Sketch in Moleskine, last day of the summer.

The only positive moment I see in visiting doctor's office is possibility to sketch people. No offense, to meet a good doctor nowadays is equal to a happy marriage... to a prince. I know few.
Today, I heard, the last day of the summer.

First layer on landscape with trees, screen.

Started by layering big shapes and skeleton of trees. Has to be very soft and dreamy. Need to look into parrots and gazebo. Acrylic on canvas, freestanding, from 3 folding panels.

Today in Moleskine.

Went to Manhattan to help a friend, couldn't sketch on the way, so grabbed few minutes for a sketch later. Met couple of nice people, who will never see again. Used few water soluble pencils and wash in Moleskine, few pages left.

Early morning sketch in Delta sketchbook.

Drew this sketch before breakfast in Stillman and Birn little Delta sketchbook, 6"x8", using pencil and wash. Drew this water soluble pencil over the sketch. Start drawing cat but he relocate soon to my knee, to observe the room from the other side.

Against the light.

Experiment with silhouette against the light. Pretty not easy to create that effect with wet ink, but I am glad I tried. Used couple of inks on old paper. Used Italian language here.

Parting with Gamma sketchbook by Stillman & Birn.

Sketching in the doc's office with water soluble pencil and water brush in Stillman & Birn Gamma sketchbook. I already finished my first Stillman & Birn sketchbook, but it is hard to part, so I am randomly flipping pages and sketching on the other side of the page, because nothing is bleeding through, so I feel better that I am fully experiencing it.

Umi, Japanese restaurant on Brighton Beach.

I wrote "memories" in Japanese. It has sort of nostalgic feel to it, how I see it in my mind, in sepia, through the shadow of eyelashes, a bit fading, but happy. In reality, when we tired and hungry, sometimes, getting of the train it is a sweet pleasure to pick up here something on the way home, sushi or soup and eat (with a lot of pickled ginger for me) and watch TV or just chat about today's happenings or plans for tomorrow.
I used ink on old piece of watercolor paper. I used up all ink on it and now up to another trip to my big ink bottle, a happy event.

Spread in Stillman & Birn Gamma sketchbook.

My first Gamma sketchbook by Stillman & Birn almost over, hard to part with such beautiful and reliable companion. I used it for sketching, doodling, writing memos and phone numbers, put many washes and paper sustained all my experiments.
To finish quiet evening I will repost charming DJ mix by Federico Aubele I found on Twitter. No matter what he does, for some reason it is perfectly answering my inner rhythm, with voice or just   acoustics. Love his melodies.

ATC card and links.

Saw few interesting links today, while experimenting with ATC card for one artist, it is pretty hard to work on such miniature drawing.

Scanner does not pick up sparkles, so I tried to photograph it along with my pens, to indicate the size. On the left Uranus pen with dual tips, on the right Lamy Safari and my antique Art deco Smoker's pencil.

Here is the same card with sparkles looking at through the day light magnifying lamp, also one of my newest toys. Not easy to use it, hurts eyes and distorting image.

One of the links is about sharpeners, how to sharpen colored pencils. This led me to interesting tips on how to use vinegar for reviving dry brushes. Then I stumbled on magic scanning color pen, which is an idea yet. And earlier wonderful short movie about Tokyo.

Tuna fish sandwich.

It is more like a journal page, I didn't mean to write my thoughts, especially on 2 languages, but because no matter how much I try - I can't avoid emotions, because color, smell, taste, shape, joy of being with someone you love, happiness of being able to do and feel - triggers emotions and urges me to draw.
I used ink and Kuretake pens and one Durer pencil on amazing Saunders Waterford Watercolor Paper. This paper made me breathless.

Painted kitchen.

I had to go crazy bright, to support beautiful paintings they had in the kitchen on both sides. People wanted it bright.

It was fun to go wild with colors, I added touch of poly for durability, but it was hard to move paint.

I felt it was like abstract painting. Music was glaring, too much Chinese food (good one), eating on the porch, last day after a brief rain, my pants got soaking wet from the chair on the porch. It was fast and I miss it already.

Entrance room finished.

Entrance room walls.

Sandwich with lox.

I went a little bigger than usual, it is around 11"x15", Winsor & Newton paper. Wish I have bigger scanner, may be it would be possible along the road.
One of the hopeful mornings, one of the happy breakfasts, delicious sandwich with smoked salmon and eggs halfway scrambled, halfway omelet, sunny conversation, brief hug and happy painting. One of the days to remember.

Movie about artist.

Saw a movie about Seraphine Louis, French artist from the beginning of the century. Also looked a her works and found some info About her and here some images of her work. Very touching and made me think again that we all on that invisible line between fitting in and falling into our own world, where no one else could be invited.

Sharing beautiful idea of Twin-Bush Technique.

I didn't know about Chinese calligraphy master, but I often used that trick on my own, because it gives you so much freedom. Look at this tutorial Twin-Brush technique on Earnest Ward's blog.