Breakfast in red.

I experimented on Zeta paper from Stillman & Birn. I used ink, Kuretake and a little bit of Liquitex spray paint, which I got as a sample.
Zeta paper is smooth compare to my usual grainy watercolor paper and support the color. I am surprised it took multiple heavy washes, wet-in-wet and transparent glazes, very strong paper.
The subject is simple, breakfast, but touched me on emotional level, its colors, smell, joy of being together at the table, promise of another day. It is all about being able to See. This purple is a "fake" bacon, which I love more and more.

Marbleizing molding.

Marbleizing molding in small kitchen in house paint, glaze, poly and tints. Took me couple of hours.

Quick sketch for a mural.

First thought for a mural in the dining room. Pencil and watercolor (Bijou) in Delta sketchbook by Stillman & Birn.

Sketching in Gamma.

• Sketching in Gamma sketchbook with new too soft Faber-Castell 2 mm pencil. Nail salon and on the way. I got new pencil, really awesome, Faber-Castell, 2 mm, with led sharpener built in,  but change the led in it to F grade, because on that juicy paper of Stillman & Burn Gamma sketchbook every pencil looks brighter and softer. It comes with HB.
• I finally decide to unwind and pamper myself in one of the best nail salons, in Bay Ridge, where pedicure comes with intense massage, including massage with hot rocks, honey scrub, massage chairs, wax treatment, etc. I did quick sketch, adding touch of color with very old reddish-brownish pencil, I found in my draw forgotten. 

Old auto.

Old auto on the street of New York. I used ink and Kuretake.

Design in the dining room.

Some people really like lilac colors. Design done with metallics glazes and stencil.

Modern design on the wall.

Stencil and silver stem on the glazed wall.  Decorative flowers. Modern design. If it won't be too late it could of been fun. :)

Really tiring June.

Finished mural, which I did in between other projects and rainy moods and being tired. Two layers of poly on the top.

This one on the other wall. Still lots to do, but frame on since yesterday.

Kitchen walls to match design on the cabinets. I mixed 3 glazes on the Bone White base and used woodgraining tool to play with the texture, experimenting technique. I have old woodgraining Italian tool from ages ago, blend a bit with linen technique. Pretty cool result, they wanted modern feeling.

I have no time for myself and feel sick of not drawing. But need to do what I do, because I am not free. Few strokes on drawing of old car, few sentences on Kindle of Ruth Rendell book and that's all.

Sketch in Gamma sketchbook.

Short moment of day, when I was blessed to hold the pencil.
Still very hot and no AC in our building, very hard to function.

Added second day to this painting.

After a long break I tried to go back to this landscape. Despite the crazy hot weather, no AC and one lady painting staircase with intoxicating oil poly in the same room, I was able to move it further.
My building has major problem with leak in AC system, so no AC at home either, which is also extremely uncomfortable. I guess it is aftermath of hurricane Sandy. We have heavy machinery digging holes around building (just hope that it won't make building collapse). :(

Guilty pleasure.

One of our Saturday's breakfasts, iced coffee and bagels, brought up in almost pajamas from favorite local place, early morning and almost Mediterranean light. Light, playing huge part in orchestrating the whole morning adventure of eating outside, above the ocean.
I really like this paper, Fabriano Artistico, pretty thin, but so vulnerable under the ink. I used ink and Kuretake.

Sunrise and lilac.

I woke up at 4 am and watched sunrise. Friend told me if you put lilac in the hot water it makes it fresher.  I did, strange.

Looking north, Manhattan highlighted by the sun, I can almost hear music of the morning.

Quick sketches thru the weekend in Gamma sketchbook.

Dealing with Maggie's breakfast from Krooked Cafe on the Mountain is not easy, too delicious, too beautiful, too amazing on a rainy grey day. Aftermath.

Stole a minute here-there to stretch my pencil and Bijou watercolor box.

Still sketching.

Still working on this sketch.  Can't get involved with anything else much, till complete the study. Can't find my Lamy Safari after move. :( It had nice ink in.

Blue morning.

So much blue in this photo. My mood is blue too. Does it look like water is falling a little bit? Over there, where canal is, that boats are falling too, not on the same level.
 I don't draw much. And its only makes it more blue.

It was a big race in BK on Saturday, was hard to maneuver getting around by car to pick our favorite bagels.

Song I like, I have it for a long time on my Ipod, but saw it again remixed somewhere.

Koop Koop Island Blues