It's been a while since my last video! My aim is to upload weekly but as of recently that's just not been possible as I've been incredibly busy with my studies and life in general. Thank you for being patient. The summer holidays are on the horizon and I have lots of exciting videos planned!
Good work Claudia, I dont get on with them myself but I have a set. I may now try them on some Arboreta pastel sugar paper I have. I'll see how I get on.
Thank you so much for make this review of Derwent Soft color pencils , Zes-It blender color pencils, and the paper too, I have Mi-Teintes paper, and I didn't know, that this paper can be use for color pencils too 🥰🥰🥰❤❤❤
It’s been a while since I’ve just taken a moment to relax and appreciate an art video, I’d forgotten how relaxing watching you draw is- it’s entrancing really. I love the details you put in like the subtle lighting it’s amazing to watch you. Have a lovely day, summers almost here!!
Thank you so much for sharing your reviews with us. You're saving us money and grief showing us what products work well with others. You have a sweet voice that is a pleasure to listen to. Beautiful bird.
Claudia Sketches thanks to your vid , I've purchased sakura koi brush pens , I didn't have much time to play with them , but I already like them a lot !
Very interesting video. It is lovely to follow your brushes' strokes and see how the final result came up to be! You were missed! Good luck with your studies.
Hi Claudia, it's lovely to see a new video uploaded and I'm pleased that you managed to find a way to portray the Coloursofts in a favourable light. Not many artists do but I guess they get frustrated if they don't perform as well as they 'should' for the price they paid for them. At least you persevere and I like that. Loved the birdie!
Thank you so much, Jane! I really appreciate it! I certainly acknowledge that the Coloursoft aren't quite as versatile as competing lines/brands at a similar price point, but I have the mindset that every material has their own strengths and weaknesses. The most frustrating thing to do is to try and get the material to "bend to one's will" and try and get it to do something it's just not suited for- instead you can play into its strengths or try and find creative solutions to these limitations. I have to admit, I find that some of my most successful pieces (both visually and educationally) arose from being limited by the medium I was using. For example, mediums that are difficult to achieve detail with can give painterly, impressionistic results. A small set of colours or a limited palette results in a more harmonious outcome.
I think I have mentioned this before but my first set of Coloursofts were bought by Mum on my birthday about 3 years ago now... a set of 12 Limited Editions and they were fabulous. I'm no expert like yourself but I coloured in a large pic that could be taken out of a book and Mum liked it so much she framed it and it's now up her stairs on the wall. The reason why the pic worked was I only used a few pencils, maybe about 6 from the set. As Mum said (she's brilliant with colour as she studied textile design in the 60s) "less is more" and she's so right. Unfortunately, I could not buy the Limited Edition pencils open stock once they wore down..I guess that's why they had 'Limited Edition' written on the front of the tin lol.😊
Oh yes! I remember you saying now! I love the idea of having even more colours in a collection (and having colours that feel more special, or work well together in a palette), but I'm not sure if I could ever muster the courage to buy a limited edition set because I'd feel awful when I would eventually run out! The colours in that Coloursoft limited edition set were gorgeous though. You've inspired me, I need to make a note to play around with limited colour palettes more. :D
This is phenomenal artwork considering that you only had 12 pencils with which to do It! You have illustrated a very important principle here. Sorry, did not mean a pun, I am seriously admiring what you accomplished.
I'm enjoying the wonderful prize package you sent me. Your red panda portrait is framed and in my home studio. I see it throughout the day and it brings me joy. So excited to see this video and the bird is so beautiful. I look forward to seeing more. Many thanks.
A beautiful bird portrait, Claudia. I was very interested in your comments on the Coloursoft pencils. I have only the skin-tones 6-pack and had very lackluster results with them, not least as I am still a novice with coloured pencils. But I was recently practicing a portrait, mainly using my Procolours and Drawing pencils, and decided to retry the Coloursoft. I put down one what I thought was a light layer of the Coloursoft , but still found it next to impossible to layer the Procolour on top. Probably I should have used the Procolour first, I was using Strathmore Toned Grey paper. But after watching this video, I am encouraged to get out a pastel pad and see what I can achieve with that. Thanks for the food for thought!
