unknown
Have you tried using Wink of Stella instead of the Aqua pen? It's one if my favorite ways of coloring. Lots if samples can be found at www.facebook.com/MelindasRubberRoom
Thanks, snowmanqueen. I was finally able to locate some at a scrapbooking store that is sort of nearby - with in 15 miles. So now I don't have to order on line. Of course that wasn't all I bought! Sue
Hi Carolyn....thanks for letting me know. I use my su blenders all the time. I lay down colour with watercolour pencils and then blend it out. I experimented with a LOT of methods before I more or less settled on this. I was wondering what you use to stamp because I'm always on the lookout for ink that the su pens won't smear.
__________________
Jo
Proud Fan Club Member
...sure it�s got a catchy beat, but can you stamp to it?
life is something that happens only when you run out of cardstock
I absolutely love my aqua brushes. I love how they are always just the right wetness without having to dip they into water---just a squeeze refreshes them and a couple of wipes on a towel takes away excess. I usually use mine with my inkpad lid, watercolor pencils or watercolor crayons. I have some very fine tipped ones, so even the thinnest stem or smallest area can be done. That being said---don't buy cheap ones. They fray out and ruin your work. I have some that are going on 20 years old and are still perfect.
I have used blender pens before, but only if I am following directions for a specific technique that calls for a blender pen that I haven't done before. Originally I bought them to blend with my SU markers, but I can't seem to get them to blend right. At least not to my satisfaction. I still end up with unblended marker lines. Therefore, I don't color with markers much.
Aqua pen vs. blender pen?
