Cleaning your watercolor brushes is important to maintain their quality and prolong their lifespan. Here are the steps to clean watercolor brushes:
Rinse the brush: Rinse the brush under warm running water to remove any excess paint. Be gentle and try not to bend the bristles.
Apply soap: Apply a small amount of mild soap or shampoo to the bristles of the brush. Use your fingers to work the soap into the bristles, starting from the ferrule (the metal part that holds the bristles) and working towards the tip.
Rinse again: Rinse the brush thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Make sure to remove all the soap from the brush.
Reshape the brush: Gently reshape the bristles of the brush with your fingers. Use a soft cloth to remove any excess water.
Dry the brush: Hang the brush upside down or lay it flat on a clean surface to dry. Avoid storing the brush upright, as this can cause water to seep into the ferrule and damage the brush.
It's important to clean your watercolor brushes after each use to prevent paint from drying in the bristles and causing damage. Regular cleaning will also help to maintain the shape and quality of the brush.
]]>Using a fountain pen can be a little different from using a regular ballpoint pen or rollerball pen, but it's not difficult once you get the hang of it. Here are the basic steps to using a fountain pen:
Fill the pen with ink: Most fountain pens have a removable cartridge or a built-in converter that allows you to fill the pen with ink. If you're using a cartridge, simply insert it into the pen. If you're using a converter, twist the end of the converter to draw ink up into the pen. Some fountain pens can also be filled directly from a bottle of ink using an eyedropper.
Hold the pen correctly: Hold the pen so that the nib is at a 45-degree angle to the paper. This will allow the ink to flow smoothly onto the paper.
Start writing: Use a light touch when writing with a fountain pen. Unlike ballpoint pens, you don't need to press down hard to get the ink to flow. Simply guide the pen along the paper and let the ink do the work.
Clean the pen regularly: To keep your fountain pen in good working order, clean it regularly. Rinse the nib and feed under running water, and use a soft cloth to wipe away any excess ink. You can also use a special pen cleaning solution if necessary.
With a little practice, using a fountain pen can be a pleasure. The smooth flow of ink and the unique character of each pen can make writing a joy.
There are many great fountain pen brands that are perfect for beginners. Here are a few:
Lamy: Lamy is a German brand that offers a wide range of fountain pens at affordable prices. Their pens are known for their high-quality construction and comfortable grip.
Pilot: Pilot is a Japanese brand that makes some of the best fountain pens in the world. Their entry-level pens, like the Pilot Metropolitan, are a great choice for beginners.
Kaweco: Kaweco is a German brand that has been making fountain pens since 1883. Their Sport model is a popular choice for beginners because of its compact size and affordable price.
TWSBI: TWSBI is a Taiwanese brand that is known for its transparent fountain pens. Their pens are popular among beginners because they are easy to disassemble and clean.
Platinum: Platinum is a Japanese brand that makes high-quality fountain pens at reasonable prices. Their Preppy model is a great choice for beginners because it is affordable and easy to use.
These are just a few of the many great fountain pen brands that are perfect for beginners. Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your personal preferences and budget.
Happy writing!
