Nikiraart

Sketch in Eastchester, NY.

2012-02-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

Quick pencil sketch in Eastchester while waiting in the car. I think it is time to give up my little Palomino Blackwing 602 armed with point protector and rubber sleeve, it is worn out close to 3 inches and falling under my palm. Still, I like when pencil is a bit worked up, seems, has more energy and personality. I start cheating on this little one with new Palomino Blackwing 602 at home, using it here-there for small tasks, now it should go into my orange pencil case, to be taken on trips.

ArtDeco mural in a process.

2012-02-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

Central piece, still a lot to do, but composition and masses of color is already there.

On the other wall of the lobby, it goes around. I think today I deserve sushi.

While...

2012-02-08T00:26:00.000-05:00

While running around and stressing about being unable to finish drawing with Indian sweets, I am posting a picture of my reflection I snapped on my phone. It shows my sketch enlarged on the wall and my shadow with unruly hear. I used again this amazing pen-chalk from JetPens, called dustless.
BTW I found out from a friend's text that I was featured in Sheepshead Bites today :-).

Songs I heard today. Magic Voice.

2012-02-04T22:07:00.000-05:00

Barcelona.
Jo Amar It's me who comes to you The one who plays in the courtyards I come to you and play Song of you, excited city lalala... Oh Barcelona Barcelona "me'odi" not "peratich" on musical instruments lalala... Oh Barcelona Barcelona on stringed instruments, With a guitar and mandolin. The splendor of your soil captured my heart Oh Barcelona! To you I brought the best of my song accept this present and remember the echo of my voice like a souvernir of love lalalala.

Don't reject me in my old age - Michel Cohen, Psalm 71:9:
Don't reject me in my old age. Don't forsake me when my strength fails.

Dress.

2012-02-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn, Sheepshead bay. It was striking and unexpected to see that vulnerable feminine dress on the winter street. I used ink and few Kuretake brush pens. Scanner didn't pick up variety of blue.

Ordinary day.

2012-02-02T18:12:00.000-05:00

Ordinary day in Sepia ink, few Kuretake brushes and lots of water.

Chinese food.

2012-01-29T14:22:00.001-05:00

Our local Chinese restaurant. Recorded one fun evening together after tiring day of planning and brainstorming. We went to 3 places to get different food for each of us (cranky us) and got dessert in Turkish store. I used sepia ink, 2 Kuretake brushes and 3 languages: English, Chinese and Russian.

Hydrangea.

2012-01-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

Little table scene with hydrangea. It grows on the side of the house and despite severe negligence keeps blooming and gives us joy. I used sepia ink and Kuretake pens for color. More stirred my emotions more color goes into drawings. Paradox.

Albany.

2012-01-27T10:32:00.000-05:00

For some reason scanner refuse to read blue in the sky the way I did it, so instead of frustration I decide to feel thankful that it works at all. My ink got yellower and blue Kuretake pens agreed to drizzle over the drawing. Used ink and Kuretake over hot pressed Arches pad. Strange paper behavior, resist washes, pretend to be blotter paper. Still searching for ink friendly perfect watercolor paper.

Portrait with the mirror.

2012-01-24T23:52:00.000-05:00

While running around hopelessly and helplessly (January was never my favorite month of the year, even it is not freezing or worse), I manage to ink another portrait with mixed ink, one green Kuretake pen and Inna's help. I already see so much what I could of done differently and I want to add and change, but I'd rather do another one, and may be ink will get browner and mood will change.

Portrait in interior. Photo.

2012-01-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

I played a little bit with Clone tool to clean the background and removed "red" eyes. I read a bit about new tools in Photoshop 5 and got mad jealous, really want to try this Puppet Warp tool.
I wanted to show emotion through the soft light here and used 2 languages.

Lincoln Continental.

2012-01-21T16:31:00.001-05:00

Lincoln Continental Mark 4 1976. I think this what it is, I looked online. It was chilling on someone's driveway. I used Omas Sepia ink, it is juicy but red is too strong for me, I like yellow puddles more. I was trying to stuff ink into Pentel Color brush, it was resisting my crooked syringe and I was holding myself from performing open heart surgery on poor brush, but I really want to know what's inside. Didn't find it online. May be anyone knows?

