Category: Art & Media

The moment you enjoy drawing, you will have to deal with different types of pencils. There are very many different pencils to be found. Because of this, many people also wonder exactly what types of pencils there are. After all, this can sometimes be tricky to know. 

Pencils can be found for any age. For example, there are pencils designed specifically for children. These tend to be somewhat smaller pencils. Also, in most cases, these can be a bit cheaper. There are also pencils for adults. In particular, these can be found in many different shapes and sizes. 

What is a pencil?

A pencil is originally made of lead. This is also where the name pencil comes from. A pencil used to contain a kind of lead rod. Nowadays, however, they are no longer made of lead. This is because lead is a toxic metal. However, today they are made from a combination of graphite and a type of clay. Graphite is a natural pigment that is non-toxic to humans. This also makes it possible for children to use a gray pencil. 

The mixture of the clay and graphite in a pencil is baked in a special kiln. The hardness of a pencil is determined by the ratio of clay to graphite. The more graphite there is in a pencil, the softer the pencil is as well. Therefore, a hard pencil is made of little graphite and a lot of clay. 

Gray pencils

You can find many different gray pencils. Many people don't really know the difference between these pencils. However, this is fairly easy to explain. This is because most pencils have an H or a B. This usually includes a number of numbers. 

Here the H stands for a hard pencil and the B stands for a soft pencil. The number behind this indicates the gradation. The higher the number, the harder or softer the pencil is. This also helps you determine which pencil is best to use in which situation. 

There is also a middle ground between hard and soft. This is also indicated by HB. These are the pencils most commonly used. In fact, HB pencils are used in offices and classrooms as a gray pencil. This is a mixture of a hard and a soft pencil. 

Soft pencils are mostly used by artists. This is because this is what they do best. This is because a soft pencil is good for sketching or creating shadows in a drawing. It is also easier to use soft pencils to fill entire areas on the paper. 

Designers, architects and technical draftsmen usually use hard pencils. This is because they are suitable for drawing tight lines. Therefore, the moment you need to draw a sharp and tight line, it is best to choose a hard pencil. 

Crayons

You can find many different types of colored pencils. Color pencils actually work the same as a gray pencil. The difference between these is actually that with a colored pencil there are also different colors that you can make use of. 

A colored pencil is made from the same kind of clay used in gray pencils. This clay is then mixed with a type of pigment. The pigment gives a pencil its color. The more pigment is added, the more expressive the color of the pencil is. 

The amount of pigment in a pencil also determines how hard it is. This is because more pigment causes a pencil to be fairly soft. This works about the same as the graphite in a gray pencil. However, pigment also gives a stronger color to the pencil. 

Different colors of colored pencils

The moment you are looking for colored pencils, this can still be quite difficult. This is because there are very many different colors of colored pencils. The moment you are looking for a particular color, it can be relatively easy to find it. However, this is not so with other colors in most cases. 

Most manufacturers of colored pencils have around 100 different colors. This ensures that there are many different colors that you can make use of. The nice thing about pencils is that there is often a difference per brand. This means that you may like one brand of pencils better than another. 

If you go for some more expensive pencils, only high-quality pigments are actually used. This ensures that they are strong and penetrating colors that give off strong color and stand up well to light. 

With cheap pencils you still sometimes have the danger of the pigment in the pencils fading at some point. This is because in that case the pigment in the pencils is not very good. As a result, you end up with colors that fade due to the UV radiation in the light. 

The advantage to good pencils is that they are also not easily removable. For example, it is not possible to get rid of them with an eraser or with water. Therefore, the moment you want to get rid of these colors, it is necessary to do so with turpentine. 

Different types of colored pencils

When you talk about colored pencils, there is no general kind that are used. This is because there are many types of colored pencils that you can make use of. In most cases, the major difference between pencils is how the pigment is mixed into the filling of the pencil. 

Wax pencils

Wax pencils are pencils that you will encounter the most. This is because all colored pencils on which it is not otherwise stated are wax pencils. The inside of wax pencils are made of a kind of hard wax. You will also notice this when you draw with wax pencils for a while. 

The moment you draw with wax pencils and do so for several layers, you will find that you have to deal with a layer of wax on the paper. Once there is a layer of wax on your drawing, it is no longer possible to add more color. This is because it means the color is already optimized on the paper. 

Oil pencils

Some pencils are also made oil-based. With these pencils it is quite possible to work with multiple layers of color. This is because there is a relatively high amount of pigment in these pencils. This also allows you to get more color on the paper quickly. 