Thank you very much! Ooh, you bring up some interesting points! I haven't tried the regular Strathmore toned paper, but I've tried the tone mixed media paper (which I assume to be just a heavier version of the same paper and has a similar surface). The surface is very smooth and not something that I'd recommend for work where layering is crucial, and it can be quite difficult to get the desired vibrancy and opacity before the surface is too slick to hold any more pigment. I'm not sure how solvents would work on the Strathmore toned paper but maybe they'd work for the techniques you desire, especially if you blend out between layers to remove some of the waxiness and help secure an even coverage whilst still maintaing the paper's ability to accept more layers. I certainly encourage experimenting! There's nothing quite like stumbling across something that works perfectly :D
Lovely walk through! As primarily a gouache painter, I've never got the hang of coloured pencils, and the one time I tried it I was put off by the greasy stains left by the solvent - I didn't realise that was a common issue that would resolve itself (why does no one talk about this :o ) Bird turned out great, and I appreciate all the tips you shared in this video
Admittedly it's been several days now and I'm still seeing some staining left behind by the Zest-It although it seems to be slowly fading... although I'm not 100% certain if it will disappear entirely. It's not something I've really had an issue with before (at least not this severe), but then again I don't usually slop on as much Zest-It as I did here. :P (Down to recklessness and laziness, but a good learning moment nonetheless!) So far the Mi Teintes is the only paper I've worked on that I've noticed that has the problem to this extent as well (but it might simply be down to the paper colour). Being sparing with the solvents helps- on areas that I used a brush that was *just* damp enough to move the pigments around, the solvents didn't bleed or feather and there is no staining whatsoever, not even on the back of the paper, where it's easier to see differences in paper colour.
I use these materials: Prısmacolor and Mitsubishı coloredpencils, smoothpaper fine sandpaper Canson mitientes, we dont have that medium here and pastelmat is so expensive. Great arworks and very informative helpful channel thanks for the tutorials goodluck 🎨🙏🤗👏🏼⭐️❤️
Lee Hammond has done beautiful colored pencil work on suede mat board using Coloursoft pencils. I have no idea how she does it, though (e.g., how she blends, etc.). Just a thought in case you'd like to try it. :)
Thanks for the suggestion! I've been wanting to try suede matboard for a while but it's one of those things which I can't really warrant the expense of overseas shipping even though it looks so divine. I'll be in the UK this summer so I'll keep my eyes peeled. Not sure if I'd be using Coloursoft with it though- I only have a 12 set and prefer other pencils in my collection- but I think it would be very interesting to try. The pencils blend very nicely on Pastelmat (another type of coated/textured surface) and blended especially well with liquid solvents. You can see how that went in the review video I made about the Coloursoft pencils. :)
Claudia, have you used chelsea lavender spike oil? it is totally made of crushed lavender and is totally non- toxic and can be left open in your studio with no headaches ect. It can be used for oil painting and colored pencils as well. It is sold at Jerrysartarama here in the states or amazon I believe. I wish they would send you some for your review as you really give good reviews and honest opinions of your using. Your work is so lovely as well.
Thank you very much! I've heard about it, but I've also heard it's incredibly expensive. Gamsol and Mona Lisa paint thinners are also alternatives I would've investigated if Zest-It didn't work for me, but for me Zest-It is very inexpensive and I can purchase it relatively easily.
Great video, beautiful bird. I have to say I use colorsoft pencils and really don't get on with liquid blender at all, it's very unforgiving and I get on much better with side-on strokes and a blender or burnisher pencil. You don't appear to have any issues though. Edit : Just noticed this is two years old 😕
I am wondering if the type of solvent plays a role in the succes of blending the derwent coloursofts. I tested it only with Zest-it until now and that works fine on many papers. I know of some youtube reviews of the coloursofts where odourless mineral spirits where used as a solvent to blend. Maybe Zest-it works better for the coloursofts?
The surface of the coloured pencil gets a milky looking coating. The closest thing I can compare it to is the bloom you get on fruit such as grapes, plums and blueberries. It gives the colour a clouded appearance. Hope that explains things!
Thank you. You are the first one who answered my question. I am new with colored pencil. I know exactly what you mean about wax bloom now. Thank you. thank you.
