Spiritual Evolution of the Bean

Katy Did It

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Look! A leafy bug! Leafy bugs always amaze me. The Katydid is one of my favorites because of the sound they make (click to hear.) I like to sit out on my porch with an egg shaker in my hand and talk to them - and yes, they do talk back. LOL.

It was slightly challenging to shoot with one hand and hold this guy with the other but I did my best. Katydids don't sit still like praying mantis do.

I took all these with my Canon SD1000 Digital Elph and it's times like these that I long for a full sized SLR with a real macro lens.

More leafy bug video.

Review: Staples Eco Friendly Bagasse Paper

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I'm sorry, but this review has been canceled due to the fact that the oh-so-gloriously fountain pen friendly Staples Bagasse Eco Friendly paper products have changed. First I heard that they had been discontinued, then I heard that the paper quality changed for the worse. (For us fountain pen users.) I have not verified either of these rumors with Staples, but am going on repeated comments from my friends on the Fountain Pen Network.

Not that I'm surprised or anything... Anytime I see an "eco friendly," "green," or "recycled" line of paper products - especially one that's made for a Big Box store and selling for $2.99, I imagine that it's probably been a "one shot" type of production run. They have a source, they make X amount of product overseas, buy it all for one lump sum and they sell it until they run out. Perhaps the success of this product prompted Staples to source more, but since it's not from a controllable resource, (plant waste) there are bound to be differences in the finished product.

While I do appreciate a company that takes measures to protect the environment, it always seems that marking a product as "Green" is a cheap way to pull at a consumer's ethical pocketbook strings. Recycled products usually cost more, not less to manufacture and a $2.99 price tag makes me wonder if they were manufactured under ethical fair trade working conditions. If not, I could care a less if it's 100% recycled and shipped to my house for free with my name engraved in gold on the front - I'm not endorsing it.

I always feel the same way with all of the "Pink" products that show up during breast cancer awareness month. I know that many of those companies legitimately donate a % of their profits to breast cancer research, but I'm also sure that many others don't.

I guess since I took all these pictures, I will move forward with the review - just be forewarned that if you buy the Bagasse products that your results might be very different from what I experienced.

...After hearing many people over on the Fountain Pen Network rant and rave about the fountain pen friendliness of Staples Bagasse products, I had to check them out for myself.

The spiral bound book you see above cost $2.99. It is made in Egypt from 80% sugar cane waste. The covers are super sturdy and the notebook includes a pocket.

The thing about fountain pen inks and gel pen inks is that they are water based - and depending on the way the paper is made, it will either absorb or resist ink. Papers that readily absorb these water based inks are prone to feathering and bleed through to the other side of the paper. Paper that resist these inks are highly coveted among fountain pen users.

When I tested the Bagasse, I had no feathering or bleeding with a dozen inks & various pens tested. The paper is really thin and smooth to write on - but..... it's a different kind of smooth. Pens seem to write a little thinner than normal.

See? No bleedthrough with the exception of the Sharpie which considering the thinness of the paper, actually did pretty well in the bleedthrough department.

Permanent marker doodle

Without a great deal of bleedthrough.

I also bought a 2-pack of the small legal pads and found it to have all the same FP friendly characteristics as the spiral notebook.

From Staples Website:

Sugar cane based paper is great for the environment and saves trees

Heavyweight kraft covers
Two full size heavy duty kraft pockets
Perforated white college ruled sheets
9 1/2"x6"
Made from 80% sugarcane waste
Printed with eco-conscious vegetable-and-water based inks
Heavy-duty coil
100 sheets/book

Unbelievable. Moleskine Doodle Viewed 7112 times, Favorited 49.

