One of the country’s largest kilns, the Anagama kiln at Montevalo University. I was so smitten with this place that I managed to walk off with just my sketchbook: leaving behind my backpack in which I had the rechargers for my cell phone and iPod. More importantly, I had about $1,000 worth of pens among which were a Graf von Faber Guilloche fountain pen which I had just picked up in Nashville, and one of my very favorite fountain pens, a Pelikan M215. That was November 6th and I just got all that returned via Fed Ex yesterday, Friday, November the 28th.
 
 
Picked up the RTP of my most recent print, a 15″x21″ litho, from the boys at Anchor Graphics, Chris & David, who did their usual stellar job. Untitled as of this posting, I drew on the stone before I set out on a 5 week tour demonstrating and talking about drawing for Faber-Castell.
Once in awhile, I actually put up some doodles of naked butts. Went to the Palette & Chisel last night to see a strong show of Errol Jacobs paintings from the last few years and made it upstairs for the last 2 hours of life drawing. Been awhile.
 
 
Well it’s been some time since I settled in to some nude drawing having managed to travel the country extensively this Fall so I squeezed in a half session last night with less than what I might have hoped for. Since I returned to Chicago 5 days ago much has gotten in the way of my daily drawing so some of the slap dash I was looking for came in fits and starts. I also left the house with a limited range of grays and wound up making careless use of cool and warm grays on the model which is irritating me  sufficiently on the morning after. I did have with me a Sailor bent nib fountain pen that give both bold and narrow line widths depending on the angle you attack the page with and you can see it’s effect in the drawings of the dude with the Jeff cap & blue backpack and the slouching fellow in ski cap texting away. Fun to draw with and loosens you up. On the page immediately above of cafe goers and transit riders, I could have used some of the darker Pitt Big Brush Artist Pens which would have knocked in richer values and strokes on the clothing.
 
Swung into California, SFO to be specific, and headed by bus to Napa catching the young fellow above napping en route. He later awoke to see me drawing and commented favorably on my drawing. Owner of a landscaping business and a super nice dude. Glorious weather, and made a culinary discovery that could turn things around for many friends of mine who dislike raw oysters. Grill ’em! Came upon them at Hog Island Oyster Company in the Oxbow Public Market.
 
Gear used: grease pencil, Pelikan M215 (which I have since lost), Pitt Artist Pens, other fountain pens, ledger book, Moleskine watercolor sketchbook. The value of pens lost on the road is getting to pile up. I might be nearing $2,000 just in lost fountain pens. The drawing of Degas’ Little Dancer was done in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.
 
 
And yes, that cup of chocolate was decadent and nearly thick as pudding.