Zest-It Pencil Blend is non-toxic. It's recommended that it is used in an adequately ventilated area nonetheless. :) http//www.zest-it.com/zestitin.htm I've bought it on both Amazon and through Jackson's Art Supplies (who deliver worldwide). It comes in a variety of different bottle sizes, so it may be worthwhile looking to see if another bottle size is in stock. It does look like it's not available on US Amazon currently, which is unfortunate!
Ohh and why is it required to use in a ventilated area ? 😳 If it's non toxic . So I can't use it in my room w air conditioner ? 🤔 Omgosh it's so hot in Puerto Rico
The link above is Zest-It's own website, so I can't provide you with any more technical information than they do. All I can provide is guesses and opinions, so keep that in mind. :) I reckon that recommending ventilation seen as a bit of a disclaimer: a lot of things can be dangerous in a high enough dose or concentration. Not all rooms are equal in terms of size and air-flow, so they probably want to cover their backs and prevent people using the solvents in places that just aren't suitable. Even if it's classified as non-toxic, anything in a large enough amount can be considered harmful. Use your own judgement. The smell is strongly orange-y with a "solvent"-y undertone, and I have found it overwhelming if I use a lot of it all at once in my small art space without great ventilation. I can't say though if this discomfort means that the solvents are having any negative effects on my health, but I choose to err on the side of caution and avoid getting to the point where the fumes are too much to begin with. Here's the link to Jackson's: www.jacksonsart.com/
Thanks for the link :). ❤️ And for the info! 👍👍 I guess I won't use it with air conditioner :/. Ohhh and how about if my room door is open and w air conditioner ? Just wanna hear opinion . If you think it's not a good idea I'll open the windows 😜
Hi Claudia, I have a question, I buy a Zest-it color blender, and I am using it in a drawing that I am doing, the paper is Strathmore Tone Paper 118 gm and 80 lb, and the paper is impregnated with solvent, although I clean them on a paper towel first. The brushes I am using are synthetic, and I have also used cotton swabs. What brushes do you recommend I use? because I am very frustrated with this problem. Maybe is the paper...
Regular Mi-Teintes. I keep a list of materials (with links) in the description box if that helps :) I haven't worked with the Touch very much at all as I much prefer the surface of Pastelmat. That accepts solvents very well- as shown in the Coloursoft review video that this video was a follow-up to.
Lovely video and fantastic blue tit! I bought some Zest It a couple of weeks ago and I am really pleased with it. I get migraines etc with chemical smells so I had avoided using them. The Zest It was a real find and worth the price for the comfort using it.
I'm so glad you're able to use a blending medium in comfort! :D I admit that it could be pure coincidence (and down to other lifestyle changes), but I've noticed that I get migraines and headaches much more infrequently now since moving over to Zest-It, and avoiding using alcohol-based blenders or OMS. I still find it worth while to work in a reasonably well ventilated area and try to be *somewhat* sparing though, particularly for larger pieces and during longer sittings. Thank you very much for watching and commenting, glad you enjoyed it!
Claudia, why couldn't you use watercolor pencils to block in color instead of solvents and go over with colored pencils. Is this possible? I don't work in them because of solvents.
Sure! It would limit what sort of paper you could work on (the Canson Mi-Teintes I work on here for instance wouldn't tolerate being wet with water). Using watercolour pencils can also create different effects. Check out Lisa of Animal Art by LAW- she often uses Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils as a base for traditional coloured pencils. You certainly don't need solvents to easily use coloured pencils though- in fact I do have a few videos on my channel where I use no solvents- or so little that it had no impact on the process): ruclips.net/p/PLj5nL5XzgAZmOsibrfq2gBkYuze85Sesg
Hi, new subscriber here, you make lovely helpful videos! :) About Zest-it, not sure it's just my impression, but it seems to me that it takes longer to dry compared to regular OMS. In fact I find it a bit frustrating, most of all on toned paper, because it takes a while to see how the colors look when dry. Like I said it could just be my impression and that they perform the same way.