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Unbelievable. This image just got favorited on Flickr for the 49th time. I've blogged this image and its story before, but I can't believe how often people keep marking it as a favorite. I often wonder what they are searching to find it because it's buried way back in my Photostream on Flickr. This was an airplane doodle that I did in a Moleskine journal using a Pitt Artist Pen back in late February of last year.(2008) I don't think the doodle is anything to write home about, so maybe it's the story that I attached to it that people are liking. You be the judge:

"Was in Atlanta on a business trip Tuesday-Friday of this week. Was to fly back from Atlanta on an 8pm flight, Friday night. (Through Philly, as I couldn't get a direct flight from my local airport.) So around dinner time on Thursday, we hear of the impending snow/ice storm that's due to hit the Northeast. I jump on the phone to US Air and manage to book us an earlier flight (2:40pm) in which they have miraculously waived the $100 change fee (because of the weather) and $240 difference in price. (Strange, the flight time & price difference was the same...)

Leaving work at about 11:15am, we head to ATL. Having checked the web numerous times before we left, we see that planes to the Northeast are running about 5 hours behind, but amazingly, our 2:40 flight is still on time. 3 miles from the airport, I get a text message that our flight has been canceled. We take the rental car back and head in to the US Air ticket counter and sit in a line with about 20 people in it that does not move for what seems like an hour. An hour and a half later, we make it to the ticket counter and are told that everything is booked, no flights, flights canceled, other carriers full....

The agent (ED) finally finds a way to get us home. He books us from ATL to Boston, then to Philly, and then to ABE. Ha. I surrender (check) my bag and never expect to see it again.

We push, bully & beg our way through the millions of people going through security because we have less than 45 minutes to make it to our gate, and it takes about 30 minutes to get through security, (on a good day) then another 10 to take the train (inside the airport) to the D terminal, which of course, is the last stop. We run to our gate and make it with about 5 minutes to spare.

But everyone is still just sitting there. For 5 minutes, 10, 15..... I finally go up to the counter and ask what the delay is, because nothing was posted at the agent's desk. I'm told that they are waiting for the Captain to come up to let them know if we are going to fly. (??????) And so I say to the agent, "You mean this flight might get canceled?" to which she responds, "Yes. It's probably going to get canceled." I try deep breathing, I imagine my happy place, but I can't help getting a bit snarky & frustrated. I go back to my co-worker and tell her that I'm furious with the guy back at the ticket counter (Our buddy Ed) that booked this flight, since he probably knew that this flight was also going to get canceled and he just needed to do something for us to get us out of line and on to the next person.

I sit down, sulk, trying to surrender to the fact that weather is not something I have control over.

Unbelievably, we are eventually called up with a quick "Flight 9011 (yes, that was really the flight number - and trust me, I got the heebie-jeebies when I saw it) is now boarding and the gate will close in 1 minute. There are only 13 (OMG - not thirteen.... I'm afraid of the number 13.....) of you, come on up."

As I clap with joy and run to the jet way, I hear a man say, "But they said there weren't any more flights going to Boston...." and that cooled my heals and made me sad. I didn't even want to go to Boston, but it's the only way I could get home.

Once on the plane, the captain comes out to talk to us about the flight. He too mentions that with there being so few of us, that we are welcome to spread out and sit where we like. I tell the captain about the man that said he couldn't get to Boston and how there might be people out there that would like to get on this flight. They call back out to the agent, who I assume makes as announcement because they found about 20 more people who were able to switch their tickets and get on this flight. (Ironically, the man that made the original comment did not get on the flight) This holds up take off for about 45 minutes. But it doesn't matter, because we are still going - yay! It doesn't even occur to me that we might get stuck in Boston, because nothing is really flying anywhere. We are also told that this particular flight will eventually be flying back to Philadelphia and we ask if we can just stay on board. :o)

And so, we take off for Boston. A 100 mile an hour tail wind gets us up there in no time, but.....the airport is closed due to snow removal. Sigh. We sit in a holding pattern, (read nauseating circles) over Providence, Rhode Island for about an hour.

We are eventually cleared to land, and my friend smartly avoids telling me that planes slide off the runway at Logan airport all the time....