The advantage of oil pencils is that it is possible to build up the colors in multiple layers. Furthermore, it is relatively easy to blend the colors. This allows you to use two colors to create a different color. Because of this, these pencils are widely used by artists. 

An oil pencil contains a relatively high amount of pigment. This also makes them hard pencils. However, this also ensures that the point stays sharp for a long time. In fact, the color that comes off is very expressive. This also makes it unnecessary to press hard on these pencils. 

The disadvantage of oil pencils is that they are relatively expensive. This is because a lot of pigment is used in these pencils. Especially if high-quality pigment is used, the price can quickly go up. This is therefore something you need to take into account. 

Pastel pencils

Pastel pencils are very soft pencils. This also makes it possible to create a soft effect with these pencils. However, because the pencils are so soft, it is easy to break them off. For this reason, it is also important to handle these pencils carefully when drawing with them. 

The moment you start mixing the colors of pastel pencils with each other, the colors become a lot less expressive. This is why the pencils are not always suitable for mixing with each other. Furthermore, there are also reasonable instructions for use with pastel pencils. 

For example, pastel pencils are best used on grainy paper. This is because here it is possible for the color to be better absorbed by the paper. This is because the pigment of the pastel pencils does not stick to the paper as quickly. By using grainy paper, it is a lot easier for the pigment to adhere to the paper. Pastel pencils can look very nice on colored paper. 

Because pastel pencils are slightly harder than pastel crayons, it is possible to use them to add details to drawings you have made with pastel crayons. However, it is important to work from light to dark. This ensures that the darker shades stand out above the lighter ones. The moment you do this the other way around, you run the risk of ending up with one big stain and no longer seeing any details. 

Holbein pencils

Despite being a brand of pencils, Holbein pencils are actually a distinct kind of pencils. This is because the pencils are made from a mixture of wax, oil and grease. This combination makes for an interesting way of drawing. 

This is because the combination of wax, oil and fats makes you get a kind of creamy pencil. The advantage of this is that they are neither too soft nor too hard. Many draftsmen therefore like to use Holbein pencils. 

Holbein pencils also have an interesting other way they can be used. This is because it is also possible to buy a special kind of solvent for the pencils. This makes it possible to use the pencils as a watercolor as well. 

Watercolor pencils

Watercolor pencils are actually a category unto themselves. This is because watercolor pencils are colored pencils that have a special type of emulsifier added to them. This allows watercolor pencils to dissolve in water. This allows the pencils to be used for many different purposes. 

The moment you want to buy watercolor pencils, the first thing that is important to consider is the quality of the pencils. This is because with better quality there is also more pigment present. The pigment should also be of a good quality. This is because if this is not the case, you may run into a number of things. 

Thus, you then end up with watercolor pencils that are not lightfast. Lightfast in watercolor pencils means that the pigment does not slowly but surely migrate away from the color. The moment light hits the pencil, UV light also hits it. UV light allows the pigment to disappear if it is not a quality pigment. Over time, this can cause the entire drawing to fade. This, of course, is a waste of the drawing you created. 

Ways to use watercolor pencils

There are several ways in which watercolor pencils can be used. For example, the first way is to make a drawing with the pencils. The moment you have made this drawing, then you can wash it by going over it with a damp brush. 

It is also possible to moisten the paper first. If you then start drawing on the paper with watercolor pencils, you will get a different effect than if you go over it with a damp brush. This can also come out very nicely if done correctly. 

Furthermore, you can choose to sand off a bit of the tip of a watercolor pencil with a sandpaper. In fact, this makes it possible to use a spray bottle to spray some water on it. This will give you a nice effect on the paper. 

It is also an option to choose to set up colors on a palette. Then you can pick them up with a brush. This allows you to use watercolor pencils in the same way as paint. If you handle it the right way, this can come out very nicely. 

The moment you want to experiment with watercolor pencils, it is also possible to choose a combination of these techniques. This again can give a completely different effect. However, it is important to watch carefully which ways you combine and in which order you do this. After all, one way can sometimes blur the other a bit. This is something you always want to avoid. 

Watercolor pencils quality

The moment you want to buy watercolor pencils, you will find out that there are several pencils you can choose from that you can buy. However, not every pencil is of a good quality. Therefore, this is something that is important to consider. After all, the moment you work with watercolor pencils, it is important to have the right quality. 

Therefore, there are some things you can look out for when you want to buy watercolor pencils. This is because when it comes to pencils, it is not wise to just buy the cheapest pencils. For some beginners this might be an option, but in general it is better to spend a little more money on the pencils you buy. This is because it assures you of the quality. It is very important to consider the quality of the pencils. 