Hi! Welcome, and thank you for watching and commenting :) I agree that Zest-It pencil blend takes longer to dry, but I've also personally found it to be more effective than the OMS/paint thinners I was using previously- although it's possible that the effects achieved can vary by brand. I've definitely found that paper plays an important role- I've found that mix media/WC paper and pastelmat seems to allow the solvents to dry quicker, but it could simply be that pastelmat isn't absorbant, and that the WC paper I've used has been white and doesn't show the wetness nearly as clearly. In some respects though I like how Zest-It dries slowly. It means it's less fume-y and has a slightly longer working time than the more volatile paint thinners/OMS. I'm currently working on a piece where I've been fighting with colour-matching. My base layers were pale colours that contained a lot of white pigment. Whenever I blend out, the whole area looks significantly darker and I end up adjusting my colours to this- often adding in white and pale highlights (which only exacerbates the problem later on). I'll come back to it the following morning after the solvents have dried and the colours look washed out and pale. I'm going to keep this in mind with my following pieces and make my base layers much darker and try to avoid using white pigment early on.
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It's been a while since my last video! My aim is to upload weekly but as of recently that's just not been possible as I've been incredibly busy with my studies and life in general. Thank you for being patient.
The summer holidays are on the horizon and I have lots of exciting videos planned!
Good work Claudia, I dont get on with them myself but I have a set. I may now try them on some Arboreta pastel sugar paper I have. I'll see how I get on.
Knowing how long it takes to create a video I appreciate any time you can post 👍🏻
Thank you so much for your understanding, Maureen! :D
Thank you so much for make this review of Derwent Soft color pencils , Zes-It blender color pencils, and the paper too, I have Mi-Teintes paper, and I didn't know, that this paper can be use for color pencils too 🥰🥰🥰❤❤❤
It’s been a while since I’ve just taken a moment to relax and appreciate an art video, I’d forgotten how relaxing watching you draw is- it’s entrancing really. I love the details you put in like the subtle lighting it’s amazing to watch you. Have a lovely day, summers almost here!!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment :) I'm glad you find my videos relaxing!
Just how beautiful is this bird , just love your work.
Thank you Beverley! :)
Thank you so much for sharing your reviews with us. You're saving us money and grief showing us what products work well with others. You have a sweet voice that is a pleasure to listen to. Beautiful bird.
Your advices are as crisp as your pencils work ! Thanks you so much for your hard work !
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your comparison :D
Claudia Sketches thanks to your vid , I've purchased sakura koi brush pens , I didn't have much time to play with them , but I already like them a lot !
I'm so glad- that's awesome to hear! Hope you find more time to play with them in the future :D
Yay. You are so correct about using the pastelmat and Canson . I LOVE Coloursoft blending, too. Great demo and details.
Very interesting video. It is lovely to follow your brushes' strokes and see how the final result came up to be!
You were missed!
Good luck with your studies.
beautiful ! i have those birds in my garden every spring
Beautiful Bird Claudia, i love to worked with the colorsoft and the Gamsol, the result is Awesome! Thank You great video!
Thank you very much Sylvie :)
Hi Claudia, it's lovely to see a new video uploaded and I'm pleased that you managed to find a way to portray the Coloursofts in a favourable light. Not many artists do but I guess they get frustrated if they don't perform as well as they 'should' for the price they paid for them. At least you persevere and I like that. Loved the birdie!
Thank you so much, Jane! I really appreciate it!
I certainly acknowledge that the Coloursoft aren't quite as versatile as competing lines/brands at a similar price point, but I have the mindset that every material has their own strengths and weaknesses. The most frustrating thing to do is to try and get the material to "bend to one's will" and try and get it to do something it's just not suited for- instead you can play into its strengths or try and find creative solutions to these limitations.
I have to admit, I find that some of my most successful pieces (both visually and educationally) arose from being limited by the medium I was using. For example, mediums that are difficult to achieve detail with can give painterly, impressionistic results. A small set of colours or a limited palette results in a more harmonious outcome.
I think I have mentioned this before but my first set of Coloursofts were bought by Mum on my birthday about 3 years ago now... a set of 12 Limited Editions and they were fabulous. I'm no expert like yourself but I coloured in a large pic that could be taken out of a book and Mum liked it so much she framed it and it's now up her stairs on the wall. The reason why the pic worked was I only used a few pencils, maybe about 6 from the set. As Mum said (she's brilliant with colour as she studied textile design in the 60s) "less is more" and she's so right. Unfortunately, I could not buy the Limited Edition pencils open stock once they wore down..I guess that's why they had 'Limited Edition' written on the front of the tin lol.😊
Oh yes! I remember you saying now! I love the idea of having even more colours in a collection (and having colours that feel more special, or work well together in a palette), but I'm not sure if I could ever muster the courage to buy a limited edition set because I'd feel awful when I would eventually run out! The colours in that Coloursoft limited edition set were gorgeous though.