Stollen.

2012-01-19T23:24:00.000-05:00

I was depressed for couple of days, but kept drawing from time to time, almost mechanically. More color crept in. Nice acquaintance brought us Stollen from german bakery Upstate, it was pretty and tasty. But this drawing would be a memory of my distraction, not a panegyric to delicious Stollen. I used ink and Kuretake pens.

Plates.

2012-01-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

Here tried to use wet media in the old sketchbook, where first drawing dated September 1, 1999, assuming we were Upstate, before the school started, at "Yellow Dacha". My daughter was 13 years younger and we didn't have our first dog yet.
Anyway this paper is not good for washes, absorbing every touch like blotting paper. So no-no. May be for pencil sketches? But too bulky for the train.
I drew empty plates with sepia ink and few Kuretake pens and afterwards shoved this sketchbook back into deep shadowy shelve for future experiments.

Waiting in the car in autumn shoes.

2012-01-16T01:17:00.000-05:00

I did this sketch in moleskine with ink, without preliminary pencil lines, freezing in a cold car, in double parking, in thin shoes, for 15-20 minutes.

Trip to Albany.

2012-01-15T01:32:00.000-05:00

Playing with light and color. One of my favorite Kuretake pens is drying out. I wanted to show strong contrast of the light and shadows and rich red of the barns outside. Again it is about beauty of youth and being a part of life. Ink and Kuretake pens.

Mountain road.

2012-01-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

View from the road side, Upstate New York. This rocks often glistening from ice or water, you can get lost in it's angular shapes, I was very approximate. Ink and water brush.

Cup of coffee.

2012-01-13T09:29:00.001-05:00

Cup of coffee while waiting for the food in the Diner Upstate NY. Fat edged uncomfortable cups, weak coffee, but fun observing people, barely talking, just enjoying existence. Ink and Kuretake.

Play.

2012-01-13T02:14:00.001-05:00

Play was great. Backdrop and green hill-n-bush, marbleized columns, and another backdrop, not here.

Had a great time.

Life in Moleskine.

2012-01-11T06:52:00.000-05:00

Moleskine for me not just for picturesque drawings but everyday companion for my lists, studies, thoughts, sketches, schedules, address book, doodles, shoulder I can cry on, etc. :-)

Portrait.

2012-01-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

I played with 2 inks and few Kuretake pens, used white pen a little bit, wrote "be happy" in shaky half dissolved letters (I love puddles), and now I deserve breakfast.

Painting for the play.

2012-01-06T12:17:00.001-05:00

"Scary night" backdrop, painted in less then an hour with dripping paint.

Hill on plywood.

In a process, without backdrops yet.

Beetle.

2012-01-02T23:10:00.001-05:00

I won't want to drive it, I like big cars, but have to admit, it is good looking. Sepia ink and couple of Kuretake pens.

Sketches in Moleskine, December 30.

2011-12-31T12:53:00.001-05:00

Sketched people around me. This little boy with Mohawk noticed me drawing and engaged me into adult like conversation about drawings, styles, favorite pencils, anime, comics, comic stories about fights with devils, etc. I usually avoid even eye contact to keep my freedom, but had to respond to his direct questions. Funny, I didn't feel that I am talking to a child, but to a fellow artist.

I usually remember people I sketched for a long time and hold myself from jumping at them with "Oh hi, we know each other." if I meet them somewhere.

Antique beauty.

2011-12-29T21:55:00.000-05:00

One day I went to draw a backdrop for the play and down the street saw that beauty. Garbage truck was backing up passing few centimetres from me, unable to make a turn on narrow Brooklyn's street. I closed my eyes when it passed that elegant antique Jaguar. I think it is Jaguar SS 100 from 1937, built in England. I can't help it, being charmed by cars. Used ink and 2 Kuretake pens.

My old work.