Watercolor pencils can be found in different price ranges. However, this does not directly imply that the more expensive pencils are better than the cheaper pencils. In fact, with pencils it is very important to consider your personal preferences. For example, you may prefer to work with pencils that are cheaper. After all, what matters most is quality.

You can tell the quality of watercolor pencils by a number of things. First, you can tell by the amount of pigment put in them. The more pigment found in watercolor pencils, the higher the quality as well. However, the quality of the pigment is also important. This is because not every pigment has good quality. In fact, some types of pigment do not have good quality at all. Therefore, this is something you should look for when buying watercolor pencils. 

Art grip pencils

Most pencils are made with a hexagonal shape to grip them. For many artists, this is the ideal way to hold a pencil. However, there are also a number of other shapes of pencils. For example, there are also art grip pencils. 

These are pencils with a triangle instead of a hexagon. The moment you use these correctly, it is possible to have very pleasant pencils. Many people think of a triangle as an ergonomic design. This means that you can draw with it longer without getting tired of your hands. In fact, with traditional pencils you do have this danger. 

Furthermore, art grip pencils are also equipped with a kind of non-slip layer. This layer allows you to hold the pencils in a comfortable way. This also gives you a firmer grip on the pencil. This makes it easier to draw precision. Therefore, if you want to draw a steady, tight line, going for these types of pencils can be a good choice over the traditional pencils usually used. 

It is important to be able to write a good letter. In fact, in some cases it is necessary to send a message by mail. Many people see this as something old-fashioned. However, it can be something fun to do. However, not everyone knows how to write a letter. 

The type of letter

The moment you want to write a letter, the first important thing to consider is the type of letter you want to write. In fact, there are two types of letters you can write. For example, you have a business letter and a commercial letter. For both, it can be helpful to know how to go about it. 

Business letter writing

In everyday life, you will mostly encounter the business letter. This is because it is still fairly commonly used. Especially if you have contact with a company, it is important to know how to handle it. Writing a business letter can get you hired at a particular company or business. 

A business letter is intended for someone with whom you have a business relationship. These can be different types of relationships. The style and content of the letter should be written formally. Because of this, it is important not to write too personally and not too amicably. This is because this is something a company may reject you for. Furthermore, you should also not come across as angry or rude. 

The purpose of a business letter

A business letter always has a clear purpose. In most cases, this is to get information in the form of information about a course, a product or subscription. Furthermore, it is also possible to raise an objection in a business letter. 

However, there is a third form of a business letter that is widely used. This form is one of the most important forms to have under control. Namely, this is the cover letter. This is because it allows you to be hired by a company. 

Writing a business letter

 The moment you start writing a business letter, you always have to deal with a certain format that you have to stick to. The format ensures that it is possible to keep a clear overview of the letter. The format involves an introduction, a middle section and a conclusion. 

The introduction is the beginning of a business letter. The introduction is where you are supposed to introduce yourself. Furthermore, it is important to put in here what the reason for writing the letter is. After all, for a company it is useful to know this. 

The middle section contains the elaboration of all the information. Here you work out different subtopics in different paragraphs. Furthermore, it is possible to give an explanation of the introduction. It is also possible to add some examples and arguments in the middle section. 

The conclusion of the letter is the last part of the business letter. In the closing, your intention is to reiterate the purpose of the letter. Furthermore, the purpose of a closing sentence is to incorporate what exactly you expect from the recipient of the letter. 

Commercial letter writing

Just about the opposite of a business letter is a commercial letter. In fact, a commercial letter is a letter that a company can address to customers or to other businesses. This makes it possible for a company to gain new customers or to regain the interest of existing customers. 

Mnemonic for a commercial letter

The moment you want to write a commercial letter, there is actually a fairly easy mnemonic that you can remember when writing the letter. This mnemonic is AIDA. This is the structure used for the commercial letter. 

Therefore, when you need to write a commercial letter, it is important to put this mnemonic in your mind. AIDA also stands for Attention, Interest, Dreams and Action. This names the different goals of parts of letters. 

The purpose of the first paragraph is to attract attention. Therefore, this is what the first A stands for. You can attract attention by writing something that is interesting to the target audience you have in mind. It is also possible to write something that generates interest. It is also possible to accomplish this by using an image. 

In the second paragraph, the goal is to arouse the reader's interest. You do this by offering an offer as personal and customer-oriented as possible. The idea is to name it so nicely that the customer feels he or she must have this product. 

In the third paragraph, the idea is to make the customer dream. You do this by naming the benefits of a product or service. This makes customers more likely to take advantage of it. 

