A list of Cyberscribes' Favorite Tools | |
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my electric eraser. Corinna, Chicago _____________ Jim Chin's Moth pen. I prefer it over most of the folded pens and Ruling Writers simply because I've gotten to know it very well over the past few years. Kate McKulla _____________ Electric eraser has saved my life several times. and My lightbox and a 13 year old "Scribe Guide" plastic sheet that I use to rule lines. Ann Van Tassel ______________ The flat brush. Because for some *very* strange reason, considering how heavy-handed I can be with a broad pen, I have a sensitivity with the brush that never ceases to amaze me. Because I can do things with color loading with a brush that would be impossible with a broad pen. Because the challenge of doing *everything* with a brush that a broad pen can do never ceases to fascinate me. Karen Ter Haar, Oz ________________ A kneadable putty rubber (eraser) Sandra Sandilands, UK ________________ A soapstone pencil for drawing lines on dark paper drawing lines on dark paper Peggy Robinson, Calgary ________________ Electric Eraser and my NT-Cutter Knife a D400, with a tiny sharp blade, that I can't do without. Pentel Metallic Brush, Copper, Silver and Gold. I also love a Dimensional Fabric paint, that has tiny gold flakes in it, Phoenix brand Fabric Paints and colours, and yes I use them on paper and card as well as Fabric.. Collene, Oz _______________ A garden stake which I carved into a wide nib. It makes the loveliest big, rough letters Diane M. Jones, Tennessee _________________ The Phantom Liner. I use it for everything, not just for envelopes.Gelly rolls pens, Bobbi Robertson, Florida __________________ My light board and my guidelines. Debi Zeinert __________________ Electric erasers aren't just for correction. They can also be used for softening edges and creating highlights if you're doing illustration/illumination/decorative borders etc. Corinna _________________ Large corner desk (computer style), matching bookshelf and short filing cabinet, plus a table top slant desk. *glass* mixing dishes. I've used the disposable plastic contact lens containers for years, for mixing small amounts of gouache, but for larger amounts, and even for water or ink, nothing beats plain glass containers. Cindy Yount ________________ Electric eraser as a mini lathe & carve the eraser with your exacto into wonderous turnings. Peggy Jo, Dayton _______________ "stimudents" (dental pics) from the drugstore. They can be hot glued to a popsickle stick. Make them about five wide. You can write from either side and drop color in between the tines. This will give a rainbow effect. Tom, Michigan ______________ The Zig Millenium fine liner. Not only is it waterproof, so that you can paint over the lines without smudging, but it comes in extremely fine sizes. My finest in .005. And my bone folder and my kneadable eraser. Cecilia, Oz ______________ The single edge razor blades for small cutting jobs and intricut cuts. The "quilter's glove" to help keep carpal tunnel at bay. "Fun Foam." This is a craft item for kids to cut up and make soft things. It comes in 2 sizes, 8 1/2 x 11 and 11 x14. It makes a soft surface under paper, when doing calligraphy, gives thepen a little cushion. Also use it when doing rubber stamps, gives better impressions than working on a hard surface. Phyllis Wallace, Minnesota ______________ Writing desk/light table made by Don Brown in Corvallis. I have mine with a plexiglass board and a flourescent light underneath. #600 sandpaper. Cut into 2" squares (sharpens my papercutter), I prefer this to crocus cloth and use it to "texturize" the tips of nibs that are too smooth or to file nibs that have burrs. Simply write a few strokes on the sandpaper with ink in the pen. I always have a square of it taped to my writing board. I like to write with nibs that "connect" with the paper, and this sandpaper gives the nibs traction (and also seems to help the ink flow) Carol DuBosch, Portland _______________ And a tool I usually reach for first, if not a broad edge, is a folded or ruling writer pen; Katherine Malmsten ________________ could not live without my cutting mat, bone folder, kneaded eraser Bonnie Noehr, California _________________ My handmade pen holder by Bill Lilly ( my jack russel chewed the last half of it off but I still love it and use it everyday of my life!) Angela Welch, Orange Beach __________________ Favorite marker: ZIG chisel tip Carol, NYC _________________ Layout using tracing paper Christine Anderson, Neotsu, OR _________________ Colored Pencils, Quills, Steel Brushes, Ruling