2011-12-29T02:14:00.000-05:00

Portrait of my daughter. I was the best story teller, combining the fairy tales I read and world folklore, using my imagination and making up a happy ending, with good amount of horror. So I wanted to catch the expression of listening. I used watercolor, size is 20 inches.

One morning.

2011-12-28T09:40:00.001-05:00

One summer morning we woke up at 5 and drove to the North Lake to see the sunrise. We were sitting on the Mountain House cliff ledge above the clouds in silence and harmony with the world.

Green Apple.

2011-12-25T00:55:00.001-05:00

I used my Sepia again, warm puddles with orange rims, medicine for my wounded soul. I would add a bit of cold grey Lexington ink, but it makes it stringy, some sort of chemical reaction. Bits of color with Kuretake, to appreciate pure green of apple, flowers on Albert's Royal, red on tomato and warm strokes on sardines. Main attention on negative panting of bouquet. I painted background cutting into brunches, what a twisted game.

New Kuretake pens.

2011-12-24T09:04:00.001-05:00

New Kuretake pens I recently got online. Very happy to highlight my palette with this wonderful Kuretake Twins.

Sketches in Moleskine on the run.

2011-12-24T07:23:00.000-05:00

I made this Federico Aubele's song my ringtone,"Despertar", for my ear it sounds "Desperate", but in Spanish it means "Awakening". So even when I get calls from unpleasant recipients, like mortage companies, it still gives me warm vibe. Here used ink and Palomino Blackwing 602 pencil. Drew my lovable Fellini cat.

From Blackwing to Kuretake pens. This wine was really delicious, especially because was shared with a good friend. Also my reading (online) and memo list.

december 23.

2011-12-23T07:31:00.000-05:00

I feel bad wasting my Moleskine pages on such casual sketches, collecting peoples faces and gestures, people, who I may never see again in my life, for a few minutes appreciating their inner beauty, admire their movements, shapes of their nostrils, respecting their moods, getting richer in feelings and forgetting it all when my Subway stop comes or my name called to go to the doctor. But what is better than pull out Moleskine and Palomino Blackwing 602?

My beautiful Brooklyn.

2011-12-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

I took a photo from the window where I did a small job. This view really made my heart sing.

Morning melancholy.

2011-12-20T10:15:00.001-05:00

Little table scene. Took me forever to bring to completion. I kept adding a stroke here, there. Find time and unwind. Was not happy with ink colors, greys and brownish. Should leave it for quick sketches on a train, I think. I used my new Kuretake pens I got online.

New York.

2011-12-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

View from the window. I did small work in Manhattan and took a photo.

Sketches.

2011-12-17T13:37:00.001-05:00

Sketches at the doc office with pencil and bit of Noodler's ball pen.

Sketches on the run in December.

2011-12-15T09:27:00.000-05:00

Spread in moleskine. Mackenzie-Childs tea kettle for fighting December melancholy. Ink, Kuretake pens, lists.

Blue cup.

2011-12-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

"Memories of summer" it says in Japanese. It is reality, but it is how I remember it. All our morning breakfasts and conversations, our silence and laughs over coffee, playing with dogs and feeding birds blends into one material for my drawing. I used ink and few Kuretake pens.

Shadow Mountain Road.

2011-12-10T23:57:00.000-05:00

This adorable little bridge we passed probably thousand times, it makes me smile, how cozy and intimate it looks. Somewhere here years ago we bought delicious Maple syrup. It was so good with Maggie's french pancakes.
I used ink and 2 Kuretake pens. I am falling in love with this Kuretake pens deeper and further.

Sketching with Blackwing and Noodler's pen

2011-12-09T18:14:00.000-05:00

I was glad to have few minutes for myself to draw people in the waiting room.

Trees and Birds.

2011-12-09T13:29:00.001-05:00

3 days on this mural with trees and birds. It goes all around the walls with branches, plants, rocks. I added transparent strokes of color and bits of gold outlines. So when you walk around the room some shapes of leafs and flowers and bird's feathers pops at you, reminiscence of Chinese pearl incrustation on a lacquer box. We had one in my early childhood, I use to scrape out beautiful parts of elegant mandarins.

Liza, mine.