We have to get off the plane and re-book our Philly flight because due to all of the delays, we have now missed our connection to Philly. We only have a few minutes and as I run to the bathroom, I try looking for a store where I can buy a Red Sox hat for my Braves loving husband. No dice - not enough time. Ironically, we do end up getting right back on the same empty plane, same captain, etc. We will now not be able to make our final connection and are placed on a stand-by flight for 11:05 to get back to ABE. I am fairly certain that we will not be flying into ABE that night.....

We sit on the ground for another good hour until the plane is de-iced and we are cleared for take off. Because of the delay, it's almost certain that we will not be making our final connection. (And where are our bags? Where are they going to end up?) Luckily my co-worker has called her husband and has asked him to pick us up at the Philly airport. We land in Philly, pick up our ride, and an hour and a half later, are home. This doodle was created while in the air from Boston to Philly.

Whew.

Just in time to kiss my husband and wish him a happy anniversary which had actually ended at midnight, but since I hadn't been to bed yet, it still counted. :o)

US Air did a great job of taking care of us in this crappy weather and to Ed, the ticket agent in Atlanta, I'm sorry I was silently cursing you out when I thought the Boston flight was going to get canceled. "

Multi-Media Mandala

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I'm REALLY liking the way this one turned out.

I started off with a wash of different watercolors in a linen covered Cachet watercolor book. (I used to buy them at Blick but it seems as though they are no longer carrying them.) I then decided to try "masking" - that is to cover sections of the paper with a masking substance and then painting over it. In this case, I simply ripped pieces off of a roll of masking/painters tape and applied it in a random pattern. After I had the tape where I wanted it, I painted over it with another layer of the same watercolor paints.

Eager to see the results, I dried the paper using a hairdryer and peeled off the tape with the tip of an Exacto blade. It pretty much removed cleanly - only a small section of the paper came up with the end of one of the tape pieces. (I was able to cover it up.)

It looked pretty interesting at this point, but I knew it wasn't finished. I showed it to my husband and he suggested that I do a big black mandala over it and so that's just what I did. It was still just okay at that point and so I let it sit for a few days. When I picked it up again, I got inspired to add a little flair to it using a silver Pentel gel pen. And now I like it very much. :o)

Review: Diamine Sepia Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Diamine Old English Sepia ink tested in an off-white ruled Paperblanks journal with an EF Lamy Accent fountain pen.

Good flow, moderately saturated, much shading is evident. What's up with the color variations?

Check again... just primed the pen's converter and shook the pen. Hmmmmm.... This was the ink bottle that I forgot to shake when I first swabbed it and got a tremendous variation once I did.

This isn't really a color for me, and I'm especially put off by the variations in shade depending on whether or not the ink has been shaken. One of the most drastic examples I've ever seen.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Would you like to win a free Rhodia Webnotebook?

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Most of you probably know that I am also the voice behind Rhodia Drive but for those of you who don't, I would like to take a moment to introduce you to the blog by inviting you to enter to win one of fifteen large 90g Rhodia Webnotebooks. These journals are in high demand as their smooth 90g fountain pen friendly paper is a dream to write on. Visit Rhodia Drive to enter to win!

Review: Diamine Flamingo Pink Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine New Century Flamingo Pink Ink tested in an off-white ruled Paperblanks journal with an EF Lamy Safari fountain pen.

Decent flow, though a bit on the dry side. Another Diamine ink that I don't think is responding well on an off-white paper.

I'm not liking the color at all because it doesn't seem to know what color it wants to be. It's an orangey pink. Moderately saturated, it shows a lot of bright pink shading. Shows more pink on the white Rhodia paper. It's kind of like an original Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum pink. My favoriteDiamine pink is still Cerise which is a more bluish pink than a reddish pink.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Review: Clairefontaine Triomphe Writing Tablets

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Sailor 1911 fountain pen and Pelikan R400 Rollerball sitting on top of a 90g Clairefontaine Triomphe writing pad.

To put it simply, this is hands down the SMOOTHEST writing paper I've ever used.

