Teoh Yi Chie: The Most Detailed Art Supply Reviewer on the Internet

Teoh Yi Chie (Parkablogs) produces the most thorough, detailed art supply reviews available anywhere—YouTube, blogs, or print media. With over 350,000 subscribers and a library of 800+ videos accumulated since 2008, his channel has become the definitive resource for artists who want to understand exactly what they're buying before they spend money on art materials. Where most reviewers offer surface-level impressions, Teoh provides comprehensive, methodical evaluations that leave no question unanswered.

Based in Singapore, Teoh brings a global perspective to art supply reviewing—he evaluates products from manufacturers worldwide, including Asian brands that Western reviewers rarely cover. His reviews of Japanese stationery, Korean watercolors, and Southeast Asian art supplies provide access to products and brands that English-speaking audiences might never discover through other channels.

What Makes Teoh's Reviews Exceptional

Paper Testing Methodology

Teoh's sketchbook and paper reviews set the industry standard. He tests every paper with multiple media—fountain pen ink, brush pens, markers, watercolor, gouache, colored pencils—photographing the results on both sides of the page to show bleed-through and ghosting. He documents paper weight, tooth, sizing behavior, and buckle resistance with a consistency and thoroughness that no other reviewer matches.

Watercolor Brand Comparisons

His watercolor reviews include actual painting demonstrations, swatches of every color in the set, granulation tests, and comparisons with competing brands. These reviews provide the information needed to make informed choices between brands like Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, Schmincke, Holbein, and dozens of others.

Honest and Unbiased

Teoh maintains strict editorial independence. His reviews are honest about shortcomings even when reviewing products from sponsors. This integrity has earned him a level of trust that makes his recommendations genuinely influential in the art supply community.

The Parkablogs Archive

Teoh's blog (Parkablogs) complements the YouTube channel with written reviews that include high-resolution photographs, detailed specification tables, and comprehensive comparisons. The blog's archive of over 2,000 reviews constitutes the most extensive art supply reference resource available online.

The blog format allows for more detailed technical information than video reviews can comfortably include—specification tables, high-resolution close-up photographs of paper texture and paint swatches, and written analysis that readers can reference quickly without scrubbing through video timelines. For artists making specific purchasing decisions, the blog's searchable archive provides immediate access to the exact information needed.

Global Perspective on Art Materials

Teoh's Singapore base gives him access to Asian art supply markets that Western reviewers rarely cover. His reviews of Japanese stationery brands like Sakura, Kuretake, Pentel, and Holbein, Korean watercolors from ShinHan and Mission Gold, and Southeast Asian art materials introduce English-speaking audiences to products that offer excellent quality and value but lack the marketing presence of European and American brands in Western markets.

This global coverage is particularly valuable for urban sketchers and travel artists who encounter unfamiliar art supplies while traveling in Asia and want informed evaluations before purchasing. Teoh's familiarity with both Western and Asian art supply ecosystems allows him to make cross-market comparisons that help artists identify the best products regardless of brand origin or geographic availability.

The Urban Sketching Connection

Teoh is an accomplished urban sketcher whose personal artwork provides context for his reviews. His sketches of Singapore streetscapes, buildings, and daily life demonstrate the practical application of the tools he reviews—showing how different pens, watercolors, and sketchbooks perform in real-world sketching conditions rather than controlled studio environments. This practical context makes his reviews more relevant for artists who work on location, where factors like drying time, portability, and performance on various paper types matter more than they do in studio settings.

His urban sketching work has earned him recognition in the international urban sketching community, and his recommendations carry particular weight among artists who practice plein air drawing and painting. The intersection of his reviewing expertise and his sketching practice creates content that serves the large and growing community of artists who create artwork in public spaces.

Review Methodology and Trust

Teoh's reviews follow a consistent, transparent methodology that viewers can rely on across hundreds of evaluations. Every paper is tested with the same range of media. Every watercolor set is swatched, mixed, and demonstrated in actual paintings. Every sketchbook is used over weeks rather than evaluated in a single session. This methodological consistency allows meaningful comparisons between products reviewed months or years apart.

His commitment to editorial independence is well-documented. Teoh clearly discloses sponsored content, provides honest assessments even of products from sponsoring brands, and has earned a reputation for integrity that makes his recommendations genuinely trustworthy. In a review landscape where many content creators prioritize relationship maintenance over honest evaluation, Teoh's principled approach is both rare and valuable.

The Bottom Line

Teoh Yi Chie is the most valuable resource for art supply purchasing decisions available on the internet. His combination of methodical testing, comprehensive documentation, honest editorial assessment, global art supply coverage spanning both Western and Asian markets, and the practical context provided by his own urban sketching practice makes his reviews essential reading before any significant art supply purchase. Whether you're choosing a sketchbook, comparing watercolor brands, or exploring unfamiliar art materials, Teoh's thorough, trustworthy evaluations provide the information needed to spend wisely.