My Art Tools

Easter Sunday checking on my old watercolour set and brushes which I neglected for a long time.

"Mi Kwang Magic Palette" made in Korea but bought in Taipei,
"Escoda Reserva Kolinsky-Tajmyr Sable Pocket Round #12" travel brush bought in Barcelona,
"Straits Art Sable" travel brush made by Ah Seng bought in Singapore Straits Art,
"Colorpro Taklon Squuirrel" rigger brush made in Japan.

I don't use these anymore, I use mainly fountain pens and synthetic water brushes for colour washes.

tools for the participants

Leaving this evening for the Symposium in Barcelona, I will be giving all our participants one of these to experiment during our workshop under category "expressing yourself" at the symposium!

new tools

Since I lost my pencil case with my hero fountain pens in there, I needed fountain pens badly for my coming sketching trip to Penang from 13 to 18 Jun. So, I went to Straits Art to buy the fountain pens and something else, not one but three Escoda brushes and a Escoda pouch. I am all ready for the trip!

The day I lost my tools

This sketch took me 30 seconds but my loss on that day is forever!

I did this sketch at School of the Arts (SOTA)to illustrate to my students how to select the location, see the space and start sketching. I took out a foundtain pen - Hero M86 with the black Noodler's ink from my Muji pencil case. I must have left the pencil case on the floor or somewhere instead of putting it back to my bag immediately. I could not find my pencil case the next day! So sad!

My son who is a SOTA student helped me to locate the lost pencil case in the following days. I also searched my car from front to back, from top to bottom. Alas! It is gone forever! I have 2 Hero M578 with "spirit of bamboo" Noodler's ink and 1 more Hero M86 with the black ink plus a travel set Escoda brush. ALL GONE!

However, I lost more important personal stuff in the office last Novmember due to someone's negligence and incompetence. I could have sued the management. However, I learnt to protect myself for not allowing the pain of loss to set in, I also learnt to move on and seek happiness and not to look back at my loss. Instead, I focus on the good time we spent together. Bye, my M86, M578 and the brush. You have served me well. I miss you all.

my sketching gear

Hero 501-1 and PO-ink

Bought these two items recently.

pens and pencils

Last week, before I could find time to do more sketches, I took a few pictures on the pencil holders that I collected. The latest acquisition was the most expensive of all - Mont Blanc Leonardo Sketch Pen shown here on the far right. I always wanted to buy it but hestitated. Last week, I went to a very nice pen shop to buy the ink catridges for my fountain pen, Jimmy, the shop owner told me the sketch pen will be discontinued soon and I was visibly upset. I went back to the shop to buy it after thinking through over a cup of coffee at the near-by coffee shop.

From left to right - Lamy Safari, Hero M86 Calligraphy Pen, AA Waterman c.1910, Architect Pencil, Lamy Clutch Pencil, Broker Pencil, Faber Castell E Motion Pencil, Cretacolor Lead Holder, Polumbus, Wecle Japan, Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth chalk /lead holder and Mont Blanc Leonardo Pencil.

Some details on my flickr site.