My Weekly Themed Sketch and Other Art Works

[snowbear]

MLW at the Fire/EMS Operations Center (the Watch Office). Quick sketch with Rollerball pen.

 

[Gary A.]

Have your tried sketching with a tablet?

 

[snowbear]

Have your tried sketching with a tablet?

Not in a while.

 

[Gary A.]

I just thought it would open up a whole lot of options in a small package for your sketching.

 

[snowbear]

When I retired (first attempt), one of the ladies in HR gave me a Bamboo tablet. I've used it for post processing (dust and spot removal) and some GIS editing but not a lot of drawing. I'll start using it more, but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

 

[jcdeboever]

When I retired (first attempt), one of the ladies in HR gave me a Bamboo tablet. I've used it for post processing (dust and spot removal) and some GIS editing but not a lot of drawing. I'll start using it more, but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

I used to do a lot of pen and ink on brown paper grocery bags. I would cut the bag up in 8 x 10 sheets and then dry iron them. Then draw on them, fixatiff them, then apply washes of white gouache to virtually block out the image. I would then gently remove the gouache using water and sea sponge and wet or dry sandpaper.

 

[snowbear]

When I retired (first attempt), one of the ladies in HR gave me a Bamboo tablet. I've used it for post processing (dust and spot removal) and some GIS editing but not a lot of drawing. I'll start using it more, but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

I used to do a lot of pen and ink on brown paper grocery bags. I would cut the bag up in 8 x 10 sheets and then dry iron them. Then draw on them, fixatiff them, then apply washes of white gouache to virtually block out the image. I would then gently remove the gouache using water and sea sponge and wet or dry sandpaper.

That sounds very interesting. I've never tried gouache - it's a bit expensive.

Dad was a computer operator, then a programmer, and would bring home blank sheets of 14-7/8" x 11" greenbar which is what I "learned" to draw on (with crayons).

 

[Gary A.]

When I retired (first attempt), one of the ladies in HR gave me a Bamboo tablet. I've used it for post processing (dust and spot removal) and some GIS editing but not a lot of drawing. I'll start using it more, but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

I used to do a lot of pen and ink on brown paper grocery bags. I would cut the bag up in 8 x 10 sheets and then dry iron them. Then draw on them, fixatiff them, then apply washes of white gouache to virtually block out the image. I would then gently remove the gouache using water and sea sponge and wet or dry sandpaper.

That sounds like a lot of work. Learn that in the Corps?

 

[jcdeboever]

When I retired (first attempt), one of the ladies in HR gave me a Bamboo tablet. I've used it for post processing (dust and spot removal) and some GIS editing but not a lot of drawing. I'll start using it more, but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

I used to do a lot of pen and ink on brown paper grocery bags. I would cut the bag up in 8 x 10 sheets and then dry iron them. Then draw on them, fixatiff them, then apply washes of white gouache to virtually block out the image. I would then gently remove the gouache using water and sea sponge and wet or dry sandpaper.

That sounds like a lot of work. Learn that in the Corps?

Sounds like it but the results were very pleasing and didn't take long once you got the technique down. The drawing took the majority of the time. I learned it from Jasper Johns in 1981. He used a similar technique in his encaustic paintings. I forgot to mention that some of the ink was lifted off prior to white wash. It was all about creating a unique image. Sorry snowbear, didn't mean to hijack your thread, I was just thought it might give you some creative ideas.

 

[snowbear]

Not a hijack - this isn't supposed to be a broadcast, but a discussion. I've been considering dipping into encaustic but it's so expensive. Maybe I'll try some crayons and a cheap heat gun.

This week's: I think the theme was "something round" so I picked cherry tomatoes (see what I did there?)
As seems to be my norm, I sketched with ink, applied a wash, then inked in some suggestion of shadow or texture.


scan0037.jpg by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

 

[snowbear]

This is an idea for cataloging ink samples. Clyde (the bear) is drawn with waterproof India Ink, while his scarf is done in whatever ink I wanted to catalogue, in this case, Iroshizuku yama-budo (Crimson Glory Vine). I'm considering putting Clyde on a stamp or linoleum block.


Iroshizuku yama-budo by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

 

[snowbear]

Since we lost a coworker last week, I'm posting two. RIP, Bridgette



The Maltese cross is straight pen and ink; the cap is washing.

 

[smoke665]

but paper and pen/pencil is so much more portable: I don't need electricity or the desk space required for a laptop (for the smaller pads).

So true, there's a different feel. To me the digital tablet seems disconnected. I have the same problem reading a digital book versus a printed copy. Each artist has their own preference of medium did a lot of pen & ink line drawings architectural way back when, tried painting for awhile, but just didn't find it interesting. Finally found Prismacolor colored pencils. I liked the ability to build up color, lay it down and pick it back up at any time, and like you said no electricity, no space required.

 

[snowbear]

The feel - so true. For me, there is also a flexibility with traditional media. I can vary the pressure and orientation of a brush, pencil, or piece of charcoal and get the line just-so. I can't seem to do that with software. I find the same thing, at times, when I'm working with GIS data; writing a Python script provides me a little more flexibility than the pre-built tools in the software, even though I call those same tools in my script.

For painting, I started with oils as a kid, and did a little watercolor, but not enough to really do well at it. I took an oil class during my first semester at community college, and hated it. It was more work than any other class I had, so painting became more of a chore than fun. I didn't pick up a brush for many years after that, though I did continue to draw a bit. It wasn't until 6 or 7 years ago that I started to play with painting again, but I went with acrylic and watercolor instead of oils.

Prismacolor are also my favorites, though I haven't tried their watercolor pencils, yet. I'll need to finish up the Derwent's I have, then I'll pick up some.

I am not quite the same with books - I love real books and magazines, but I also quickly adapted to e-readers - odd, I know, but it's partly because it's a physical space saver. I love my Kindle even though it's not what I would call a full blown tablet, just a reader with extra stuff.

 

[snowbear]

A bit late, this week, but I'm getting over being sick. It's starting to feel like summer with the humidity and temps near 80. Here, in the Land of Pleasant Living, summer means beautiful swimmers, or the Blue Crab (Maryland's official crustacean), though they are better when they are reddish-orange.


Weekly Sketch #19 by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr