About Come one, come all to see the biggest competition in history. All different types of art medium brands are going to battle it out to be crowned the winner. Everything from computers to the pencils you draw with are inside waiting for you to choose who wins. Throughout the entire magazine you will see that the title of different brands are in one of four color: blue, red, white, and yellow. Just like in a competition, blue is first place, red is second, white is third, and yellow is fourth. The magazine is designed this way so you can which brands are the top picked and which ones are the least. Artist everywhere and of all ages can be apart of helping other artist pick the right tools to suceed with. The top two to four brands are compared side by side with a personal review by artist. Along with their reviews, these artist will have some of their pieces of work showcased and an interview on what brands they use and why. Stay tuned and maybe one day i will be asking you for an interview. Morgan Ulloa Editor
My business card and just a random,weird picture of me
2
And the Winner Is...
Round Two
Round One
Sketchbooks pg.3
Pencils pg.4
Final Battle
Tablet pg.6
News Brief pg.2
Showcase pg.12 My Gallery pg.20
Products I Suggest pg.8
Markers pg.6
Cameras pg.9
Paint pg.10
Brushes pg.11
Computers pg.18 1
Issue One July 17, 2013
Extra Extra! New Products Have Arrived Copic
This year copic is coming out with new colors and sizes of their multiliner pens. They have ten new colors including warm grey and brown and four new sizes to choose from. Copic has also expanded their other pens as well to include new smaller nibs. The pens were released to stores on July,12, 2013. For more information of products go to copic website: http://www. copicmarker.com.
2
And the Winner Is...
Prismacolor
I love brush markers so to have a new line released by any company has me running to the nearest art store that carries them. In this case it’s Prismacolor who is releasing their new markers. Doubled ended, the markers include both a fine tip and a brush tip that is great for designing, fashon, and hobbies. The averge pen is three dollars in stores and online you can buy sets of these new markers. To see the new markers and learn more about them go visit: www. prismacolor.com/home
Apple
Apple has done it again. This time they are realeasing two sizes for their Macbook Air, the eleven and thirteen inch. Currently they are having a promotional sale going on where if you buy of these Macbooks for school you could get a hundred dollar gift card. Also they have one for the ipads and iphones where you can get a fifty dollar gift card. Apple is also releasing a new iOS software update this fall so more changes are to come for ipad and iphone owners.
Sketchbooks Strathmore
Strathmore is a good brand of sketchbook for the quality and price that you get it for. I’ve had a few of these sketchbooks and I prefer them over other brands. They have different brands of paper for just about everything under the sun. From drawing to presentations they can sell you anything.
Canson
I have personally used a canson sketchbook and for the most part i believe they are great. They come in all kinds of sizes and all types of paper styles. They have four main categories of sketchbooks/paper. The fine arts types that can withstand different mediums. School paper used for the young artist to practice techniques in different textures, grains and colors. Next they have technical paper which is more designed for the professinal artist. Lastly, the have arts and crafts paper so anyone and everyone can express themselves.
Moleskine
Personally Moleskine is too expensive for me and I don’t understand the difference between that and a Piccadilly. I read over a blog that is called Black Cover and they were very thorough on their review of the difference between Moleskine and Piccadilly. The truth was there really wasn’t a difference. Piccadilly is cheaper so for me if it is the same as a Moleskin then why not buy one?
3
Issue One July 17, 2013
Pro Art
These drawing pencils are really nice for the cheap cost that they are sold at. I’ve had two of these sets including charchol pencils and i will keep buying them. They last pretty long so i think they are worth buying. Pro art also offers sets of these pencils that come with charchol sticks, earsers, a sharperner, and a few other items. They are pretty easy to find at most art stores and even some marketplaces carry them.
I have not personally used this brand but it comes recommended by another artist. This brand might be harder to find, just because it’s not a well known brand so i’m not sure where you could find it. The artist told me that they work nice and were a present given to her by her family. I tried them out with her permission and i agree with her. They are fine pencils but still not my favorite.
4
And the Winner Is...
Pencils Staedtler
Staedtler is also another brand of drawing pencil that i have used. People have given them to me as a gift and i think they are almost the same as ProArt. The only difference is that Staedtler is generally a slightly more expensice brand. If you don’t mind then i think they are great pencils to have. These also can come in sets with easers and other items, which i really like. Staedtler might be a brand you would have to find at an art store so you might have to search who carries them.
Derwent
This brand also comes recommed by an artist and she said that they are great pencils. Now while i agree with her , Derwent is a more expensive brand and in my opinion not worth the money for pencils. One day i hope to use these pencils but i’m not to keen on spending that kind of moeny on pencils when there are other alternatives out there.