2011-12-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

:-)

Japanese trees on chocolate background. First day.

2011-12-05T22:34:00.001-05:00

Sketched and painted first layer. For sketching I used Japanese dustless chalk I got at JetPens, love it. So comfortable to draw on the wall with this pen looking chalk holder. It comes with little special sponge-dust eraser and few color chalks. My love for pretty art tools pays off, very useful tool.

Detail. Pretty full first day, sketched few brunches on other walls too. Had horrible lunch. I have to make music disk for tomorrow to listen on the way because my Ipod not comfortable to operate when I am alone in the car. Zaz and Aubele.

ArtDeco mural sketch.

2011-12-04T15:15:00.000-05:00

More subdued version. I use this printer for documents only because it doesn't reflect the color properly, but here tried for fun.

A bit brighter. I used my vintage Rowney watercolor in metal box, I got some time ago on Ebay and couple of pens to outline. I am thinking to add my Rembrandt watercolor from tubes to some almost empty pans. Here 28 half pans. Coolest box.

Tower with blue sky.

2011-12-04T01:37:00.000-05:00

View from the Onteora church. This house overlooking Arboretum always half hidden by tall trees and I know nothing about this old tower. When we were little kids we made hidden treasures in the ground placing some objects behind colored glass, so this brings back same feelings of admiration of mystery looking at me from the other side of the blue glass.
I used ink and blue Kuretake pen on watercolor paper.

Preliminary sketch for mural.

2011-12-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

Artdeco style.

December 1 in Moleskine.

2011-12-02T10:06:00.000-05:00

Sketched on the way people on Subway, used Palomino Blackwing 602 pencil, love this pencil, faithful helper.

Melon.

2011-11-30T17:50:00.000-05:00

I like how pieces of melon ran on the plate creating interesting composition, so I decide to draw it before consuming in front of the TV. Used Sepia ink and few Kuretake pens. It says "sharing melon" in Japanese.

Gotta share this wonderful artist.

2011-11-28T08:52:00.000-05:00

Inge Löök

She made me laugh the whole morning.
She is a Finnish artist who was a professional gardener and now she is famous for her Granny postcards. When she was a child she lived in a building in Helsinki and had two neighbors old ladies who later become the prototype of her wonderful mischievous grandmas.

Sketching in the doc office in Moleskine.

2011-11-28T00:51:00.000-05:00

Didn't do anything productive today except cooking wonderful meal and this few sketches in the doctor's office highlighted my day. Palomino Blackwing 602 and Pentel Multi8 pencils in Moleskine.

Sketching in Moleskine.

2011-11-28T00:21:00.000-05:00

I feel bad to waste Moleskine pages on such casual sketches, but honestly I was so happy to be out with pencil and sketchbook, so grabbed whatever I saw on the way: people on a train, little bar while waiting for the concert, my free glass of wine, ticket, my overprotected Blackwing 602 pencil. It got so short, I put on it point protector and little rubber cushion I ripped from ball pen. Very comfortable.

Haines Falls.

2011-11-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Main attraction for tourists in the Hunter area of the Catskills. Every time when we pass by we verify our moods with this beauty of nature. I misspelled the name on the drawing.
I used Dr.Martin's inks on Fabriano Studio paper. Scanner made color too black, in reality it is warm brown.

Onteora church.

2011-11-25T09:28:00.001-05:00

Built in 188something, I think. It is not far from us, walking distance. Overlooking arboretum, breathtaking view of the mountains. Built from stone. Onteora is an indian name for Catskills. In 1883 Onteora Park was founded by rich New Yorkers as a private summer retreat, many famous artists and writers been and sketched there. I found very interesting publication online, newspaper The Critic from 1898, an illustrated monthly review of Arts, Literature and Life. So cool!

I used Dr. Martin's Ink and my newest invention portable brush, because my travel Windsor and Newton brush broke while finishing Aubele's drawing.

Published in Mexico!

2011-11-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

Got this beautiful book from Mexico, Peninsula de Yucatan, with my watercolor published in it, super happy.

What a wonderful surprise. Thank you very much Adolfo.

