The Best Pencil Sharpener - Learn Which Sharpener Truly Delivers

Oh how I love a sharp pencil. However, over time I noticed my favorite pencils were quickly disappearing. Most notably my Prismacolor’s with popular colors being reduced to tiny shells of what were was once glorious full sized pencils. After taking a closer look and comparing how sharpeners measured up I decided it was time to make a change and I’m now sharing them with you.

Have you ever noticed how pre-sharpened pencils look when you first purchase them? Sharpened to the same point with minimal wood casing or lead exposed. Did you know you can get that same point every time you sharpen? Yes, seriously you can. I found this out through research and just so you know my pencils never looked fresh and often times after I sharpened them they would break. UGH! TBH, they looked exactly like the pale blue pencil in the image above and the reason was the sharpener. I was using one of the cheapest sharpeners one could purchase on the more pricey pencils. Big mistake. 

I decided to purchase the sharpener made by a Prismacolor to see how it stacked up against all the other sharpeners I had and below are the results. Outlining each sharpeners pros and less desirable qualities.

As it turns out

SCHOOL SHARPENER is the worst to use because it exposes too much lead and removes too much wood casing. This leaves little stability for the lead which yields in more breaks plus you burn through pencils very quickly which can be pricey and frustrating.

PRIMSACOLORis nice because it has a dual sharpener head for less and more sharpened points and remove very little wood casing. It features a shavings holder which makes it great for travel and a flip top lid that covers the sharpening barrels so graphite doesn’t escape into the bottom of your bag. Plus, the tapered shape fits nicely in your hand. Score!

METAL DOUBLE BARRELis nice in that you can sharpen both chalk and pencils. It doesn’t remove as much wood casing as the school sharpener and is a close second to Prismacolor. This also comes in a single barrel model if you find you don’t need a larger barrel. 

SLIDE sharpener is designed for square hardware pencils but can be used for regular pencils and charcoal sticks. This sharpener gives a square point that is perfect for calligraphy effects. Both ends sharpen different sides of square pencils. One side for the wide and one for the narrow sides. Note: it can be tough to sharpen with and takes some practice. 

OLD SCHOOL rotary pencil sharpeners are great for nostalgia but I don’t recommend it for pricier pencils. It can can reduce a pencil in no time. Before you know it you’ve cranked an inch or two off.

ELECTRIC sharpeners are nice but can spin threw a pencil in no time. If you have an electric sharpener and find you are continually buying more pencils try a manual sharpener. It will save you in the long run.

Check out the side-by-side comparison of three of the sharpeners discussed in this article.

Happy trimming!

Cheers!

Kim

Going from Hello to YOU'RE HIRED!

If there is one thing I’ve learned over time, it’s that small talk can become bigger than just talk. From simple conversations while standing in line at the grocery store to picking up prints at my print shop. Small talk has landed opportunities.

Now I’m not saying to step up and start offering your services to everyone you talk to. What I’m saying is to pay attention, really listen to people and be patient. Give it time and trust me a conversation will take place and you’ll be able to work your magic. And magic is exactly what happened with the client example I'm sharing with you today. 

Let’s travel back to 2014 shall we?

I will never forget being handed a black and white page of heavy text and asked if I like craft beer. The flyer was filled with great information but the artist inside me immediately started dreaming of how I could make it better.  After asking if the beer fest was working with an artist, I was directed to contact one of the organizers.

With the flyer and contact information in hand, I decided to pretend they were already my client and use this as an exercise to practice layout and lettering.  After chalking the idea I reached out to open a conversation with the event organizers to find out more about the upcoming festival.

I introduced myself and asked more questions about the event by starting with the below email.

---

Hi!

My name is Kim and I am a local hand lettering artist and illustrator.  I spoke with a gentleman yesterday and he gave me your contact information along with information about the upcoming beer fest this fall. I wanted to touch base with you and see if you are currently working with an artist for the event. I had asked if you had a promotional poster for the event and was directed your way. I would love the opportunity to chat with you in regards to poster art. I think it could be a huge hit!

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Kim

---

Hi Kim, thanks for getting in touch.

We are currently looking into a poster design. We had a logo designed and originally intended using the logo with just text info around it.

Let me ask the decision makers and get back to you.

---

Hi there,

Sounds good. Thanks for the speedy response.

Best,

Kim

---

The next day I decided to share what I had been working on so they had a visual.

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Hey there!

This is the idea I had in my head. This is 100% traditional chalk. It gives a wonderful Old World flair to the piece which is right in line with good beer!

