Some nude studies from the past year.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Burning thru my reserves of ledger books but that is not all bad. I’ve been really leaning on Pitt Pens and fountain pens and it might prove interesting if not valuable to make a concerted return to graphite.
Following my New Year’s Day ritual of a decade, I opened the new year by attending the 12 hour life drawing marathon at The Palette & Chisel. Nothing like bare flesh to knock the cold outta yer bones in the depths of winter.
 
 
I’m loving the way this ledger book is taking ink. It has a fairly long delay before the ink is absorbed so it’s easy to smudge and blot the ink to create tone and finger print textures. The fountain pen I’m getting considerable use out of is a broad nib Graf von Faber guilloche. The Pelikano Junior made it’s presence felt to a good extent also. Pitt Pens, Platinum Carbon and Noodler’s Ottoman Blue are the inks. While I was drawing the reclining model titled “Blue Nude”, I had black ink on my fingers from drawing in black on the previous poses so when I wiped the ink on her leg as it was drying, it turned the blue a dingy color.
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: Â 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.
  
 
