My Fountain Pens

I started a new Stillman & Birn Beta journal and started my first page showing the various Fountain Pens I  have on hand.

Each pen illustration was sketched and description written out using the individual pen illustrated.   All pens have Noodler's Lexington Gray ink which when dry is water proof allowing for watercolor washes without ink bleed.

A #8 Round brush was used to paint each pen using the wet in wet technique.  Love how wet in wet works on this paper!

Paints used:  Winsor & Newton watercolors for all pens except the Pilot Prera (Green pen) which was painted using Daniel Smith watercolors.

As noted by X2 and X3, I have that many of the same type pen with different inks in them.  With the Pilot Prera, I have two pens one with Lexington Gray ink and the other Namiki Black which is a water soluble ink.  With the Platinum Carbon pens, I have three .... one with.Lexington Gray ink, Noodler's #41 Brown, and one for now with the standard cartridge black you can purchase for the pen.  When that cartridge is empty, I will probably fill it with the Namiki water soluble or might even go with a Blue Black ink.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed sketching and painting in the Beta sketchbook journal. 

Baby Eastern Phoebe Pen and Ink

It's only taken me a year to gain the courage to attempt this little guy. He's a baby Easter Phoebe..........one of two babies in the nest above a light fixture over our basement door.

I had to take a photo as I stood up on step stool to get this close shot. Momma was right close by just a squawking at me. It wasn't long after this photo that babies left the nest.

After the nest was empty, we removed it but Momma rebuilt this year and had more babies. We think three this time. At one point when we went into the basement from that door, she flew inside and we had a time trying to help her find her way back out. 

Until we moved into this house two years ago, we'd never heard of a phoebe much less seen one. In fact we've seen a few different species we've never seen before to include the Towhee and another small brownish bird we've not been able to identify. 

Worked in the Handbook with Micron 01 for a good part of the sketch and then switched over to the 005.

Experimenting with Technique

These two watercolor sketches are experiments where I'm trying to loosen up a bit.

The first was using a 1" flat.  My goal was to only suggest the foliage without getting too detailed.  I also decided to try and mix my own greens from the primaries rather than using a tube green as a base to add other colors to.

Working in the Stillman & Birn Alpha journal using W&N watercolors.

Painted first and then used pen and ink (Pilot Prera and Lexy Gray ink) for detailing.

This one was trying a different blue/yellow combination for foliage as well as suggestive brush strokes.  Definitely different for me.

Also worked in the Alpha journal painted first and then some pen and ink as above.

Jake and Violet - Graphite

Here are two more graphite sketches I did last night and early morning hours.  Using a mechanical and 8B pencil in the Cartridge sketchbook.

My Micro-Fish Tool

While watching TV last night, I leisurely sketched this little tool I carry when I go fishing.  It was sketched in my small Moleskine watercolor sketchbook using the Pilot Prera with the dry feeding nib and Lexington Gray Ink. 

When working very light plus the dry feed, it can be passed off as if using graphite.  Love the color of this ink.  With more pressure, the darker and more ink like it looks.  I find working with this pen and ink, it really goes well with graphite.

First sketched using the pen to include some of the shading.  The key ring gizmo is pen and ink cross hatching multiple times until I achieved the dark look.  Where I used graphite and blending was the light smooth finish to the fishing tool itself and the cast shadows.  A tortillion was used for blending.

Pen and Ink - Gas Can

Tonight's little sketch worked in my small Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook.

First illustration is using the Pilot Prera and Lexy Gray ink only. 

The second is after adding a touch of color using a Blue Gray wc pencil and Bt Sienna Polychromos color pencil. Went back over in just a few areas with a Micron 005.

Pen and Ink shading on the can was first done using the dot method and then went back over the area with very short light hatch and cross hatch marks using the Pilot Prera (with my dry feed nib) for a bit more volume.

Source from Paint my Photo / Lillian Bell / Gas Can Collection. I chose one can (in the box in the photo) as my model.

Opal in Graphite

Tadaaa..............this post finally brings me up to date.  Worked early this morning using a 8B Mars Lumograph pencil and tortillion to shade in the cartridge paper sketchbook.  This is of my little bear I like to sketch often. 