This could very easily be turned into an amazing promotional piece. Just wanted to give you something to share with the decision makers.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kim

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Hi Kim!

This is absolutely AWESOME! How much would it cost?

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And this is how the conversation evolved…

They bought the piece framed and hired me to create print files of the artwork for promotional posters. Total Win! Wouldn't you say?

I've gone on to create the promo poster for them every year, this year being my 5th, and I accomplished this by following the below points. Oh and...Curious about past posters? I've included all five posters at the bottom of this article!

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TIPS FOR FREELANCERS TO BUILD TRUST AND GET MORE CLIENT WORK

• BE COURAGEOUS. It took a ton of courage on my part to send the email asking questions but I did it and so can you. Don't let your inner introvert hold you back. Be courageous and speak up.

• BELIEVE IN YOU! I really had to believe in myself, my work and my abilities. Had I doubted myself I would have never reached out. The first person to believe in your work has to be yourself. So believe in you with all of you.

• PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. I can't tell you how long I sat with my finger hovering over Send when I decided to share the image of what I had been working on with the event organizers. I finally said to myself, "What's it going to hurt? Put yourself out there." The worst they can say is No." Remember, You'll never hear a Yes unless you ask. So start asking.

• BE HELPFUL. Come to the table with a solution by sharing how your skills can help elevate a project. When a client can see how they can benefit from working with you they will be all the more apt to bring you into the fold.

• SHARE WHAT YOU WANT. Explain how you would like to help out. I shared what I had created and then went a step further and explained how the artwork could become a promotional poster for the event and that's exactly what I ended up doing.

• DON'T GIVE UP. If they come back with a No. That's OK too. No doesn't mean you're horrible or lack talent. In many cases it just means they don't need your services at the moment. Don't let a No crush your confidence.

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So there you have it. I went from small talk to client all because I was courageous, believed in myself, put myself out there, I told others what I wanted to accomplish and was helpful.

This strategy may sound scary to you and I get it. But I've found that speaking up, sharing my work and hitting the send button gets easier and easier every time.

I love to help others and I'm pretty sure you do too. You never know who you might help by sharing a simple article. Help spread the love and give this post wings by giving it a share on your favorite social network! 

Keep me posted on how this article helps you push towards your next client.

Cheers!

No Thank You's

Part of being a self employed artist is putting yourself out there. Ah, the dreaded sales circuit if you will. You have to reach out, say hello, show your wares and then throw out the little tid-bit of "Would you like to buy some of my snake oil?" Now bear in mind, Snake oil is not what we as artists are selling but after you receive so many No Thank You Notes you do start to feel that's what everyone thinks you are promoting. 

For this article, No Thank You's, will be code for Rejection Letters. For me, the phrase Rejection Letter has such a sting to it that I had to change the name to something more kind and considerate, hence the name, No Thank You's. Capeesh?

Even after changing the name it can still be bothersome to get these but view the No Thank You Note as a part of the process.. You have to get some No's to get to the Yes'.

So without further ado here are few No Thank You's I've received over the years. The sender and company names have been removed to maintain anonymity.

THE STINGER

FIRST CONTACT - 2013

Hi!

My name is Kim Panella and I’m an hand lettering artist and illustrator seeking representation. I enjoy a limited palette however I am not restricted to such. 

I have attached a few select samples of my work for your review. More samples are available at www.KimPanella.com.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

The NO THANK YOU Note

Who is this for?

I suggest you take the time to address me by name - otherwise I am left to assume you send the same email to many reps.

Not smart.

Regards,

---

In my defense, I addressed the email with "Hi" because I couldn't find an actual person at the agency to address it to but from here on out. Every email gets a name.

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MY REPLY

Hi Name Ill Never Forget.

I do apologize. I am very new to this and sadly I have failed right out of the gate. Please accept my apologies.

I have applied for representation with only a few agencies and try to choose agencies where I find I might offer a unique view.

I realize time is very precious and I hope I haven’t killed any opportunity of being considered by you.

Thank you again NAME I'LL NEVER FORGET.

Best,

Kim Panella

Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer

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THE REP of AMAZING ARTISTS

Needless to say, after getting the email up there I decided to dig deep and find a name, any name to address future emails too.

FIRST CONTACT - 2014

Hi (Ms Rep Of Amazing Artists)

My name is Kim and I'm a hand lettering artist and illustrator living in the Orlando area. I am currently seeking representation.

I visited your website and didn't see an area with submission information and was wondering if you are currently accepting submissions.

Grateful for any information you may offer.

Best,

Kim Panella

Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer

The NO THANK YOU Note

Hi Kim, Thanks for your email.

I'm not currently seeking new artists but I will keep you on file for future reference.

Kind Regards,

Rep Of Amazing Artists

SECOND CONTACT - 2018

Hi (Ms Rep Of Amazing Artists)

I hope this finds you well.

I reached out several years back and wanted to reconnect and share some of my latest work for consideration. My illustration and lettering style is highly detailed and whimsical with a sense of realism. Powerful in both black and white or color; perfect for editorial application.

I’ve had the opportunity to illustrate for Pilot Pen, Poopouri, Budweiser, Orlando Museum of Art and chalked the cover of Orlando Magazines Dining Awards publication last year. My most recent work can be seen on my site, minus the Pilot Pen work which is slated to hit February 1.

I would love to work with you.

Call me at 867-5309 or drop me a line at

SECOND NO THANK YOU

Hi Kim, Thanks for your email.

I rep another artist similar to your style - it would be a conflict of

interest.

Your work is lovely - best of luck to you.

* * * * *
Ms. Rep of Amazing Artists
a r t   r e p
555.555.5555

MY REPLY

Hi Ms. Rep Of Amazing Artists,

I completely understand and appreciate your quick response.

Thank you for the well wishes.

Kim

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The REP of COOL CREATORS

FIRST CONTACT - 2014

Hi Rep of Cool Creators,

My name is Kim and I'm a hand lettering artist and illustrator living in the Orlando area.  I am currently seeking representation.

I visited your website and couldn't find an area with submission information and was wondering if you are currently accepting new submissions for consideration.

Grateful for any information you may offer.

Best,

Kim Panella

Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer

The NO THANK YOU Note

Hi Kim,

Thanks for your inquiry.  Your work is lovely and you are very versatile!

I don't have a hand lettering artist in my group, probably because many of the artists do some of this themselves if the project requires it.  However, there are occasional times when a client is looking for something that is suited for someone who has a specialty in this area.  I'll keep your work on file for these situations and would be happy to talk if this happens down the road.

In the meantime things have slowed down for me so I have not added any new artists for awhile.  Instead it seems to work better for me to look outside the group when the project warrants it.

Again, thanks for sending your work along - I really enjoyed looking!

Kind regards,

Rep of Cool Creators

MY REPLY

Hi Rep of Cool Creators,

I hope this Thursday finds you well. I wanted to thank you so very much for taking the time to review my work and respond. I really do appreciate it.

Thanks for offering to keep my information on-hand. I would love the opportunity to work with you in the future.

Thanks again!

Kim Panella

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Hearing No is the pits. Hearing nothing is the worst. Yet, never asking is a total loss.

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It can be hard to keep your chin up but I hope sharing these No Thank You's help keep you motivated to keep pushing forward. Let the goal be to Collect as many No Thank You's as you can. Eventually you'll get a Yes Please!

Face it. IF YOUR NOT GETTING NO THANK YOU'S, YOU'RE NOT WORKING. Period!

Did this article give you hope to keep pushing? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a line.

You Are More Than Your Broken Pieces

I’m so glad I grew up when I did. No texting, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, at least not in the digital form we know today. Texting was passing a note in class. Instagram was my Mom snapping pictures of us with her Polaroid camera. Facebook was your yearbook. Twitter was the bulletin board you posted your message on with a push-pin and Snapchat was basically yelling at your friends from the window of a speeding car. If they didn’t hear or catch it on the first pass they missed it. Oh, and by-the-way, those friends were people you knew in real life and hung out with every day.

If social media is all you’ve ever known, you may think my generation grew up in the dark. If you believe that, I would say you’re partly right. But only in the sense that we had no bright screens from cell phones or tablets to distract us. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy social media and at times I over indulge a bit too. It’s a fantastic tool. I just wish my kids could experience a taste of what it was like growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, minus all the screen time.

My generation picked up the phone and called each other, we wrote notes, planned outings and spent countless hours talking on the phone with one another. We didn’t carry on conversations through text or rely on an image to tell us how someone was feeling. We actually had face-to-face interactions that allowed us to truly see each other as a whole, the beautiful parts as well as the imperfections. And speaking of imperfections my childhood was filled with lots of bloopers. I repeat, lots of bloopers. The silver lining, if you weren’t there to see it happen in person you certainly weren’t catching the video later.  And Lord am I thankful for that.