Typed in Google translator and this what came out:

Born in Russia and lives in New York.
In her works we see a constant search for technical improvement through the use of different pencils, inks and papers.
Makes detailed sketches and works of various aspects of everyday life.The sketch of the pitahaya did when she found the fruit on a market: bought to try it exotic flavor and with the idea of drawing it. It is so delicious to eat yet is so beautiful.

Maggi.

2011-11-23T03:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a little panegyric on Maggi-Würze, seasoning sauce, originally from Switzerland. I discovered it in Honey store and fell in love with it, adding it everywhere in salads combining with sunflower oil and cooking wine and for meats and sauces, and soups. I like it's taste, smell and even bottle shape. Also drew here wonderful Frank's RedHot sauce.
Second joy is my first time mix from Dr. Martin's India inks I bought in Woodstock this fall. It has some burning warmth and slides easily. May be because of paper? It is old paper, don't know the brand. For color I used Kuretake pens.

Federico Aubele in ink.

2011-11-19T22:26:00.000-05:00

Did drawing of Federico Aubele in ink after my wonderful experience on his concert. I used ink and couple of Kuretake pens on hot pressed Arches paper, so smooth that I feel a bit weird out. I tried to capture his boyish looks and soul of musician. It brings to mind amazing novel by Julio Cortazar about music and musician, from which many years ago I cut out sentence and had it on the wall in my room, felt related to that. Sorry, its in Russian.
Художник, живущий в нем, всегда задыхался бы от
ярости, слыша эту пародию на желанное самовыражение, на все то,
что ему хотелось сказать, когда он боролся, раскачиваясь, как
безумный, исходя слюной и музыкой, наедине, совсем наедине с тем,
что он преследует, что ускользает от него, и тем быстрее, чем
настойчивее он преследует.
I relied on my sketches I did during the concert, here is one of it.

Mural in the pool.

2011-11-19T10:14:00.000-05:00

Touch ups on the mural painted few years ago. Bottom rocks made from big floor tiles cut out in different shapes and painted over to blend with the painting.

The other half of the pool. It was fun job. Worked with a small team then.

Federico Aubele.

2011-11-18T01:13:00.000-05:00

Today I was so lucky to see Federico Aubele live concert, amazing Argentinian singer, songwriter, musician. I fell in love with his music few years ago, I heard him somewhere online. I listen to him often while drawing or driving, I made Pandora radio station with his songs.
Today I sketched and listen and at the end asked him to sign my sketch, how cool is that! He liked my drawing. Wow! I am gonna do drawing in ink based on my sketches of him today. Here used Blackwing 602 (love this pencil) in Moleskine.
Postales

No one

Orange truck.

2011-11-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

Ever since I met this trucks on mountain roads they impressed me with their happy sunny colors and muscular shapes, and when you hear their aggressive roaring it brings feeling that now it will be ok, problem fixed, safety restored, life will be better, somebody cares. Interesting that even drivers of this trucks look so enormously tall and manly, at list few I talked to after the Hurricane Irene damages.
I used ink and Kuretake pens.

Eggs over easy.

2011-11-13T15:41:00.000-05:00

Pulled out my drying ink remix and fought with couple of stuffed water brushes (pierced my finger few times till it bled) to draw this simple Sunday breakfast with eggs over easy. Bits of color with Kuretake pens.

Краски.

2011-11-13T09:25:00.000-05:00

I was always interested in Payne's Gray color hearing so much about beautiful mixtures it could create. Loving amazing palette of grays by Serov I was intrigued. A friend from Serbia mention this great sale in London for Rembrandt watercolor, I tried and end up with this wonderful addition to my 24 colors pan set I got from Ebay some time ago. Now I may have to figure out what palette I will need for tubes, or I can get empty pans, or even wash pans from old paints and fill it with paint from tubes. In any case it is more inspiration now to experiment with color.
I also got filbert brush and 2 telescopic Da Vinci brushes with interesting idea to fold it without damaging shape.
My idea of cover protecting brush shape is simpler and better, I just don't know how to introduce it to the world, where to find people who can actually produce it. :-)
Here on the photo I compared bottoms of two pans: old which came with Ebay set and this new, different design.