]]>So here are the prompts for this year as well as the artworks done by our team :)
#1 BREW by Jia En
Ink: Walnut Ink
#2 STEEP by Alyssa
Pens: Kuretake Zig Art & Graphic in 008, Zebra Brush Pen
#3 DINNER by Jascinta
Pens: Sakura Micron 03 in Black, Sakura Gelly Roll White 10 and Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush
#4 WATCH by Szetoo
Pens: Sakura Pigma Brush Pen, Sakura Gelly Roll in White on Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook
#5 ROUND by Jia En
Pen: TWSBI Eco
#6 DOOR by Alyssa
Pens: Pilot Pintor Markers on Arto Black Paper Spiral Ring Notebook
#7 CLIMB by Jascinta
Pens: Uni Pin Fine Line in 0.6 and 0.7
#8 QUIVER by Szetoo
Pens: Pentel Touch Sign Pen in Black on Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook in A5 size
#10 DELIVER by Alyssa
Pens: Tachikawa T40 Holder, Nikko G and Noodler's Inks on Holbein Albireo Postcard Paper
#11 QUICK by Jascinta
Pens: Sakura Micron in 03 Black
#12 STRANGER by Szetoo
Pens: Lamy Safari in Medium nib with Kyoto Ink Adzukiiro
#13 GRAZE by Jia En
Pens: Kuretake Zig Mangaka in 01 and Zebra Brush Pen in Black
#14 MOONLESS by Alyssa
Pens: Moon Palace Sumi Ink, Kyoto Ink, Princeton Neptune Brush and Coliro Colors in Gold
#15 FICTION by Jascinta
Pens: Kuretake Mangaka Flexible in Fine, Monteverde and Kyoto Ink with Silver Black Velvet & Winsor Newton Cotman round brushes
#16 HOLD by Szetoo
Pens: Sailor Fude de Mannen Calligraphy Nib fountain Pen with Sailor Black Ink in Mossery's Sketchbook
#18 FUTURE by Alyssa
Pens: Pilot Kakuno in Fine nib, Monteverde Ink, Moon Palace Sumi Ink, Coliro Colors in Bronze, Holbein Permanent White Gouache with Artpac Round Nylon 818 in size 3/0
#19 HIDDEN by Jascinta
Pens: Monteverde Midnight Black, Walnut Ink, Sakura Micron in 03 Black on Baohong Paper
#20 LINGER by Szetoo
Pens: Pilot Futayaku Brush Pen, Kuretake Bimoji Cambio in Fine and Zebra Sarasa in Red Black
#21ROOM by Jia En
Pens: Signo White Gel Pen and Kuretake Cocoiro Brush Tip pen
#22 FLUTTER by Alyssa
Pens: Moon Palace Sumi Ink and Coliro Colors Pink
#25 NOISE by Jia En
Pens: Kuretake Mangaka Flexible Tip and Kuretake Brushables in Pure Red
#26 TRICKLE by Alyssa
Pens: Pilot Pintor and Posca Paint Markers
#28 MOTION by Szetoo
Pens: Faber Castell PITT Artist Brush Pen
#29 GUARD by Jia En
Pens: Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
#30 HOUR by Alyssa
Pens: Zebra Brush Pen in Black and Kuretake Clean Color Dot Pens
#31 FORTUNE by Jascinta
Pens: Sakura Micron 05 in Black, Sakura Koi Coloring Brush Pen in Red
We had lots of fun interpreting the prompts based on a consistent feline theme throughout the month, we hope you enjoyed our artworks and are inspired to keep drawing! The best part about using pens for art is that you can create art on the go wherever you are in whatever notebook/paper that you have with you. Keep on sketching and we look forward to INKTOBER again a year from now :)
]]>The final days of the year are upon us and if you have yet to purchase your planner yet (what are you doing whyyyyy), we thought this post would help you compare and decided the different layouts to pick!
Traveler's Notebook offers three different diary options (Monthly, Weekly Vertical and Weekly Horizontal) for the regular size and two for the passport sizes (Monthly and Weekly). You can use either one or all three for recording or planning your year, the great thing about this system is that you can use them simultaneously with other inserts such as the blank or grid for scrapbooking, daily journaling or even note taking making it a very versatile planner system.
Pro: Versatile system, removable from leather cover when completed, great with all sorts of fountain and writing pens, easy to carry around and look worldly. Perfect for people who enjoy avocado on toast with chai lattes for Sunday brunch.
Con: May be too narrow for some people as its A5 slim and not vegan friendly.
Monthly Layout // RM45
Weekly Vertical Layout // RM100
Weekly & Memo Layout // RM100
Weekly & Memo Set with Cover // RM300
If you've been following us since the beginning, you'll know how much we love our Japanese papers whether from MD Paper, LIFE or the dreamy cruise down Tomoe River lane.
The Hobonichi Planners come in three sizes: Techo (A6), Cousin (A5) and Weeks (Slim), they are one page a day type of planners while the Weeks is in weekly format. The beauty of this planner is that you can choose from so many uplifting, vibrant colors to take you through the year, you can also reuse them the following year by just purchasing the planner only.