As I scroll along social media’s boardwalk, I sometimes feel I’m not enough. You may know the feeling. Not “young enough”, “talented enough” and not “all-put-together” enough. I catch myself saying things like, “Oh their home is so picture perfect.” “Wow, that Lettering is flawless!” “That project seemed to take no time to complete.”.  Then I realized when you look through my Instagram feed you may be led to believe that I spend my days blissfully coloring and creating to my hearts content. No stress, just pencils, paints and smiles. Which isn’t 100% true at all. I’m so much more than pretty script, fun quotes and illustrations. I’m hustling hard both personally and professionally.

I have worries, bills to pay and obligations to fulfill. I’m a Mommy that works super hard to be there for my kids. With some days leaving me feeling like I’m failing as a parent. I cook, clean, shuttle, do laundry, pay bills, care for our dog son and scrub toilets just like you. Right next to me in all of this is my husband John, and together we’re keeping it together. We’re not perfect by any means. There are imperfections but we are so much more than our broken pieces. Realizing this about myself, my relationship with my family and life brings clarity and makes it a little easier to relax, forgive myself and be ok with being human. At some point we have to understand perfection isn’t possible nor is it human.

With that being said, the next time you are scrolling and find yourself here. I hope you remember that life isn’t always champagne and beautiful sunsets. Embrace your imperfections and rest easy knowing everyone around you has just as many cracks, bumps and bruises as you.  We are all more alike than we are different.

Cheers!

Kim

Hello Me! Nice To Meet You.

It’s tax time again and I’ve just spent a couple of days getting my invoices, payments and receipts all nicely wrapped up so I can swoop into the tax office 100% prepared.  I’m all prepped and ready but I can assure you there’s no celebration or victory dance happening in this house.  No confetti, no fireworks just a total shit show of confusion and despair. UG!

I’m going to be very transparent here. After seeing 2017’s numbers I’m feeling so many mixed emotions. The words MEGA FAILURE are dancing inside my head as flashing bright neon lights. And here I sit pulling my own private shameful thoughts about myself from the darkest shadows of my bent and twisted psyche and putting them on display for all to see.

My grandma called this, “Airing your dirty laundry.” It was considered unlady like and down right unacceptable. Respectable women just don’t yap about life’s sucky moments, days, weeks or even years. No, we put our big girl panties on, pull our hair back, apply some lip gloss and we roll with it. And while you’re at it punch those mean nasty thoughts deep down inside and whatever you do, don’t ever let them see the light of day. Because if you do there will be hell to pay. And by hell to pay, I mean, people will run from you like wildfire. Then you’ll have yourself a “real” problem. No work, no friends, not a drop of self respect nor the strength to pick yourself back up again.

Sounds like a horrible hellish place. A place you’d never want your GPS to accidentally take you. Yet, I keyed in the address and dropped a pin on that God forsaken spot on the map. I love a good adventure, I’m curious as hell and what sounds like a one-way trip is actually only the beginning and a small portion of my big, wild wonderful journey back to Me.

I know you’re probably wondering what in the world could have happened that would plant seeds of self doubt so strong that they would then sprout and grow into a full blown belief of MEGA FAILURE. Where I went wrong and fell off the tracks was when I allowed money to be the measuring stick of my own self worth. I now realize. Big mistake, I know.

2017 was down right rough. I made under $10,000 last year. Sigh. Yes, you read that right. My ALL-IN MEGA FAILURE number is actually $7,402.28 USD to be exact.  So to put that into perspective, If I worked 8 hour days, 5 days a week, out of 260 work days in 2017 I made a mere $28.47 a day. I worked every day. Long days. Early days. Weekends. I literally showed up EVERY SINGLE DAY. I drew every day. And even though I didn’t post all of my work, every - single - day of 2017 found me caring, working and hustling. I'm not going to lie being rewarded with so little when I feel like I have given my all has been crippling.

It took a great friend to remind me to be gentle with myself and remember the hand that 2017 had dealt. (Thank you Diane you're a God send!) We think we see more when we are micro focused however we can completely miss the target when the fuller, bigger picture gets blurred. Much like seeing one grain of sand rather than the entire beach. And it’s down right wild how you can be living it , feeling it , breathing it and blindingly unable to see it.

So you’re probably wondering how I worked all year with full force and passion and have so little to show?

Allow me to explain...

My only job last year wasn’t to illustrate, letter, and share. No. I was deep in the thick of life’s ugly brier patch caring for a wonderful member of our family who was dying with cancer.  We moved my husbands parents in with us in July of 2016 and by July 25 of 2017 my father-in-law peacefully let go surrounded by us all.

Throughout this year of care and compassion, I was the getaway driver for the many months of countless doctor appointments, Chemotherapy, brain radiation, chest radiation as well as several emergency room visits for unexpected complications. I know the best routes to get in an out of most of the hospitals in the Greater Orlando area and how much valet will cost you.