5
Issue One July 17, 2013
Tablet Wacom
While using Wacom tablets i have found out a few things about them. At first they can be a little tricky to figure out. I can’t tell you how long it took for me to finaly realize how to properly use it. They are really nice tablets though just a little over senative for my taste. Wacom tablets are also really expensive. The smaller ones can cost you around forty dollars or so, which for me are too expensive for a tablet. It’s all about weighing the pros and cons i guess but i think i’ll hold off on one until i really need to start using one.
Copic
Recently i have purchased a Copic marker and i have to say they are amazing. The downside to Copic is that they are almost six dollars for one marker. On the plus side to that is the fact Copic markers are refillable and have replaceable tips. These markers blend really well and come in over two hundred colors. You can get anything from skin tones to the lightest of blues which is really nice when your looking to buy markers. 6
And the Winner Is...
Prismacolor
I don’t own any Prismacolor markers but i have used them and they are not my favorite. While these markers come in a lot of colors i believe Prismacolor is getting too big for it’s name. What they charge for some of their products borders on redicious for me. Also some of their markers stink really bad which in my opinion makes it difficult for me to keep using them when they smell so bad. That’s why Prismacolor is not my first pick.
Average Prices
Copic
Prismacolor
1 Marker $5.25
Set of 12
$4.39
Markers
$63
$30
Set of 24
$126
$60
7
Issue One July 17, 2013
What’s in my art kit?
Being a mixed media artist I have worked with plenty of products. From the expensive to the cheap I’ve seen which work better and which work just as well as the next brand. The following are some of the products I suggest to use. For acylic paint I use the cheap .99 cent paint because in my opinion, it works just as well as the top name brand. You get more for your money and it comes in hundreds of colors. My pieces come out looking just as well as the higher priced stuff. You may end up going through a lot of it by your done though and that’s the only thing i dislike. I do use a lot of paint on my pieces so i’m not always able to afford the bigger tubes of nicer paint. Still, the cheap brands such as Apple Barrell and others come in colors that would take a lot of paint to make in the more expensive kind. Currently I own a Toshiba satellite 14’ and I’ve grown up using both macs and PC’s. My preference is a mac because the programs such as Adobe Creative Suites works nicer on a mac than it does on PC. Plus Macs have better support and are more user friendly than PC’s are. Another thing i don’t like about PC’s is they don’t last as long as Mac’s do. In past years i know i have had at leas six different PC’s due to the fact they get more viruses in them and tend to run slower and slower as the years progress. If you can afford a Mac i believe they will save you so much money in the long run than having to buy more PC’s everytime one crashes. For a sketchbook I don’t really look at brands. I just open a sketchbook and if I like the paper then I buy it. Most of the time I buy the thicker mixed media paper because it’s easier to work with and to easer along with markers not bleeding through as easily. For markers I prefer copic. They blend
8
And the Winner Is...
Cameras Canon
This is another product i have personaly used and i believe Canon to be among the league of great cameras. While some of their cameras are expensive, i think they are worth it. They are easy to use and you can find lens for them in most camera stores. You can even select to do just a body only where you just get the body of the camera without any lens. Canon cameras also last a long time so i believe this puts them at the top.
Nikon
People have recommended Nikon to me but i have yet to use one. Pricewise Nikon and Canon are abou the the same but Nikon is just a little bit cheaper. I think Nikon is another great brand but i guess it just depends on what you need in a camera and what your taking pictures of.
Olympus
I have had one of the Olympus cameras in my family but it was a really old one. I think it was a still good camera and it has lasted about ten years now and works great. This brand is cheaper than Canon and Nikon and also has more of the older style cameras which this camera enthusist loves. Even though it’s not as nice as either of the two brands, Olympus still makes great cameras that can last a long time.
9
Issue One July 17, 2013
Golden
Liquitex
I have used Liquitex paint and brushes before i think it’s a really nice brand. This paint is definatly my top choice for when i want to buy the nice stuff. Only problem is that it is one of the more expensive brands. Although this paint has a nice consistancy and will spread ono smoothly which is a major plus in my books. Another thing about Liquitex is that they have a line of paint called Basics and it’s a little less expensive but still nice.
10
And the Winner Is...
Reeves
Reeves is another brand that i have used and it’s really nice. It’s on the cheaper side which is really awesome. It comes in all kinds of paint types including oil, watercolor, and arcylic. Most people use their watercolor paint but i prefer acrylic so that’s what i use. You can find it at most art stores since it is a cheaper brand.
This is a brand that i haven’t used but i found that other artist give it good reviews. It also comes in different paint types which is really nice so as to not limit themselves. I look forward to using this brand in the future to see if it holds up to the reviews i have gotten about it. I believe it is a little more expensive than Reeves but not by very much. I say it seems worth a try just like any brand is.
P A I N T
Princeton
This brand has to be my favorite. Princeton makes all different kinds of brushes and they can withstand anything you throw at them. These brushes are a little more expensive as in twelve dollars for a large one but in my opninon, worth every cent. You can usually find them at any art store and most of them have them on sale which is really nice because it takes down the cost of the brushes. If you are in need of brushes i highly suggest this brand!
