Posts filed under Pencil Reviews

Palomino Blackwing Volume 344 Pencil Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I'm not a regular user of the Blackwing pencils, but I've been impressed with each of the ones I've had the opportunity to try. And the Volumes Vol. 344 Series, a tribute to Dorothea Lange and her iconic photograph "Migrant Mother", is quite frankly the best pencil I've ever used. It hits all the high points for me.

On the purely practical side of things, this is a really nice lead. It takes a sharp point that doesn't shatter. It lays down a super smooth dark line, but the tip lasts for ages and doesn't wear nearly as fast as you'd think. The lead doesn't smear excessively, either. Any lead smudges a little, but this one stayed put nicely, even when I carried my sketches around. It erases well--leaving just a shadow behind. The eraser does wear down a bit quickly, but it can be replaced if needed. It's a very well-balanced compromise between dark and hard. I've often been frustrated looking for that balance. I think this nails it.

It's a good size in the hand, with a rounded hexagonal barrel. The coated wood is comfortable--smooth but easy to grip. The red foil ferrule keeps the black eraser secure. Everything about it feels solid and well-constructed. The wood smells good when you sharpen it and the shavings are gorgeous. And, maybe my favorite part--it's a creative tribute to a talented woman who highlighted important social issues.

This pencil is beautiful. The colors are meant to mimic what a pencil would look like under the red lights in a photographer's dark room. It's difficult to capture the deep red of the body color--it's a rich burgundy that almost looks like it's glowing from within. The bright red ferrule and black eraser set it off beautifully. They're very passionate colors, which I think are an excellent choice for Dorothea's passion--and compassion--for her photo subjects.

Her documentation of the working poor during the great depression led to intervention, and her photographs of the Japanese interment camps in California during WWII were so stirring that the government locked them away for decades. The red on this pencil doesn't just seem like the red of a darkroom light--there's a fire to it that is truly inspiring. Finally, the volume number, 344, is a nod to where you can locate her photographs in the Library of Congress. That's just so cool.

The reason I haven't used many Blackwing pencils is because they're usually sold by the box--and I just don't need or want that many pencils. Until now. Now I'm looking at my box of pencils and thinking I might need a few backup boxes.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.

Uni Mitsubishi 9800 Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

When I started using pencils in school, they were all yellow cases with pink erasers and a "#2" stamped on the side. Later on, I was introduced to lead grades outside of the standard grade school pencils, and a whole new world opened up. The first time I became aware of anything besides a "#2" pencil was in high school art class. The graphite pencils we used during a semester to try our sketching skills were available in a dozen or so different grades. It was so much fun to use each different grade and see and feel the slight differences between each one.

Today, it's a little easier to find all kinds of pencils at different lead grades. But, if you're new to the concept of hard and soft lead grades, you probably don't know where to begin. Lead grades are a personal preference based on what you like for general writing, sketching, etc. Some grades work well for certain tasks, while other grades work better for others. One of the best ways to try out the different grades is to purchase a bundle of the same pencil in several grades. JetPens offers a bundle with the Uni Mitsubishi 9800 pencils. While the 9800 isn't my favorite pencil to use, it's still a very capable and high-quality pencil. The important thing is that you buy a bundle within the same pencil line. Even though there wouldn't be a huge difference between the lines or brands, it's best to stick to one line for testing.

This particular bundle includes six pencils with a lead range of 2H, H, F, HB, B, and 2B. There are many, many more lead grades available, but this is a great place to start. Once you use these for a while, you'll have a much better idea of how a 8B or 6H might behave.

For $5, you get a bundle of pencils that can cover the vast majority of graphite needs. The 9800 pencils are normally $0.85 a piece, so you're getting a small discount by purchasing the bundle. If the bundle happens to be out of stock, you can always spend the extra $0.10 and purchase them all separately.