Queens.

2011-11-12T09:45:00.000-05:00

Got back to my Sepia drawings. Was a bit unreal atmosphere with that charming European village houses and pale moon. Finished at home with few Kuretake pens. Had a fight with big water brush, keeps clogging.

Painting apples.

2011-11-09T07:23:00.000-05:00

Quiet evening.

Apples.

2011-11-08T01:53:00.000-05:00

My husband picked this bitten by the frost very energetic apples from the apple tree near our driveway. Last time he did 5 minutes fruit preserve recipe he learned as a teenager in sports camps. It was delicious with tea. Now he picked the whole box.
So I decide to draw it to appreciate its wild tough beauty. And also I have a nostalgic memory about autumn apples from the book of Iris Murdoch I read many years ago. How I was longing in my Moscow apartment for that apple smell and lonely walks on the seashore.

Painting snow.

2011-11-07T23:48:00.001-05:00

Snapped process of painting with Rembrandt watercolor. Here is adorable filbert Midas Touch brush, telescopic Da Vinci and nice view.

First snow.

2011-11-06T22:09:00.000-05:00

Mountains never fails to surprise me, different every day. It was too cold to draw outside, so I drew through the glass door. I used watercolor here. Tried my new interesting Da Vinci telescopic brushes, I like the system, but hair was a bit too soft for me. Snow melted everywhere but not here, strange, but I appreciate it. I saw here bear's footprints. May be couple of bears.

Tower.

2011-11-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

Really quick sketch on the way to get chili. Pretty house with mysterious tower overlooking mountains and Arboretum.

Sketch in black.

2011-11-06T20:32:00.000-05:00

Sketched while waiting.

Croissant.

2011-11-02T11:38:00.000-04:00

I finished drawing by adding color with Kuretake pens. Still left watery loose marks, I like combination of loose texture and sharper details. Very sad how fast water brushes getting clogged and loosing sharp point. Even I trimmed it with scissors as Laure Ferlita advised and disassembled to rinse. May be I should try distilled water?

Blue roses on a sink.

2011-11-02T07:50:00.001-04:00

I painted blue roses on that porcelain sink. It was coordinated with wallpaper and pattern on chairs.

Here on the other side of the kitchen, second sink. I used special paint which sticks to everything, but it smells so bad, I was coughing.

Kitchen, sitting area. Small roses on wallpaper and in squares on chairs. Tiles near stove imitated old Holland tiles, pretty weak imitation. I love old Holland kitchen look, my dream is to get a wood stove with holland tiles depicting bucolic life and flowers. I probably never gonna have it because won't give up time I'd rather spend on drawing and it will be costly. :-)

Moleskine pen and pencil.

2011-11-01T00:58:00.002-04:00

Wanted to show this awesome Moleskine pencil and pen I got from JetPens. You can attach it to the cover and it stays perfectly when you throw it in a bag or put it on your lap. Pencil comes with one refill and sharpener. 2B. It is rectangle shape and sits good in a hand. I put here, on my unfinished drawing I brought from Upstate, few Kuretake pens, I will use for touch of color, Dr. Martin's inks I got in Woodstock, I will mix and play with when have more time, and my headphones for loud music not to disturb my sleeping family.

Woodstock.

2011-10-31T00:04:00.000-04:00

Everything about Woodstock looks a bit exaggerated, houses, streets, people, atmosphere. Every time you see something new, something you didn't notice last time.
I used Sepia ink and few Kuretake pens, and this time I used piston water brush, which feels like a real brush, with animal hair. Just have to add a bit of water by twisting barrel instead of squeezing. And if I put brush down water is seeping away.

Awesome tutorial.

2011-10-30T14:56:00.000-04:00

Annie Strack

Wonderful way to paint water with reflections and sun.

Local road.

2011-10-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

Small road Upstate. Trying to figure out what ink bottle would be safe for me to take on trips. Something with heavy bottom so it won't turn over. J.Herbin is not bad and it has a rest for a pen, but I want something more compact. Gotta research it. Here I used Sepia ink and blue Kuretake pen. I really enjoy drawing country landscapes, something healthy, free, honest in it.

