My experiences are fairly the same as yours. I didn't like the Qor paints at all, which surprised me. I got the High Chroma kit and sold it on after swatching. With the Roman Szmal, Mijello, and M Graham paints in my collection, I just feel I get better results and mixes. I love Golden acrylic though. I have the same fountain pen and Carbon ink set-up except my pen is Mango yellow so I don't misplace it. And Helen Wells is great. I love that she followed her dreams anyway and stuck with her style after rejection. These flashback videos are so helpful and I am really glad you are making them. Thank you!

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I actually liked the colours from the High Chroma set - I kept 5 of them I think. I agree though - I very highly rate my Roman Szmal, Mijello Mission Gold Single Pigments, and my one M. Graham paint - and I could live without the QoR. I think I need to actually read my Helen Wells book now!!

I haven't tried caran d'ache tube gouache, but their pan gouache (I have the set of 15) is awfully fun and convenient for plein air playtime! I like these retrospective reviews...it means more to me to hear someone's experiences after the initial giddiness of a haul video 😊

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I've seen the pan gouache set around and occasionally been tempted! I wonder how it compares with using dried out tube gouache?

@tdelphia1

Ай бұрын

@@helencryer I don't know how they do it, but it is VERY creamy and easily rewets...no cracking! Kind of like Schmincke watercolor pans in texture. I think you would have fun with it.

I love this series. Not only do I learn about what's worked for you, I've started assessing what's to be learned from my own usage. My attitude's changed, too, from regret or disappointment in myself for wrong buys to seeing them as experiments that taught me something. Good all 'round! Thank you, Helen.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I'm so glad! Thanks ever so much!

The tombow fudenosuke is waterproof, i use a grey one for drawing under watercolour. It can make an extremely fine line but you can add more variation than a fineliner.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thank you! I never even thought about using the pen for drawing (I was big into brush lettering a while back) - I can see how the flexibility might be great!

Great stuff! I would love if more people would do ‘one year later’ for their art hauls!

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks!

Thank you for this. I love Helen Wells. Her sketchbook process is really inspiring- the way she moves her ideas through a series of books, going from initial play to final work. You’ve also inspired me to finally buy a Lamy! I’m in Germany & never had one. Though my kids used them all through school. 😂 Also love my Rosa paints. I can get them in person now at a small art store in Czech - which feels like a real luxury. Such lovely paints at an affordable price.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I really need to actually read her book!! I hope you'll like the Lamy, and I'd say it's worth buying a decent ink. I've still never seen the Rosa Gallery paints for sale in person!

I adore Qor paints, though I find some of their browns rather anemic. I love using them in loose abstracts for the ways they move across the paper and will push into other colors, creating lovely blends.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I definitely enjoy the ones I have, for these qualities!

This is brilliant, such a fascinating video ☺☺

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks!

I have the Rosa gallery botanical set and it’s great. I love QoR and have selected a palette of 20. Each day I sit down and write to my friend interstate. I post a letter each Monday and that is my journaling. It really clears my head

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I absolutely love your letter writing!! There's no doubt to my mind that writing is incredibly mentally healthy.

This series is great. It's fun to see the "haul" but also get the real scoop on what you've liked and what you've used.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks ever so much!

I love the 1 year later series. I tried a few Rosa Gallery paints after watching a previous video of yours,and enjoyed them , so then treated myself to a Botanical set,and not quite a year later I’m still really enjoying them,for me where I am in my watercolour journey( the beginning) they’re just right price wise and plenty of beautiful colours to choose from. From the moment I first saw one of your splodge and scribble paintings I was hooked on watercolour painting,I’m learning so much from your videos, keep up the great work ❤.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

This makes me so happy to read - I'm really glad, and thank you!!

I love my Lamy Safaris

Was really interesting to see what you used over the past year and to have an actual review of the products themselves. Quite pratical and useful for people using the same products. Keep up the great work!

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thank you!!

I don’t love those winsor and newton brushes either. I had the exact same problem with wonky bristles

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Interesting it wasn't just mine!

Love this video! I have had my eye on the Lamy Safari fountain pen for a while. I have been wanting to do some ink and watercolor wash with it. Thanks so much for sharing this year on review! There are so many supply hauls on YT, but not many channels who will do review-updates after using the supplies for a while.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks ever so much!

I love this series of videos you're doing Helen, it's really interesting to look back and see your impressions on the supplies. I have to admit I'm a massive fan of QOR watercolours, I love that they're insane in water and just go wherever they want to! They're definitely better in the tubes (dried into pans) imho than the existing sets which are already in pans though I think.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks! I definitely enjoy the QoR colours I've kept! Haven't tried their pans to compare.