On the outside, the 9800 is a standard pencil. It has a black finish with a mix of white and gold lettering on the hexagonal case. The end isn't capped and there isn't an eraser. This really is a no-frills pencil, but it does an excellent job. No matter which grade you use, the lead is smooth and strong. They're a pleasure to write and doodle with.

Personally, I enjoy the Uni Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils more, but they're almost three times as expensive as the 9800 line. Like I mentioned earlier, this is a great starter bundle for figuring out which lead grades suit you and your different needs. Pick up a bundle today and have fun experimenting on a blank sheet of paper!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Uni, Mitsubishi, Pencil Reviews.

Stabilo Woody 3-in-1 Watercolor Pencils Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

There's an element of "jack of all trades, master of none" to these...pencils? Crayons? Paints? But that doesn't stop the Stabilo Woody 3-in-1 Watercolor Pencils from being a fun family activity. They're designed for kids and they passed my rigorous kid-test with flying colors.

The wood case is made from sustainable wood, with a break-resistant core. They're short and bulky, like the jumbo crayons marketed for preschoolers. They're a bit uncomfortable to hold, I felt, and the thick core only allows for the boldest of bold lines.

The core is very soft and lays down a smooth thick layer of color. It could easily achieve solid coverage on smooth paper. When you add water to the applied color, the results vary somewhat. Some colors are more soluble than others--black dissolves almost completely and spreads nicely, but silver doesn't appear to be soluble at all. Most colors are somewhere in-between, with at least a little of the original crayon line still visible after painting. I also tried dipping the crayon in water and drawing, but the core is too waxy to work well that way. It repels water rather than absorbing it, so I'd get maybe two strokes of painted line, and then it would return to a normal dry crayon line. Wetting the paper first and applying the color to the wet page created a neat feathering effect as some of the pigment ran, but the crayon line is still clearly visible. This could make for some really fun blending techniques.

Despite the heavy line put down by these, it doesn't take much color to get a rich puddle of watercolor. I think a wonderful use for these (for those of us who aren't inclined toward thick crayon art-making) is in creating washes or backgrounds for journals or other media. A fine layer blends into a lovely background with enough remaining texture to add some nice depth. Once the wash is dry, you can write or draw over it. The crayons even write well over themselves, creating some fun layered effects. They also work on different colored paper--and, because they are water-soluble, on chalkboards and glass. I haven't tested them on glass yet, but I'm envisioning some festive holiday window art.

After asking my eldest to test these, he has officially claimed them. He's never been the type to sit and color (or sit at all, for that matter), so he only reluctantly agreed to try these, and promised only a small, quick sketch. Instead, he patiently covered every inch of the large A3 watercolor paper. And then he liked them so much just as crayons, he resisted my suggestion to add water. And then when I convinced him to at least try adding water, he enjoyed that so much, he painted over the whole thing. Y'all, I got a good half-hour of peace and quiet out of it. And a lovely piece of art.

The crayons/pencils/paints come in sets of 6, 10, or 18. They're also available as open stock--but as far as I can tell, you need to buy a set to get the custom-sized sharpener. I'm not sure what other sharpener might fit these beasts. One thing the sets do not come with is a paintbrush. Instead, the 18-color set comes with a perplexing cardstock-cutout of a paintbrush in a compartment where you're clearly meant to place your own brush. I imagine it's there to indicate that "no, we didn't forget to add your brush--you just don't get one". These sets aren't cheap, and I feel like they really ought to come with a brush. Even a skimpy plastic one. If you plan to order these, be sure to have a brush on hand, or order one at the same time.

As for offering my recommendation, if you have an aspiring young artist in your life, I think these would be a big hit. But if your resident artist is old enough to take care of their art supplies, I'd actually recommend the Derwent Inktense Pencils instead. They create a better watercolor effect, are fine enough to color smaller details, and are considerably less expensive. They can't tackle as many surfaces as the Woodys though. If you want to color on the windows (and I had no idea how much I really do want to color on the windows until today), you want these. They'd also be great for drawing strategically-placed mustaches on the bathroom mirror. Art is art.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!