Reviews | Aisling

Wow! Not Just a Kiddie Camera…!

When I received this camera – in return for an honest review – I did NOT expect much.

I mean, really… it looks like a toy, and it’s called the KOKODI Kids Camera.

How good could a pink plastic kiddie camera be…?

As usual with many imports, the instruction manual was pretty difficult to understand. That’s partly because this camera takes photos, and makes thermal prints, and can film videos, and includes games and music, and… you get the idea. Lots of instructions in really tiny print.

(It’s advertised as being for kids 3+, but I have NO idea how a toddler could figure all of this out.)

To test the camera, I took it with me when my husband and I went to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. (We’re in Orlando right now, and weekends usually include WDW.)

I’d planned to take a photo or two and then put the camera away.

At left is the first photo I took, standing at the entrance to the Magic Kingdom. (That’s the top of the train station at the front of the park.)

I didn’t do anything to this photo. It looks exactly as it does on paper.

Yes, it’s grainy and a little streaked, but it reminds me of 19th-century daguerreotypes.

At that point, it was almost love at first sight.

(I say “almost” because I wasn’t sure if that photo was just a really cool fluke, and the rest would be “meh.”)

Well, here’s the second photo I took. (Obviously, I hadn’t yet figured out how to change the date on the camera. lol )

That’s the Cinderella Castle at Disney World.

I love this! You can even see the statue of Walt Disney!

And then, for the next five hours (really), I just kept taking photos.

Oh, we still visited a lot of attractions. The morning crowd was ridiculously small.

We walked right onto several rides that – on a normal day – would have at least a 15-minute wait line. And some – like the Haunted Mansion – that typically have 40+ minute waits.

And I kept taking photos—about 40 of them—as I learned how to use this camera. (Admittedly, I’m still early in the learning curve.)

Here’s another one, taken from the monorail station at the Magic Kingdom. That’s a hotel shuttle boat on the left. On the far right, in the distance, you’ll see the Grand Floridian Hotel and, to its left, the Polynesian Resort.

I kind of love the clouds in that one.

My first thought is to enlarge these, print them on watercolor paper, and paint them (with watercolors) for a fun vintage look.

I’ll have to see what else might work. And, of course, I need to figure out the three different photo settings. I’m not sure if these photos are as crisp as they get or if this is the lowest (grainiest) setting.

Either way, if you love to explore quirky art techniques (as I do), I think you’ll love this camera. Click here to see it at Amazon.com, or click here for a similar camera at Amazon.co.uk.

Here’s one more photo – “as is” from the camera – showing WDW’s Spaceship Earth attraction, on the other side of the PeopleMover track.

It’s one of my favorite photos from yesterday.

NOTE: BIG thanks to artist Eliza Metz for her Facebook post, which inspired me to try this camera myself.

1000 Journals Project

Recently, having misplaced my own copy of the 1000 Journals Project book, I ordered another.

Seeing it again, after all these years, was astonishing.

Even now, it feels like that being part of that art journal/project was a “right time, right place” moment.

Even more bizarre, I received it at 9/11, and – a few days later – journaled in the book, describing that important moment in history. (The photo above shows part of my two pages. On the left, that’s an art journaling collage I created. On the right are my handwritten notes.)

This journal started as a round-robin project.

That is, it was a series of blank journals, sent from one person to another. Each of us contributed a page or two, art journaling in it. (See someguy’s page about this project, book, and documentary.)

It’s something we did, back then, within the arts community. That is, we mailed things to each other. (See my “Art in the Mail” category for info.)

Frankly, the internet isn’t a substitute for seeing art in real life, and even having it in your hands.

That’s why I encourage you to find a copy of this important book, so you can see it in real life. It’ll give you a wonderful overview of what we were doing, and a chance to see art journaling examples.

Your public library may have a copy. Or, you can order one at Amazon, etc.

I won’t pretend that all of the entries are meaningful, or that the art is consistently wonderful.

That wasn’t the purpose of this project.

It was about life and creative expression, at that moment in time.

Here’s my Amazon review, seeing this book again after 20+ years.

This is still a remarkable book, and part of a project that aspired to include 1000 people in round-robin style art journals.

I’m a little biased because I was one of them, and I just happened to receive the mostly-blank shortly before the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster. So, my two pages in the book are from that exact day.

(Note: I received no payment for my work. None of us did. And I have no commercial interest in this book, either. I’m just honored to have participated it in.)

The pages in this book represent art journaling and mixed-media art by a wide range of people. Some may have considered themselves artists, and many probably didn’t. We were just using journals – sometimes written or decorated artistically – in the style of Julia Cameron’s “morning pages.”

For that, this is an important piece of history, representing the cultural trends, informal art, and sentiments of that extraordinary space in time. In a way, it’s a before-and-after look at how we thought and expressed ourselves, before and after 9/11 changed everything.

In my opinion, this is a vital book that belongs in art and history courses. And, for those who love “outsider” art, it’s a peek into those who can’t NOT express themselves visually.

