Close up of of work out

Overdue sketches

Finally got around to drawing something . Things have been a little hectic but drawing is a way of relaxing.

I was drawing some other things in painter again but Photoshop still feels much smoother.

I just discovered that Painter 11 doesn't work in Mac OS Lion. You have to upgrade to Painter 12 - or go back to using Painter 10. Photoshop shows no problems though.

This drawing is just simple . No idea or concept to put forth. Just someone working out at the gym . Thats where I see most of my models. I haven't been sketching people in restaurants or cafes lately . I've tried but it just doesn't move me. Sometimes I don't mind drawing tourists in baseball caps and shorts but it's really nothing I want to view over again.

-Lar

Figure doodles

More stuff from the Molskine Sketch book .

Japanese Brush Pens

Here are some shots of the brush pens I've been using since the eary eighties.

Only found in the stationary department of Japanese book stores. They cost ¥315. - about $3.50- but maybe more in the U.S. - Import tax you know.

I actually have some more expensive ones but they're not practical for carrying around.

Brush Pen Devil

I've been distracted lately with things non art or work related. It's good to get back to sketcking, practicing drawing and thinking about art things.

Drawing on paper again . Using a Moleskine sketchbook. The book has a buff colored paper , is well contructed and easy to carry around. Started just sketching a head to get started using a 4b graphite pencil .

I wanted to practice inking again using real ink. However the paper in the Moleskine book is a little soft to it causes the ink to bleed a bit and is to soft for a crow quill or other steel drawing pen point.

I was drawing this late last night so I was too lazy to dig out the Windsor Newton series 7 sable brushes for inking so I resorted to my Japanese brush pens.

I've been using these since around 1980. I found them at Kinokunya book store in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles.

They were made for Japanese to write in Kana . They are cheap and disposable but have a superior soft rubber point. Better than the expensive ones you can buy in art supply stores. The ink is VERY black and the point just gets pointier as the pen begins to wear. They are made by Pilot and I've NEVER seen them in an art supply store. I bought a mess of them the last time I went to Japan. They get marked up a bit if you buy them in the USA .

AS you can see in the drawing the pen behaves like a real brush. It reacts to pressure and direction and you don't have to dip it in ink or wash it out every so often lie a real brush.

I would still use a real brush and ink if I were to do something more finished but you can not beat it for sketchbook work! I'll post a pic of the pens later!

This drawing is about 6 inches high. September 5th , 2011.

-Lar