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A few years ago I was heavy into making mixed media canvases using Christy Tomlinsons methods, and trying my hand at some art journals. I did it for a few months then stopped and went back to card making. A lot of the products I used during that time I've been able to incorporate into my cards (the stamps, stencils, rub ons, etc.), but I have a question about the PITT Big Brush pens. Christy used those a lot on her canvases because they worked well over things like Mod Podge to add finishing details to projects, so naturally I bought a whole bunch of them :rolleyes:and now they're just sitting in a box untouched. I'm not real familiar with all the different properties of the myriad of pens and markers out there so I'm not quite sure how these might be used in card making. Anyone familiar enough with this product to give me some ideas? I suppose I could simply color with them like any marker (although they do have a very big brush which would make that difficult for small stamp images), but there might be other things you can do with them that would be good for card making. I hate to see them go to waste, they weren't cheap!
These are on my wish list right now :-) I have one black PITT pen and a few of their calligraphy pens, which I use in my art journal mixed-media layouts. You definitely need to use them over a medium like gel medium or gesso if you want them to smear and shade. They leave very distinct and harsh lines otherwise. Which may be what you want!
I have recently been thinking about how to use my mixed-media layouts in a smaller format like a card. Since you can basically put gesso on any surface, including cardstock, that gives you the base for some great inking, colored pencil, Gelato and acrylic paint techniques as well as use of the pens to shade what you paper piece or stamp.
Darlene DeVries does some really great things on cards with the pens. Here's one video I love:
Last edited by poppydarling; 04-15-2015 at 01:26 PM..
Thanks for posting the video, poppydarling! I also have some gelatos so I can try this technique. She didn't put anything on the card to seal it, do you know if those products will dry with time and not smear?
I've always wondered that too, Diane, so I looked it up because I haven't stored or used or sent my pieces yet. It appears that you do have to seal it with Mod Podge or some matt acrylic sealer or it will smudge. That's what this blogger recommends (love this tutorial!)
Well I just bought a small set of these pens in the smaller brush size LOL This post tipped me over the edge, plus a layout I was doing last night that desperately needed a green pen – I'm so easily enabled lol.
The smaller pens are less expensive, so it will be nice to try the colors and then see if I want to get even bigger pens next time. I'm feeling the big gift set with almost all the colors coming on :-)
I bought a 4 pack of Pitt pens yesterday to try out. I got the earth tone multicolor pack: dark brown, reddish brown, grey and black and each one has a different style tip so I not only get to try Pitt colored pens but see which tips I like too. whoo hoo
I'll have to try coloring on the stamp with them, the nice big brush tip should be perfect for that!
I have done this with medium-large solid areas of a stamp. The ink in the markers is permanent so be sure to clean your stamp well after using it. I don't care if my stamps are stained but am careful that color will not transfer, kwim?
I have done this with medium-large solid areas of a stamp. The ink in the markers is permanent so be sure to clean your stamp well after using it. I don't care if my stamps are stained but am careful that color will not transfer, kwim?
Happy Crafting!
Tina aka TeeGeeDee
Thanks, Tina, I figured the ink would probably stain the stamps but I don't have a problem with that either
I'm loving my new PITT brush pen set! but I did the Darlene DeVries tutorial (PITT pen over Gelatos) and it seems to have temporarily? ruined my one nib on the pen. The project is gorgeous though :-)
Scribbling off the color onto scratch paper takes quite an effort – it's not just a couple of swipes – and the nib seems to have dried up. Anybody else who uses these pens on mixed-media ever have this problem? I'm going to call Faber Castell customer service tomorrow and ask them about this... I noticed that Lydia's technique is the pen then the Gelato so that's what I will do until I figure this out.
I'm loving my new PITT brush pen set! but I did the Darlene DeVries tutorial (PITT pen over Gelatos) and it seems to have temporarily? ruined my one nib on the pen. The project is gorgeous though :-)
Scribbling off the color onto scratch paper takes quite an effort � it's not just a couple of swipes � and the nib seems to have dried up. Anybody else who uses these pens on mixed-media ever have this problem? I'm going to call Faber Castell customer service tomorrow and ask them about this... I noticed that Lydia's technique is the pen then the Gelato so that's what I will do until I figure this out.
When I was using the pens for mixed media I never had a problem with them drying out, you might have gotten a bad pen? Although I never used them over the gelatos, not sure how that affects them, maybe rubbing so much to get the color off affected it somehow. Let us know what you find out from FC.
Here's the response I got from customer service at Faber Castell:
"From your description it sounds like the Gelatos may not have been completely dry when the pen was applied...Gelatos are permanent when fully dry. If you were able to remove the Gelato from your pen, it should be fine. For further tips and techniques for working with mixed media, please be sure to see our blog: Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft
I didn't realize that Gelatos needed to dry, because they never felt "wet" to me to begin with LOL Not all of their online tutorials even mention waiting for them to dry before using other media, so that's confusing too. But now I know so I won't ruin any other nibs.
