Photo of the day. Problem? Solution.

[moonvoice]

I'm trying to get the most use out of my sepia watercolour pencil,
but it's fading fast.
So I rigged a contraption with pliers and a hair-tie,
to make sure I could keep using it.
Hee.

Comments

[nashira]

Oh dear that looks fiddly. XD Thought about getting some pencil extenders?

[moonvoice]

I really should; though it's been a really bad month for art so it might just have to wait. In the meantime this is working fine too. :)

[nashira]

I can't remember the last time I wore pencils down that much... my art supplies are somewhat neglected. cough.

[nkyinkyin]

HEEE. I've tried attaching stubs to dowels and other pencils with rubberbands and tape before, but this is even better. =D

[moonvoice]

It works surprisingly well! But I've just ordered some extenders to make my life a lot easier. *blush* Inventing is fun.

[feralkiss]

Pencil extenders are one of the best things I discovered in art school. <3

[moonvoice]

I had to order some special ones, since most are made for 8mm pencils and I don't use 8mm for watercolouring; but hopefully they arrive soon. :)

[frith]

There are also a type of locking pliers called "vice-grips". They come in all sizes and I have a pair that is the same size as your needle-nose pliers there. Vice-grips are adjustable so it will lock closed on the pencil without crushing it. There are probably other things that could act as a pencil extender as you wait... like how about an old mascara tube? Could be the right size to swallow the end of the pencil and the spiral "thread" would allow you to screw the pencil securely in place, maybe with the help of surgical tape/band-aids.

[moonvoice]

Mascara tube isn't big enough, unfortunately, but that's okay. This is working for now. :)

[amalnahurriyeh]

That is pretty awesome MacGuyvering there. :)

[moonvoice]

It's still working, so I'm happy. :) It'll do until the extenders get here. It's hard to find the right size, because I work in 7mm pencils for the most part, and most extenders are for 8mm pencils.

Wow I just realised how riveting that was. *hangs head*

[amalnahurriyeh]

You have no idea how much of a dork I am; that was totally fascinating! I had no idea that pencils came in different sizes, or that pencil extenders existed...

[white_rabbit]

Oh my gods, this is brilliant.

[moonvoice]

Hee!

[silverjackal]

I see someone else already recommended the vice grips I was going to mention. :D Whatever works, yes?

[moonvoice]

Definitely; though I've ordered some extenders, ones specific to the brands I use so I can get the most secure grip. Hopefully they arrive soon. I decided to splurge a little bit and finally get some compressed 'hard' pastels. Get me one step closer to actually entering back into the world of pastels again.

[ariestess]

Now that is a clever idea!

[drgnhlr]

I'm trying to envision how you are holding this piece of genius. I like it.