Laying.

2011-10-28T19:30:00.001-04:00

I used Sepia ink and touch of Noodler's Zhivago ink in Noodler's ball pen on Fabriano studio paper. First I wanted to add a color to eyes, but than decided that a hint of a glance is better than defined. The focal point here is femininity.

Photo snapped on my phone.

2011-10-28T01:06:00.000-04:00

Such dramatic sky. Limited color, but so expressive.

Brooms.

2011-10-27T02:07:00.000-04:00

Sometimes plain objects stop you on the way to tell their story, how it happened here, I felt that dry leaves flew in to remind me that autumn is real and nothing is forever.
I used ink and Kuretake pens on old paper.

Noodler's pen.

2011-10-26T01:12:00.000-04:00

Dragging sketchbook through the day, grabbing all I can catch in my few minutes here and there. Appreciating my new Noodler's flex pen.

Welcome.

2011-10-25T21:02:00.000-04:00

I used ink and Kuretake pens. Paper is way too big for the scanner, so I struggled a lot and could not fit edges. May be I should rescan it later. I wrote "You are invited" in Swedish. I was trying to draw still life against the light, but indicate some bits of color.

Cake.

2011-10-23T08:42:00.000-04:00

Fig and berry tart. I used Sepia ink and Kuretake pens on old paper. Interesting how everything changes because of your paper choice. This paper is very old, it is probably travelled with me changing not one address, it lost its whiteness, it looks wise and witty, it takes ink lovingly.
I was charmed by open hug of this cake box, its wide wings and, of course, taste was mind blowing.

Stove in old house.

2011-10-22T08:47:00.000-04:00

Wood stove in old house. Sketch in Sepia ink while waiting. Appreciating this old beauty, remembering happy years we spent here. First page in new Moley.

Cat and Mouse.

2011-10-19T22:38:00.000-04:00

:-)

Kuretake brush pens in my new case.

2011-10-19T15:38:00.000-04:00

I've been asked what is Kuretake, which one I use in my drawings. I use few kinds, Twin, Brushables, Real Brush, water brushes H2O, Kuretake 13, Cocoiro Letter pen. I like to take Kuretake brush pens with me in this roomy tall pencil case from JetPens. Here is few different kinds, some dual points, some bright, some muted colors. Looks different on different paper. Still a lot to try and experiment.

Cool link.

2011-10-19T13:44:00.003-04:00

Cool designs.

Awesome tablet pen.

Heating spoon in your coffee.
I want one!

Simple house design.

Wurtsboro.

2011-10-19T08:30:00.001-04:00

Driving Upstate, meeting beautiful landscapes like meeting people, always a joy and surprise. Some roads don't have a shoulder, where I can park, what a pity. On Road 32 huge wet rocks with dripping water, every time passing by I stare at it helplessly with hungry love, barely enough space for cars and then sharp cliff.
Used ink on Arches here.

Wine shop in Hudson Valley, NY.

2011-10-18T08:13:00.000-04:00

Accord Wine Shop. House was built in yearly 1900, first as General store, and Barber Shop with a Billiard Hall in the basement. In 1940’s it became a Liquor Store. I used ink on Arches board.

Her, him.

2011-10-18T01:30:00.000-04:00

Sketching with Pentel ink brush and Blackwing 602 pencil while watching charming old movie "Some like it hot".

Sketches on the way.

2011-10-18T01:01:00.000-04:00

Drawing from the car on the way on short stops, getting gas, milk, thinking, watching cars passing by.

Testing Pentel pen.

2011-10-18T00:53:00.000-04:00

Basket with logs. Testing Pentel grey ink brush from JetPens while waiting for my friend.

At the farm.

2011-10-14T17:55:00.000-04:00

"Story Farm" such a wonderful place, I love going there may be because they have delicious vegetables grown organically or may be because we see happy cows, milk cows. Or may be because it looks like beginning of adventure with all that crossing roads, or may be because of strawberry fields where once we picked our own strawberries in hot june few years back. We always park under that tall trees. I used ink here.