You've inspired me, I need to make a note to play around with limited colour palettes more. :D
Aww, that's kind of you to say so. I've never 'inspired' someone before, so that's a first, thank you.
This is phenomenal artwork considering that you only had 12 pencils with which to do It! You have illustrated a very important principle here. Sorry, did not mean a pun, I am seriously admiring what you accomplished.
I'm enjoying the wonderful prize package you sent me. Your red panda portrait is framed and in my home studio. I see it throughout the day and it brings me joy. So excited to see this video and the bird is so beautiful. I look forward to seeing more. Many thanks.
I'm glad the Red Panda is in such a loving home! Thank you very much, Emma. :)
A beautiful bird portrait, Claudia.
I was very interested in your comments on the Coloursoft pencils. I have only the skin-tones 6-pack and had very lackluster results with them, not least as I am still a novice with coloured pencils. But I was recently practicing a portrait, mainly using my Procolours and Drawing pencils, and decided to retry the Coloursoft. I put down one what I thought was a light layer of the Coloursoft , but still found it next to impossible to layer the Procolour on top. Probably I should have used the Procolour first, I was using Strathmore Toned Grey paper. But after watching this video, I am encouraged to get out a pastel pad and see what I can achieve with that. Thanks for the food for thought!
Thank you very much!
Ooh, you bring up some interesting points!
I haven't tried the regular Strathmore toned paper, but I've tried the tone mixed media paper (which I assume to be just a heavier version of the same paper and has a similar surface). The surface is very smooth and not something that I'd recommend for work where layering is crucial, and it can be quite difficult to get the desired vibrancy and opacity before the surface is too slick to hold any more pigment.
I'm not sure how solvents would work on the Strathmore toned paper but maybe they'd work for the techniques you desire, especially if you blend out between layers to remove some of the waxiness and help secure an even coverage whilst still maintaing the paper's ability to accept more layers.
I certainly encourage experimenting! There's nothing quite like stumbling across something that works perfectly :D
Lovely walk through! As primarily a gouache painter, I've never got the hang of coloured pencils, and the one time I tried it I was put off by the greasy stains left by the solvent - I didn't realise that was a common issue that would resolve itself (why does no one talk about this :o )
Bird turned out great, and I appreciate all the tips you shared in this video
Admittedly it's been several days now and I'm still seeing some staining left behind by the Zest-It although it seems to be slowly fading... although I'm not 100% certain if it will disappear entirely. It's not something I've really had an issue with before (at least not this severe), but then again I don't usually slop on as much Zest-It as I did here. :P (Down to recklessness and laziness, but a good learning moment nonetheless!)
So far the Mi Teintes is the only paper I've worked on that I've noticed that has the problem to this extent as well (but it might simply be down to the paper colour). Being sparing with the solvents helps- on areas that I used a brush that was *just* damp enough to move the pigments around, the solvents didn't bleed or feather and there is no staining whatsoever, not even on the back of the paper, where it's easier to see differences in paper colour.
I enjoy watching your videos and learning different techniques. Thank you.
Thank you very much for watching and commenting, Georgia! :)
Adorable little bird! You did a great job.
Thanks, Brenda! :D
I use these materials: Prısmacolor and Mitsubishı coloredpencils, smoothpaper fine sandpaper Canson mitientes, we dont have that medium here and pastelmat is so expensive. Great arworks and very informative helpful channel thanks for the tutorials goodluck 🎨🙏🤗👏🏼⭐️❤️
Thank you very much for watching and your kind words :) I love Canson Mi-Teintes!
That was delightful tip thanks again
NIce to see a new video from you :)
Can´t wait to see what you will do in your summer break! Also beautiful drawing.
Thank you Shiroichi :D
Magnifique création ! Very very Nice !
Beautiful!!!!
Thank you :D
I just found you on RUclips and loveddd this video! I hope you are going to make more video's. Thank you for sharing. 😀
Just beautiful, thank y. Blessings
Lee Hammond has done beautiful colored pencil work on suede mat board using Coloursoft pencils. I have no idea how she does it, though (e.g., how she blends, etc.). Just a thought in case you'd like to try it. :)
Thanks for the suggestion! I've been wanting to try suede matboard for a while but it's one of those things which I can't really warrant the expense of overseas shipping even though it looks so divine. I'll be in the UK this summer so I'll keep my eyes peeled.
