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They seem to do such a nice job on stencils. I keep watching YouTubes about them.
But they are kind of spendy.
Will I love them so much that I won't care how much they cost once I have them in my hot little hands?
Are they easy to clean? Or will I end up needing twenty of them dedicated to different colors?
?
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I think they're wonderful - so soft. You don't need one for every color, or even color family. Jennifer McGuire speaks to that in her video about them, if I'm not mistaken. For me it's like when using regular small paint brushes for every color under the sun and washing or rinsing in between, depending on the medium.
They clean easily. They stain but it doesn't matter.
For me, having two sets would be pretty perfect, but I have one and it's fine. I don't think the sizes matter that much. YMMV.
ETA: What Lydia said. I just swipe between colors sometimes too.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
By you, I mean you, Lydia. And I watched Jennifer's also.
I ordered them. Thank you. I needed that.
But again - it seems like you don't wash your, Lydia, and you do, bjeans.
Further thoughts?
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I sometimes do what Lydia does - just swipe between colors, and sometimes swish in water and swipe off. I didn't think about that until she said it, and I added that to my post later.
In any case, clean up is very easy since they're not being used for acrylic paint.
I will be stencilling my little heart out this weekend.
Thanks, guys.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 07-19-2017 at 01:25 PM..
Always happy to enable - when it's a wonderful product.
Hope you share your Clarity creations! Oh, I assume you've seen Barbara Gray's videos, but just in case someone hasn't, here's her how-to for Clarity brushes.
I swish them back and forth on a baby wipe until they stop shedding color. They stain but no problem. I like to use them also to do very light shadings behind a die cut or around masked images. It's easier to get a very light wash of color.
I had not seen that video, bjeans. Interesting the way she used a cosmetic sponge to make the edges a bit darker.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Here's one where she uses paints with them. Just interesting. Don't know if I will do it myself, I have plenty of brushes for paint. Think I'll reserve these for ink.
Of course, she has to wash them after paint.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
They're her brushes - I mean Clarity Stamp is her company. She has a lot of videos, is remarkable.
The brushes can also be used to go darker with more ink/paint, but the cosmetic sponges can give a distinct, crisp edge/outline, if that's what's wanted. She makes it/everything look so easy.
Yeah, somewhere along the line I realized that they were her brushes. Duh.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I loved watching Barbara grays videos on YouTube, but I haven't been able to find a new video in at least one or two years. Doesn't she do YouTube anymore? Anyone know?
another big Barbara Gray/Clarity fan here. Question for those who have both the Clarity brushes and make up brushes ... can anyone weigh in on how similar/dissimilar they are? TIA.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
No, she just has a big honking pail full of them in front of her. That was my first clue that this person was in some way connected to Clarity brushes. Or that she loved them extremely inordinately, which seemed less likely. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
another big Barbara Gray/Clarity fan here. Question for those who have both the Clarity brushes and make up brushes ... can anyone weigh in on how similar/dissimilar they are? TIA.
anyone? (or do we not do make up in this crowd? :cool: )
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
another big Barbara Gray/Clarity fan here. Question for those who have both the Clarity brushes and make up brushes ... can anyone weigh in on how similar/dissimilar they are? TIA.
Jeannie, I have a make up brush that looks much like the Clarity ones and have never tried it with inks (don't use it for foundation makeup although that's what it was sold to me for). I've wondered if it would work well with inks, though. I'll have to try it and report back.
BTW, I love the Jimmy Carter quote in your signature line.
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
You will love them they are excellent. Very soft. But as you say, very spendy too. I found some lovely soft paintbrushes in an art store, the brand on them is Royal. They are just as soft, and give a great result for blending and applying ink. I also think you'd get the same result from big, fluffy make up brushes.
Rachelrose, smiled at your comment about the person who had a whole pile of the brushes! My DIL's Mom is a HUGE Clarity fan, and I could not tell you how many of those brushes she has!
This blending was done with the soft paintbrushes, through a stencil.
These were the brushes I bought. I got a variety of sizes, and after the first use, the heads go really 'fluffy'.
Always happy to enable - when it's a wonderful product.
Hope you share your Clarity creations! Oh, I assume you've seen Barbara Gray's videos, but just in case someone hasn't, here's her how-to for Clarity brushes.
I hadn't seen this, so thanks for posting it! I'll be looking at other videos she's done � I enjoyed her down-to-earth manner.
She's so wonderful ... you'll love her! Her 'Stamping How To: Gilding Flake Scene' was one that inspired me to go get those supplies immediately and is still one of my favs (although there are many, many favs. )
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
She is indeed a very down to earth, friendly lady. An example of how she treats people: I mentioned above my DIL's Mom is a HUGE fan of Clarity, and is a member of the stamp club. ( Since this story, she is also a member of the Stencil & Groovi clubs!). Anyway, Marg had been a Member for about 6 months, when her Husband died suddenly. A few days later Marg made the announcement on her blog, for all her crafting friends. Next morning, an enormous bouquet of flowers arrived for her, from Barbara, with a lovely card and message. Now that is for me, the epitome of a caring person.
And something many of you may not know- Barbara invented the clear stamp!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I saw a Hedgehog Hollow video where they used inexpensive shave brushes to get a similar effect to the clarity. Here's a comparison of the both kinds of brushes to the TH blenders:
I'd watched that too (I do like her) plus a couple others, and have used shaving brushes.
I disagree with her conclusion that they're the same. For a quick, soft look they are similar, but you can do much more with the Clarity by controlling the tip of the brush - making it flat, pointed, etc., and you have more overall control/different looks even with soft backgrounds. That's not to say shaving brushes don't do a good job at what they do! Just my take.
Last edited by bjeans; 08-05-2017 at 11:26 AM..
Reason: weird extra word jumped in without permission
Good to know about the additional options on the Clarity brushes. They look like they'd be good for intricate stencils. I also think the video above gives short shrift to the TH blenders since that's not the way most people use them (direct to paper without blending in from the side first).
Do I want those Clarity brushes?
