Earlier this week I mentioned that every Christmas I usually receive a few art-related gifts. I promised to post some of the things I was given, so here’s the list.
First, every artist needs always needs pencils, and I’m no exception. I got a package of very nice Derwent Graphic Pencils which I’ll probably open up this week while taking a short vacation at the Oregon Coast.
Along with the pencils came a Strathmore Drawing Pad which I’ll be taking too. I don’t know that I’ll come up with any finished art, but I might make some quick outdoor sketches if the weather’s good. You might also see some pictures from this vacation later on.
I also received a 1 gigabyte USB flash drive, which for me will come in handy as I transfer image files for this blog, and for my online portfolio. I’ve been using one that was only 256 megabytes, so the extra memory is very nice.
Several people also gave me gift cards to various art stores, including Michaels Arts and Crafts and Aaron Brothers. I’ll have to make sure to hit the after Christmas sales and get some new tubes of paint – I noticed during last week’s tutorial that I’m running low on Cad Yellow.
The last gift I got is really going to be a lot of fun – it’s a new compound miter saw.
I’ve been stuck using a homemade jig and skill saw for the past 6 months to make the stretcher bars for my canvases, so this will be a fantastic addition to my tools.
In fact, this Friday’s tutorial will be about making your own canvases, and will demonstrate how a miter saw can be quite useful for the average artist. You might be surprised how easy it is to make a canvas, so check back in to read all about it.
Until then, here’s hoping you had a wonderful Christmas!