Micron Pen Play

Two pages in the Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook worked late yesterday.  Was playing with my set of Pigma Micron pens.

With the leaves, I took a dirty tortillion and added some shading.

Birds and Blooms

I'm finally getting there sharing my most recent.  Both in the Handbook.

The Sand Hill Cranes are from a phone camera Terry took of these majestic birds in Florida.  They can stand as tall as 4 feet; mate for life; and have the cutest little orange fluff ball chics.  They are not afraid of people and you often have to stop and allow them to mosey on across the road before proceeding forward in the car.  They visit people's properties in the subdivisions.  In fact these birds were at our neighbor's in Florida and make the neatest call.

I was told this is typical.  While one feeds, the other will keep watch.

This next one is from an end piece I cut from our Clematis growing in the back yard.  I had to rescue the bud as one of the tendrils or whatever you call them had wrapped itself around the end of the bud.  After unwrapping that tendril, I set the cutting in water and all evening watched this slowly open.

Graphite Sketches

These were worked in my small Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook but using graphite and blending with a tortillion.

The little bottle of lens cleaner I worked from an actual subject.  The door knocker from one of my photos.

Decided to add a little color using color pencils.....

Practicing Hair

After sketching a few facial features, I decided I wanted to try hair.  These are all from imagination.....no model to work from. 

Worked in cartridge paper sketchbook with pencils as mentioned next to illustrations.

Battle Between Left and Right Side of the Brain

I struggled with this one.  I could feel myself falling in and out of the right side of the brain mode unable to keep focus.

Worked in the Handbook with water soluble ink.

Still Catching Up

I cannot believe how far behind I fell posting what I've been doing.  Here are three more pen and ink sketches.

All worked in the Handbook sketchbook.

More Pen and Ink plus Watercolor

Here are more pen and ink plus watercolor sketches I've worked over the last couple of weeks.

Working in the Handbook journal.....

 

 

Moleskine Watercolor Journal.  These are all along our property and when walking outside, it just smells heavenly.  While walking my youngest dog, I decided to grab a piece and sketch after I went back inside.

 

Back to Pen and Ink plus Watercolor

Working in graphite helped me get back into sketching and found I was ready to get back into pen and ink.

This page is worked in the sketchbook with cartridge paper.  I wanted to test how well the paper handled watercolor.  It didn't do too badly but did bleed through the paper.  There was only a slight curving of the paper due to the wetness.

This is a chimney on our house.

Practicing Facial Features

For weeks I went not doing much with my journals........mainly due to packing and getting ready to move.  Plus I was just lacking motivation.

A very dear friend of mine helped with the motivation I needed by sharing a portrait tutorial sharing stages from initial line sketch to complete portrait (thank you, Clare).  Although I wasn't quite up for trying a complete portrait, I decided to take what I was learning and apply to individual features.

These graphite sketches are working both by observation and also trying the gridding method.

All worked in the sketchbook with cartridge paper (except the last one as noted on the page) I picked up in the UK a few years ago. 

Around the House

Here is a page I worked in the Zeta sketchbook of a few nature elements around the house.  Before too long I'll have all new subject content to sketch after our move to Florida.  I'm going to miss the mountains and lush woods but at the same time I'm looking for a change.

Joe's Peace Lily

Normally come evenings with all the packing and cleaning, I'm worn out and ready for bed at a decent time (so not normal for me).  Last night was an exception.  I was physically tired but I wasn't sleepy.  Tired of watching TV one of my plants grabbed my attention calling out to be sketched.  This plant represents my step father who passed a couple years ago.

Worked in the Handbook sketchbook using a Micron pen and watercolor.

Trying Out New Color Pencils

Not too long ago I purchased a few Faber Castell Polochromos color pencils to try out.  These are oil based pencils and I really like how they felt applying color to this paper. 

Worked in a small Moleskine Sketchbook.

Reason for my Absence

Over the past month or so, my sketching and painting have been set on the back burner due to trying to prepare two households for a major move.

I do have a few pages in my journals I've worked but haven't uploaded to share.  Here is a quick sketch I worked one evening as I tried winding down to sleep.

This sketch is in my generic sketchbook and I believe I used a Micron 03 and 005.