In the fourth paragraph, the goal is to move the customer to action. Action is responding to the offer you made to the customer in the second paragraph. Here the goal is to move the customer to action in the way you want them to. 

Writing an envelope

Writing a letter also involves writing an envelope. This is because writing an envelope ensures that you can actually put the letter in the mail. The moment you want to put a letter in the mail, envelope writing is important to do first. 

By doing envelope writing, it is possible for the mail to know where the letter is going. For this reason, it is also important to know how to tackle envelope writing. In fact, for some people this can still be quite a tricky job to do. 

Writing the address

Writing an envelope always begins with the address to which the letter is to be sent. The length of the address may take from 3 lines to 6 lines. The address lines have a fixed order that must be followed in order for everything to go well. 

Thus, it starts with the name of the person the letter is intended for. After this comes the street name and house number. Instead of this, it is also possible to put the post office box and post office box number on it. Finally, it is intended to put the postal code and city name on the letter. 

Return address

In case you are not sure if you are dealing with the correct addressing or because you want to make it possible to return the letter, it is possible to write a return address on the envelope. You do this by putting your name, your address and your zip code with city name on the back. 

This also allows the person receiving the letter to return it to you. It can be very convenient to take advantage of this. Especially if a letter is sent to the wrong address, it is important to know the address where the letter came from. 

Stamps

When sending a letter, you also always have to deal with stamps. This is because it is not possible to send a letter without sticking a stamp on it. When sticking a stamp, it is also important to make sure that you stick it the right way. This is because otherwise the letter cannot be sent properly. Therefore, pasting a stamp is an important part of envelope writing. 

It is always the intention to place the stamps in the upper right corner. This is because that way the letter carrier knows that it is a letter to be sent in the Netherlands. This will increase the chances that the letter will arrive correctly at the person you sent it to. This is of course very important to know for sure if you want to send a letter. 

At a sewing machine store you will usually find everything that has to do with sewing. This is the place to go if you want to buy a sewing machine. But also if you are looking for thread or needles you can often find these here. Or how about repairing a defective sewing machine? Often these shops have their own technical service department that will do this for you in no time. But you can also do this yourself by ordering spare parts for your sewing machine. Of course you can also do this for sewing machines that still work. When you go from beginner to advanced you also need more material.

What can you buy at a sewing machine store?

The most sold product in the sewing machine shop is thread and bobbins. But people also come here when they are looking for a new sewing machine. Often you just want that personal advice from an employee. The popularity of this is only increasing because more and more people are repairing their own clothes. You can also come here when you need a new pedal or when you are looking for different needles. But you can also buy patterns to put on your pants or shirt. Or accessories like special scissors and storage materials.

The importance of a reliable sewing machine shop

A reliable sewing machine shop is important when you start sewing. After all, you want to be able to go somewhere where they have everything and can order everything. You also want to be able to ask advice from the professionals. So choose a company that has been active in the industry for years. It is also nice that if there is something wrong with the sewing machine you can go to a store. Sometimes you can solve it at home with help or instruction by phone. But some shops also have a technical service department. Depending on the delivery time of the parts you can also have it repaired. This usually doesn't take long and faults can often be fixed while you are waiting,

Buying parts for your sewing machine

When you go to the sewing machine store you have a large selection of accessories and parts. The further you go with your sewing the more parts you need. For example, you have different types of foot pedals. These all have a different pressure distribution so you can choose one that suits you. But also for advice about bobbins and thread you go to the sewing machine shop. For some projects you need a different bobbin or you are looking for different needles. Often you can find these things in these shops as well.

Getting your sewing machine repaired in a sewing machine shop

A sewing machine shop is usually known for the service they offer and the knowledge they have of the trade. That's why you can also go there for maintenance or repairs. A good maintenance extends the age of the machine with several years. So it's definitely worthwhile to make sure it's well maintained. The employees in the shop often give you advice on how to do this yourself and how often you can let them do it. It is always annoying to run into a malfunction. Usually you can have this fixed directly in the shop. If this is not possible, they will check to see what part is defective and how long it will take before it can be replaced.

Advantages of a sewing machine shop

A sewing machine shop usually has everything in stock that you normally use. But also for the more complicated jobs they have a range of products in the shop or they can order them for you. Often there is a shop in your neighborhood where you can get it. This is ideal when you decide in the afternoon you want to try something else. Or when you find out that you need a specific part for a certain object. But also when you run out of bobbins or yarn you can go here directly.

What types of thread does a sewing machine store sell?

