How Kathleen Edwards Affected my Marker Preference

My first posting raved about the attributes of Copic pens. Copic also makes a pretty cool marker as well.

I'm sure I will be loyal to Chartpak AD Markers for all my breathing days. Their ability to blend, nib design, etc. are unrivaled by other markers -- in my opinion. Although limited, I like their colors too. After 20 something years I can also pick colors in my sleep. It seems architects have a preference for Prismacolor markers but I don't get it. Lots of colors but they don't seem quite as blendable, etc. to me. Of course, most architects will admit their marker rendering skills pale in comparison to the talents of the typical landscape architect. We rock at marker renderings. Thank you, Mike Lin.

I discovered Copic markers last spring when my good friend Jennifer and I went to Chapel Hill, NC for the Kathleen Edwards concert and decided to check out an art supply store the following day. I was drawn to their super wide markers (it's huge!) but also liked that the other two sizes had dual nibs. The color selection is way better than "basic" -- they offer 334 colors (compared to 130 for AD and 156 for Prismacolor).

The nibs are replaceable / interchangeable and there is even an airbrush attachment. I might have to try that out. They are a little more expensive than the other brands ($5.62 for copic wide, $5.09 for copic orignal, $4.87 for copic sketch, $3.19 for Pantone, $2.59 for Chartpak -- all at Dick Blick) so I still have a limited palette. Copics are refillable, which is a good feature. For $5.99 you can refill a sketch marker up to 10 times. This seems like a more sustainable approach. Although I guess it could be inconvenient and potentially messy.

So, there you have it: another rendering option. Try them out. Oh, and if you haven't heard her yet, give Kathleen Edwards a listen. I have been a fan since her first CD. You will love her. I promise. Her songs are awesome.

http://copicmarker.com/products/markers/

http://www.kathleenedwards.com/

http://www.dickblick.com/products/chartpak-ad-markers/

Tape Dots and The End of An Era

You know you are a geek when you have a preferred drafting dot brand. But you know you are a geek with “issues” when you are upset when you can no longer get your favorite dots.

For years, my favorite drafting dots were made by Charrette. Why? Were they really any different than Alvin or Staedtler Mars dots? No, probably not. Could I buy them locally like I could the other brands? No, I had to order them. So, why did I like them so darn much? Well, one reason was the name. We like charrettes so why not have a drafting dot that says charrette? Also, unlike some brands, the color didn’t seem to rub off on the paper when you stuck them.

But it is all a moot point because Charrette got bought out by some stupid big company who did not care about our loyalty and the store was shut down forever. I can’t find any of their dots online anywhere.

However, one day while eating lunch at my desk and googling for my beloved dots I ran across a new company: Haut Dots. Their web site was not even totally functional yet so I emailed them. I was very intrigued by their tag line: “Premium drafting dots for the preferred scheme.” So, I ordered a box of each pattern. They came in the mail and I am giving them a whirl. They are not the usual crepe-ish kind of tape material but a smoother white surface with crisp, slick, minimalist graphics in a line, cross, and circle pattern. Pretty cool. They sell them for $7.95 online which is fairly comparable with other “regular” dots (about a buck and a half more than Staedtler Mars dots at Staples). They seem to actually stick too, which is the main job of a tape dot.

By the way, I always took drafting dots for granted until I did a charrette at Clemson once and I caught the students assigned to our team cutting them into quarters with an x-acto knife to make them last longer. I also worked with a landscape architect years ago who stuck them on her drafting lamp to re-use later but they usually ended up stuck in her hair (without her knowledge, usually).

I will probably continue to use Staedtler dots for day-to-day stuff but I will use my new Haut Dots for the “preferred scheme”. I will probably also hoard my last remaining boxes of Charrette dots until they are finally gone. I am such a dork.

http://www.hautdots.com/index.html

Cool Pencil Case

When we started the urban edge studio everyone got one of these cool pencil cases, and a matching business card case. I got them at MoMA and they are made by a Japanese company called MUJI.

The full name of the company is Mujirushi Ryohin which translates as "no label, quality goods". This company tries to achieve, according to their web site, "a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design". I am drawn to their simple aesthetic and the quality of their products. Simple is good.

The cases are very lightweight aluminum. They measure about 6.75" x 2.5" x 0.5" and hold about 12 pencils or a slightly less quantity of pens. They are proving to be very durable.

The colored pencils shown here are Derwent Studio pencils, which are surpassing Prismacolors for me as the colored pencil of choice. I must say, however, that unlike some of the others in my studio, I am still much better at marker renderings than colored pencils. They have their place, however.

http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/CategoryDisplay_10451_10001_11627_11627_-1_shop_

http://www.muji.us/about-muji/ http://www.dickblick.com/products/derwent-studio-colored-pencils/