Currently Browsing: Portraits
In Context: I’m Going To Die In This House!
We all have fears. I used my journal to write about one of mine. It always helps to move the brush pen around on this paper!
In Context—The Loose Line and Thoughts on Villainy
“In Context” posts are meant to be “no writing” and an unedited, un-redacted spread from my journal. So click on the image to enlarge it so you can read.
Focusing on Doing and Not on Naming
Several people wrote to me after my last post When Drawing Isn’t Fun. Most said that they found it helpful in starting an internal dialog with themselves about their creative practice. But one of my Urban Sketcher friends Tina Koyama wrote a very important point in her comment on that post: Grief. The grief of letting […]
When Drawing Isn’t Fun
Recently a student wrote to my Drawing Practice group that she wasn’t sketching daily and wasn’t having fun when she did draw. Despite the fact that what she was drawing looked great and showed that all her hard work was paying off, she couldn’t see the value in it. This can happen to anyone at […]
In Context: Sometimes Stories Pop into Your Head…
Sometimes something about your source inspiration suggests a story. This can be a pose that a model strikes for you, or a person you see out in public having a conversation you can’t overhear, or a photo inspiration like the type you find on Sktchy. It can even happen when you draw a selfie. Whenever […]
Looking Back at InkTober 2018
I frequently work for days and weeks at a time in ink only. I have an early, childhood love of dip pens and inky fingers. I love working with the brush pen directly, and taking chances with bold brush lines. This year I was also getting ready to go to a sketching conference and wanted […]
In Context: Traveling
Wonder how much of a Paul Rudd fan I am? I keep this lip sync battle on my desktop. I recommend you blow it up full screen and watch it any time you’re tired, waiting on hold, pissed off at a client, stumped by InDesign’s bizarre (compared to Quark’s) tools and tricks, or just need […]
The Blackwing Notebook
Sometimes I simply can’t help myself when I find lined notebook paper. A few months ago I was in Wet Paint and they had small notebooks by Blackwing (the company that makes the pencils with the rectangular erasers—I use the soft lead version to do my daily sudoku). The notebook is about 3.5 x 5.5 […]
The Truth Matters; Freedom of the Press Matters; Vote Today
Today, nothing matters more than getting out to vote. By November 3, 2018 there were literally 6,420 reasons to vote against President Trump. That was the current tally of misstatements Trump had made in the 649 days of his presidency. Misstatements which have been misogenistic, racist, and simply insulting to caring, compassionate, and responsible humans. […]
Housekeeping: I’ve Had to Clear Out Subscribers Whose Emails Bounce
Today I received a note from the plug-in company that sends out my blog emails—those notes you get from me now and then about non-blog topics (I haven’t had time to write many of those this year); and the newsletter which comes every time I post (typically 3 times a week). They’ve told me that […]