Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
My question is about blending mostly used with "fake" water-coloring and also using a blender pen with chalks. I realize this being a board with a lot of SU people that post of you use the SU blender pen but I do not own those yet. I also have heard about the Dover Blender Pen sold at paperwishes but I don't have 75.00 right now to spend so I can get free shipping so I can't yet buy that one either.
Here is my question: Is there any other type of blender pen that would work? Is there any other brand that maybe I could find locally to me. I don't use Tombow markers at all but my LSS has them and I wondered since Tombow markers were water based and used for blending would they work for using faux water-coloring and is there a sealer in them so I could use it with chalks? I almost brought 1 just to see but money is very tight right now and I really can't afford to buy something that I don't know if it will work in the way I want it. I want something like the previous named blender pens work. I did try the blender pen that came with the prism colored pencil accessory pack and it didn't seem to work at all but again that blender pen was made to break down wax not transfer inks from my non-stick mat to am image to color in.
Any suggestions...any please... I am hoping one of you will have a solution- I really want to give this technique a try since I love watercolor pencils but I own so many inks and watercolor markers in hundreds of brands it seems like.
Some use gamsol and a type of pen....can't think of the name right now...(broke my ankle and just got home)....anyway....if I can find a link maybe that will help...I'm sorry I'm not more help....the pen is more or less *paper* wrapped tight...you can find both in the art dept of craft stores....
I have a LePlume blender pen that I got at either Mike's or Joanns. I bought a dove pen but liked this one better. To me the tip stayed in better shape.
Yes, the Tombows will work just like the SU markers. That goes for the Tombow blender, too. I use them interchangeably. It is NOT the same as a Dove blender pen, though, so I don't know if I would use it for chalks. There is a recipe for a home made blending solution (Dove style), that you can put into an empty marker. Do a search in the forums, and I'm sure you'll find it, people are always asking about it.
Some use gamsol and a type of pen....can't think of the name right now...(broke my ankle and just got home)....anyway....if I can find a link maybe that will help...I'm sorry I'm not more help....the pen is more or less *paper* wrapped tight...you can find both in the art dept of craft stores....
again sorry i'm not more help right now!
I have SU blender pens but find that Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) and a blending stump work great for blending images coloured with watercolour pencils or Prismacolor pencils.
A small bottle of OMS and a few stumps cost about $5 at an art supply store. The stumps are basically paper wrapped really tight to form a pencil. Gina K has a good tutorial on her Stamp TV website that you should check out. HTH
I was asking about faux water-coloring images with ink being transferred from non-stick mat to a stamped image - I think I will buy the tombow blender pen to see if it works- its only a couple dollars. I also did want to use chalk also like dove blender pen allows but maybe I will have to just wait till I can afford it.
I have never heard of using Gamsol and blending stumps with ink or chalk- just my Prisma colored pencils. I do have them since I love my colored pencils but I am really wanting to try my hand at using ink from distress ink pads and some markers I have. I was not sure when reading about the Gamsol and stumps if I was just not clear on my intent of use with blending pen or if I can really use the gamsol and stumps with ink transfer?
Thanks everyone for advising me... I have read about homemade blending solution but I don't have any glycerin (misspelled) to make the recipe and don't live anywhere where I can buy it. I live in Rural America- the closest real town is almost 45 minutes away.. that's where my one and only LSS is located and a small J's not even worth walking into except when I want a new DCWV stack or maybe a new ink pad or cheap stamps.. There is only like 3 tiny rows for scrap-booking/card-making in the tiny store.
I like using a Niji waterbrush to pick up ink for coloring. I believe in the SU word it is an aquapainter. I bought a Dove blender pen, solution and refills years ago and never really got into using it. I preferred the waterbrush once I started using it.
I have the Tombow blender pen. It works just great for "faux watercolor" with dye ink (such as SU pads and reinkers), watercolor pencils, or for coloring and blending chalks, too. For the price, I don't think you can go wrong with the Towbow blender!
The brand blender pens I bought from my local craft/hobby store is called Whispers Strokes. I only paid $3.49 for 2 pens. They work great, but are not refillable. I don't use them that often, so for the price I don't think I could go wrong with them. Check out your the LSS' in your area. Someone is bound to have one and they're not that expensive.
