The joys of an CP artist in Australia!!!

So, i have been off in Sydney the past few days. I had things to do people and new babies to see :) and wanted to pop into one of my "old" artshops while i was down there and renew some supplies (i can't get Prismacolour up here on the central coast).

In my recent years i have discovered I am one of those "polite" people. i am always polite to people i meet when i am out, even when later i realise they don't deserve my politeness. I wish i had the quickwit to think of things to say at the time but alas its a quality i just don't have but i am trying to work on.

So anyway here is my story, all of you who are coloured pencil artists would appreciate this story .. those of you who aren't well ... now you can see just what us coloured pencil artists have to put up with time and time again!!

I walked into the art shop and the lady recognises me but just asks me whether i need help. I said no i knew where everything is ...(i think she thought i was going to steal something by putting it in the pram). I chose my items and put them up on the counter (mainly pencils) and she proceeded to ask me whether i had sharpeners? .. i said yes i was fine ... she talked abit more about sharpeners and how you are actually supposed to use a razor blade and sandpaper to sharpen coloured pencils... i tried to cut her off by saying i actually used an electric sharpener so i was fine in that regard... she promptly argued they "chewed the pencils and break the leads"!!! So, i said well i can never get the pencil sharp enough with the razor and i have never had problems with leads breaking ... to which she gave me a look saying "well THERE is an art to it" i just responded with some comment which meant nothing and she turned to serve another customer.

I walked out of the store thinking later of 100 very clever things i could have said to the silly woman .. even more so i would have loved to get her in a room some real coloured pencil artists or for her to look at the CPSA website to scoff at her perception of CP art, (as i know she doesn't think much of it) ...
then i got to thinking .. hmmm maybe i should give the sandpaper thing another go? .. maybe there is something i am missing there .. when i tried it i could never get a sharp enough point but maybe i have the wrong technique...

then i think hello !! belinda!!! as if you have time to sit there stuffing around with sandpaper everytime you need a sharp point !!! wake up and think about !! I am still curious though if any of you have any sandpaper tips let me know !!!! LOL

i also bought some more drafting film and fixative .. gosh art supplies cost me a fortune !!!