Craft Focus - April/May 2020 (Issue 78)

71 FATHER’S DAY MAN OF THE MOMENT Boost seasonal sales with this year’s best Father’s Day ideas EXACLAIR ExaClair, the UK supplier of Rhodia, has launched Rhodia Touch, the first Rhodia range targeted at designers, calligraphers, architects, illustrators and sketchers. The collection includes premium quality, convenient ‘on-the-go’ books and sketchpads designed with the needs of these specific consumers in mind. The range is available with a selection of fine art papers, with the Maya® Pad featuring two rulings, cross and cross’n’dot. Included in the new range is the Marker Pad, with extra- white, super-smooth paper especially designed for alcohol markers. Being highly bleed-proof, this pad is great for colour blending and graduation. The Bristol Book has extra smooth and ultra-fine paper ideal for precision drawing. Resistant to multiple layers of ink and scratches, this book features an Italian l eatherette softcover. Carb’ON® Book, an intense black paper book, is suitable for high contrast effects and for highlighting white ink or gouache. One side of the paper has a fine grain, while the other is smooth, creating an ideal space for dry drawing techniques. The Calligrapher Book and Pad are made from natural Simili Japon, a smooth and lustrous ivory paper. Manufactured with long fibres, this pad is perfect for India ink drawings. The range includes Pen and Inkwash paper, which is a light-grained drawing paper that is best used for line drawing in pencil, charcoal, ink, gouache, and nib work, specifically for graphic art and industrial drawing. Clement Rouillard, Marketing Manager at ExaClair, says the very first Rhodia range dedicated to artists and designers has had a promising early response: “This premium range features extremely versatile and exceptionally high-quality products that have already received positive feedback from customers within the creative industry, giving us the confidence that this range will perform well.” +44 (0)1553 696 600 exaclair.co.uk CYGNET YARNS Formed in 2004, Cygnet Yarns is a relatively new brand on the hand knitting scene. The fledgling company has battled hard to become a recognised name in an industry that’s dominated by large, well established brands. The company is committed to providing excellent customer service and premium quality yarns at the best possible prices. The colours of the featured Chenille chunky slippers are Aubergine and Petrol. +44 (0)1274 743 374 cygnetyarns.co.uk SHESTO Shestos’ Modelcraft cordless foam cutter is a wireless heat tool with interchangeable tips, perfect for cutting and contouring foam, polystyrene, styrofoam, foam core board and insulation foam. It’s lightweight, portable and easy to handle, with no more cables in the way you can work with ease in any situation. Includes two foam cutting tips that slice and cut effortlessly without mess or burning. This versatile tool can be used for a variety of applications with alternative tips available for soldering and heat shrinking. It includes two 60mm tips: pin tip for sculpting & detail; and the blade tip for carving & cutting. +44 (0)20 8451 6188 shestotrade.com