Archive for New Tools
The Kneadable Eraser
Though I’ve had one or two of these kneadable erasers (aka: putty rubbers) lying around for what seems like forever, it’s only recently that I’ve begun to fall in love with them. Slightly reminiscent of the Silly Putty of our childhood, this slightly sticky, moldable eraser works by absorbing graphite, charcoal, pastel, etc., and does not leave crumbly bits when used.
Have you ever tried one of these?
These erasers are often used in subtractive drawing techniques- a brief tutorial can be found here:
Keeping Things Sharp
I finally bit the bullet and bought myself an electric pencil sharpener. I didn’t really “need” one, but when you have piles of colored pencils to sharpen, it can sure come in handy. I’d been working with a battery operated unit that even when loaded with fresh batteries always sounded like it was about to up and die.
I like that this one can sharpen pencils of varying thicknesses as I’ve always struggled to get a good point on my favorite Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils which are slightly thicker than a regular pencil.
This beast will live in my studio, while the 5 miscellaneous pocket sharpeners I know I own will remain at large.
How do you keep your pencils sharp? Do you have a preferred sharpener?
Custom Leather Renaissance Arts Bag
As we continue to look for Rhodia specific accessories…
“This is a custom bag made by Renaissance Arts of Santa Fe, NM. The right hand side is a messenger style bag, and on the left is a folder that holds a Circa system with purple aluminum rings and Rhodia for Circa (Levenger) paper, along with six slots for 3 by 5 cards. The folder attaches to the back of the bag with brass fixtures and can be carried together with the shoulder strap.”
View the various Renaissance Arts Circa folders here.
Image and description courtesy of Doug Cooper
Quiver Pen Holders and Webbies
Quiver pen holders are described as “thoughtfully crafted, hand-made leather pen holders for your treasured notebook.”
I would agree. Quiver pen holders are gorgeous. Separately each product is very handsome, but paired together they really enhance each other. 
Quiver pen holders got their start from notebook users who were continually frustrated with losing their favorite pen in the bottom of a bag, or forgetting it on their desk at home. Clipping it to the notebook cover was awkward or iffy, since the pen clip could break or fall off.
The Quiver pen holder solved the problem of safely and conveniently pairing a pen or pens to a favorite notebook.
Their pen holders come in three sizes: Pocket/Small (A6 size); Large (A5) and Extra Large (A4). The sheaths are in brown, black or pink leather. The black sheaths have red or yellow stitching. Quiver is starting to develop holders with orange stitching for your favorite Webbie.
The pen holders are made in Mexico by the same leather crafters who build Saddleback Leather suitcases and travel bags. Quiver designers worked directly with some of the Saddleback Leather people to gain their perspectives on how to construct a leather product to last many years, even down to the type and strength of the thread and stitch count.
See all the Quiver pen holders on their website – quiverglobal.com.
Please check back on Rhodia Drive tomorrow for a special surprise…!
Ever try an Ergonomic Pen?
Some of us love to write for the tactile experience of putting pen to paper, while others are required to write longhand because of school or work related obligations. When I first stated journaling, my hand would cramp from using my favorite ball point pen because back then I didn’t realize that pressure was required to get the ink to flow. Switching to a gel pen or a felt-tipped marker may have solved this issue but I really loved using those cheapy blue PaperMate stick pens because I liked the way the ink looked on the paper. I solved the cramping problem after buying my first fountain pen. I’ll admit that I bought it because while the vintage aspect intrigued me, it was wanting to be like the other cool kids in the “What’s in your bag” Flickr photo group that did me in.
I learned quickly that you don’t have to exert pressure on the nib of a fountain pen for the ink to flow and that meant bye-bye hand cramps. And hello whole new world of paper, pen & ink friends!
While I’ve never tried an ergonomic pen, I understand they can be quite helpful for those with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc. The pen shown in the image above is an Evo-Pen and a quick web search for “ergonomic pen” led me to The Writing Pen Store - an online retailer that seems to have a pretty wide selection of ergonomic pens and pencils.
Do you suffer from writing cramps? Arthritis? Have you ever tried an ergonomic pen?
Pen Of The Day: Delta Scrigno Secret Fountain Pen
This is a Delta Scrigno- Italian for “treasure chest”
Scrigno is an innovative collection of writing instruments offering a tiny coffer inside the cap which is capable of safeguarding one’s most intimate secrets. Simply unscrew (counterclockwise) the top of the cap to uncover the inner container made of food safe steel. Use of this space is left to your imagination. Continue Readering »
Rhodia Pad Complete Size & Availability Chart
A new Rhodia chart has been compiled on the http://rhodiapads.com/ website. It shows product sizes in both inches and centimeters, ruling and cover options, reference numbers and also paper colors. Is there anything we are missing that you would like to see? I suggested perhaps adding the weight of the paper. Most are 80g but the R series and Webbies use 90g.
New Tools: Koh-i-noor Woodless Colored Pencils
Our friend Gail Young recently sent me an e-mail about these Koh-i-noor woodless pencils which I have yet to try. Her thoughts?
- Soft but not smudgy.
- Blend beautifully. Continue Readering »
Want to try a fountain pen?
If you love to write longhand but have never tried a fountain pen, now might be the time.
A good fountain pen, (“good” does not necessarily mean $$$) writes extremely smooth with very light pressure on the paper. They allow you to write for extended periods of time with little hand/wrist fatigue.
You can find disposable fountain pens like the Pilot Varsity, for about $3. A great refillable starter pen is the Lamy Safari, which costs around $35. (I have several of them) Mid range pens can run from $60-$100, like my favorite Pelikan M200. ($90) There are brands that are more expensive – often considered to be symbols of status, such as Montblanc and Omas ($300-$500) and limited edition collector’s type pens that can run $1000-$5000 and up.
Many people prefer to use vintage pens – ones produced as far back as the 1920′s. These can be purchased fully restored from specialist vendors like Vacumania, or in “as-is” condition for a few dollars at a local flea-market/swap meet.
Fountain pen inks come in every imaginable color, and on average cost about $8-$10 a bottle. A single bottle will last you a long, long time and many FP users enjoy having multiple bottles on hand to suit their inky whims.
Learn much more about fountain pens from the ultimate online community, The Fountain Pen Network.