Not sure if I'd be using Coloursoft with it though- I only have a 12 set and prefer other pencils in my collection- but I think it would be very interesting to try.
The pencils blend very nicely on Pastelmat (another type of coated/textured surface) and blended especially well with liquid solvents. You can see how that went in the review video I made about the Coloursoft pencils. :)
@@ClaudiaSketches Makes sense to me! I know it's super pricey even without the overseas shipping.
Claudia, have you used chelsea lavender spike oil? it is totally made of crushed lavender and is totally non- toxic and can be left open in your studio with no headaches ect. It can be used for oil painting and colored pencils as well. It is sold at Jerrysartarama here in the states or amazon I believe. I wish they would send you some for your review as you really give good reviews and honest opinions of your using. Your work is so lovely as well.
Thank you very much! I've heard about it, but I've also heard it's incredibly expensive. Gamsol and Mona Lisa paint thinners are also alternatives I would've investigated if Zest-It didn't work for me, but for me Zest-It is very inexpensive and I can purchase it relatively easily.
Just find you and love your videos:)
Great video, beautiful bird. I have to say I use colorsoft pencils and really don't get on with liquid blender at all, it's very unforgiving and I get on much better with side-on strokes and a blender or burnisher pencil. You don't appear to have any issues though.
Edit : Just noticed this is two years old 😕
I am wondering if the type of solvent plays a role in the succes of blending the derwent coloursofts. I tested it only with Zest-it until now and that works fine on many papers. I know of some youtube reviews of the coloursofts where odourless mineral spirits where used as a solvent to blend. Maybe Zest-it works better for the coloursofts?
Gorgeous!
Another great video and drawing from you.
Thank you Xargot!
A slip of the tongue or a turn of phrase, I'm aware that the pigments are in suspension when a liquid solvent is used :)
What white colored pencil are you using? I use prismacolor and can’t get it to layer over blended colors
Thanks for showing this.. I have asked others but go no reply, Could you tell me what exactly is a wax bloom and what does it look like? Thanks again.
The surface of the coloured pencil gets a milky looking coating. The closest thing I can compare it to is the bloom you get on fruit such as grapes, plums and blueberries. It gives the colour a clouded appearance. Hope that explains things!
Thank you. You are the first one who answered my question. I am new with colored pencil. I know exactly what you mean about wax bloom now. Thank you. thank you.
Wonderful!
Thank you! :D
Is this non toxic ? Where do I buy it? On amazon it says not available.
Zest-It Pencil Blend is non-toxic. It's recommended that it is used in an adequately ventilated area nonetheless. :)
http//www.zest-it.com/zestitin.htm
I've bought it on both Amazon and through Jackson's Art Supplies (who deliver worldwide). It comes in a variety of different bottle sizes, so it may be worthwhile looking to see if another bottle size is in stock.
It does look like it's not available on US Amazon currently, which is unfortunate!
Thanks for the reply !!! And what's the compelte address for the Jackson website ?:/
Ohh and why is it required to use in a ventilated area ? 😳 If it's non toxic . So I can't use it in my room w air conditioner ? 🤔 Omgosh it's so hot in Puerto Rico
The link above is Zest-It's own website, so I can't provide you with any more technical information than they do. All I can provide is guesses and opinions, so keep that in mind. :)
I reckon that recommending ventilation seen as a bit of a disclaimer: a lot of things can be dangerous in a high enough dose or concentration. Not all rooms are equal in terms of size and air-flow, so they probably want to cover their backs and prevent people using the solvents in places that just aren't suitable. Even if it's classified as non-toxic, anything in a large enough amount can be considered harmful. Use your own judgement.
The smell is strongly orange-y with a "solvent"-y undertone, and I have found it overwhelming if I use a lot of it all at once in my small art space without great ventilation. I can't say though if this discomfort means that the solvents are having any negative effects on my health, but I choose to err on the side of caution and avoid getting to the point where the fumes are too much to begin with.
Here's the link to Jackson's:
www.jacksonsart.com/
Thanks for the link :). ❤️
And for the info! 👍👍 I guess I won't use it with air conditioner :/. Ohhh and how about if my room door is open and w air conditioner ? Just wanna hear opinion . If you think it's not a good idea I'll open the windows 😜
Hi!! What type of solvent did you use?