"Thanks everyone for advising me... I have read about homemade blending solution but I don't have any glycerin (misspelled) to make the recipe and don't live anywhere where I can buy it. I live in Rural America- the closest real town is almost 45 minutes away.. that's where my one and only LSS is located and a small J's not even worth walking into except when I want a new DCWV stack or maybe a new ink pad or cheap stamps.. There is only like 3 tiny rows for scrap-booking/card-making in the tiny store."
Hi Sheena,
I use the Le Plume Blender pen I got at Michael's for a few bucks. It works well to blend ink and chalks, I find. I think I saw a comparison of blender pens on Craft Critique (not 100% sure but you could try googling it). I bought glycerin at the drug store for 3$ and plan on making my own refill. Apparently you can sit the tip of the pen in the blender solution and it will suck it in. I am not sure if the pen has to be horizontal in the solution or not. If you do have blender stumps around and can get some glycerin at a pharmacy (if there is one near you), perhaps you could try dipping the blending stump in the homemade blending solution to se if that works. Just a thought.
I already own an aquapainter and like it some just not in love with faux watercoloring with it. I do like to do real watercolor painting with it.
DH called me today while he was in town and asked me the name of the marker I was thinking about- so I told him and he was kind enough to stop in at my LSS to buy it for me. I have already played with it alittle with chalks, watercolor pencils and a couple ink pads..I even tried my regular Prisma pencils with it, I can't say it blended very well but it did smooth out the wax color (I was surprised), I don't intend tto use it for that process just had to try it after reading the previous posts about it (I already own gamsol and quite a few blending stumps) even though I need to practice some-
I think this will work out great and it was under 3.00. I hope next week to make it in town to buy a couple more. I have 1 gripe- the staining of the tip of the pen, but I have seen enough videos on YouTube to know this is normal and won't effect the coloring process.
75.00 for a Dove blender? Seriously?? I bought one at Archiver's w/ extra tips and the refill bottle for about 10.00. I use it all the time. I also have the Tombow and love it, too. I have tons of Tombow markers and they are my absolute favorite marker.
75.00 for a Dove blender? Seriously?? I bought one at Archiver's w/ extra tips and the refill bottle for about 10.00. I use it all the time. I also have the Tombow and love it, too. I have tons of Tombow markers and they are my absolute favorite marker.
I think she meant that if she ordered online she wanted to get free shipping and needed to spend $75.00 to do that.....at least that was how I read it.
OP, if you are looking for glycerin to make your own blending solution, you can also find it at Target or Walmart in the pharmacy section, or the drug store.
Glad you found a blender pen and hope you have fun playing with it.
I have the Dove blender pen and don't like it. The tip is mushier and larger than the SU pens. I haven't tried any of the other brands, I'm still using the same SU blenders I bought 5 years ago. I just keep resoaking the tips in solution when they start to get dry.
75.00 for a Dove blender? Seriously?? I bought one at Archiver's w/ extra tips and the refill bottle for about 10.00. I use it all the time. I also have the Tombow and love it, too. I have tons of Tombow markers and they are my absolute favorite marker.
----------------------------------------------------------------
No not 75.00 for just the Dover Blender Pen set (the pen, refill and extra nibs costs appox 9.00 online thru the store I am looking at), that is the min order for free shipping. I rarely (very rarely) ever pay shipping when ordering online. If they offer a min amount to get the free shipping- I wait till I can place an order that large. I like to keep as much money in my pocket as possible- so I won't pay shipping in 99% of online purchases. This is a personal choice I made years ago and plan to continue it. Most companies (not all) charge terrible high shipping rates.. I have a problem with that... Thats why I was asking about the Tombow Blender pen I can get it 45min away and under 3.00.
Sheena
Last edited by Sheena74; 04-18-2010 at 08:13 PM..
Reason: bad spelling- the usual
SU has a pack of blender pens for $9.95. I have a video on my blog www.haveinkwillstamp.com using the blender pens and ink to give images a "watercolor" look. Check it out if you would like. I have not used any other brand so I can not help you there. If you don't want the 3 pack from SU! because you just want to try them, send me a note and we can work out something to get 1 to you if you want to try it.
Question about blending pens