According to the official website, Hobonichi Techo is a planner notebook created by staff members of the website Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun, shortened as Hobonichi. Techo (pronounced “tetch-oh”) is a Japanese word for a planner notebook. Hobonichi Techo as a Life Book; it demonstrates the planner notebook’s versatility and freedom that accommodates every user’s unique personality and lifestyle.
It first came out as a 2002 edition, which was created when the members — who weren’t professional planner designers — decided to get together and create a brand new kind of planner that they would actually want to use themselves. Hobonichi also listens to customer feedbacks and improve them every year based on these requests and feedback. As of now, there are 780,000 users and counting all over the world!
Though seemingly simple, this planner's beautiful layout has been carefully designed to be intuitive and easy to use. The graph-lined paper contains lots of open space and it's light, durable Tomoe River paper means the book can be hundreds of pages long and still remain compact. All three Planner, Original, and Cousin books open completely flat and are comfortable to write in. Fountain pens glide effortlessly on its ultra-smooth paper though some inks may take slightly longer to dry compared to other types of paper. You can also paint on them with watercolor without any bleeding whatsoever.
Pro: Excellent paper, extremely smooth with fountain pens, can take watercolor, one day one page format to ensure you journal daily. Wide variety of covers to choose from, why buy just one, buy three, five, buy em all! Getting one will automatically get you into the Hobonichi cult where members will convince you to spend your life savings on more cute stationery. BUT it is then that you will learn that money does buy happiness.
Con: Grid layout may not appeal for people who like blank or lined pages, book becomes chunky and heavy as the year progresses. Chiropractor not included. Most ink pads may cause bleeding to the back, now you don't want your pages to look like a used Clean & Clear Oil Control film do you? We recommend Versamagic Chalk inks.
MD 1 Day 1 Page Diary A5 Size
Clean and simple, like the MD Notebooks, the Diaries are made using the same prized MD paper - a among fountain pen aficionados, consisting of monthly schedule pages and 385 pages of free space, this diary allows you to chronicle your life in detail.
Pro: Simple and clean design, appeals to Muji fans and people who love wearing white pants. Can take watercolor and fountain pen inks super well. Also, cream paper is easier on the eyes when writing.
Con: Heavy straight out of the package but can be a pro as well because by the end of the year you'd have biceps. 2019 is the year of home workouts.
With plenty of blank space and a simple, easy-to-use format, this diary is ideal for jotting down your ideas and inspirations.
The free pages are designed to be customized to suit your style. Times from 8:00am to midnight are written down the left hand side so that you can schedule your day, and there is blank space on the right hand side so that you can keep a diary or draw pictures.
There are seven bullet points at the top so that you can make a to-do list or fill in the hours from 1 to 7.
Or use this blank area for more diary-writing and drawing.
Based on the MD Notebook, this diary is simple and easy to use to stimulate your creativity.
With plenty of blank space and a simple, easy-to-use format, this diary is ideal for jotting down your ideas and inspirations. The monthly schedule pages have plenty of blank space around the edges so you can add notes and even drawings.
Pro: Lighter than the 1 Day 1 Page Diaries, less is more. Good for those who find filling a full page intimidating. If you can't write, you can always stick stuff? Check out our insanely wide selection stickers here. Great with fountain pens and can take watercolor as well, do you see a pattern in the notebooks we stock?
Con: Cover is soft and easily stained so must be used with a PVC, paper or goat leather cover. Actually these aren't even cons because c'mon the latter two covers are pretty awesome to touch!
These pages are designed so that you can combine your monthly plans with notes, to-do items and sketches of your ideas.
The note pages are divided into eight sections across a two-page spread, to make your weekly diary extra flexible.
