I Used a DIY Cola Pen to Start a Mixed Media Watercolor & I’m Already Making More!

I Used a DIY Cola Pen to Start a Mixed Media Watercolor & I’m Already Making More! Ever wondered how to make a unique painting tool from everyday items? In this video, I show you a cool "do it yourself" project where I create a cool pen from a Starbucks can. Chapters: 0:00 Turning Starbucks Cans into Art 0:18 How to Build Your Pen 1:58 Crafting the Perfect Nib Shape 3:17 Testing the Wild Ink Splatters 5:22 Making First Marks on Paper 7:14 Layering Dramatic Watercolor Washes 9:15 Injecting Bold, Vibrant Color Sticks 11:03 Mastering Textures with Oil Pastels 14:16 Final Touches and Fault Lines 14:50 Did the DIY Tool Work? Supplies Used: Schmincke Watercolor: https://amzn.to/4e8vhwV Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks: https://amzn.to/4dBjt6m Balck Velvet Waterproof Ink: https://amzn.to/49qsFba Derwent Inktense Pencils: https://amzn.to/3Rv1ENG Haiya Oil Pastels: https://amzn.to/4tYXXx2 Paul Rubens Hot Press Watercolor Paper: https://amzn.to/43xTgj3 Serrated Metal Rib: https://amzn.to/3PSbybs ➡️If you buy through these links, you’re helping me fund my art supply obsession 📽️ Watch this video next:    • Trying Watercolor Over Soft Pastels: Does ...   This video provides a comprehensive tutorial on how to construct an unconventional, homemade cola pen using a soda can and duct tape, followed by a live demonstration of how to apply this DIY drawing tool in an abstract mixed-media painting. The presenter begins by walking through the step-by-step assembly process, detailing how to safely cut the raw aluminum metal from an empty Starbucks can, secure it tightly to an old paintbrush handle using patterned duct tape, and trim the metal edge into a functional, custom-shaped nib that acts as an ink reservoir. Once the drawing tool is complete, the video transitions into testing its performance using professional drawing ink to explore the unpredictable splatters, scratchy textures, and expressive variations in line weight that the handmade nib can produce. The artist then integrates these unique ink lines into a complete landscape-style abstract artwork on hot-press paper, blending the permanent ink marks with subsequent layers of high-quality watercolor paints, pigment sticks, and creamy oil pastels. Throughout the creative process, the creator evaluates how the different properties of these artistic mediums interact with one another on the page, ultimately demonstrating how affordable, upcycled materials can be utilized alongside premium art supplies to generate striking depth, texture, and movement in contemporary visual art. What's covered in this video: The creator demonstrates how to safely cut out a basic metal template from an upcycled Starbucks can and wrap it around the handle of an old paintbrush to form the foundation of a homemade cola pen. Leopard skin duct tape is applied tightly around the aluminum base to secure the metal directly to the handle while ensuring the top of the structure remains uncovered to serve as a functional ink reservoir. The artist manually trims the raw aluminum edge into a rounded spoon shape using scissors, explaining how varying the physical geometry of the handmade nib creates entirely different types of marks on the paper. The newly built drawing tools are tested for the first time by dipping them into a shot glass filled with waterproof Black Velvet India Ink to compare their line variations, random splatters, and scratchy textures. The presenter initiates an abstract landscape composition on Paul Rubens hot-press watercolor paper, holding the custom drawing tool high up on the handle to maximize the organic fluidity of the initial black lines. A vibrant sky and background are established over the ink drawings by wetting the paper surface and applying a fluid watercolor wash composed of Schmincke Payne's Gray, Cerulean Blue, English Red, and Liquid Umber. The artist introduces intense coloration and structural contrast to the damp painting by applying Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks in Quinacridone Burnt Orange and Carbazole Violet directly into the wet washes. Light, depth, and atmospheric texture are integrated into the sky and midground of the composition using white and ochre Paul Rubens Haiya oil pastels, which are then scraped back with a metal rib tool to expose underlying layers. The abstract piece is finalized by drawing structural fault lines across the composition using a Derwent Inktense block in Baked Earth to unify the independent colored sections. The video concludes with a comprehensive critique of the dried mixed-media artwork, analyzing how the watercolor wash subtly shifted the tone of the waterproof ink and evaluating the overall composition, movement, and value contrast. Mentioned in this video: Starbucks can, duct tape, paintbrush handle, chopsticks, pencil, sandpaper, Black Velvet waterproof India ink, Hobby Lobby, Amazon, shot glass, Paul Rubens hot press paper #mixedmedia #art #watercolor #ink #diytools #viral