With the exception of the Sharpie markers, nothing is bleeding, feathering or spreading. Fountain pens and inks LOVE this paper! All of the fountain pen nibs are writing true to size and this paper does NOT exhibit the drag that I've experienced with the journal bound Clairefontaine paper. This paper is smoother and does not feel coated. I love that this paper comes blank or lined. (Blank pad comes with a sheet of ruled paper that can be used as a writing guide.) The cover on the pad folds neatly back and the 5x8" size is very comfortable to use while writing on my knee.

As this paper is extremely smooth, it is more resistant to ink which means that water based fountain pen inks or gel pen inks will take a few additional moments to dry. Be patient or try using a blotter if you are a fast writer or are left handed. When tested, both lined and blank paper exhibited the same qualities. Great for letter writing or doodling.

Triomphe pads come in 5 ¾ x 8 ¼" and 8 ¼ x 11 ¾" sizes and also in 4 3/8 X 8 5/8" and 4 1/2 X 6 3/8"Self-sealing Envelopes

I decided to try a number of different art products on the blank pad to see what worked/didn't work. All of the markers I tested (Sharpie, Bic Mark-it, Faber Castell Brush Pens) worked extremely well and the colors were nice & vibrant. The permanent markers (Sharpie & Bic) bled as expected.

As the surface is super smooth, pencils don't really love this paper. I tested Prismacolor colored pencils, Derwent Inktence pencils and Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils- the only ones that seemed to move nicely across the paper were the Albrecht Durer. I also tested the paper with various water based media - The Albrecht Durer Pencils, Inktense pencils, Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks, Neocolor II crayons & a few artist grade watercolor paints. Watercolor paper in general is meant to absorb the water/paint while writing paper is meant to resist it. I never expect any paper that is not specifically designed for this kind of media to be great with water, and with the Triomphe, I found that the less water you use to apply any of these products the better your results. Neocolor II's and the AD Watercolor pencils are examples of products that allow you to touch them a wet brush to pick up the color- and on this paper, this technique worked better than applying the pencil/crayon to the paper and then washing over it.

Reverse of paper.

Buy in the US from Swisher Pens and Pendemonium. In the UK, buy from The Writing Desk.

My short lived relationship with Prismacolor Markers

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Admittedly, I was probably using them on the wrong paper. Paper that pulled the ink from the pen faster than a slot machine eats your hard earned paycheck. At the time, this was one of those, "I have to have a set!" situations that drives me bonkers until I have the item in my grubby little hands. I had heard good things about these markers and had seen a lot of great art created with them but they just never really did anything for me. I didn't know how to blend, and I didn't really know how to layer without one running into another in a less than pleasing way.

I no longer have the markers, but I do have a few pretty cool pieces of art that I created with them including my first ever - you heard it right, my first EVER mandala

Review: Diamine Prussian Blue Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine Old English Prussian Blue tested in an off-white ruled Paperblanks journal with an EF Lamy Studio.

Blue-Black for sure. Similar but slightly more blue than Sailor Blue-Black but without the horrible Sailor ink smell.

Flow is good, (Sailor Blue-Black flow is outstanding) ink is saturated. Slight shading is evident.

I prefer to use off-white paper but this ink doesn't do anything for me on off-white. I think I'll stick with the Sailor despite it's awful smell.

Also tested on a Rhodia graph pad. Color is easier to discern on white and appears to be slightly less saturated and is showing more shading on this paper.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Painting it Mine...

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Colors below the black are dry - black is starting to dry from the middle outward.

This is the finished piece I left behind tonight to be firedat my local Color Me Mine shop. Color Me Mine is one of those places where you go in, select a piece of pottery, paint it and then go back and pick it up once it's been fired. I had been wanting to try this for forever and a day.

A billion years ago, I used to paint ceramics when I was a member at the local Girl's Club. I remember that you had two painting options. Paint it with one kind of paint where you had to wait for it to be fired, or paint it with a different kind of paint (I think it was acrylic) where you could take it home right away. I remember the "right away" paint as being incredibly vibrant and that's the look I was hoping for when I stepped into the shop.