You can write ideas, draw sketches and even use the whole two-page spread as a single canvas
LEUCHTTURM1917 | Weekly Planner, Weekly Planner & Notebook and Daily Planner
Unlike most blank journals, the Leuchtturm1917 has numbered pages which means you can find what you're looking for quickly with the help of the index on the first few pages. This makes tracking your pages and staying organized a piece of cake. Each notebook also come with two distinct ribbons attached so if you’re bullet journaling you can keep tabs on two pages at the same time — like your weekly spread and to do list for example.
Weekly Planner & Notebook: Every double page features one page with the full calendar week and a lined notebook page on the right. Available with both a hardcover or a softcover. For 12 or 18 months.
Weekly Planner: A section with enough space for several lines for every day of the week. One week on every double page.
Daily Planner: An entire page for each working day. To keep the calendar as slim as possible Saturday and Sunday share a page.
Each book also comes with the following items:
•Phases of the moon
•Official holidays in 58 countries
•Project plan
•Detachable sheets for notes
•Gusseted pocket
•2 Page marker
•Elastic enclosure band
•Sticker for labelling and archiving
•With extra booklet for anniversaries and addresses
Pros: Comes in a wide spectrum of colors and looks super classy. If you get at least seven of them you can build your own rainbow at home. If you want to look important and like you have life figured out, this is the journal for you. While the paper isn’t graded as particularly heavy duty, it can still take light watercolors, brush pens, and fountain pens.
Con: Slight ghosting, but doesn't bother most people cos we're all used to it in real life.
MOSSERY VERTICAL WEEKLY PLANNER
Mossery notebooks and planners went through a massive paper upgrade recently and we're so happy to report that they are able to take a variety of writing and highlighting pens. Plus it's suitable for fountain pen, brush pen, ball point pen, and micron pens!
Mossery's brand has always been fun and inspiring, just scroll through their Instagram page for heaps of creative ideas and ways to use their products! They also have a wide collection of planner stickers which you can use in your journals!
Pros: Comes in so many awesome, cute, funky designs. Paper upgrade makes it even more awesome now, comes in hardback now which means you can throw around your planner and it will stand 365 days of abuse and still love you back. Contains page prompts to document inspirations and doodles.
Cons: Hardbacks can be difficult to close if you choose to stick all sorts inside, best used for writing and note-taking. Stickers and sticky notes welcomed. Nobody will take you seriously if you choose a cute pattern.
Pro: You shouldn't take life seriously anyway, you do you.
KOKUYO JIBUN TECHO 2019, 3 IN 1 SET (DIARY LIFE IDEA) A5 SLIM
Rather than being limited to a single calendar year, the Jibun Techo is a “lifebook” designed to to last your entire life. In Japanese, “jibun” (ジブン) means “myself” and “techo” (手帳) means planner. True to its name, this planner system is customizable to your lifestyle and needs.
The JIBUN TECHO notebook is packed with pages that have been carefully designed to make it fun and easy to look back on the entire year. Along with a detailed monthly and weekly layout, you’ll also find pages to document your goals, wishlists, recommendations, family tree and other little hand details such as the weather and your meals.
Pros: So so so so many little details to jot down making it really fun! Uses both Tomoe River and Kokuyo MIO Paper, write on these and you will never look at other journals the same again. The Diary and Idea use Tomoe River paper, while the Biz Diary and Life feature Kokuyo MIO paper.
Con: Your handwriting has to be like size 6 font, otherwise an Extra Fine nib will be your BFF. The only color we have left is Pink.
So that's it for now, we'll try to add more planners in the days to come but we hope this list helped somewhat and don't take what we say too seriously! It's best to come to the store to check out the planners in person, feel the papers, see our samples and hopefully, you'll find your new best friend to navigate the new (and often scary) year together. Happy new year!
]]>
MOSSERY MIXED MEDIA SKETCHBOOK // RM75.30
Before buying a sketchbook, think about your habits, your lifestyle, the size of your bag instead of going for what you think you should be working with. The best sketchbook (like your camera) is the one that's always with you. If it's too bulky it may deter you from taking it out too often.
