September 13 sketches.

I found that funny little dusty-blue sketchbook with title A Book of Living on my shelve, which I bought probably in Home Goods long time ago, I like its binding, stitched. I don't know what it means, may be for sketching living? So I will. Palomino Blackwing.

Sketches on a train.

I took Kuretake Twin pen with me to try on this weird sketchbook I got somewhere in Home Goods or Marshall. Paper doesn't take washes how I was hoping and I realize that I don't like when sketchbook doesn't look like a plain planner or something not obviously artsy. Moleskine is the best for it but too expensive for quick sketches. Here is a biker done in Kuretake Zig Twin pen and Palomino Blackwing 602.

It was fun combining flesh color and pencil.

That lady kept changing her pose, crossing legs, hiding em underneath the bench.

He looked so tired, so did I . I went to DickBlick and got drunk on art supply. I got couple of Stabilo pens, 2 Durer pencils, wonderful sharpener M+R, couple of watercolor pads, few mats, cutting board for my table, couple of Dr.Ph. Martins, Higgins ink, small Arches art boards. Yea, embarrassing.

My best friend Tanya.

My best friend died 23 years ago, I still miss her and connect to her in my mind very often. Proper to say she still exists for me. She was 7 years older than me and very wise. She was an aircraft engineer and interior designer. She had double education. She was thirsty for knowledge and curious and drugged me to interesting events and adventures. I have deep respect to 3 people in the world: my father, Tanya and my other friend Konstantin. Here I used ink.

Pool.

Sketch of the mural for the pool. Used watercolor on Fabriano Studio pad. Hopefully I will get it and will paint it on the wall. I think it is 8 spaces between the columns. 

Afterwards I drew for a few minutes portrait of my friend while listening to music. It was bitterly sad.  I still miss her, after 23 years. We where best buddies and I learn a lot from her about life. She was 7 years older than me.

A bit corrected, deeper brown, darker ceiling.

Я

Link to my drawing was on Kretake's site.
I just love Kuretake's pens, not only for amazing soft bright touch on a paper but for appealing design too. Plus I like to grab a handful of pens on my trips to add color whenever I feel it appropriate, soon I am going to buy another bag from JetPens so I can carry my Kuretake in style.

I did research on 18 century floral wallpaper, even looked at the history and styles, I cut out a stencil and now designer said that the wall is so rich it doesn't need the stencil. Maan... Now sketching landscape for the pool.

Still no time to draw but sketching on a train.

I am really thankful to people telling me about their lives and characters while I am drawing them and getting into a brief contact. We can communicate not only with words but with a power of thought. Possible my impressions not always right, but imagination takes part.

Here is today's commute to Manhattan and back. I used Faber-Castell Exam pencil 2B with flat lead. Pretty soft and messy on brown paper, but cool, because I used flat and sharp point parts. Last page is Old Blackwing, awesome feeling. White is gel pen. I am researching vintage wall paper, but tired and want to sleep.

Yesterday sketches.

Yesterday's sketches on Subway with old Blackwing. One young man, white collar,  yelled across the subway car :"What are you drawing? Are you drawing me?" It sounded pretty aggressive. I smiled motherly and shook my head and showed him from the distance my sketchbook, this last page, that I drew  that napping woman, not him. In reality I wanted to whack him on a head and bark to leave me alone, because people looked at me, but I kept weak smile on my face.

Blackwings.

The process of sharpening and preparing for sketching on a train Both Blackwings: E.Faber and Palomino.

And today's sketches with E.Faber Blackwing. On the way back I got a ride, so instead of sketching spoke with one artist about politics and Blackwing. I promised him a pencil, so I better pack it now before I forget.

Today's Subway sketches in 2 Blackwings.

I took both Blackwings with me, Eberhard Faber and Palomino. This page was drawn with Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602. Felt pretty soft and pleasant. I would say like a B grade.
This charming little blond girl grabbed everybody's attention, her name was Carolina, she was humming, dancing a little bit, looking at her reflection, tortured her little bear in marine suit, her red bow was a little crooked in yellow curls.

This sketch was also made with E. Faber Blackwing. Young girls coming from shopping. I like girl's ballet shoe.

The last one done in Palomino Blackwing 602. Very close to original Blackwing. I am pretty impressed. I bought E. Faber by mistake, I thought I am buying a box, but it turned to be only one pencil. A bit painful, one pencil for 25 bucks. But still gonna use it the same way and happy that Palomino Blackwing is so good, so nothing else to desire, so freedom.

Quick Subway sketches and Blackwing obsession.

Here couple of Subway sketches and I did unimaginable, I sharpened Collectable Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 and compared it with Palomino Blackwing 602. I am still heavily breathing, but gotta admit,  Palomino did a good job, they so much alike. I made a mistake,  accidentally bought Eberhard Faber, so now have no choice but happily sketch with it, because life is too short and all pencils meant to be used.

This tight big girl was charming in her plaid shirt, lots of personality. Tomorrow I'll be fortunate to try 2 Blackwings on a Subway.

Small street in Brooklyn.

This paper is more than 20 something years old, I ripped it from the watercolor pad with blue cover saying Aquarell, I think it is german. I think I bought it before my daughter was born.  Last place were it was basement Upstate. I like everything old, its connecting time. I used ink and a little bit of Kuretake pens for color. Nothing special about this street, it is life what is beautiful, light and shadows, and existing.  Size is 12"x12.7"

Roses and tuna melt on a bagel.

I started this before the hurricane Irene, but dropped everything and evacuated. So it was a little bit hard to get back into it, but I added some color and tried to bring to completion. I used ink and colors from old plastic leads containing Kuretake pens scribbles and Inktense pencils leftovers.   Dry puddles got reactivated on plastic with water brushes, it worked for faded nostalgic sort of colors I wanted. Always think of my beloved writer Marcel Proust, it is mostly image from remembered reality, relived once again.

Exercise in ink.

While discussing options how to get down from the mountains when all roads on the way were destroyed and our phones dead I kept sketching from the book I took with me "Pen and Ink", exercising in different strokes. It was sort of free interpretation. And it kept me calm.

Old coffee pot.

Locked up by hurricane I used daylight time to do a little sketch of old coffee pot, longing for coffee, we had no power for a few days. I used watercolor and precious Namiki Falcon pen.

Hurricane Irene started as rain.

Quick sketch with ink outline and watercolor.