Monday, October 5, 2015

Question for You - Colored Pencil & Spectrum Noir Marker

I have a couple questions for you...  I am looking for a way to store all of my colored pencils - how do you store yours?  I am taking them out of their tins because they are all different sizes and don't stack neatly where I can store them.

What do you do with your colored pencils?

I bought Spectrum Noir markers (originals) a couple years ago ~ of course it was right before they brought out the new ones!  Anyway, about 95% of them are now dry...many were virtually dry when I first bought them so I never used some of them.   I'm trying to decide if I want to spend the money on buying all of the refills or just chuck the whole lot of them.  It's very expensive and I'd have to figure out where/hot to store all the little bottles.  It's a bit frustrating that so many were dry or almost dry to begin with but what's really frustrating is I don't use them that often so they are drying out without the lids ever coming off.

What would you do?

16 comments:

  1. I bought some spectrum markers and found them very juicy as to my pencils I store them in a little Ikea cd Fabric tote (I don't think they sell them anymore) it's just like a huge pencil case and I don't even have my watercolour pencils in it those I store tips up in a little round tube that has a piece of felt at the bottom to stop the impact so the lead doesn't break. I just move through the bag to find the colour I'm looking for works for me plus I like to take it around the house with me to colour

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    1. Copic markers are far superior to spectrum noir. I store my markers, and you could you pencils as well, in those clear plastic shoe organizer that hangs up. I've also put color families in small metal buckets. Both of these ideas I've hung on my peg board next to my drafting table.

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  2. Hi, my thoughts on this subject ----
    Colored Pencils----- place them in cups/mugs on your table so that you can use them often. If you have to put them away, the zippered pouches/pencil cases work very well - both at studio/home or travel.
    Using gamsol with colored pencils gives the look of markers/paint. You can color soooo many layers if you use good paper. Check out Lisa from Lachri Fine Arts on youtube.
    I personally dont't like markers cause they dry out on me. So, I never buy them. I prefer watercolor pencils to markers. Hope this helps.

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  3. I think they came out with the new version because they had problems with them drying out, so you probably don't want to re-fill something that will likely dry again. I keep my pencils in two three section leather pencil holders that were made to go on an office desk ... I group them by color which works well for me.

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  4. I have the entire set of the new version. Only tested them to make sure they worked and then broke my wrist and will need to depart with them as my wrist didn't heal right. As for pencils, you can get the pan pastel boxes to put them in (the wooden drawers) there are also some really good bags for pencils on ebags. A friend bought a case at joanns and with the sections, she grouped her pencils by colors. Looks beautiful and easy to pick up and go. Also carries the other supplies she may need like erasers, sharpener, pad, etc. oh and it is half price this week. Good luck.

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  5. I keep my colored pencils in a large ziplock baggie. Then I keep them in a large drawer that holds my other baggies of color. (Markers, pens, etc)
    When I use them, I pour them into a wide $1.00 plastic container so they spread out without rolling all over the place.

    I bought the original Spectrum Noir and they were dry when I opened them. They sent me a new set which were fine. But the new ones are juicy and totally amazing. I plan on eventually gettting rid of the old version and replacing them with the new ones.

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  6. I've been saving TP rolls so I can rig a pencil/marker rack with them. I saw something a few years ago made with PVC pipe.

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  7. I'm super boring and in the process of actually finding a dedicated room for my craft work, but at the moment I store mine in a plastic container, about a4 size and about two inches high. Stops my dogs from getting into them too!

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  8. Hi I bought the old style Spectrum noir pens just before the change over and they still work great.
    But I did have a pro marker pen that was dry when I bought it and I just took the nib out and added a few drops of Isopropyl Alcohol(rubbing alcohol) that I use for sprinting worked fine it just replaces the alcohol that's evaporated leaving the dye colour dry in the pen.

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  9. Hi, I also bought the old style SN markers. A lot of them are dry while I store them in old Nespresso -coffee-containers, there are 10 capsules in a container.The containers are square, I just put some glue between them en have them 6 in a row en each container have 6 on top.I use them laying flat.( I made it a little fancy by putting some metal around it.) I'm thinking about refils for just the colors I really use. I think the tip from Valerie should work for the others, I will try it for sure. Helena

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  10. I use Copic markers and have a lot of their refills. I store them by color in an old train case with the copic dividers to hold them. For a couple color groups I put them in Bette Crocker frosting containers and works well for me. I do my pencils in the frosting containers also. Good luck. EB

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  11. I keep my coloured pencils in a professional leather case meant to hold the largest case of coloured pencils.

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  12. My vote is Alcohol Ink...I bought a Tim Holtz Ink Palette with 36 compartments & a lid. I put drops of AI in each compartment. It dries up so there is no mess. To use them I have a blending pen with Blending solution which revitalizes the AI & makes it like a little paint brush. The nibs are replaceable & since I already have all the AI (I actually have 2 palettes) I can "paint" anytime. The other thing I love to use to color is watercolor crayons. I will never be able to use them up in my lifetime. BTW Joann's have the ink palettes on sale now.

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  13. Spectrum Noir Markers are best stored flat not upright. I store mine in a zipper case for now. I'm not as happy though using it. Thinking of making something where I can have color families together like maybe gluing plastic cubes together. Using the alcohol as suggested in a previous post has revived several of my Spectrum Noir markers. Alas some markers I've bought have been really juicy and others not so. Eventually I'll probably buy refills for the ones I use all the time but right now the alcohol works to revive them.

    My color pencils are stored in mugs that I couldn't bear to part with but didn't have room for in my kitchen. My Sharpie pens are also stored in mugs nib down. They work a lot better after being stored that way in my airbrush. :-) In fact I was going to throw out a metallic pen and found after storing it that way it was still good. :-)

    One thing I totally can not live without is a lazy susan. I have the things I use most often on it and can easily spin it to get what I need.

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  14. I knew that the Frugal Crafter had a video on this...finally found it...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_oK1qqZ34E sorry I can't make it clickable. As for my pencils I just keep em tip up in some round plastic containers. One for warms and one for cool colors. That way I can see 'em and take 'em with me easily. Good luck with your markers.

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  15. As for the markers- try adding a little cheap rubbing alcohol in the barrel- or maybe marker reviver(Ranger?) nothing to lose at this point.
    colored pencil storage- a revolving kitchen utencil/spice caddy for regular ones-grouped by color-, and a plastic popsicle/tube ice cube form thingy I found at goodwill for my watercolor pencils. It is long and narrow so easy to reach across. The pencils in both cases stand up, and holders fit in my shelf/cubbies when not in use. I can send a picture if you want.

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!