Winter seems to have sagged hereabouts, just as I was finally getting the resolve to got stand outside on a face numbing day to draw. So the weeks set of drawing was more locals in transit and some grown up mall rats.
 
Back at The Palette & Chisel for a less than stellar Friday night life drawing session. Drew rather timidly on the nudes didn’t get much accomplished. A winter with sparse drawing is starting to show in the sluggish character of the drawings, especially the nudes.
 
I’m no Nina Johansson but I will occasionally brave cold weather for a drawing. Both of these were drawn in Evanston. The second drawing from the top was lakeside on the Northwestern Univ. campus. The following drawings were done at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston.
 
In addition to pitt Pens, I used a Sailor Brush Nib fountain pen, a terrific tool which yields a wide variety of marks and line widths depending on the angle it is held as you draw on the page. Threw in a few details as the wide format of the drawings made for less than crisp images. Below are the Wilmette locks.
I accidentally trashed this entry so I’ll attempt to reinstall it.
When I originally put this post up the Illinois legislature put a rider into  Senate Bill SB1342 that made it a felony to record on duty officers of the law without their permission. This bill had majority support in both houses from both parties. I still haven’t obtained an understanding of how broadly the term “record” will be interpreted. My personal belief is the recording of police or law officials is not a threat to their effective performance of their duties and actually serves to enhance the public and court’s understanding of conditions on the ground during police actions. This rider serves to restrain the roll of the press, the freedom of speech and the nature of informed consent necessary to have an enlightened citizenry whose job it is to elect officials, judges, representatives.
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Some of the medium used in the above drawings were:
old ledger books and diaries, Utrecht toned sketchbooks, Stillmann & Birn sketchbooks both the Alpha and Epsilon series, Seven Seas Tomoe River Paper, Moleskine watercolor sketchbooks.
a variety of fountain pens, Lamy Studio, Pelikan M215(fine, medium, and broad nibs), several Faber-Castell fps, – Ambition, Ondoro, and Graf von Faber-Castell Classic and Guilloche, Sailor 1911, Sailor brush nib! Namiki’s Vanishing Point and Falcon, and Pelikano Juniors. I fill these pens with Platinum Carbon ink, Noodler’s Ottoman Blue and Electric Eel, and several Iroshizuku inks.
White china Markers aka grease pencils, and Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
While I love drawing out in public and capturing spontaneous events, a practice that helped me when I went into court and drew the proceedings for a local media company, The environment is dynamic and shit don’t hold still. But, if you happen upon someone overcome by exhaustion or boredom, their catnap becomes your opportunity to record a very natural moment where the subject isn’t posing, self aware, tense, or twitching, given to nervous movement or distractions. They may still be restless in sleep and adjust them selves automatically for comfort sake, or stirred by dream anxiety, but, you can get several minutes of fascinating pose or expression. My usual custom applies where I take advantage of the several pens I carry so that I can go from detail to broad areas and back to specific features. Given how the paper is reacting I may use Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens, fountain pens of which I like, Pelikan M215, Pelikano Juniors, Sailor 1911, Lamy Studio,Graf von Faber-Castell Guilloche and Classics, Namiki Vanishing Point, Namiki Falcon, Saior Brush Nib fountain pen, any of which could have a fine, medium, or broad nib, the broad being my preferred. I also make use in toned paper of grease pencils aka White China Markers.
The sketch books I enjoy vary considerably and while I tend to prefer smooth or hot pressed surfaced paper I occasionally will turn to more textured pare such as water colored paper for the attributes it brings in surface and absorbency. Some of those books and pads are, Strathmore tan and grey toned hard bound sketchbooks, ledger books – those lines don’t bother me, Moleskine watercolor sketchbooks – the only Moleskines I bother with, Seven Seas River paper – great pad, lousy binding, StillmN & Birn Epsilon Series – the bound, not a fan of spirals, and A sketchbook, name unknown, that uses a renewable source called Lakota from Nepal.
Rarely if ever have I used graphite in sketchbooks for some forty years now, I have used Faber-Castell Aquarelle graphite and do like the intensity you can get in the washes of this very beautiful water soluble medium. Mostly, primarily, preferably, I use ink. Ballpoint pens were the go-to tool for years by in the last decade and a half I use brush pens or fountain pens and in those the inks I like are Platinum Carbon which sets up so you can apply washes over you line work. I also like some of the Noodlers Bulletproof inks though they release a bit depending on the paper being cellulose or not. I also like Irishuzuku inks tho they are not water proof they are gorgeous inks with lovely flow.
Always try to have an auspicious start to the year by getting to the Palette & Chisel’s 12 hour New Year’s Day Life Drawing Marathon. Hadn’t drawn much in the week that led up to this much anticipated event. Shook some of the rust off .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Headed out with a large ledger book and a new sketchbook, a Seven Seas Tomoe River Pad – the paper I’m most excited to draw on. It is a very thin paper that holds an edge when drawn on with fountain pen and Pitt Pens, and doesn’t bled. Quite remarkable for a paper as light weight, just a bit more substantial than onion skin or tracing paper.
 
Added the last few from the latest visit to the Friday night session. Wicked cold outside and I was having a lousy time warming up my drawing skills despite having gotten a nice very rapid sketch of a passenger on the way to the P&C(just below). Preoccupied with too many other pursuits and not drawing as regularly as I’d like and I’m lacking a fluid feel much of the time.
Have been working with Platinum Carbon ink in the fountain pens with very little exception and not being that diligent about flushing or cleaning some of the pens that regularly. Not to many issues. The Sailors and the Pelikans pretty much flow whenever I put the to pad. Had a bit of an issue with one pen but that may have been due to sub zero temps here in Chicago.
