Face Markers

       I buy these really cool pen/ pencil binders from Dick Blick called "Global Classic Leather Pencil Case."  I prefer the smooth black that holds 120 Pencils.  They retail at $34.14. I try to only buy them when there is a really big deal or coupon. When I started buying them they were $25.  That was probably 20 years ago. The binders were especially great when I was traveling and teaching. The core of a pencil is a bit delicate and if the pencil is dropped on a hard surface, like the floor, the inside may break which makes the lead fall out, especially while sharpening.  So I got all my supplies in one binder to create doll faces and as obessive/ compulsive as I am the colors are in Roy G. Biv color order.  For the non artist friends, that means Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. Like a rainbow. You can see the elastic strip with little divided spaces that can hold 3 pencils or typically 2 pens in the pic above. So while teaching I could always find the specific pen/ pencil I needed right away. I have quite a few pencil binders. I seem to have an obsession with buying pens and pencils and putting them in order. A BIG obsession.  And I always buy the 120 pencil size because sooner or later I always fill them.
       The binders are great for holding just what you need. I already have several for Prismacolor Pencils (2), Watercolor Pencils, Inktense Pencils, Pastel Pencils, Gel Pens, Micron pens (not just color variations but sizes as well), Pitt Pens also including various sizes and colors, Calligraphy Pens, Tom Bow Brush Tip Pens, other brush tip Pens, Zig and Paint Pens and there is one off the shelf and I can't remember what it is. Like I said, a BIG obsession. Oh, and I have a display stand for my Sharpies (I think I have 72).  

       So I recently added Arteza skin tone markers to my collection of markers.  I bought a set of 24 Arteza markers and had a few Copic markers in flesh tones so I decided to put them together in my Copic marker binder since I didn't want to fork out $35 just at the moment. The pens are all squarish so they fit there nicely. I initially thought I would buy more Copic pens that I have so far but they are expensive compared to my other writing instruments and since the Arteza pens are similar in shape I rearranged a few pens and now have a section for just flesh tone pens.

        Of course, the pens needed to be in color order. Organizing flesh colors is not as easy as Roy G. Biv. I cut little pieces of paper from a sketch pad and on each one made a color swatch, listed if it was Arteza or Copic, added the coded number and then the name the company issued that specific color.  I then shuffled the little cards around until I felt the color order was from light to dark and listed the info on a piece of paper.  Of course, there were 2 more pens than there were lines on the paper so it's not "perfect."  If the OCD gets to me I will redo the list to fix that.  Fortunately that doesn't bother me enough to keep me from making a blog post or fixing dinner since my 32 year old son is looking at me with hungry eyes.  Not the love song Hungry Eyes but the "I worked hard all day and now I'll just disintegrate and die if there isn't food coming soon" eyes.  Actually, he doesn't pester me for food, but he is really good with his expressions so it's all in good fun.

       So. Now that the pens are all in order, I wonder if I'll get busy on drawing and coloring faces on watercolor paper tomorrow. I've been watching some Karen Campbell videos lately and that's why I wanted the alcohol inks.  Copic and Arteza are both alcohol inks and they have an alcohol blending pen. I bought some other brand of pens and they blend with water but the variety of colors isn't very good.  I never found a pale enough color to satisfy me as a base skin tone.  I like pale since that's basically me, since I avoid the sun like the plague.

       So, will I get busy and see the difference between markers or finish that project I promised for Christmas?  Time will tell.  Meanwhile, I'll most likely be playing Candy Crush.