Adult Coloring with Colored Pencils.

I am very late to jump on the adult coloring boat. This is probably because I do enough art to appease my creative side. I did however come across an awesome colored pencil set, and I have yet to try drawing with only colored pencils. The amazingly talented Karen Hallion put out a coloring sheet in January after David Bowie's passing. I figured there was no better page to color than this one. 

This set is from Ohuhu and comes with 48 colors. There is a decent variation, lots of skin tones and neutrals. It has plenty of blues and greens, but I'd like some more reds and oranges. They blend very well, so at least I can mess around with tones a bit.

The come in a nice tin case with two plastic "shelves". You can easily pick up one and stick it into the lid. Each pencil has it's own slot. The ends are marked with the color of each pencil, so they are easy to differentiate. I might get around to organizing them by color, as they are also numbered. They do slide around if you are not gentle. When the package arrived, none of the pencils in the top row were even in a slot, and there were a few broken tips with powdered lead everywhere.

These were comfortable to hold and had a nice grip because their hexagonal shape. They sharpened nicely. The leads were soft, but did not break easily. I was able to apply light and hard pressure to get different values. I really enjoyed working with these pencils and would rate them 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend them to anyone who would like to color, draw, or use them for any other types of arts and crafts. 

Coloring in the Goblin King. Coloring page by Karen Hallion.

Grab a set on Amazon.


I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Acrylics For Days!

I have been arting like crazy this past month. Even though Acrylics are one of my least favorite mediums, I have been using a ton of them. I've been trying out a bunch of awesome supplies from U.S. Art Supply. I honestly haven't stopped painting! Today I am going to talk about a spiral pad of 9" x 12" Extra Heavy-Weight 246 Pound Acrylic Painting Paper. These 12 pages come on a spiral notebook.

I loved that I could flip the cover over, and sketch right inside the book. The paper has a nice smooth texture and I enjoyed drawing on it. The pages are an off white color. It held up to an eraser better than other papers.

I was unable to tear the page out because the paper is so thick. I had to use scissors to cut the page out after I was done sketching. I usually prefer paper that has perforated edges so I can tear my paper off easily. The spiral is a pro and a con at the same time. I love the thickness of this paper. It is stiff and strong and held a lot of paint. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it for students, artists, and crafters. It is a great value.

Time Lapse of Painting with Acrylic.

Grab this on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

A Week of Watercolor!

Watercolors are one of my favorite mediums, but I haven't worked with actual Watercolor paper for a long time. U.S. Art Supply has all types of paper, this one being a 9" x 12" Heavy-Weight (140 lb) Watercolor Paper Pad. Let's get painting!

I started small and painted a birthday card for my friend. I tend to be heavy handed and will take up a lot of fibers because I ALWAYS manage to use too much water and too much force in ONE spot. This paper was pretty tough and held up well. 

It absorbed colors nicely and I liked the thickness and tooth of the paper. Two of the four edges were a bit ragged. This must be from how the pages are cut. It's not a deal breaker for me, since the stuff I paint will be matted and framed, so the edges will not be seen.

For quite some time I have been wanting to use masking fluid. I was excited to try it out on a paper that would be able to hold up through the process. The masking fluid went down smoothly. I took a video when I removed it. I was surprised at how well it worked out being my first time and all. I couple parts of the paper came up, but I was being rough...and didn't have all the correct tools.

Time lapse of removing masking fluid from watercolor paper. 

I was able to touch up all the spots that came up with the masking fluid. I am very pleased with how well this worked out, so I will definitely experiment more with this technique. I give this paper 4 out of 5 stars. It's good quality paper and a good value as well. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to try new paper.

Grab some on Amazon.

I received this item at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious 

Organizing Art Supplies!

When you are an artist, your supplies WILL take over. I try to keep all my paint organized by type in one corner of my room. That is where this U.S. Art Supply wooden brush box comes in. The one I have is the large one at 15" x 4 1/8" x 1 3/8". I was easily able to fit 15 large long handled brushes in this box. I have several jars that I keep all my different brushes in...and since this box is multi-functional, I used it for paints instead.

The box is made of a beautiful beech wood with an oil finish. Some of the edges are a bit rough. I haven't gotten a sliver or anything, but I will likely sand them down a bit. The lid slides in okay, with a little finagling the lid will slide into place and the end will be flush. 

I really like the color of the wood, but it is a little blah for me. After I clean up the edges I was thinking of painting something on the top of the lid to give the box some character. I think I will love the end result. Customization is always fun, and I like that I will be able to add my own touch.

This box is handsome, study, and can hold a vast array of supplies. I am storing 18 12 ml tubes of watercolors in it right now. It's so much more convenient than digging through a huge box or drawer of tubes and carrying them to my desk. 

I give this box 4 out of 5 stars. It's awesome, but I wish the edges were less rough. I would recommend this for any artist, or anyone who likes to stay organized.

Grab one on Amazon.

I received this item at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious 

An Ice Bag That is Zebra Print! Sold!

As a chronic illness warrior, I am always on the lookout for products that can help with my symptoms, and anything that is zebra print! "When you hear hoof beats, think of horses not zebras". I was stoked when I saw this Hot/Cold Pack with zebra stripes by Naniga. I could use this to help with numerous aches and pains, swelling, and most frequently my migraines. This is way easier than soaking a washcloth in cold water every five minutes. 

This bag stunk to high heaven when I opened it. An awful plastic/chemical smell. I washed it with warm water

and soap and aired it out overnight. That resolved the issue. The cover is easy to unscrew and the mouth is large. I could fit a couple of my thin ice cubes at a time, and i could easily fill with water from the sink. When filled the bag covers a lot of surface area. It stays both cool and hot for a full 20 minutes which is the amount of time I like to apply hot or cold therapy. 

The main reason I wanted this particular ice bag was the "zebra" pattern, all lot of the color is warn away. A lot of the black is missing, or rather, displaced onto the white stripes. The bag has not leaked and hasn't even produced any sweat so I don't know why the pattern is ruined. The fabric is soft, and feels pretty durable, so I suppose its just a problem with the "paint". It's just a cosmetic issue, but it still bums me out.

I give the Naniga Ice Bag 4 out of 5 stars. The initial smell was awful, but after a wash it dissipated. If the paint didn't wash off/move around, I would have given this bag a perfect score. It's simple and convenient to use. It's portable, so I will bring it when I in my medical kit when I travel. It keeps it's contents warm or cool for as long as I need it. It doesn't leak and it's very comfortable. I would recommend it.

Grab one on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. My reviews are 100% my own, honest opinion.

~Crystal Vicious