There are different types of thread available in the sewing machine shop. For example you have special threads for repairing jeans. Or for the people who embroider you have the finest thread with a nice gloss layer. But also lockwire yarns that provide strength to a garment. Or are you looking for the flexible yarn? Then usually seraflex yarn what you need. Often these consist of polyester which ensures that they do not shrink quickly. Always ask the store for the perfect thread for your job.

Lamps for the sewing machine

In the sewing machine shop you will also find lights so you can sew in the dark. These are often built into the machine and not available in supermarkets or hardware stores. In the shop they can advise you which one is best for your work. One person likes a lot of light and another person likes less light. A led lamp is much softer than a halogen lamp. But you can also find an extra lamp that fits your sewing machine. So you can put this lamp down when you need some extra light.

The core temperature of ribeye on the BBQ is ideal at 45 to 48 degrees Celsius. You can achieve this by putting the ribeye on the cool side of the BBQ. This way you prepare it medium rare. So it is still red inside with a brown border around it. If you want a red version you can bake it a bit lower and if you want it a bit more well done you can go to 70 degrees Celsius. This gives you a delicious piece of tender meat on your plate.

How do you reach the core temperature of ribeye in the pan?

To get the right temperature of ribeye you must be well prepared. This means that you take the ribeye out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. So he can already slightly come to normal temperature. When he is at room temperature you can sprinkle him with the herbs you like. Never add salt while frying because that will take the moisture out of the ribeye. Bake it for 1 minute on high heat. Then turn down the heat and bake the ribeye 3 minutes on both sides. Let it rest in aluminum foil for 2 minutes after baking.

How to prepare a ribeye in the oven

In the oven the core temperature of the ribeye is 54 degrees Celsius maximum to prepare it medium rare. You start with preheating the oven to 75-80 degrees Celsius depending on the type of oven you have. In the time that the oven is preheating you can gently sear the ribeye. The advice is 2 minutes on both sides to create a nice brown edge. After that you can put it in the oven and don't forget to let it rest.

What core temperature types are there for a ribeye?

To make a ribeye bright red or rare it needs a core temperature of about 45-50 degrees Celsius. When you want him pink what most people also choose for steak you can add 5-7 degrees Celsius. To prepare him medium add 2-4 degrees Celsius to get to a maximum of 60 degrees. If you want him well done then you best choose for 70 degrees Celsius or more. When you make a ribeye you should always let it rest in the foil. This way it not only stays warm but it can also cook a little bit longer.

How do you measure the core temperature of a ribeye?

To measure the core temperature of meat or a ribeye you need a so called meat thermometer. You need to stick this in the middle of the meat to measure the right temperature. This is only possible when you cook it in the pan or on the BBQ. You can also buy a thermometer with an alarm in it. Ideal for the BBQ or in the pan to get it just right. You can set the alarm to the number of degrees Celsius you want. When the core temperature is reached turn off the gas or remove it from the BBQ. Then you can let it rest or wrap it in aluminium foil.

Why resting meat is important for the core temperature of a ribeye

Resting meat is especially important with cuts of meat that are not exactly the same. For example, you can have a ribeye that is not straight. So you have to deal with a thick and a thin side. But you want the ideal piece of meat on the table. You do this by reaching the core temperature in the middle. And then let it rest in the aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes maximum. This ensures that the temperature is distributed correctly. The difference can be 5 to 10 degrees on one side and you do not want that!

Low and slow cooking a ribeye to the perfect core temperature

When you want to reach an ideal core temperature with the ribeye it is important to take an equal piece. We advise you to let the butcher cut it off. This ensures that you have no difference between the whole ribeye. This way you can get him exactly at the right temperature. Take for example the medium rare variant. You can cook it on the BBQ at 57 degrees Celsius. It is a matter of time and patience to achieve the desired result. Always season the ribeye before you put it on the BBQ and add some olive oil for some extra moisture.

South American ribeye core temperature

For people who have been to South America, the core temperature of a ribeye is much different. This is because they often cut much thicker pieces than in our country. In America, it is usually prepared soft and slightly pink. You can also cut it in slices and prepare it another day. The Americans use a core temperature of about 56 degrees Celsius. You can achieve this in 5 minutes on the BBQ or 10 minutes in the pan. But you can also do it in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius. Don't forget to lightly fry the ribeye beforehand.

Conclusion core temperature ribeye

So there is no fixed core temperature for ribeye. It depends on what you or your guests like. But also the quality and thickness of the meat influence this. So make sure you always take an equal piece. This way you can reach the perfect temperatures. If a piece is not quite the same, let it cook a little longer in aluminum foil for example. Always use the cool side of the barbecue in order not to overcook it.