New Pen Day

Yeah, okay, so I'm a stationery geek. Decided to try a little range of different Unipin colours, after using the black 0.1mm most recently in my dotted sketches (the proper scan of the A3 fox is in the extras as it happens). The dark grey and light gray should give a bit more depth variation, while the sepia I'm interested to see how I can fit in. The green Sakura Pens Pigma Micron is to try something different (apparently the ink is particularly good), and I've got an idea for a sketch that I specifically wanted green for.

Safe to say that I have well and truly rediscovered my love of drawing these last few years. It all really started with wandering back into cartoons, and I'm obviously still cranking those out (especially for work - I've got two Valentine's toons to do, one for a cake sale poster, the other on the Brexit vote taking place that day for an internal email); but I think being older I have much more patience with more detailed creations.

On the fox I spent two separate evenings on the ears. It means I can break it up without sitting for hours at a time, but means I'm not rushing things as well. I've now got a couple of pet commissions from people at work, which is particularly scary, because people know their pets, and any slight discrepancy will be spotted by them. That said, they've seen various pieces of my work and like the style, so I don't have that to worry about!

What's definitely new is trying out watercolours again. The first time properly in years. And again I think that patience has come to the fore. I started a painting of a view on Skye at the work Art Club on Friday, and want to take the time to finish it. I managed to get a little detail into one particular ridge, and happy enough to want to see what the rest could look like - the aim of this is to take the paints with me on holiday in the middle of the year. We're staying in Applecross again, and then Lewis, and in both places have holiday homes with views out over water and interesting backdrops. I want to either paint of sketch those views in detail over the course of each week.

Practice practice practice.