Pens, Pentel Brushes; my Ott true light task light. Victoria Kilbidis, Florida __________________ sandarac, gum arabic, glycerine, my drafting table and arm, an array of pencils in various harnesses, metal, cork-backed ruler, mat cutter, soft music. Alexis Reiter, Canada _________________ The Envelope Please templates - a nifty way to recycle. Jo Anne Fannon _________________ The 1/2 inch Coit, all kinds of ruling writers and folded pens and the gels -and monolined ballpoints. Glen Epstein, Iowa _________________ A soapstone to draw lines on dark paper, because it erases like magic with a soft cloth, and never mars the paper like erasers do. Eliece Edge ________________ My favorite tool, the one that raises my spirits and lifts my heart is the friend who calls or writes to say: I love it! ciaobiddy ________________ The internet, without a doubt. Quotes, art, ideas, and all of you, too. What riches! Sally Jackson ________________ I love my quills the best. I call them "my little problem solvers," since I can tailor them to any size, angle, delicacy etc. that I want. Jenny Hunter Groat ________________ The water brush pens, the parallel pens, the xyron machine and a flat table and easel with light box as my writing surface. Anita Lane, in Buffalo Gap, Texas ________________ Very scruffy, ink-stained well-used, formerly white glove with the thumb and two forefinger ends cut off, to keep my greasy hand from traveling over the paper as I write. Cari Ferraro ________________ All my markers: broad edged (Zig, Elegant Writer, etc). Sharpies, and brush markers (Tombow, Sakura) dozens of different kinds of white mixing dishes-- from saki cups (when you turn some of them upside down have a tall, narrow base like those "inky dip" cups, but are more stable) to Winsor & Newton stacking cups, and white Corelle glass plates Jill Bell ________________ My favorite thing-on-my-desk are my salt cellars that I use for mixing paints. Some are antique, some are newer, and they come in a wide range of sizes. My can't-do-without tool would be the exacto knife. Yes, I have some battle scars, but still love it dearly. Sherri Trial _________________ My portable CD player with headphones. The headphones are a must because it blocks out any interfering noise. I put on my favorite music and enter my own creative world. It helps me focus and feel at peace. Lynda in PA ________________ My trusty bone folder Viva Lloyd, Surrey ________________ little leather sacks with sand in them from Levengers that are paper weights. Elissa Barr _________________ The one thing that I absolutely would be miserable without is a Sanford Turquoise drawing pencil. These little weighted gems feel SO good in the hand. Victoria Pittman _________________ Grafix Acetate, "a general purpose film ideally suited for overlays, color separations, and layouts. It comes in Matte, non-glare frosted surface for work with pencil, marker, or pens or other mediums and Wet Media. You can use both sides of the Wet Media and it accepts watercolor, acrylics, poster paints, ink, and more without beading or crawling." I use it over paste papers, and others, when I want to try out text placement and color choices, etc. It's great, and a damp wipe usually cleans the surface when you're through. Victoria Kibildis ________________ T pins....they are indispensable for me. I believe the ones I have are quilting T-pins. They are very large for pins. I use them for pricking paper for sewing books, measuring lines by pricking through several thicknesses of paper which is long enuf that the holes can later be trimmed. I use them for plugging the holes in 'bottles' of glue, for plugging the open ends of plastic pipettes filled with ink. Virginia in MT ________________ Yeah for dinky dips Chris Foster ________________ Lighting is important: Try an OTT-LITE, creates soft lite and no shadows. Wilma Hardenburgh, MT __________________ Teflon bone folder, wonderful because it doesn't make the paper shinny, and it feels good to hold, more warmth than a bone. Mary Elizabeth in PA __________________ A beautiful light box that my grandfather built for me about 15 years ago. It's made all of oak with brass sliders so I can adjust the height. Jennifer Ball __________________ A Faber Castell eraser, it's oval shaped, not too thick and does a wonderful job of erasing guidelines. One thing that I usually do when erasing with a Staedtler eraser is slice it in about 1/4 inch pieces, that way I get a clean sharp fine eraser every time, and I hardly touch the calligraphy. I usually draw my guidelines with and 4H pencil easy to erase. Lorraine "La Belle Province" | |