KAMI MINI SKETCHBOOK // RM19
SIZE
A5 size sketchbooks are generally a good size as you can open it to get a working area of an A4 size paper. It's also a size that is compact and can fit into most bags,
If you choose a larger sketchbook, you will need more time and materials to complete it plus it can get heavy you're travelling on foot for long hours. Don't forget a larger bag too! However A4 sizes are more comfortable to use as you can prop them up on your lap or any hard surfaces when outdoors.
For those who want to go super compact, these palm sized sketchbooks by Kami Art & Design are slightly larger than your typical name card making them pocket sized and highly portable! They're great for painting little things or objects you find on the go or even mini panoramas when two pages are used together. On the downside, it may be too small for intricate drawings and can get challenging if you're used to drawing big. That being said, using different sized sketchbooks from time to time is will help you mix up your style and think outside the box and tackle drawings differently. It's like drawing with different media to try something different.
BINDING
Papers aside, there are a few types of binding to consider - The wire-bound, hardback and also paper back. The benefit of wire-bound sketchbooks is that you can flip the pages to the back making it easier to hold the sketchbook in your hands especially in standing position. Unfortunately panoramic sketches would be troublesome as your artwork will be interrupted by the wire. It would also make scanning your artwork difficult as you won't be able to get a flat scan without removing the wires.
KAMI A5 WATERCOLOR SKETCHBOOK // RM49
This is where perfect bound sketchbooks come in, go for the ones that can open flat otherwise you may get some curve.The other advantage of the wire-bound sketchbook is it's ability to open flat. Also if you're the sort to add other sorts of ephemera in your sketchbooks such as tickets, flyers, stickers, dried flowers and more, it will add bulk to your journal so wire-binding is an excellent option as the book will still remain flat when you close it.
CLAIREFONTAINE ETIVAL WATERCOLOUR 300GSM SKETCHBOOK // RM38
LEUCHTTURM1917 A5 HARDCOVER SKETCHBOOK // RM120
Some perfect bound sketchbooks can open flat while some can't. It's best to get sketchbooks that can open flat. For those that can't open flat, it's more difficult to draw close to the gutter as the paper there curves in. For sketchbooks that can open flat, you can easily draw across the gutter.
There's a third kind of binding and it's the glue bind which are typically used for pads where you can tear off the sheets, because they have no binding, they aren't meant for long term storage as the pages will eventually start to detach if you flip through them often.
Paperback or hardcover
Hardback cover notebooks provide support when you're sketching and good for both indoor and outdoor use as you can stand and draw with a hardcover sketchbook easily compared to a paperback. When you're drawing or painting on a paperback, any pressure you apply whether from sketching or erasing may push the pages and it can get challenging to control your lines.
CHU+ HARDCOVER WATERCOLOR SKETCHBOOK // RM28
Part of the fun of sketching is experimenting with the materials as you explore and practice. If one sketchbook or medium doesn't work for you, keep trying out new materials until you find one that works for you!
]]>Hello Audrey! Tell us a bit about yourself and your background, what were you doing prior to Artsunami and what led up to starting this wonderful company?
Hello Szetoo! Hello everybody! I grew up in the quaint, little city of Ipoh and currently reside in KL, where I juggle everyday life as a mom and being the founder of Artsunami. I studied Pharmacy growing up and worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many years before taking the plunge to start my own company.
Before Artsunami came about, I ran a little online store producing custom wall decals for home owners and retails spaces. That was about 6 years ago. It was during this time that we also started producing motivational quotes for sale as canvas prints, mini prints and fridge magnets online and in retail stores around Malaysia under the brand name, Artsunami. Things took off and we’ve been designing and producing prints and paper goods ever since.
Artsunami is such an adorable yet powerful name, how did the name come about and why did you choose it?
While the type of products we come out with vary widely from one another, one thing stays the same, our love and commitment to designing products that uplift and encourage people to be the best version of themselves using art and design.
Also, coming from the sciences and creating block colored works for decals, I found myself basic at best in the realm of digital design. I knew that in order to bring the best products to our customers, I was going to have to build and nurture a team. Artsunami reflects the power of collaboration between all these creative individuals, as well as the artists and designers who work with us from design process to production, marketing and sales.