Helen, if it’s not too much to ask can you do a dedicated video on Qor paints? Like the colors you enjoy using, colors you enjoy mixing with, etc?

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

I've added it to my list of possible videos, but I can't promise any time soon!

@Saahrish

Ай бұрын

@@helencryer for you, I can wait forever. I absolutely love your videos. Always grateful for you for sharing updates on your previous hauls. Those videos are so helpful!

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

That is so sweet - thank you!

9:58 Black grape. It might refer to being made out of burnt grape seeds (no purple, hence) Schmincke has several fluid coal colours, made of burnt grape seeds, cherry and peach pits. Maybe this is the same with Rosa Gallery? I really enjoyedthe video. It is good to take stock and see how the new products have integratedintondaily practice

@helencryer

26 күн бұрын

Oh that's interesting - maybe then! One viewer did say that their tube version was more purple though.

I bought some QoR paints on a trip to the US when I got to visit Blick Art. I thought I’d love them, but for me, they’re just okay (glad I didn’t buy many and they were a good price there). I love my Lamy Safari pen too! I go through phases where I use it a lot and then set it aside for ages. I’ve never tried Arches hot pressed, but love the cold pressed. I don’t use it as much as I should, considering I have a few pads that were picked up on a really good sale. It still seems like it should be reserved for the “good” art and not the “playing around” art that I do most of the time 😅. Enjoyed the recap/revisit, as always!! These videos are so much more interesting than a haul video to me. I wish everyone did “one year later” videos!

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Thanks ever so much! I'm coming to the conclusion that I just don't enjoy hot pressed papers as much as cold pressed - it's just got less character!

20:12 Maybe you should have bought the silver version. The small fortune you’d have parted with is just the push that you need to use the pencil 😄.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Hmmmm.....

Hi Helen, I really enjoyed the video and always find it interesting to see how different products perform. It’s amazing how differently the watercolours reaction varies between the brands, bit of an expensive minefield for a beginner isn’t it? It’s not so bad when you have established how you like to paint, but it’s still trial and error isn’t it, which is why videos like these are so valuable. I have to agree that I haven’t found any pencils that can compete with the Prismacolor, they’re gorgeous to use and I haven’t had any problems with the leads breaking either, but then I do tend to treat mine like a priceless treasure 😂😂😂🙄🙄 What weight paper is your Khadi fat book, I’m thinking of getting one? Thankyou for sharing, take care xx

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

It's definitely quite an extensive subject for a newcomer! That was partly my motivation to start making KZread videos - because I had quite a few watercolours etc, I wanted to add to the resources on KZread, to help people make choices. KZread is how I learn so much stuff. I have a few favourite pencils that I struggle choose between! Prismacolours, Luminance, Lightfast & Derwent Drawing. Plus Polychromos for details! The Khadi Fat Book is quite thin paper - 100gsm.

thanks for sharing

21:51 I do the same 😊

At the 10 minute mark, when you were swatching the Rosa Gallery watercolors, the brown swatch on the top left looks a melty United States. I'll just see myself out,

@helencryer

23 күн бұрын

😂 No, please definitely do stay!!

I bought the journal set that your friend gave you last year. I thought it was great way to try many different products. There are items that I still haven’t used. I use the Derwent pencil . I find the leads are soft and lay down easily and erases easily too. I’m not sure if the leads break any more easily than my Pental leads or uni KURA TOGA (I assume it’s a uniball pencil), since I have a tendency to break leads using any mechanical pencil. I agree with you the Rhodia journal is lovely to write in.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Yes, there was a good selection! The pencil lead had a nice writing texture, but I found I was just getting frustrated using it - the breakage with mine was noticeably more.

7:03 Good God! What did you do to the metal Comb! 😂

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Haha! I thought someone might pick me up on that - surprise, surprise, it was you... Comes from ripping pages out, rather than patiently tearing along the perforations.

@awatercolourist

Ай бұрын

@@helencryer 😂😂

Do you know if the ink is lightfast? I tried to look it up, but couldn’t find anything about it.

@helencryer

Ай бұрын

Yes, it's Lightfast. This is what I found: 'Platinum Carbon black is a lightfast and water-resistant ink of archival quality.' 'As the Platinum Carbon Ink suggests, it does use carbon particles in its ink. The ultra-fine carbon particles are what provides the permanence, waterproof and archival features of the ink.' 'Carbon black acts as a primary pigment, enhancing the depth and intensity of colors. It improves the color consistency and stability of inks, preventing fading or discoloration over time.'

@martinanelsonartandpsychol6478

Ай бұрын

@@helencryer thank you so much!!! I used so far only the sketcher inks (which are also pigment based) and can get messy if not always cleaned carefully. So I wanted to try something else.