Janet Takahashi - Letters of Whimsey
Bring your journaling sketchbook to life and improve your drawing skills as you work your way through the alphabet with more than twenty-six creative ideas. Participants will create a reference workbook of artful techniques making small compositions while filling pages with a series of explorations in pen and ink, pencil, watercolor, and much more. Embellishments include pockets, foldouts, and keepsakes.
Class Level: All are welcome.
Supply List:
NOTE: You will be making a reference sampler book of over 100 techniques as we work through the alphabet, exploring tools and methods of working. I realize there are numerous materials on this list. Please don’t feel that you need to buy supplies that you may use only once. You are welcome to share all of mine; watercolors, pencils, masking fluid, chalk pastels, etc. (different brands to explore, too!) If you have any questions on this list, please text, email or call: 310-722-7360
Paper:
- Strathmore Drawing pad 400 series, 24 sheets, 9 in. x12 in. 80 lb
- 2 sheets of Tracing Paper
- 3 business size envelopes (to be cut up)
Pencils:
- HB and 4B graphite pencil (+various grades – only if you have other grades)
- Mechanical pencil (optional)
- any Blackwing Pencil Watercolor Pencils and/or Colored Pencils (include a pale blue and white colored pencil) (I will have Inktense, Graphitint, Coloursoft, Pastel, and Charcoal pencils)
- Pencil Sharpener
- Eraser, kneaded and/or soft white eraser. The Pentel Clic retractable eraser is nice to have.
Pens:
- Fineliner pens. Size 01, black. Multiple sizes. Extra colors optional. They are waterproof. Brand of your choice: Pigma Microns by Sakura, Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen, Mitsubishi Uni pen
- A water-soluble pen, black (Tombow Dual brush black or sepia, or Speedball Elegant Writer – Fine, or a Fountain Pen filled with water-soluble ink (only if you use a fountain pen)
- Add white to your work: Sakura Gelly Roll pen, white or Uni-Ball Signo Gel pen, white
- Any other pens you use: i.e. Pitt brush markers or any brush markers of your choice, a pointed flexible nib with pen holder, Gel pens (color), Pilot Parallel pens, Hi-Tec-C pens (red, additional colors optional), Calligraphy nibs (optional) – various sizes with a pen holder, a fountain pen (optional). (It is not necessary to bring every size and color of what you have. Bring only a few of what you most like to use.)
Ink/Paint:
- Black or Walnut Ink of choice. Use with a dinky dip type inkwell.
- Any bottled gold ink or watercolor cake pan of gold, such as Fine-Tec or similar (optional)
- A small watercolor set. Prang is fine.
- White, Dr. Martin’s Bleed Proof White or white gouache
- Paint palette for mixing color
- A water cup for watercolors
- Spray mister to refresh watercolors (optional)
Brushes:
- #4 round, and #6 OR #8 round brush (synthethics work just great)
- 1/2” flat brush
- Inexpensive “filler brush” (for mixing color and filling your pen nibs)
- Water brush (optional) Fill the plastic barrel of this portable brush with water, and paint anywhere.
Other:
- Resist: White crayon or candle
- Color Wheel (with a Gray Scale on the inner ring)
- X-ACTO Knife and cutting mat
- Scissors
- C-thru clear plastic grid ruler (the grid is useful for drawing lines for lettering)
- Metal ruler for use with x-acto blade
- Bone folder
- Glue stick
- Masking tape or washi tape
- Compass (school type with point and pencil for making circles, the pointed end will double as an awl)
- Magazine to be cut, colorful, such as a Martha Stewart, gardening, etc. (optional, I will have some)
- One rubber stamp (optional) + stamp pad (any subject image i.e. Pens, traveling, quotes)
- Quotations (optional) do you have any favorites?
- Paper towels