Colors in this picture are still drying. I sped up the process by using a hairdryer.

Unfortunately, these paints didn't work like I had imagined. You had to paint from light to dark, and you had to do at least three coats if you wanted the colors to be somewhat opaque. The paints were thick and chalky and were difficult to apply. They would go on thick and you couldn't work them too long or they would start to dry. To avoid showing the brush marks, I sloppily slathered on coat after coat of this paint and to be quite honest, I was a little frustrated at how long it took. And the colors? They are close to impossible to tell what they will look like until they are fired. They had samples of the finished colors, but I still had to do my best to guess at how this will turn out. I used my "typical" palette of pinks, oranges, reds & burgundy. That purple in the image? It will be burgundy, not purple. My favorite part was adding the black, which was applied using a little squeeze bottle with a needle tip. In fact, I liked doing that part so much that once the above piece was finished, I selected a smaller plain plate and just did a simple black design.

The total cost? About $30. The sitting fee was $10 (and you can sit there and paint all day if you like...) the large plate $12 and the small $8.25. It will take 7-14 days for my pieces to be fired because the kilns are off site.

I was lucky to pop in on a Thursday night - I was the only one there and I appreciated the solitude. Will I do it again? Not sure. It depends on how that top piece turns out. if it's spectacular, I might do it again. If not, maybe I'll buy some acrylic paint and paint on some of my old record albums instead.

Review: Paperblanks Handstitched Tao Blossoms Blank Journal

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

From the Paperblanks site:

Handstitched Tao: four masters of stillness

"Traditional Chinese painters aimed to capture the inner essence of the visual form. Their rhythmic brushstrokes on silk or paper were attuned to give form to the invisible forces of the universe — the Tao that pervades the world we inhabit. These paintings by four Chinese Masters of the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries reveal the workings of the Tao through the vitality and expressiveness of their brushstrokes and the harmonious rhythm of composition. "

Ultra — 7″ × 9″ — 128 pages
Midi — 4¾″ × 6¾″ — 128 pages
Handstitched binding — Memento pouch

The way this binding is stitched allows the book to open and lie very flat.

My only issue with this book is that since the cover paper/design is flat on this model, it allows the cover to become easily scratched.

Off white paper makes markers look bright and vibrant.

Fountain pen inks work well on this paper and you can refer to my original Paperblanks review for more fountain pen ink comments. In fact, I've been using a different lined Paperblanks journal for all of my Diamine ink tests.

Doodling with a Pitt Artist Pen and Derwent Inktense pencils. Water was applied with a Niji Waterbrush to the first layer of pencil. Colors came out vibrant on this paper.

Painting with artist grade watercolor paints. As this paper has a high clay content- which allows it to resist inks, (this means no feathering or bleedthrough) it's not the world's greatest paper for painting with watercolor. It seems as though the less water you use, the better.

Image was colored with Neocolor II Water Soluble Crayons and then brushed over with water. See the way it's difficult to get the strokes to blend?

On the above image, I touched the tip of the wet brush against the crayon to pick up the color and then painted with the brush. This method allows you to use less water and apply a thicker layer of color.

All in all, I like Paperblanks products. I like that their paper is fountain pen friendly and that they have about a million cover options. (Except for plain black. LOL) I think this book would make for a pretty decent art journal with its ability to lie flat. Pencils, pens, markers all love this paper - and when you paint with watercolors, I recommend doing it in a way that uses less water than more.

Buy Paperblanks at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, and Vickerery.com.

Product was provided by manufacturer at my request for purposes of review.

Review: Diamine Onyx Black Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine New Century Onyx Black ink tested in an off-white ruled Paperblanks journal with an EF Lamy Safari fountain pen.

IMHO - the darkest, most saturated of Diamine's 3 black inks. In fact, it seems as though it may even be darker than Herbin's Perle Noire - my current favorite black ink because of its saturation and flow.