B R U S H E S Pro Art
What is nice about Pro art is that they make so many different tools and mediums. It’s really affordable and are nice quality items. I have a few Pro art brushes and they are really nice. They spread the paint evenly and don’t tend to clump paint up at the base of the brush. They usually come in packs that can be found at most art stores and even at some marketplaces.
11
Issue One July 17, 2013
And The Ar Year Awar
Interviews with tw
Over the past few weeks i’ve gotten to know some of these artist and interview them. I’ve known two of them for years now but the rest i just met. All four of these teens have amazing talent that i admire. I asked them all the same set of questions so you can see what brands and products they use. Plus i’ve formed friendships with these girls and learned a lot abou them. I hope their pieces motavate you to create some of your own.
12
And the Winner Is...
rtist of the rd Goes To
wentieth-century artist
*Photos were taken by Annie Noelker and Leah Krueger. Pieces were created by each artist and are not mine.
13
Issue One July 17, 2013
Leah Krueger I’ve known Leah now for about eight years now and she is one of the most talented artist i’ve ever met. For the past two years i have had art classes with her and watched her work hard to improve. While she might get fustrated with a piece, Leah ever gives up. That is something i admire in her. I look forward to having her yet again in another art class this coming senior year and to have called her a friend for so long no matter what.
1. What product are you using and why did you pick it? I primarily use a Mac to create most of my pieces. I mainly use Mac because I was introduced to software such as; Photoshop, Adobe flash, GIMP, Etc. with a Mac computer. I also use this product more often because it tends to move faster and more efficiently. 2. What other brands did you look at? I previously used HP to create my work. I also have created many works using a variety of medias and products such as; Reeves, Staedtler, Pro Art, Canon and Prismacolor. 3. What inspired you to get into your field? My grandfather inspired me to start into the field of art but as I grew I leaned more towards graphics and digital art. What truly inspired me to go into graphics is probably the passion for creating and moving forward in technology at the same time. 4. How do you come up with ideas for your medium? Yikes, this is the hardest question to ever ask me. My ideas mainly start out as tiny visions of what I want to accomplish. Those ideas come from words, poetry, requests, projects due, and anything else that inspires me. 5. Do you want to pursue this as a career? Yes, most definitely. I want to build my skills in graphic design and hopefully become a skilled enough artist to work with designing for brand name companies or even land some jobs freelancing. 6. If so what schools do you want to go to? My top school on my list right now is School of Advertising Art in Kettering, Ohio. A close second is Columbus College of Art and Design. They both have the field I am interested in and are still near hometown. 7. Roughly how many pieces of art have you created with this product? Completely finished pieces; 20. In Progress; about 10. 8. What is your weirdest art story? Explain. I don’t know if this is considered weird or just bad luck, but during my Junior year of high school I had an accident. I was working with AlChemy and for those who are familiar with AlChemy, you can’t save it and come back to it without it being pixelated. In order to finish this project, I had to create it all in one sitting. I was working on it after school for about 3 hours straight and then I turned it into a JPEG file but the Mac froze. All of the 3 hours’ worth of work was completely gone. I was actually proud of this piece of work, very proud and on top of that, it was due tomorrow. After about an hours’ worth of tears I got home and found out my HP had AlChemy, I was thankfully able to finish it.
14
And the Winner Is...
Gretchen Yerian I just met Gretchen during my College Preview experience at CCAD and she has to be one of the coolest people i have ever met. This artist can do just about everything, anyone throws at her and come out on top. She also has an awesome personality to match. I hope to stay friends with Gretchen for many years and see how she grows as an artist.
1. What product are you using and why did you pick it? Gretchen uses paint and prefers oil compare to the rest. She not really sure what brand she uses but her reasons for using oil include takes forever but nice consistency, smells good, and you can create nice movement with it. 2. What other brands did you look at? Liquitex 3. What inspired you to get into your field? Always liked art and realistic paintings. Wanted to understand the technique behind the paintings. 4. How do you come up with ideas for your medium? Human figure, surreal things, painting how I feel with colors, movement, and shapes. 5. Do you want to pursue this as a career? Painting as a hobby but graphic design and illustration as a career. 6. If so what schools do you want to go to? CCAD, SAA, Art institute of Cincinnati and Pittsburg. 7. Roughly how many pieces of art have you created with this product? 10-20 paintings. Freshman year was 20-30 portfolio pieces 8. What is your weirdest art story? Explain. Had to do a distortion project for art class and I laughed so hard almost everyday that I kept having to ask the teacher to let me go to the bathroom and I was crying laughing so hard.
