I’ve wanted to play around with Montana Acrylic Paint Markers for a long time now, so when Shoppe Manager Vanessa Spencer brought a set by my office, I was very excited. There are a lot of paint markers out there, and I’ve purchased just about every kind, only to be disappointed. They just don’t work the way I want them to. The paint is often very transparent and runny. When applied on top of other acrylic paint or mediums, they appear streaky and pale. I was hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed with the Montana line, and I wasn’t. Almost immediately I noticed how opaque the paint appears on just about any surface. I’m an avid doodler, and one of my favorite surfaces to decorate is the covers of Moleskine journals, especially the kraft ones. I was delighted when I used the light pink color on one — it was so opaque, and it actually popped off the kraft background! I added a few light pink scallops and personalized the journal with the letter A to give as a gift to a fellow employee. I also really like drawing on simple cotton fabric drawstring bags. They make the perfect packaging for a gift, and the recipient can keep the bag to re-use for something else. There’s no need to get fancy: just a few circles or hearts customize the bag. Because of my love of doodling, I also like adding writing to my mixed-media pieces. However, I’m kind of a nightmare with very fine paintbrushes and lettering. I’ve tried to incorporate writing with other big-name paint pens before, only to find that they don’t work very well on top of layers of acrylic paint. On this piece, I first loosely brayered green paint onto my substrate. I then added a layer of blue with the brayer. Once dry, I sponged coral circles onto the left side, and then stamped stars randomly all over. To finish, I journaled a few thoughts in writing that only I can read. The paint easily went over the layers of paint I had already applied. The verdict? I might be a converted Montana marker user. I have to admit that at first, the price threw me off, but after using them, I actually think they’re a value for what they can do! About the Artist: Christen Olivarez is the Director of Publishing for Stampington & Company and editor-in-chief of Somerset Studio, Somerset Life, Mingle, HandCrafted, and Artists’ Café. Interests: art, slow food, writing, books, yarn, authentic living Follow Christen on Her Blog: thedeliberatelife.typepad.com
