Tools of the Trade Part 2

Have I been gorging on chocolates?  No, but I opened what was inside these wrappers with just as much gusto, possibly more.

I've been after a set of these for a while - St. Petersburg White Knights watercolours.  They aren't professional standard, and are quite cheap, but I love the intensity of the colours and their covering power. For painting deep coloured washes and anything requiring clear bright colours, these are the business.

Whilst ordering the paints, I also stocked up on some Derwent Drawing pencils - there are some colours that seem to wear out quicker than others and have to be replaced.  I think these must be labrador/retriever colours!  The brushes are some I have been trying to find a supplier for for a couple of years now - I got a small set free with a magazine while I was painting potatoes and they were great - I used them until they literally fell apart.  Now I have some more - yay!

Things are not looking good for the tomato race.  The weather has been atrocious for weeks (months) now.  Yesterday we had blizzards - it's April for crying out loud!  I do hope we get some warmth and light soon or this will be another lean year in the garden.

Brushes....

I had to finally admit defeat and buy some more paintbrushes today. I don't know about any of you other artists out there, but I have certain little foibles regarding my painting, one of which is trying to use the same brushes for a whole project....a case of the quality of the work really coming from the brush not from me. Daft I know, but it keeps me happy! (Another one is trying to complete a project with NO second starts - I feel as if I have failed if I don't get it right first time...please don't judge me!)


However, after being my trusty servants for the duration of 60 potato pictures - and the book cover - I think it's time to put these brushes out to grass. Yesterday I would have been better off trying to paint with a clump of my own hair rather than these! By the way, if anyone knows where I can get hold of these, please let me know. I got them free with the Artists & Illustrators magazine last year but just cannot find them in the shops or on line. If you received them too and don't use them, I will gladly buy them off you as they were the best I've come across in a long while. They are Van Gogh Selected Filament by Royal Talens - the No.12 is the one I really want.

Those gloriously knobbly potatoes in the first picture are today's painting - they go by the fabulously descriptive name of Lumpers and were the potato that caused the Irish Potato Famine....see how knowledgeable I have become!