15
Issue One July 17, 2013
Annie Noelker What can i say about Annie that isn’t expressed through her pictures? All of her talent is plain to see through her camera lens. Every chance she gets, Annie pulls out her camera or iphone to capture the most stunning photos. She had to be, hands down, the best photographer i have ever met. I look forward to seeing more of her work as she grows into the amazing photographer we all know her to be.
1. What product are you using and why did you pick it? Canon. Her father has all Canon camera lens and didn’t want to buy all new one. Annie also just generally likes canon. 2. What other brands did you look at? Nothing else really, Nikon a little, but stupid to get one when you don’t have lens for it. 3. What inspired you to get into your field? My daddy, and taking pictures with my iphone. 4. How do you come up with ideas for your medium? Just happens 5. Do you want to pursue this as a career? Yes 6. If so what schools do you want to go to? CCAD, SAA, RASD 7. Roughly how many pieces of art have you created with this product? 4,000 pictures 8. What is your weirdest art story? Explain. Annie and her friends were exploring this old house when in the basement they found a meth lab. Not to mention she got a picture of a ghost. Someone saw Annie and her friends go inside the house so they called the police. Later on the house was torn down as a result.
16
And the Winner Is...
Olive Edwards Olive is my sister that i love dearly. We may live over two thousand miles apart but that only makes our bond stronger. I love that we share art in common among other things. I can remember drawing with her all the time as a little girl and i it’s also because of her that i ended up being an artist today. Olive is a mixed media artist that works with all kinds of mediums such as myself. My sister is strong willed and won’t lower her standards in order to be like everyone else which i admire in her.
1. What product are you using and why did you pick it? I use generic brand pencils when I draw. It’s cheaper and as a college student cheap is good. Very rarely are “name brand” or “designer” pencils any better than the generic kind. 2. What other brands/products did you look at? I didn’t look at any others. I’ve had pure “lead” pencils where there is no wood and it’s entirely lead but, for some reason, I didn’t like them. I just didn’t. 3. What inspired you to get into art? I’ve always been artsy since I was a little girl. However, when I was in elementary school, my best friend and I used to watch Toonami on Cartoon Network on Saturdays. Our favorite anime was “Outlaw Star” and she and I suddenly decided we wanted to draw. We drew all the time on anything we could get our hands on. Our parents used to get mad because we’d go through an entire ream of paper in two weeks. A ream is 500 pages. We used to go through 500 pages in two weeks.
4. How do you come up with ideas for your medium? Usually music helps inspire creativity within me. I listen to a lot of EDM (electronic dance music) which has no lyrics generally so it allows me to create ideas without being biased. 5. Do you want to pursue art as a career? No art school for me. I’m trying to decide between a teaching credentials program and a degree in mortuary sciences. I have little experience in cutting up bodies but I have hours worth of experience in corrective make up including wound cover up. 6. Roughly how many pieces of art have you created with this product? I have quite a few number of pieces I’ve done. Mostly have finished but I’ll paint or draw on just about anything including people. I also enjoy painting Munnys. That’s a big thing in SoCal right now. 7. What is your weirdest art story? Explain. Oh wow! I was in Theater Make-Up and we were practice gore/wounds. So I made it look like I smashed my nose into a brick-wall. I did bruises under my eyes and everything. I took the nose wax off but I forgot to take off the bruising under my eyes. I had people giving me weird looks all day until I realized I left the bruising.
17
Issue One July 17, 2013
Mac
So it’s obvious that Mac’s take the cake when it comes to computers. I think they are generally easy to use and they have great tech support which is awesome. If anything goes wrong (which it usually doesn’t) you can just take it into the store and they will get it fixed up as fast as they can. Mac’s comes in all types. From a desktop to laptop, and in all sizes. Mac is my first choice for computers hands down.
Hp has been coming out with the latest technology that is changing the way people look at laptops. The new laptops that turn into tablets are the bomb dot com. Hp is a little more expensive since they come out with this new tech but they arent horribly expensive. They work nicely for years to come which is a major plus. Hp is my second choice for PC’s.
Computers 18
And the Winner Is...
Toshiba
I currently own a Toshiba Satellite Laptop and it is one bad ass computer. Out of all the PC computers Toshiba is my favorite. They work really nicely and have a lot of memory space. Most place can easlily fix anything that is wrong with them. Toshiba is really resonably priced so it doesn’t take much to save up for one.
Dell
Ok so onto the very last computer brand that i’m writing a review for. I’ve had several dell laptops and computers. I say several because they aren’t very good computers. They get viruses easy and crash. When your computer crashes they might send you a refurbished computer for your brand new one. Dell also has terrible costumer service including not listening to what people have to say and putting people on hold for almost an hour. Dell is my least favorite out of all computer brands.
19
Issue One July 17, 2013
My Gallery
20
And the Winner Is...
These are pi
ieces i have created with various products in the magazine
21
Issue One July 17, 2013
22
And the Winner Is...