QoR - a new watercolour paint

Yesterday I updated my website The Best Watercolour Paint for Artists and included a new section about a new artists' watercolour paint which becomes available in the USA next month.

branding on the new dedicated QoR website

QoR WaterColor paint is produced by Golden who are well known for their acrylic paints.

The new section devoted to this paint includes links to:

• the new dedicated website
• other information about the new paint made available by Golden
• reviews and comments on the new paint by artists (eg Cathy Johnson) who have been provided with samples

Initial indications are that Golden's experience in acrylics is maybe also obvious in the formulation of this new paint. It'll be interesting to see what those painting traditional watercolours think of it.

RECOMMENDATION: I suggest people try one of the six colour trial pack of colours in the first instance to see whether they like how this new paint behaves.

Please report your experience of this new paint after you get your hands on it wherever is best for you. You can include a comment on this post if you like.

I expect that the website will undoubtedly expand and there will more information about availability in terms of distribution to art stories and online retailers in different countries in the near future.  My experience of such things is that roll-out might be somewhat slow with a focus on the USA only in the short-term. I'll update my website as and when new information becomes available. I won't be including sites which merely repeat a press release.

Derwent announces NEW helical pencil sharpeners

I'm a huge fan of pencil sharpeners with helical blades.  These are the ones which have a helical blade - that's the one where the cutting edge of the blade spirals around a core.  The reason I like them is because they cut cleanly, efficiently and very effectively.  The best points I've ever got have been produced by a pencil sharpener with a helical blade.

Three years ago Derwent produced a battery powered helical pencil sharpener which I did not recommend.  There were just too many problems (see (Product review: Derwent Battery Operated Helical Pencil Sharpener) 

However having been through that experience, I know they were working hard to understand why the problems had occurred.  As a result, although I've not see one yet, I'm confident that this next batch will be much better.  This time they've kept the helical blade but gone for the old fashioned hand crank rather than batter power.

NEW Product - Derwent Helical Pencil Sharpener - Super Point and Super Point Mini
I've not seen one yet.  This is what you need to look out for.

NEW! Derwent Helical Pencil Sharpener - Super Point and Super Point Mini
(note the hand crank i.e. NOT battery powered)

Features and Facts

Features common to both sharpeners

• each sharpener has a durable helical blade.  This SHOULD enable you to sharpens pencils to fine points typically used for fine detail work.
• both sharpeners can take pencils up to 8mm in diameter 
• Shavings are collected in a transparent sliding tray reservoir.  Derwent says this is easy to empty. 
• each sharpener comes with a desk clamp.
• both pencil sharpeners come with a hand crank (the old ones had battery power)

I haven't got a clue what this mean "The extendable front plate has a self feeding mechanism which stops when the pencil has reached a superb point." as there are no photographs to demonstrate.  I think it means it has an auto-stop.

Super Point Manual Helical Sharpener

• made of black metal which makes this both heavier and more robust
• Super Point costs £21.95

Super Point Mini Helical Sharpener

• lighter and a more compact shape
• Super Point Mini costs £14.95

Beware of trying to buying these sharpeners on Amazon.  

• The ones listed at present are the battery powered versions which I covered in my review - which simply are not reliable and do not work well.  
• Look for the date the battery was introduced.  If it's not 2013 then it's one of the old ones.

Product reviews of Pencil Sharpeners

Below you can find my product reviews of pencil sharpeners.  I tend to err towards only reviewing products that I either do or do not recommend.

• Product Review: KUM Automatic Long Point Pencil Sharpener - An excellent manual pencil sharpener for those who like their pencil leads to have a long point.
• Product Review - Round Solid Brass Double-Hole Pencil Sharpener - This is my favourite handheld sharpener. It is well designed, easy to hold, performs double duty and its weight means that it doesn't get lost easily. The compact size also means it fits easily into pencil cases.
• Product review: Derwent Battery Operated Helical Pencil Sharpener - I've tried two and neither have worked properly. I've also heard from a fair few fellow pencil artists of various degrees of experience who have also tried this sharpener and also had problems. I'm not happy and I know Derwent is trying to find out why the problems are happening. This is NOT a recommended purchase.
• Product review: Jakar Electric Pencil Sharpener - a very efficient and effective pencil sharpener which can, with care, be used with coloured pencils. Needs to be fed pure graphite sticks periodically to be kept really happy. It works well with all brands of pencil. I find the oil based brands achieve the best points.