Markal Painstiks, stencils and more from Artemio. Various prices available from www.artemio.be

The Markal Painstiks, known as Shiva in the USA, are an absolute must for any artist wishing to explore a new medium. The sticks come in a gorgeous array of colours and can also be blended. I think I like the shimmering iridescent colours best of all, but they are all good. These versatile oil sticks have so many uses. You can use them on wood, terracotta, paper and many other surfaces – se the range of wooden boxes and more from Artemio. I use the Markal Painstiks primarily on fabric – they can be used direct or with stencils to achieve a number of effects. Markal Painstiks are really one of the best ways of colouring fabric and making it unique. You can use them direct onto the fabric, with a blending stick, brush or blend them with your finger. On fabric, they need heat to fix. Your fabric will remain flexible. To use with a stencil, Artemio have a great selection, place the stencil beneath your fabric and use the paintstiks over the top. They are not messy and dry quite quickly. There is no waste as the sticks form a skin after use. I love experimenting with Markal Painstiks and I know you will too. They have to be one of the best new products available to artists.

Artemio is full of such wonderful craft  materials. They produce a magazine and a catalogue full of contemporary ideas. Lots of free ideas are featured on their wonderful websites. Artemio is one of my top websites for crafters. To shop select Royaume Uni for the UK. and you will see all the shops that stock Artemio goods in the UK.

Winsor & Newton are a well-respected company producing art supplies that I have used for many years. The first product I used of theirs and still do use is their Artists’ Water Colour tubes. I use the 5ml small tubes, they last for ages and never dry up. I like the colour range and the feel of these water colours. They come in 96 colours and are also available in larger tube sizes and in pans.

Recently I began to paint acrylics and I have tried two ranges of paints. W&N Artists’ Acrylic is available in 80 colours. For most colours I use I choose the 60ml tube, however the 200ml tubes are handy for colours you plan to use a lot of or if you enjoy painting huge canvases. Black and white are also available in even larger pots. I adore colour charts and this is a good colour range. The paint is thick and really good to use. I enjoy painting with this paint. Drying time is probably average, but I always find there is enough time to do what I want to do before this presents any problems.

I have also used W&N Galeria Acrylic range fro professionals but at an affordable price. The 60 colours available offer good brilliance and high pigment strength. They are offered in a variety of sixes from 60ml tubes to large 1 litre pots. Mars Black and Titanium white are even offered in 2 litre pots. Great for large projects, murals and experimentation. I enjoyed using these acrylics.

Brushes are one of the most expensive tools that artists buy. We all like to buy the best we can afford. W&N have a complete range of brushes from the reasonable to the more expensive. I have used most of their brushes and I don’t dislike any of them. I have used their Galeria range for watercolours with great success. I also use their Azanta acrylic brushes.

Once you have all your art supplies, you need something to paint on, W&N have the right surface for your needs. Choose from paper, board or rolls to produce your art work. Quality cotton or linen canvases, boards, deep edge canvas or cotton rolls are all available together with a range of paper and pads for watercolour , oil or acrylic.

Two more little products I find of great use for artists are a medium kneaded putty rubber and natural sponges, supplied by W&N.

The W&N website provides very useful information on all their art products. They also provide a resource centre. Learn about pigments and permanence. The website also has community pages where you can read a blog, create a wish list of products and download videos on painting techniques. You can also see what other artists have to say about W&N products. Find your nearest stockist and enjoy exploring W&N art products.

Dr. PH. Martins Bombay Ink available from www.docmartins.eu

These India inks are so colourful, not just black. Each colour is clear and intense and can be diluted for paler colours. I found these lightfast craft inks very useful. You can paint watercolours with them, use them for Zen paintings or simple ink blot paintings and so many more uses. They are easy to use and to control. Paint with a brush or use a dropper. I have yet to try the inks for airbrushing and rubber stamping but I know they are also used for these purposes.
If you are looking for excellent, vibrant colour or easy-to-use watercolour, Dr. Ph Martins inks are the perfect solution. Dr. Ph Martins produce inks in fifty-six concentrated colours. They come in small bottles, but a little goes a long way. The Bombay inks I used come in two sets of 12 at a recommended retail price of around 25.00 per pack including a useful dropper. These are an excellent product and good value for money.