Right now, I have this Onyx ink in one of my favorite Lamy Safari's and it's flowing effortlessly. Very saturated and I can't really see any shading.

This ink may beat out the Herbin as my favorite black ink. I've noticed that the Perle Noire will sometimes push through on certain papers. If the Onyx does not, it just might become my number one black ink. Further tests & comparisons will need to be performed but for now, I am definitely keeping this one.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Inside Out Mandala on Clairefontaine Laid Paper

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Working larger than usual, this was done on 12 x 15.5" Clairefontaine Ingres/Pastel White Laid Paper. I have absolutely fallen in love with this paper for all things marker, pen & ink. This time I first outlined the mandala with a Faber Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pen. I then used watercolor paints in the center, but was a bit disappointed at how they came out. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. This isn't a paper that's designed to be used with water but ironically, a similar laid paper (but in a heavier weight) made at Clairefontaine's Schut Mills in the Netherlands is used in the Exacompta Sketchbook and that paper does seem to take watercolor paint better than this lighter paper which is designed for pastel use.

Deciding that the center color wasn't up to my standards, I colored over the watercolor with colored pencils. Forgive me, but I can't remember which. I think it was regular Prismacolor.

I have to be honest & tell you all a little secret about this piece which is that I don't really have a lot of patience for filling in my designs with color. I can only go so far and "that's enough." And then I move onto something else. :o)

Review: Diamine Mediterranean Blue Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine Mediterranean Blue ink tested in an off-white ruled Paperblanks journal with a .7 Cursive Italic Pelikan M200 fountain pen.

To me, one of the best tests of an inks flow is to put it one of my pens that has a cursive italic nib. If I can't "feel" the corners of the nib on the paper as I write, then I know it's got good flow. If I can feel the corners dig into the paper, then I know it's too dry/thin for my tastes and I will not likely care for it in a thinner nibbed pen - like an Extra Fine.

This ink has excellent flow.

I sometimes get stuck on how to describe blue inks because it's not what I'm used to using and if I do, it's usually a much darker blue. I'd call this a bright middle blue. Moderately saturated with great shading. (Similar in saturation to Diamine's Royal Blue) Remember the color of those blue freeze-pops from when you were a kid? This is that same color. It reminds me of a darker version of Herbin's Bleu Prevenche - which I am a fan of. I am going to keep this one around for a while - especially in this pen.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Splash!

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

It's unusual these days for me to have this much patience to work on a single piece but I'm glad I stuck with it because I'm really happy with how it turned out. Not sure which black pen that was... maybe a Black F Pitt Pen? Red is Diamine's Poppy Red - in a cursive italic Lamy Safari fountain pen. This piece was created in a Fabriano Classic Artists Journal.

Review: Diamine Scarlet Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine Old English Scarlet fountain pen ink tested in an off-white lined Paperblanks journal with a .7 (Binderized) Cursive Italic Pelikan M200 fountain pen.

Isn't Scarlet supposed to be Red? This is a dark pink if I ever saw one.

The flow is difficult to describe in this pen. It flows freely but it seems...thin, because the edges of this nib are catching on the paper... It could be my writing angle - so I'm not sure I would call it dry - maybe just thin.

Ink is moderately saturated with lots of shading. A super vibrant dark pink that I would probably call fuchsia. This one isn't for me - I really like my colors darker - like Diamine's Amaranth.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Review: Diamine Orange Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Mandala drawn with Diamine Old English fountain pen ink.

Diamine Orange tested in an off-white lined Paperblanks journal with a medium nibbed Lamy Safari fountain pen.

This ink appears to be the ULTIMATE orange ink. As in Sunkist Orange. Syracuse Orangemen Orange, Rhodia Orange, Halloween Orange.

Orange Orange Orange

Super flow in this medium nib. Ink is very saturated and shading is difficult to see. Diamine Pumpkin is a darker orange - more like what I would refer to as a "blood orange."

