And the instrument of the week is...

 

Dear Kathy, this is a special post, in request of your question from  your last comment. I was going to write you an answer via email, but since this blog is for communication purposes between artists, I decided to answer here since the info may be useful to others too...

So, Kathy asked what instrument I use to write white letters on top of dark colors... like the "love" piece I did for my last commission, and here it is.. behold, the Kemper Fluid Writer Pen.

I came across this little thing after trying white gel pens one time and again, they all kept getting clogged or dry or something, maybe because they would pick up the acrylic or maybe because they are actually useless. I was convinced life was not meant to have white ink pens that actually work. Maybe I needed to find a small brush and draw the words, but that was too much trouble and too time consuming so I gave up after trying about 8 different brands of white gel pens. And then I was one day at Michaels browsing in the sewing section, I don't know why since I don't sew, and there it was, this little thing that looks like a calligraphy pen but with a little pouch for ink, it said it was for fabric AND that you could use acrylic ink on it, and I had one of those AHA! moments and thought that maybe, just maybe this was the answer for that problem... so I took it home and after trying it unsuccessfully before realising I had to use acrylic paint thinned with water or acrylic medium (I am not one of those people that actually read instructions, I'm too impatient!) I got the hang of it and now I use it in almost everything that I do. I love doing little dots with it, lines and lines of dots and hatches and little people and flowers. What I really love  about it is that you can use any color you want on it, and you don't have to buy a new pen if you want a different color. I do have to clean it every time I use it, otherwise the paint dries on it and it's really hard to clean. It comes with a little wire you can use to clean the inside of it, but I found that you can clean it with water and a thin brush and it works ok too.

I also use a white poster paint sharpie for lettering and adding details but the tip is bigger than the Writer Pen so it's harder to use in finer details.

Anybody else has one of these pens? If you do, please tell us how often you use it and if you have any more cool tips.

And before I forget...  Happy New Year! I am still in Mexico!!! yay! And enjoying every moment of it! Drinking coconut milk on big glass mugs with umbrellas. I am not even kidding. We come back on the weekend, and I am noticing that my English is getting rusty and my taste buds are gonna miss all the spice we have over here...  Have a great new year, filled with inspiration and great projects!

hey, I just had an idea... maybe I will start a new section on the website with "The instrument of the week" And take pictures of how I use them and such... I would like to see something like that on other artist's blogs too...  

Comments

[jafabrit]

I enjoyed the information about the pen because there have been occasions when I have wanted to use a pen and gave up in frustration.

so envious, sipping coconut milk in mexica, how wonderful :)

[robyn]

I thought it was just my own personal bad luck with white gel pens, that is so funny. I didn't have the stick-to-it-iveness that you do though and only went through about 3 white gel pens before giving up. I thought it was because I drew too hard with them.
Thanks for sharing, I'll have to keep this in mind next time the need for fine white linework arises.

[drb]

Thanks for the really useful post -- I have one of these. Bought it in a markdown bin, but had never gotten around to using it -- but now I know HOW.

[Pacha]

Oh my gosh, Rosa, I love you! :o)
I'm soo happy about that post... that's so awesome, I HAVE TO go and get one. RIGHT NOW! ... oh wait there's a storm going on right now... ah... they can't stop me. this is just what I was looking for...

Thanks so much, you're always a source of inspiration!
Much love
Pacha

[KathyL]

Rosa,

I LOVE YOU! I have been searching for something that actually works! Oh gosh thank you for sharing! I can't tell you how many white gel pens I have been through. And you are right about the sharpie! Now I will be able to do any color writing! I am soooo excited. I will let you know when I get my hands on one of these babies!

Besos
k

[Hanna]

Wow, that sure is one cool tool that I think every mixed media artist would love to know about and use! I wonder if I will find one in Sweden? Have to look.

Happy New year girl!

[arlee]

Oh why didn't i think of that for text on textiles?!?!?!?! Thanks for the reminder that sometimes we overlook or forget the tools we have most access to :}