Big announcement!  I’m excited to say that I started a YouTube channel and a Patreon account. 

The YouTube channel is about art, drawing, selfcare, and cats. Reviews about ink (acrylic ink, India ink, watercolor ink); other water soluble art supplies (watercolor, water soluble graphite, gouache); books; stores, etc. YouTube content will be released Sundays at 11:11 a.m. Central Time.  

The Patreon account will be a similar account but with bonus content created just for Patreons. 

There will be two tiers for the Patreon- Weekend Workshop & Atelier:

Weekend Workshop 

For $2 per month, watch videos published from January 2024 to watch without ads.

Early access to YouTube videos (released Wednesdays at 11:11 a.m. Central Time instead of having to wait until Sunday) including how- to instructional videos, products reviews, vlogs, affirmation of the week, etc. 

This tier does not include access to bonus content.

Atelier

For $5 per month, this tier has access to all Marsha West Art videos without the ads as well as bonus content created exclusively for Patreon

More descriptive how-to instructional videos created exclusively for Patreon. 

Monthly exclusive vlogs created for Patreon. 

I would like to take a break from talking about art supplies (which is definitely pragmatic) to discuss self-care for artists. This is a topic I have been wanting to blog about for quite some time but, ironically, other things were always getting in the way. 

Holistically, I believe that self-care means that you are taking time to do things that help improve your physical, mental, and spiritual health so you are living at an optimal and authentic level. 

It seems to me a lot of people struggle with putting themselves first for fear of being labeled, shamed, and being called the dreaded S word- selfishness. For instance, how many times have you felt guilty or selfish for doing something just for you- whether it was taking a yoga class, going for a walk, or wanting other “me time.”  Or perhaps you are the type of person who says yes to everyone when you should be setting boundaries and saying no. 

Honestly, who wants, what Brene Brown describes as, that warm wash that comes over us and makes us feel small and not good enough and like we just want to disappear? 

To me, self-care means getting back in touch with your spirit and protecting your energy so you can fulfill your purpose. This is why I created a set of affirmation cards with the affirmation, “I protect my energy by…” which are available in my Etsy shop. 

What are some of your favorite self-care activities? 

So, I have posted previously about types of ink and options for paper. Here is another issue I ran into when I first started working with ink- What kind of brush should I use?

If you are doing traditional Sumi-e, your choice of brush is going to be obvious/ no brainer- the traditional Sumi-e bamboo or calligraphy brushes. According to the Yasutomo website, their popular calligraphy/ Sumi-e brushes are, …“made with a mix of natural or synthetic fibers.” It is unclear what exactly natural fibers the brush is made from (horse? goat? squirrel?) Some reviewers on the Yasutomo website opine that it’s goat but how can you really be sure? The other Sumi-e brush I have is made by Dick Blick. It is actually stamped “made in Japan” which somehow makes it feel more official. The specifications say it is made of goat hair. 

It looks like Winson & Newton also make a bamboo brush (Winsor & Newton’s Series 150 Bamboo Brush) but I have never used these before or have seen them in an art supply store. Their specifications recommend their use for Asian ink and watercolor paintings. 

To tell the truth, I don’t really use these brushes that much because I prefer to work with a smaller and finer brush. 

Since I was unsure what brushes to use for ink, I naturally gravitated toward brushes used for watercolor. 

I have used Royal & Langnickel’s Zen Series 73 brushes for five years now. These are nice synthetic brushes that can be used for watercolor, inks, and fluid acrylics. The quality isn’t too bad and they are still holding up after 5 years!

Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to upgrade my brush game so I bought about 5 Princeton Velvetouch brushes. These brushes are intended for watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints. (And, apparently, you can use these for ink too!) I have not been disappointed. According to the specifications, these brushes are a, “… blend of luxury synthetic filaments” with “…soft touch wood handles.”  I must say, all of this is true. They also come in a regular size and a mini size. I have the mini size brushes since they are convenient for travel and plein air but wouldn’t mind buying the regular size brushes. 

I think I’m going to stick with the Princeton Velvetouch brushes for now but I’m open to trying new watercolor brushes.