Knitting books are great resources for both beginning and advanced knitters. For the novice they offer pragmatic how-to’s, and for the seasoned veteran they’re excellent sources of inspiration. Some books are geared toward learning basic skills; others are impressive collections of stitches, patterns, and charts. Your knitting needles will fly as you create beautiful garments […] Continue reading
For many, easels are an essential part of the painting process. Artists have used them for millennia: One of the first recorded uses of an easel dates back 2,000 years to the Romans; medieval monks used them to display precious illuminated manuscripts. Easels gained popularity during the Renaissance as artists created fewer paintings directly on […] Continue reading
Who’s up on the latest fashion trends, cuts the best figure, and puts together the best looks? A paper doll. A generations-old toy, dress-up paper dolls owe their origins to 18th century France, where they had movable limbs and were akin to puppets. A London company produced the first commercially available paper doll in 1810, […] Continue reading
Flat files are essential for artists, architects, engineers, and anyone else who creates work on paper. Sheets of paper are easily damaged, and flat files protect them from wrinkles, folds, tears, dirt, and smudges. They are available in a wide range of sizes, from smaller cabinets which store 9” x 12” and 12” x 18” […] Continue reading
It can be difficult to find the perfect candle. Once you’ve found an ideal scent, the container might be too big or too small or perhaps decorated in a way that doesn’t match your esthetic. Why not make your own? You can easily create and customize your dream candles with a candle-making kit, most of […] Continue reading
Water-soluble fabric markers are magical: Now you see it . . . and now you don’t! These markers are a fabulous way to trace patterns and transfer designs when quilting, sewing, and embroidering. The marker lines are there when you need them—while you’re working—but vanish from your completed project. Inks vary in colors and how […] Continue reading
Spray paint was first invented in 1887 by Joseph Binks, a maintenance supervisor at Chicago’s Marshall Field’s Wholesale Store. Looking for a faster way to paint the basement walls of the store, Binks developed a cold-water paint spray machine operated via hand pump. In 1949 Edward Seymour developed the first paint compressed in an aerosol […] Continue reading
Like oil paint in a convenient, easy-to-hold form, oil sticks consist of a blend of pigmented drying oil and melted wax. These chunky tools are softer than oil pastels, so using them feels more like painting than drawing. And, unlike oil pastels, oil sticks will dry completely with time. Oil sticks are great to try […] Continue reading
Pastel paper, which is specially designed to hold pastel dust, can be pricey. One way to cut costs is to make your own by coating papers in a premixed primer, which adds rough texture to their surface. The process can be relatively quick, and it gives you control over the coarseness of your surface—perfect for […] Continue reading
Acrylics, because they are water-based, can be thinned with water to create transparent washes. But the pigments don’t tend to adhere very well once this is done, which is where glazing media come in. These additives are fluid, but they are also slightly adhesive so they stick to painting supports like panel and canvas, as […] Continue reading
Acrylic paint is extremely versatile thanks to its compatibility with a variety of other media that serve myriad purposes. Among these add-ins are flow enhancers, also known as flow aids, which thin acrylic paint without affecting its color or finish. While acrylics, being water based, can be thinned with water, this may weaken the paint’s […] Continue reading
Want to make your own decals for your office, car, or brand? Self-adhesive vinyl sheets are perfect for creating signs and logos, indoor or outdoor advertising graphics, and wall and window decor. Self-adhesive vinyl can be cut into a variety of shapes and can stick to most flat and curved surfaces including plastic, metal, glass, […] Continue reading
Watercolor pencils are the perfect hybrid of drawing and painting. They allow artists to draw with a dry pencil and use water, before or after, for a variety of shimmering watercolor effects. The core of a watercolor pencil is composed of pigment with a water-soluble binder. It acts like a colored pencil but is activated […] Continue reading
On its own, oil paint takes an eon to dry. To speed drying time and increase paint viscosity, mix drying oils into your pigments. There’s a wide range of drying oils on the market. Options include refined linseed oil, cold pressed linseed oil, poppy oil, and refined safflower oil. Let us help you find the […] Continue reading
Black chalkboards reigned for centuries as an essential feature of the classroom, but after having first appeared on the market in the 1960s, whiteboards were in wide use by the 1990s. These days, whiteboards stand at the front of most classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices. Magnetic whiteboards are especially versatile: store your dry-erase markers and […] Continue reading
Painters need not only excellent paints in a variety of hues, they also need a full selection of brushes to create a variety of paint strokes and surfaces. And all painters have their favorite paintbrush—their go-to brush that’s used in every painting, the brush that ushers them into their creative painting zone. One brush, however, […] Continue reading
Colored pencils are an essential tool for artists, illustrators, and coloring-book devotees alike. An immediate source of mess-free color in a wide range of hues, they’re an ideal medium for everything from preliminary sketches to finished drawings and from pattern design to interior decorating. Our picks below will help you find the best brand for […] Continue reading
The humble highlighter—unheralded and often underutilized—exists to help. They are a powerful aid to studying, helping readers distill and remember information. And their bright neons can add a fun pop of color to any artwork or craft. Browse our roundup of highlighters to choose the proper addition to your office, studio, or classroom. Continue reading
What’s blue and black and red all over? Pens! But they don’t have to be. No need to limit yourself to stock ballpoint pen or Sharpie colors—liven up your planners, architectural drawings, illustrations, journals, and calendars with splashy color, thanks to colored fine-tipped pens! Artists, illustrators, educators, fashion designers, architects, and doodlers alike can choose […] Continue reading