Diamine Orange is a very vibrant ink - but not something I would normally use, (I actually prefer the Pumpkin) but for fans of good old orange, this one is for you!

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

Photo Editing Frustrations

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

As I really like to maintain copies of my original artwork, I usually photograph them with my Canon PowerShot SD 1000 7 megapixel Digital Elph. While I have been doing this for quite a while, I can never seem to get it right. (On a consistent basis) This top image was taken in full sunlight. I try auto mode, manual mode, macro mode and several different white balance settings and this is what I often end up with. This image is completely unedited and unusable as is.

When I got my new computer, I decided to forgo installing the resource hog that is Photoshop and started editing everything with Picasa - Google's free image editor. Usually it works out pretty well for me, but in this case, it's not. My usual routine is to balance the image by using the neutral color picker by clicking on a white area in the image, then use the auto contrast function, then add a bit of sharpness. In the above image, all I used was the auto contrast. Further tweaking with the Fill Light, Highlights, and Shadows sliders couldn't do the image justice. It still looks dull & flat. Unusable.

For grins, I try the "I'm feeling lucky" button. Um.... No. As far as I'm concerned, I can't get a usable version of this print so I will need to try photographing it with late afternoon sun to see if it will come out any better. What irks me is that the images always look good in the viewfinder - even when I zoom. It's not until I put them onscreen that I see how horrible they are.

This time I try scanning it with my Canon D660U scanner - but I already know what's going to happen. It's going to blow out. White paper always seems to create a blown out image such as this and I have tried & tried to adjust any and all settings in relation to my scanner & it's software & this is what I get. This is an unedited 180spi scan. Unusable.

I give Picasa's Auto Contrast button a go and no way... Completely oversaturated with no detail on the rough surface of the watercolor paper. No manual tweaking can better this image.

Once again, I hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button and no better. Still oversaturated & blown out.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious. Is it the camera that just can't handle the white paper in bright light? Is the white paper going to always make my scanner go bonkers?

Sigh.

Any suggestions? I've already decided to pick my "favorite" images and have them (high-res) scanned at a local camera shop but I wish there was a way I could do this by myself with consistent results.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Happy Birthday Gram

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:01:00 +0000

When I was maybe 12 years old, Gram and I would walk downtown for lunch at the local department store. Yes, you heard right. Department stores used to have their own built-in restaurants. Ironically, while that store is now long gone a restaurant is now housed in that same location and whenever I eat there, I can't help but think, "This used to be the shoe department where I would throw a fit and kick the salesman whenever he tried to place a shoe anywhere near my foot."

I can remember us walking past a deli and I saw something completely new to my young eyes. Giant strawberries the size of my 12 year old fist covered in chocolate. "Gram, can I have one of those?" Dipping into her pocketbook, (the one that always had a few fuzzy butterscotch candies at the bottom) she bought one for each of us. Taking a huge bite, she must have seen my eyes widening in delight because she said to me, "Next time, I'll make these for you." And that she did. Every year she would buy all of the leftover chocolate Easter bunnies from the drugstore down the street and melt them over a double boiler on her stove. She'd dip one strawberry after another and place them wax paper then into the fridge to cool. Not long after, I'd pull the plate from the fridge and she would let me eat every single one.

Gram loved me and I loved her.

She would have been 87 today.

Green and Blue Mandalas

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

This first mandala was a special piece that I created for my friend Andy. I created it on Clairefontaine watercolor paper first by painting it with artist grade watercolor paints and then adding the design with marker. The mantra surrounding the mandala is one of illumination - the Gayatri mantra.

Another watercolor mandala on Clairefontaine watercolor paper.

This mandala was drawn on off-white laid Fontaine pastel paper with marker and then colored in with Prismacolor colored pencils.

Review: Diamine Quartz Black Fountain Pen Ink

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Diamine New Century Quartz Black ink tested in an off-white lined Paperblanks journal with a F nibbed Sailor 1911 - one of my thinnest nibs which can sometimes be a bit of a dry writer.

