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More Fun With Hair (and a Beard)
The brilliant audacity of this hair takes my breath away. It makes me smile.
In Context—Hair Volume and a Note
Volume in hair is always such a glorious surprise. It can float right off the page. (This is a page spread from December 2018. I’m not sure why I didn’t have a date and time on this sketch—I usually write that information automatically on each sketch or page when completed. This book has been archived, […]
Papers Buckling When Using Wet Media
Awhile back a student wrote to me about her problem with buckling papers in her journal. Buckling happens when wet media is used on papers. The moisture soaks into the fibers that make up the paper. The fibers swell, the buckling ensues. The artist may become grumpy. But that’s like being grumpy at clouds for […]
Using More Than One Type of Pen
The mood we want to achieve in a finished illustration influences what type of pen we choose to work with—what type of line we want to express. It’s obvious when I started to sketch this I was pulled by interest in the facial hair and short hair on the head, as well as the height […]
Sewn On The Spine Class Registration Opens Today
Registration for my “Sewn-on-the-Spine” book binding class begins today. You can read more about the class on the registration page. Also on the registration page you’ll find a link to a detailed supply list. You can view me talking about the various qualities of this book in this video link. Registration closes on October 2. […]
In Context: On The Work Table
What’s on my work table? Every so often I gather the stuff up and sort it. Some of it ends up in my journal. For the past two years we’ve had problems with our ductless a.c. units. This has meant I’ve had to move everything in the studio to one corner of the room every […]
Bookbinding: Final Offering of Simple Round Back Spine Class Registration Closes Friday
Registration for “The Simple Round Back Spine” online bookbinding class closes July 10, 2020, 6 p.m. Class begins on Saturday, July 11, 2020 with all lessons dropping at once so that students can work at their own pace during the month. I’ll be available to answer your questions. (I recommend that students aim to make […]
Drawing Practice Registration Closes June 6
Just a heads up, my last session of my online class “Drawing Practice: Drawing Live Subjects in Public” closes registration on June 6. When you register there are some open lessons with information on supplies and such. The first lesson opens on June 7 and the class runs for a month with new lessons every […]
A Page Can’t Contain Your Sketches and Collage? Learn This Book Structure
If you constantly find that your visual journaling needs more space to capture your ideas, consider making a book which is happy holding fold outs, ups, downs, you name it. The sewn-on-the-spine journal holds signatures on the spine with decorative stitching. This allows you to decorate the outside of book through your choice of stitch […]
Accepting Changes in Your Process
I’ve written quite a bit about accepting changes in your process throughout the 11 years of this blog. It is a common theme in my teaching. One of the things that seems to hang students up the most is the notion that there must be one “right” way to do something. I’m constantly telling crop […]