Can you tell us about the products you currently produce and how many items are there in your current collection?
We currently focus on products that the planning and journaling community will find useful. On top of the motivational prints we started out with, we now have notepads and a huge offering of stickers, both functional and decorative. In July this year, we launched our first collection of printable products. So at the moment, it’s safe to say we have over a hundred items in our entire catalogue.
In the beginning you started off with prints, how did you end up dabbling in the sticker market?
I had already been using a planner and different planning systems for many years by that time, to organize my personal and working life. Like many Malaysians, I had found the local choices of planner stickers to be limited and ordering the items from overseas proved pricey. It occurred to me that we already had all the resources required from producing our decals and so we set out to give our planner community more options, at a better price.
What is your process in designing a new product and how do you come up with your ideas?
We’ve learnt over the years to listen closely to our customers and so a lot of our products are a result of their input. They usually start out as a simple request for a functional product like the packing list or a specific theme, as was the case for our Cactus series. Our designers go to work and depending on their specialty, design the yummy planner stationery you see online and in Stickerrific today. From digital illustration to watercolor florals, acrylic pour art and calligraphy, each design is then carefully crafted to within production specifications before being made into their final forms.
Audrey's workstation where all the magic happens!
Who inspires you and where do you find inspiration?
My mom is definitely my biggest inspiration. Coming from a single parent family, I learnt how to be courageous, that it was OK to live life differently from the expectations of others and how to do so joyously.
I personally get inspired by colors, which is why I love decorating my planner to a different theme each week. It gets me really excited to open it up, get working on that “to-do” list and I hope it has the same effect on our customers as well.
What does your stationery case look like?
Why are these items a must have for you?
Working from home, I have the luxury of keeping all my stationery in one place, without having to move them much so I don’t actually carry a stationery case. I do take my planner with me wherever I go, though, so I always have a pen or two for updating and adding things into my schedule.
Are you a morning person or night person?
I’m definitely a morning person, even more so since having kids of my own.
What’s the most memorable thing a customer has said to you?
One customer was so excited over her stickers, she sent us photos of them on her phonecover, her kindle, her powerbank and even her vitamin organizer, which got us super excited as well!
What is your favourite color?
My favorite colors are turquoise and mint, with all the lovely gradations in between.
Plenty of pastels in these Artsunami Public Holiday Stickers
Do you have any creative weird habits?
Hmmm…I like to snack a lot and coffee intake may go up drastically during design work but that may not quite be a weird habit.
What trends do you forecast in the near future?
Christmas is coming up in a few months so I imagine shimmer, glitter and gold to be in abundance!
Thank you so much for taking time to read our short Q&A with Audrey! Now that planner season is here, Artsunami has also come out with a new collection of 2019 planner stickers and more that are now available in store! Happy planning and do tag us #bujowithstickerrific #artsunami on Instagram to show us how you use Artsunami stickers in your journals. Follow @artsunami on Instagram for ideas and tutorials on how to use her stickers!
We'd also like to show our appreciation by offering a coupon code ARTSUNAMI5 for 5% off all Artsunami products from now until 30 November. Sale is only applicable for online purchases. Shop all Artsunami products here.
To use your stamps, first peel them off the plastic sheet.
A clear stamp ensures precise positioning and they should be used with an acrylic block. Acrylic blocks come in different shapes and sizes, some with a grid or without. Use an appropriate sized block to ensure even pressure throughout your stamping and make sure to clean your block after use!
Now don't look down on these little Japanese ink pads, though small in size they're loaded with lots of ink and are long lasting provided you cap them properly and store them in a cool dark drawer after every use. How you would use them is to dab the ink pad (sponge side down) onto the surface of your stamp. Get creative by using two or more colors at once!
Here's a stamped acorn pattern on both tracing paper and brown Kraft paper using the Versacraft Chocolate.
Next, we're trying out the Memories Metallic Gold Ink Pad on black construction paper to create our own DIY wrapping paper. The transparent acrylic block allows us to see where we're stamping so no need for guess work!