This ink goes down dark but lightens as it dries. I'm a fan of super black inks and this isn't as saturated as I would prefer. (Perhaps a wider nib would put down a wetter, darker line.) After finding Herbin's Perle Noire, no other black ink seems saturated enough for me. The Quartz Black seems to have good flow - reminds me (in color) of Pelikan Brilliant Black or Sailor Gentle Black. (Not the Nano but the regular Gentle.) You can see shading with this ink and for me, if you can see shading with a black ink, it's not black enough for me.

Buy Diamine Inks in the UK at The Writing Desk or directly from Diamine and in the US from The Pear Tree Pen Company Ink is sold in 80ml glass bottles, 30 ml plastic bottles, and selected colors are available in cartridge form.

My Trip to NYC: Exaclair, Art Brown, Mr. Nagahara Pen Tweaks & the new Sailor Realo

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Last month, I took a trip into Manhattan to meet with Karen Doherty at Exaclair to discuss Rhodia Drive. I know many of you have communicated with her and isn't it nice to finally put a face to a name?

Karen's office stash of Clairefontaine, Rhodia and Herbin goodness.

We took a trip to Art Brown International Pen Shop because Mr. Nagahara from the Sailor pen company was going to be there doing pen clinics and we wanted our Sailor pen nibs tweaked by the master. (Kind of like having Gordon Ramsey sharpen your kitchen knives.)

Mr. Nagahara examines the nib of my Sailor 1911.

Mr. Nagahara perfecting the surface of my pen nib.

Adding the finishing touches. I had him tweak my 1911 and my Sapporo. Each tweaking took only minutes to perform and it was free.

This is Karen having the nib of her Sailor Magellan tweaked while Exaclair intern Max watches.

It appeared that there were Sailor sales reps on hand to demonstrate the new Sailor Realo - Sailor's first fountain pen utilizing a piston filling system. (That woman should be a hand model)

The Sailor Realo up close and personal. It appeared to be a very large pen. As I was pressed for time and since there were people looking at it that seemed to be interested in buying it, (at $400) I decided to not interrupt a potential sale with questions or additional photos..

All in all - a glorious day which included the BEST falafel EVER from a place in Chelsea called Pita Pan. I need to get back to the city fairly soon so I can spend a little more time at Art Brown and maybe also New York Central Art Supply. NYC has so many glorious old fashioned specialty stores and I could spend all day there!

My signature color palette has been revealed!

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:01:00 +0000

It was pointed out to me the other day that I appear to have a specific color palette that I like to work in. Upon further review, I'd definitely agree. I love these colors!

1. Consciousness, 2. Mandala, 3. Watercolor mandala, 4. Open mandala, 5. Love these colors!, 6. Mandala Art, 7. Watercolor on Clairefontaine Acrylic Paper, 8. Mandala for Birthday Wishes, 9. Mandala for Faith, 10. Perfection at its core, 11. Watercolor and Pen Mandala, 12. Mandala: Believe in yourself, 13. Mandala with Mantra (View Large), 14. Derwent Inktense & Watercolor on Handmade India Paper., 15. What wonderful paper.... Watercolor mandala, 16. Self Motivation Mandala, 17. 063008 And this is my Reality. Elemental Mandala Doodle, 18. 061508 The People in your life, 19. Colors of my Heart, 20. Lost and Lonely Mandala, 21. Watercolor Mandala, 22. Hotel painting in Atlanta., 23. Still Gathering Thoughts, 24. Watercolor Directional Flower Mandala, 25. Added a bit more color, 26. 111407 Watercolor Flower Sun Eye Mandala to lift my spirits, 27. 0307 Bright Life Mandala, 28. Watercolor Mandala inspired by Rachel

Diamine Ink Review Index

Stephanie@biffybeans.com (Biffybeans) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:46:00 +0000

This is a list of all of the Diamine ink reviews I have performed to date. New reviews will be added here as they are completed.