When i use a white pencil it doesnt draw on paper. ??????
Hi Claudia, I have a question, I buy a Zest-it color blender, and I am using it in a drawing that I am doing, the paper is Strathmore Tone Paper 118 gm and 80 lb, and the paper is impregnated with solvent, although I clean them on a paper towel first. The brushes I am using are synthetic, and I have also used cotton swabs. What brushes do you recommend I use? because I am very frustrated with this problem. Maybe is the paper...
Try thicker paper, less solvent and more pigment on the paper before you start adding solvent
@@ClaudiaSketches oh ok, I will, thank you so much!👍🏻😁
Which variety of Canson Mi-Teintes do you usually use solvents like Zest-It on? The Touch sanded papers?
Regular Mi-Teintes. I keep a list of materials (with links) in the description box if that helps :) I haven't worked with the Touch very much at all as I much prefer the surface of Pastelmat. That accepts solvents very well- as shown in the Coloursoft review video that this video was a follow-up to.
Lovely video and fantastic blue tit! I bought some Zest It a couple of weeks ago and I am really pleased with it. I get migraines etc with chemical smells so I had avoided using them. The Zest It was a real find and worth the price for the comfort using it.
I'm so glad you're able to use a blending medium in comfort! :D
I admit that it could be pure coincidence (and down to other lifestyle changes), but I've noticed that I get migraines and headaches much more infrequently now since moving over to Zest-It, and avoiding using alcohol-based blenders or OMS. I still find it worth while to work in a reasonably well ventilated area and try to be *somewhat* sparing though, particularly for larger pieces and during longer sittings.
Thank you very much for watching and commenting, glad you enjoyed it!
how to clean the brush after use?
Wipe on paper towel or rag :)
does it take to dry?
Когда я использую белый карандаш, он не рисует по бумаге. Почему ?
Cute little nugget 🐦
Claudia, why couldn't you use watercolor pencils to block in color instead of solvents and go over with colored pencils. Is this possible? I don't work in them because of solvents.
Sure! It would limit what sort of paper you could work on (the Canson Mi-Teintes I work on here for instance wouldn't tolerate being wet with water). Using watercolour pencils can also create different effects.
Check out Lisa of Animal Art by LAW- she often uses Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils as a base for traditional coloured pencils.
You certainly don't need solvents to easily use coloured pencils though- in fact I do have a few videos on my channel where I use no solvents- or so little that it had no impact on the process): ruclips.net/p/PLj5nL5XzgAZmOsibrfq2gBkYuze85Sesg
@@ClaudiaSketches Thank you!! I love your animals you draw!!
Hi, new subscriber here, you make lovely helpful videos! :)
About Zest-it, not sure it's just my impression, but it seems to me that it takes longer to dry compared to regular OMS. In fact I find it a bit frustrating, most of all on toned paper, because it takes a while to see how the colors look when dry. Like I said it could just be my impression and that they perform the same way.
Hi! Welcome, and thank you for watching and commenting :)
I agree that Zest-It pencil blend takes longer to dry, but I've also personally found it to be more effective than the OMS/paint thinners I was using previously- although it's possible that the effects achieved can vary by brand. I've definitely found that paper plays an important role- I've found that mix media/WC paper and pastelmat seems to allow the solvents to dry quicker, but it could simply be that pastelmat isn't absorbant, and that the WC paper I've used has been white and doesn't show the wetness nearly as clearly.
In some respects though I like how Zest-It dries slowly. It means it's less fume-y and has a slightly longer working time than the more volatile paint thinners/OMS.
I'm currently working on a piece where I've been fighting with colour-matching. My base layers were pale colours that contained a lot of white pigment. Whenever I blend out, the whole area looks significantly darker and I end up adjusting my colours to this- often adding in white and pale highlights (which only exacerbates the problem later on). I'll come back to it the following morning after the solvents have dried and the colours look washed out and pale. I'm going to keep this in mind with my following pieces and make my base layers much darker and try to avoid using white pigment early on.
Hi, love your tutorialof how to blend with solvents, I just found you in Google search !!!!, I subscribe to your tutorials ,wonderful tips !!!❤