I’m giving this five stars for this “right time, right place” project, and the importance of documentation like this.

If you’d like to own a copy of this book, here’s the link.

(Btw, that’s an Amazon affiliate link.)

Disney Castle – Quick Sketch

To accurately review Mmarte watercolors, I did a quick sketch (using a fine-point Sharpie pen) and then painted over it using the paints and brushes in the watercolor set.

(I gave the set a five-star review. Except that the set doesn’t include enough shades of purple, these are fun watercolor supplies.)

Here’s the result. (Keep in mind that I did this hastily.)

Watercolor sketch of Disney World castle

What I like best is how cheerful and informal this is. Rushing through this, I couldn’t let perfectionism get in my way.

After all, I was just testing the paints; I didn’t plan to keep this piece.

Now, this watercolor sketch is going up on my wall to brighten my day, and remind me of happy visits to Disney World… past and future!

My New Favorite Art Desk – Review

I love-love-LOVE this table for working on art. The surface is huge.

It’s especially good for art journaling, which I used to do on the floor, or sitting – hunched over – on my bed.

Now, no more backache! And I can control the light, with a nearby standing lamp.

As an artist with a bazillion projects “in progress,” I needed a good art desk.

This one is close to perfect. A worktable like this is a game-changer. I may get one for my kitchen and another for my home office. It’s that good.

KEY POINTS

+ Surface of this art desk is lightly textured, just enough so nothing sticks to it. Great for art journaling and collage art, too.
+ Height is adjustable from close to the floor to above my shoulders (at 5′ 7″).
– Challenging to assemble, but directions are nice and clear… just intricate (but worth the time).
+ Useful in the kitchen, office, studio, garage, and probably more.

Amazon link: Adjustable Height Desk/Table

Here’s my review:

Wow, this desk is exceptionally nice!

It’s solidly made with high-quality parts. It weighs over 60 pounds.

It’s also large. Larger than my past desks. Since I’ll use this for working on art journals and collages, that extra space is glorious. I can spread out ALL of my art supplies, so they’re within easy reach, and I never feel crowded.

Likewise, the surface of the desk – slightly textured so it holds items nicely – is very even, despite the fact that it comes in two pieces. Those two pieces fit together flawlessly, and don’t splay, even when I lean on the desk to reach something at the far corner of it.

The surface is easy to wipe clean, too. Absolutely perfect!

My husband spent an hour assembling this desk. The instructions are well illustrated, and outlined with step-by-step directions. Work slowly and logically and you’ll be fine.

Tip: When connecting the long, horizontal rod that’s central to the motorized height adjuster, insert the hex-shaped end of the rod (at the non-motor end), first. Then, turn that rod gently so the other end meshes with its counterpart next to the motor.

The infinitely variable height of the desk surface is impressive. At its highest point, it’s almost shoulder height, and I’m 5’7″.

At its lowest, it might be ideal as a desk for children. In-between, I think this desk is what many of us have been looking for. It can be the “perfect height” – or at least close to it – whether you use this desk in your office, workshop, or studio.

I wish I’d found this years ago. I’d have spent far less time hunched over a too-short desk, and – at the other end of the spectrum – I wouldn’t have had to find the right assortment of chair cushions when a desk was too tall.

For me, this is a “Goldilocks” desk. Not too tall, not too short… just right! 🙂

Find it here at Amazon: Adjustable height desk/table (And yes, if you see my review there… I know that’s not a great look for me. I’ll probably make another video when I have more time.)

120 Colored Pencils by Kalour – Review

This week, I tested a set of 120 colored pencils, sent to me by Kalour (via Amazon).

My initial impression was, “Wow! That’s a LOT of pencils in one small container.”

I almost expected them to be skinny, tiny pencils.

They weren’t. They’re full-sized, and come pre-sharpened.

The range of colors is impressive. Warm colors, cool colors, brights, muted tones, lights, darks… everything.

The leads are firm but not super-hard like some cheap brands. I’d rank these in the middle: somewhat hard but soft enough to give good coverage and blend well.

I tested them by coloring pages from two of my own coloring books.

First, one from my coloring book, Relaxing Country Scenes (a Rose Meadows book):

Then, one from one of my hippie-style coloring books:

As you can see, these colors are vivid and – even though I was coloring in front of the TV (watching the U.S. season finale of “Big Brother” 2022) – the pages turned out pretty well.

While I love-love-love Prismacolor’s soft leads, this Kalour set – especially for the price – is the perfect addition to my collection of coloring pencils.

Oh, I won’t keep storing them in the round, tube-style container. They’re a little difficult to manage in such a small space.

Instead, I’ll put them in a clear plastic box or two or three. (After all, there are 120 full-sized pencils in this set, and I’ll probably group them by color.)

I’m giving this set four stars (out of five). It’s a good, high-quality set for a remarkably low price, especially for 120 pencils. Recommended!

Click here to see these pencils at Amazon.com.