Here's the response I got from customer service at Faber Castell:
"From your description it sounds like the Gelatos may not have been completely dry when the pen was applied...Gelatos are permanent when fully dry. If you were able to remove the Gelato from your pen, it should be fine. For further tips and techniques for working with mixed media, please be sure to see our blog: Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft
I didn't realize that Gelatos needed to dry, because they never felt "wet" to me to begin with LOL Not all of their online tutorials even mention waiting for them to dry before using other media, so that's confusing too. But now I know so I won't ruin any other nibs.
I made this ATC inspired by Darlene's video that was posted higher in this thread. My gelatos were dry before I used the big brush marker and I did not have any damage to my marker.
I made this ATC inspired by Darlene's video that was posted higher in this thread. My gelatos were dry before I used the big brush marker and I did not have any damage to my marker.
When you say "dry" did you hit it with a heat tool to make sure? I don't ever feel they are "wet" so I'm not sure what is being aimed for. Beautiful project!
When you say "dry" did you hit it with a heat tool to make sure? I don't ever feel they are "wet" so I'm not sure what is being aimed for. Beautiful project!
No heat tool because I did not use water. I used my finger to blend the gelatos. My 'dry' comment is misleading - sorry! I just let the cards sit for a few minutes after blending the gelatos before I took the marker to them. Not sure the wait was necessary, but my thought was 'better safe than sorry' - I am a gelato novice LOL.
And thanks for your compliment
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
I only have 2 brush pens and use them when as I would any other marker.
As for the Gelato clogging the pen - since they are a waxy like crayon, I would think that when used dry, the wax would clog the fiber of the pen versus when used wet and left to dry. I would think that if you seal the gelato coloring with a clear matt spray it wouldn't hurt the fiber point. I us the spray when I have to use my Copics over anything other than just paper as I don't want to clog the tip.
After watching Christy Tomlinson's videos I hopped on the Pitt brush pen bandwagon. Since then, I've seen people use china markers, Fude pens, and charcoal pencils to outline images with the same effect. The Fude pens are great, but they are expensive. I'm going to buy a charcoal pencil (my cheapness coming into play) and see how that works.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
I've now seen people outline with gray (or watered-down black) paint and a paintbrush too, so they're all sorts of ways! I do love the muted saturated transparent colors of the PITT pens though. I have the Landscape color set and I adore it.
Any suggestions for cardstock to use with PITT Big Brush and artist pens? I use 80# super smooth and get pilling if, when coloring, I go over an area more than once and I can feel that it is rough. I want to stamp an image and then color it in using my Big Brush pens because they are easy to use and are permenant when dry. Do I need to cover my cardstock with gesso or matte medium first before I color?
In my experience it's a very different look using the PITT pens over gel medium or gesso versus stamping with them or coloring with them.
I have stamped in black archival ink on regular 65# card stock and colored in the petals of a flower with PITT pens, which looked really beautiful, but I did not work over any of the areas – one swipe of the color and that was it. You might have to try a few different approaches and see what you prefer.
I'm just checking in on this thread to let others know that I'm interested in learning about the Pitt Brush markers as well. I've seen them used in art journals for shading but was curious if they had other uses. And it appears they do.
I'm just checking in on this thread to let others know that I'm interested in learning about the Pitt Brush markers as well. I've seen them used in art journals for shading but was curious if they had other uses. And it appears they do.
Are these pens sold in Michael's or JoAnn?
My local craft stores, Michaels and AC Moore, carry a very limited quantity of these pens in 4 packs, but not all the colors. I bought most of mine at Dick Blick, they have all the colors. I started this thread a long time ago, still haven't taken the time to use my pens except the brown and black ones which I've used when I fussy cut stamped images to go around and darken the edges. I'm determined to start using them but time has been an issue for me
Thanks, Diane. Dick Blick is a great store. I slowly put together my collection of Copic markers through Blick.com. I'll probably start with a small, local purchase. A four-pack of brush pens might be a good way to see if I like using them.
The holidays will probably keep you busy through the end of the year. Maybe your New Year's craft resolution could be to set aside some time for your art. Be sure to post your links to your experiments in this thread for the rest of us to see.
I'm just checking in on this thread to let others know that I'm interested in learning about the Pitt Brush markers as well. I've seen them used in art journals for shading but was curious if they had other uses. And it appears they do.
Are these pens sold in Michael's or JoAnn?
My local Hobby Lobby actually has some shades of black, brown and gray in a couple of different nib styles in bins that you can buy individually. They also have a limited selection of the four packs, but I bought my four pack on Amazon. I'd love to buy some individually on Dick Blick but the shipping is so prohibitive to me.
Faber Castell PITT Big Brush artist pens
