Buttnekkiddoodles

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.

  

Made it late and left early to the Palette & Chisel’s 12 hour life drawing marathon. Didn’t come away with anything stellar. Been consumed with buying, packing, and moving to new digs and will flatly state that my drawing has suffered. Looking forward to heading out on tour to hopefully knock off the rust.

                           

Man, when I say “Slung” I wasn’t joking. What a crazy month. Bought a place and in the midst of painting, having electrical work done and moving into the new place, I had to work in New England & NYC, took a side trip to Philly, flew back to Chicago long enough to do laundry, paperwork and then get ready to jet to Washington and Montana for whirl wind tour of several cities and colleges. Still a bit too much running around and not enough time drawing what I witnessed. Have to return to NYC and hang out on the High Line, was a bit crowded but what a vantage point of Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. Plus you could see Jersey as it starts to create the Palisades. Using the Pitts and fountain pens. Back in a Moleskine watercolor pad and also have a hefty and lovely ledger book going.

Sometimes, I get behind in posting to BND, especially during the Fall when I’m tripping about the country lecturing and demonstrating at various colleges, stores and events. You can follow me at:  doncolleysroadtrip.com. Cheers.

The comment we all hear as folks look over our shoulders is,”I cain’t even draw straight lines!” I’ve never been the biggest fan of straight lines either. Then even when you put yourself before the job of drawing oodles of the damn things, such as in a graveyard, settling of the earth beneath the stones makes for the cockeyed jumble of and old geezer’s smile.

  

The white scalloped canopy and tubular construction connected to the west side of Denver’s Union Station was designed by local firm Anderson Mason Dale and is part of a grand redevelopment of the old Denver rail yards along the Platte. Now there stand large multi purpose commercial and residential buildings, additional light rail and a parks along the river’s edge.

   

Went to a life drawing with Paul Heaston in Denver and drew a very athletic model who held quick poses up to 8 minutes. Haden’t drawn from a nude model in a few months and could feel the rust. Below, coped a quick early morning sketch of the Denver Capitol Bldg. under renovations to re guild the dome while waiting to get picked up for a job.

  

 

Spent a week working and haunting the streets and skyways of Minnesota’s  Twin Cities.

 

     

Made good use of the new White Big Brush Pit Artist Pen. Otherwise drew in a Moleskine watercolor book, Strathmore toned sketchbook with Lamy studio, F-C Ambition f.p., Pelikan M215, Pitt pens, grease pencil. Lost the Ambition, oh well…

      

Friday nite life drawing session. What better time to see a spot of flesh than in the depths of Winter. Justin is a good model. Very muscular, light produces definitive shadows on him, important at the Palette & Chisel as their extensive use of fluorescent lights blows out dark and dramatic contrasts. He is limber as evidenced by the drawings can hold athletic poses reasonably well. Drawn on a Boorum & Pease ledger book with 3 different fountain pens, a TWSBI 540 medium nib, Faber-Castell Coconut Ambition broad nib, and a Pelikano Junior medium nib, all filled with Noodler’s Ottoman Blue ink. Some additional work done with Pitt Artist Pens.