cd sketches

No Name Retractable Fountain Pen What is a capless fountain pen? Caps are a necessity to 99% of fountain pens, caps ensure that the ink held between the nib and the feed does not dry out. Having a cap on your pen means that every time you want to write, you have to take the cap off. In situations like note-taking, taking a cap on and off can become a hassle. However, some fountain pen brands have found a way around this hiccup. The solution is to remove the cap in total and allow the nib to retreat into the body of the pen. Some of the most notable capless fountain pens are: Pilot Vanishing Point, Lamy 2000, and Lamy Dialog. However, all of the aforementioned pens are upwards of $150 USD. This capless and nameless fountain pen can be had for only $5 USD. I am yet to find a name for this pen but I purchased it on Aliexpress from the St Penpps Pen shop. Dimensions Cost =  Currently $4.98 USD Length =  5.5in/13cm Weight =  16.1g/.57oz Nib Sizes  = F/EF Colors  =...

10 Things you NEED to know before Plein Air Painting 1 ) The great outdoors smells When you prepare to go on your first Plein air adventure the last thing you'll remember is that outside kind of stinks. If you plan on painting a scene where land meets water, you will most definitely notice the smell of fish and water. If you are painting an urban scene you may not notice as much smell. Ultimately the smell of your scene won't ruin your painting but it is not unnoticeable. 2) You WILL forget something Even if you pride yourself on being on top of your stuff, you will ultimately forget to bring something. Don't be worried, this is just a part of Plein air, making use of what you have to make a beautiful painting. If you at least have paint and brushes, you'll be fine. 3)   You'll forget how to paint This one may seem a bit odd, but trust me. When you finally get outside to paint, you may have trouble just getting started. Finding an approach to how you will paint what...

 CROCODILE 215 Preface This pen is one I have been looking for for quite a while. I originally saw this pen on a Youtube channel called "Chinese Handwriting". And the pen wasn't listed in any of their videos. So, after searching for much longer than I'd like to admit I found it. This pen is the Crocodile 215. Dimensions Length: Capped- 5.25in or 13cm   Uncapped- 4.75in or 12cm  Posted- n/a (pen doesn't post)   Cost:  Aliexpress- $7.80 USD Amazon- $9.52 + Shipping Weight: about 20 grams                    Pros Although I have only had this pen for a short time, I have had a great experience. To start off, this pen has tremendous aesthetics. The matte black version I have looks very nice with the bits of gold trim and crocodile detailing. Another nice bit about this pen is its solid feel. Being that the pen is made completely of metal, I definitely don't feel like I'm holding a pen as cheap as i...

KARKOS Fountain Pen Ink Waterproof Test If you have ever looked for fountain pen ink on Aliexpress, you have undoubtedly seen this brand. With prices anywhere from $0.60 to $4.00 for a 30ml bottle, this ink can be quite an attractive purchase. For people that use fountain pens as tools for creating art, one of the most important features of ink is its water resistance. Quick Answer: Is Karkos Fountain pen ink Waterproof? Yes, after about 4 hours, Karkos ink is resistant to water. Further testing is shown below. Waterproof Testing     As you can see in the test, prior to the 30-minute mark, both writing and the dark block are not water-resistant at all. At 30 minutes, you can see that the text is mostly waterproof with a slight bit of pigment still moving. It is not until the 4-hour mark that the block becomes mostly waterproof. An important thing to keep in mind is that if you use so much ink that there is a droplet formed on the page you will need to wait at least 24 hours. ...

 What is a Limited Palette? In painting, a limited palette is exactly what it sounds like, rather than using every color you could ever want on your palette, you limit it to a much lesser amount. Using a limited palette allows beginner and professional artists to focus on aspects of painting besides color, like value and technique. Using limited palettes is also great for improving your understanding of color theory and how to mix color. In this post, I will show you some unusual but interesting color combinations for watercolor painting. #1) Burnt Sienna + Lamp Black     Using Burnt Sienna in collaboration with Lamp Black would be a great way to get quick skin tones for impromptu portraits. If you want to make a travel watercolor palette, these two colors could do you a lot of good. #2) Vermillion + Ultramarine Blue     While the mix of these two colors will result in a bit of a muddy purple, they certainly make for an interesting mix. #3) Prussian Blue + Lemon...

JINHAO 750 with ZEBRA G FLEX NIB DESIGN This Jinhao is made completely out of metal (presumably) out of aluminum. This actually gives the pen a good amount of weight. While it's not the most substantial pen I've felt, it isn't bad. This Jinhao 750 is about 5" when unposted and about 6.25" when posted. For someone with average to slightly above average-sized hands, you'll have no problem using this pen unposted. The Jinhao 750 also comes in many colors for those of you who care.  NIB The first thing you'll notice about this nib is how long it is. As seen in the photos below, the nib extends quite a ways past the end of the feed. This can cause a newly filled pen to write dry. In order to get the pen going, you will need to get the top of the nib wet. This makes up for the gap in between the nib point and the feed's end. The main attraction of this nib is the flex which is partially caused by the material it is made out of and partia...

DIY Calligraphy Dip Pen Supplies 1) Scissors 2) Used Paintbrush 3) Aluminum Can 4) Thread 5) Superglue   Step: 1 Dismantle brush Finding an old brush is preferred because the glue between the metal fitting and the wooden handle should be loosened. If not, a pair of pliers and some twisting may be necessary. Step: 2 Cut the can Taking a pair of scissors and poking it through the can will allow you to cut the can into a flat sheet. It would be a good idea to clean the can at this point to ensure good ink flow. The can is very sharp so be careful. After getting it flat, cut it into an approximately 3/4" by 2" sheet. Follow the picture posted as to the shape of the nib. Step 3: Connect the nib to the handle This is where the superglue and thread come in. First, you want to place the nib and the handle together and use the thread to bind them together. A bit of superglue is all that is needed to permanently affix the...