As the Captain, I always tried to make the rides fun and laughter filled despite the circumstances. One time I passed out Road Trip Bingo cards and emphasized there would be prizes! I had remembered my father-in-law mentioning he needed a wet rock to sharpen his pocket knife so obviously this was one of the prizes. He was beyond thrilled when I handed it to him before he exited the car.

Another memory that will forever be emblazoned in my mind is when I walked into our living room and quietly watched my father-in-law’s face light up with joy as he shared his passion for photography with my youngest daughter Anna. He was beyond excited to share and talk shop with his grand baby whom he knew loved photography almost as much as he. This later brought clarity to his purchase of a GoPro camera with all the extras one could buy. He knew Anna loved photography and he intended to give his star pupil one last gift to capture the world he was soon leaving.

The late night cookie raids of our kitchen have ceased and the sound of oldies echoing from our back patio have gone silent however his gentle smile and the essence of his caring spirit will forever be a part of me.

It’s mind boggling how I was Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend and Full Time Caregiver and still had the balls to ride myself hard for not making more money. That’s harsh guys. I would never hold others to these standards so it’s beyond me why I would do the unthinkable to myself. But I did and so many others do it and you may be guilty of it as well.

In retrospect, as I look back over this past year and through a very different lens I’ve realized I made way more than seven thousand measly dollars. Instead I walked away with a fortune of life’s little moments that you just don’t get a second chance at nor could you ever buy. And this is payment in full if you ask me.

As for that flashing neon sign in my head that reads MEGA FAILURE. Well, I’ve killed the lights on most of those letters and now feel I need to fashion a crown from the remnants rather than hold those negative vibes inside. This is who I am, right here, right now at this very moment. This is ME guys. More Me than I think I’ve ever been or ever shared for that matter. This won’t break me and feel free to call it a come back if you wish.

So I leave you with this.

If you are feeling down on yourself and think you’re failing at life take some time to sit quietly with yourself, breathe deep, take a step back and survey the situation. Simply try to see the bigger picture. If you need to make a list of everything you are doing so you can see it all, do it. You ‘ll be shocked at the clarity it will bring. Be courageous enough to look inward with tight focus and feel all the feels but also don’t neglect to zoom out to capture the bigger picture as well. That’s the real truth teller. Always ask “What am I missing?” in order to clearly see the whole picture. And when everything comes into focus, be kind enough to cut yourself a break and simply love yourself.

No matter where you are in life’s journey remember, We Are All In This Together. So let’s care for one another, love and support each other. Lift each other up whenever and where ever we can. If you’re in a dark place, I hope this story lifts and warms your spirit with sunshine. If you know someone hurting offer them a hug and a hand up. Share your sunshine.

 

Much love and warm hugs to you today.

If you found this helpful I would love to hear from you. Or drop a comment, like or share with a friend.

 

 

 

DIY Candy Bar Book

This candy bar book makes a fun surprise for the recipient and is super fun for the giver to make!

YOU WILL NEED

CARD STOCK ( I used black and white)

2 KIT KAT'S - TAPE - GOLD MARKER - PENCIL - SCISSORS - HOT GLUE & Your IMAGINATION.

First tape the Kit Kat's together. I tape mine bottom to bottom.

Then I mark the edge of the candy bars on the card stock and then roll the candy bar on the card stock and then mark the long edge. Connect your lines and follow with your scissors. You can use a ruler to get exact measurements before cutting if you like.

Then wrap the cut card stock around the candy and take your fingers and run along what will be the spine of the book to lightly crease the paper. This will serve as a guide for your illustrations.

Next is the fun part. Creating your book jacket! Sketch your ideas out on a black piece of paper to finalize your ideas before heading to the card stock. You can use a pencil to lightly sketch your idea onto your card stock and trace over it with your gold pen if you like. Once you have completed your book jacket it's now time to create the pages of the book.

I use the same rolling method to get the length of the edges of the Kit Kat's and then cut them out of white card stock. You can use the black card stock if you want for this step but I found using white card stock gave a more realistic look to the pages when you leave some white showing through the gold.

Color the strip of paper and hot glue it to the edges of the candy. Don't worry about overage you will cut the excess off. I round mine so they look similar to how the pages of a book attach to the spine. 

Lastly, add some hot glue to one side of the Kit Kat and carefully place it on the inside back page of the book jacket. Once you have it placed repeat this step. Close the cover and hold for a few seconds to allow the glue to cool and harden. And that's it! You're done!