Buttnekkiddoodles

 
well, the old geezer completed the 2Nd shot of the COVID-19 inoculation fulfilling my small role to stymie the pandemic. No ruff symptoms other than a very mild soreness in my shoulder an a day at half speed after the second shot. Hung out both times after the shot as requested to see if I’d have any adverse reaction to the shot and to draw the environment. The University of Illinois at Chicago Health System, UI Health, set up the clinic in the sports in the hallways under the stands.

I informed the staff I’d be drawing them the second time and they were so excited about that they had me sit right where I could watch the vaccinations. I signed a permission for them to use my sketches.

 
The top sketch done after my first shot was on a #clairefontaine Goldline Watercolour sketchbook using a Faber-Castell Essentio fountain pen with DeAtramentis Document Brown Ink which was tinted with A little DeAtramentis Document Black, and, #fabercastellusa Pitt Artist Pens. The bottom drawing was done while waiting out my reaction period with a Faber-Castell Essentio Black Leather fountain pen and Pitt Artist Pens on a #stillmanandbirn Gamma Series sketchbook.

 
A sketch from last Tuesday at a favorite haunt of mine in Evanston. They are allowed to have a limited number of customers in now. Some places in Evanston have recently given up and closed. One is the Davis Cinema which has about 15 screens and will be sorely missed. People are exhausted from observing the restrictions and masks requirements, that of course excludes the idiots fighting these preventative measures, but the longer this is dragged out, the more chances new variants have to mutate, i.e. evolve for those numbskulls still resisting that overwhelming evidence. Drawn with fountain pen and Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens on Clairefontaine Goldline Watercolour sketchbook. #draw #urbansketching #puttartistpens #fabercastellusa #clairefontaine #goldlinesketchbook

 
Full disclosure, this sketch of a rusty metal bison sculpture outside the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum was begun at sunset, but wet shoes, cold toes, and a shortage of color drove this pampered art nerd indoors where he finished it from memory. #fabercastellusa Pitt Artist Pens on #clairefontaine Goldline Watercolour sketchbook. The after and before for your consideration.

Went out a couple days ago and made an attempt to capture one of the bridges over the North Shore Channel in Evanston. I love this simple scene and the frozen surface of the channel in the low light. Nor sure what the daredevil graffiti crew were trying to declare here but I did my best to be faithful to their temporal effort. Well, I roughed in the whole scene and was trying to get some of the woods and general feel of the concrete walls as my fingers were slowly going numb. I think I lasted 15, maybe 20 minutes and then snapped a pic and left, because…., well, because I’m a sissy. Came home and finished the drawing with a cup of hot cocoa at hand. #fabercastell Pitt Artist Pens and fountain pen on #clairefontaine Goldline Watercolour sketchbook.

 
Continuing a craft she learned thru her mom, Rosanna, Giamila has been running a serious ‘Knitting Fever’. This last year has been super stressful and  the craft of knitting appears to be of great value in managing anxiety. I bear the fruits of Giamila’s psychologically beneficial handiwork. A scarf, a zip up cardigan, woolen fingerless mittens, a ski cap and a second Wool cardigan sweater.

 

 
just sitting at home, reading the day to day graphic charts of pandemic deaths, economic misery, job losses,  and the political tug-of-war over how to manage either the response or the spin of the grim facts, and feeling shut in, cut off, not to mention even if you are holding on to a job the adjustment to the new bureaucratic methodologies and their technical learning curves and snafus is a campaign of emotional attrition. The simple, ‘do something’ zen of making something useful, something beautiful, for a loved one, is a grounding, positive activity with visible benefits to one’s sanity. I then wear this garment of love. A cloak against the feeling of separation or hopelessness.

Late night and wearing the first sweater Giamila knit for me as well as woolen house slippers and cotton skull cap knit for me by her mother Rosanna. Drawn with fountain pens and Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens on a Stillman & Birn Gamma Series sketchbook.