Harrison.

2011-10-14T06:43:00.001-04:00

Sketches with Pentel brush in court in Harrison NY, paying for ticket. $385 ticket. How painful. My husband. I am trying not to speed and especially not to get caught.
Really like that little pen brush.

Photo I took yesterday.

2011-10-11T08:26:00.000-04:00

Hunter Deli.

2011-10-11T00:17:00.000-04:00

Eating outside at Hunter Deli. Scanner fell and suddenly worked once again. I am thankful. Ink and Kuretake pens on Arches pad, last page. On the top used a bit of Kutetake 13 brush pen. For the chair used cute Stabilo pen, with few drops of water got that bluish green tone. It is water soluble.

Scanner.

2011-10-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

Really sad, can't make my scanner work to scan my newly finished drawing, so posting my wonderful Fellini photo to support my fading mood.

West Village.

2011-10-07T11:57:00.000-04:00

Scene in the City. In this weather so many street cafes bring their tables outside, fun to sketch, street signs, bus stop, colorful details of the city life. I used ink and added bits of color later with beloved Kuretake pens. I used Zig Clean Color Real Brush, really enjoyed their delicate tip, since my water brushes loosing sharp point, even I tried to trim it with scissors, as advised by Laure Ferlita.
Spent all morning fighting with scanner, lost hope, because it broke lines into red and green pixels, but my usual stubbornness worked again for me and it scanned for now. I think we should appreciate stubborn kids (my father didn't think so), because it is a sign they won't give up easily and try again and again till they may solve the problem.
Couple of days ago I decide to get rid of my old PC and beforehand erase all data from the hard drive. I Googled how to, I made my old slowpoke connect to Internet, download program on disc and for 3 hours erase all data including operating system without any chance of recovery. That was really cool.

October.

2011-10-06T08:25:00.000-04:00

Colors of October. Watercolor on Fabriano Studio 140 lbs pad. I did it at the evening of that wonderful day we spent exploring beauty of autumn Upstate. We went to get honey, fresh vegetables from the local farm, we pet cows and stare at them eating corn, we saw little exhibit in the book store, followed interesting dressed people who asked us direction to Piano museum and visited that museum ( I took some photos). We shared beer and eat delicious fruit cake my friend brought from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Most wonderful - we talked. I didn't have much time to draw.

Honey and apples.

2011-10-04T23:21:00.000-04:00

Watercolor and Uranus pen in sketchbook. Another quick sketch while waiting. Paper absorbs paint and eating the color. I used Rembrandt Talens watercolor. I ordered some more at Jackson's, UK, while they have sale and couple of travel brushes. I love my Da Vinci travel Kolinsky more and more because it holds shape and right amount of water just enough for half pan.

Sketch in watercolor and Uranus pen.

2011-10-04T08:56:00.000-04:00

While being locked up and waiting used few minutes to sketch in watercolor and Uranus pen over pencil.

Sketch with Holbein water brush.

2011-10-04T08:42:00.000-04:00

Tried watercolor pencil for sketching and my new Holbein watercolor brush I got from Laure Ferlita. I really like it, it is so big and has a nice flow, but my habit to use it flat probably will damage point soon.

New York.

2011-09-30T23:10:00.000-04:00

I saw this corner of New York and I like that it combines huge billboards and ongoing construction. Feels a bit overwhelming and full of energy. I used ink and Kuretake pens. This blue sky made with tiny Pilot Fude Pen Petite 3 from JetPens, also on letters Bank of America. What a toy.

He made me breakfast.

2011-09-28T22:56:00.000-04:00

I tried Arches watercolor board. I like it, it takes color nicely, a bit stiff, not allowing to move much. Size is too small 8x10, it was on sale, so I should get bigger size. Too bad I can't rip or burn it but I used a boarder to bring casualty to it. Ink and Kuretake pens. I used new Holbein water brush with it. I like it, barrel is so big, you can scratch your back easily. Release water a bit too much. Shana Tova to all.