Do note that clear stamps do not react well with StazOn inks over an extended period of time as they are not as durable as red rubber, if you must use them with StazOn, remember to clean your stamps immediately after use.
For those who journal or scrapbook, clear stamps are also a quick way to spruce up your journals especially if drawing is not your forte. There are so many different designs available from botanical to travel to coffee themed stamps!
If you're using water-resistant ink pads such as Versafine, Staz On or Versafine Clair, you can paint over the stamp marks after they dry like what we did with our greeting card above!
CLEANING
Now that you're done stamping, it's time to clean up! Due to it's material and transparent nature, silicone stamps are prone to staining (even after cleaning) and can be quite visible but don't worry it's perfectly alright and still usable of course! To clean your stamps, you can use the Tsukineko Stamp Cleaner with a paper towel then wipe off the residue with a damp cloth.
Alternatively, here's a tip we learned from a friend which is now a must have in our stash: Kleenex Wet Toilet wipes! Simply wipe your stamps clean after use immediately and restick them back on the plastic sheet they came in.
STORAGE
Acrylic stamps are cost effective compared to their wood mount counterparts and is more portable in terms of storage and weight. However you must keep them stored in cool places as they distortion may occur under heat. You can use a Clear Stamp Album like the one we have here which also doubles as an easy to view catalogue of all the stamps in your collection.
So there you have it! We hope you give clear stamps a try if you haven't already done so, the possibilities are truly endless and if taken cared of properly, they will last for years and years, some of the stamps in our collection are over 5 years old and they're as good as the first day we opened them. Happy crafting!
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Nowadays, with the existence of gummed envelopes, seals are mostly used as a form of decoration in sealing envelopes, gift wrapping, custom jewelry etc. However, the fact remains that seals - especially wax seals - give off an air of sincerity, originality, and authenticity to one’s recipient. Do you know anyone whose face doesn’t light up at the cool sight of a wax seal? Cos we don’t!
If you’re ever curious about how wax seals are created, this article will show you how.
Firstly, you’ll need the items below:
- Fire source (you may use just a lighter/match, but we highly recommend a candle on standby as well)
- Seal
- Sealing wax
Optional:
- Spoon for sealing wax
- Stove for sealing wax
Step 1: Trace the Seal
This step is mostly for beginners, but it is good practice as tracing around the seal lightly with a pencil will provide you a rough guideline as to where and how big the blob of wax to be. This way, you won’t use too little or too much wax!
Step 2: Melt the Wax
The sealing wax we’re using here is a wickless wax stick. We prefer wickless wax as wicked wax sticks often leave a sooty residue in the hot wax. Some feel that the soot adds to the personality of the wax, so it’s really up to you.
Hold a match/lighter near the tip of the wax stick to melt it. As the wax begins to drip, make sure you’re aiming for the traced shape on the paper.
Drip enough wax to cover the shape. (At this point, you may remove the heat source.) Then, stir the wax blob gently with the same tip of the sealing wax stick to remove air bubbles and/or to shape the blob slightly, but don’t take too long as the wax will start to cool and harden.
If you’re using a spoon, place the tip of the wax into the spoon and heat up the spoon, or place a candle beneath the little stove and place the spoon on top to heat it. Once enough wax is pooled in the spoon, carefully pour it to fill the initially traced shape.
Step 3: Seal
Now this is the part you’ve all been waiting for - it’s super fun and greatly satisfying! Gently press the seal into the wax for 5-10 seconds before removing it, and voila!
Simply press your seal onto the surface of the ink pad prior to sealing. You can also pour the wax over flattened dried flowers or string over your envelope or parcel.
Happy sealing!
Tip: To ensure your wax seal is always correctly used, you can use a permanent marker to mark the right side up!
Choosing a Wax Seal
Wax seals come in many designs and sizes, it's important to note that the larger the diameter of your seal, the more wax will be required to form your seal. Among the popular designs we have are alphabet initials, nature motifs, Japan motifs and wedding themed ones. You can view our collection of wax seals here.
Customizing Your Own Seal
You can also create your own custom wax seals with us using your company logo or initials for weddings! All you need to do is to email us your artwork (within a circle) in Illustrator or PNG format. Please ensure that your lines are thick enough otherwise the raised surface will be too faint.
It will cost RM65 for a 23mm seal which come with one wax stick (gold/silver/copper/red)
However, should you require us to create a custom design for you, there will be an additional fee between RM20-100 depending on the complexity of the design.
To custom make your own wax seal, send your designs/enquiries to support@stickerrificstore.com with the Subject: Wax Seal Order. Thank you so much for reading!
Text by Natalie Hew
Photography by Szetoo Weiwen
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
― Albert Einstein
An eraser is a pencil’s best friend; it’s tough to use a pencil without needing an eraser. Some prefer a nifty eraser on the top of a pencil whilst others prefer an eraser on the side (... hold on, why does this sound like we’re describing ketchup and fries? Hahaha guess it’s just our tummies having the feels).
Different erasers have a different impact on pencil marks (of course, this is totally up to personal preference). Let’s take a look at what we have in store! :D
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
For light to normal erasing, we prefer soft, dust-free erasers as they provide smooth erasing without damaging the surface.
Pentel Hi-Polymer Plastic Eraser - RM 1.70 each
RETRACTABLE ERASERS
Easy to store, easy to find: Designed to mirror the technicalities of a mechanical pencil, retractable erasers are for those who need precision when erasing.
Sakura Nocks Eraser - RM 6.90 each
Tombow MONO 2.3mm High Precision Eraser - RM 16.90
KNEADABLE ART ERASERS
Remember playing with Play-Doh when you were a kid? Using this eraser will be nostalgic for sure. Other than the usual erasing, you may lighten or smudge pencil/charcoal/pastel lines with this versatile little object!
Faber Castell - RM 1.90 each
]]>In this blogpost, let’s talk about pens! To some, a good pen holds high sentimental value as it’s used to jot down moments of joy, the birth of ideas, letters or postcards to penpals… or perhaps it was simply gifted by a loved one.
If you’re unsure of what pen to add to your collection next, here’s something that may help:
The smoother, upgraded version of ballpoint pens. These affordable pens come in many different brands and colors, like Pilot’s FRIXION & Pop’lol series, and Sakura’s Gelly Rolls. Other than writing, rollerball/gel pens are suitable for doodles and illustrations as well due to how smoothly their inks glide on paper - we LOVE them! (actually, it’s safe to say that we love all pens haha)
Pilot Frixion - RM 6.90 each
Sakura Gelly Roll - RM 4.90 each
Pilot Pop’lol - RM 3.90 each
DRAWING PENS
If you’re looking for a quick-drying ink pen, drawing pens would be a perfect fit. Coming in many point sizes, the ink in these babies are usually permanent and water-resistant - which means that you can run watercolor, highlighters or brush pens over the lines and they’ll remain just as crisp as ever!
Faber Castell PITT Artist Pen - RM 11 each
ZIG Mangaka - RM 9.90 each
Tombow MONO Drawing Pen - RM 9.00 each
Uni Pin Fine Line - RM 6.25 each
Sakura Pigma Micron - RM 6.20 each
Pilot Drawing Pen - RM 5.60
Brush pens are probably one of the most versatile writing tools due to their flexible nature. While they’re mainly used for brush lettering, many artists like using them to illustrate as well as it gives their drawing a softer edge.
If you wish to dabble in calligraphy without nibs, pen holders and the likes, grab one of our most popular brush pens below and experiment away! If you would like a super quick calligraphy session, just approach any of us in-store and we’ll be glad to demonstrate!
Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen - RM 10.50 each
Koi Coloring Brush Pen - RM 5.80
Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign Pen - RM 4.90 each
We hope this quick guide helped. If you have any topic you’d like us to cover in our next newsletter, do drop us an email at support@stickerrificstore.com - also don't forget to use the hashtag #artwithstickerrific we’d love to hear from you! Until then, happy writing, all!