My Son’s Security Blanket

Just before I slipped into poor health before being admitted to  the hospital, for some reason, I felt my time was limited and had to make the security blanket I promised my youngest son all these years.  So in one week, I finished this.  Not bad for a week effort.

Organic shapes inspired by Ernst Haeckel

Finally did a few sketches after a couple weeks of busy-ness elsewhere.  I’m into organic shapes and following the Ernst Haeckel’s designs. I used the Strathmore Black Field Drawing 6×6 inch sketchbook and the Stillman & Birn Zeta hardbound sketchbook 5.5 x 8.5 inch, Platinum Carbon ink fountain pen, Pilot 78G fine fountain pen, General’s Kimberly watercolor pencil, pencil.

A couple of organic doodles

Bought a Strathmore 400 series Mixed Media 15 sheet sketchpad with vellum surface 6×8 inch. I was impressed with the 3×5 inch sketchbook I used before in which I could do watercolor and pen and ink on both sides and it still held up beautifully. This is the first time I used this for colored pencil and Speedball India ink.

Can’t get away from creatures and victims

No matter how I tried, I kept coming back at drawing creatures and their victims. Not sure why. But this time, I’m not apologetic about it. My middle one asked me if God made all these sea monsters. Yep! Everything, including dinosaurs and sea monsters. So here is my version of kraken. Earthbound 8×10 inch kraft spiral sketchbook that could take quite a beating with pen and still not peel or feather. Pilot 78G medium and bold fountain pen, Lamy Safari extra fine fountain pen.

One good cat and some lesser animal sketches

I’m really happy with the first piece.  The rest are just doodles.

Pencil and Caran D’Ache Luminance colored pencils

Chinese brush and sumi ink, pencil and fountain pen

Chinese brush and sumi ink

mix of pencil, ink, pen, colored pencil

fountain pen and watercolor

After A Long Hiatus

I could finally sit today after 2 months.  What a glorious day, to be able to sit, not have a swelling leg that hurts at the groin level and sit, just sit, and sit purposefully at the table to draw.  Able bodied people will never understand how just to simply be able to sit and walk means so much to one who is incapacitated in those bodily movements.  I thank the Lord for answering the prayers from all of you who prayed for me.  Thank you, thank you, all of you who prayed for me.  I feel like I’m myself again!  And so here are all a bunch of small fast sketches that I did tonight since 11 pm and it’s now 2 am.  These are a mixture of Hero fountain pen, Pentel Pocket Calligraphy brushpen, watercolor, Mungyo oil pastel, Pacific Arc watersoluable graphite crayon and pencil.

Animal Paintings Part 3

It’s been a long time since I’ve painted and doodled but now with renewed strength, here they are!

These are in Strathmore Toned 5.5 x 8.5 inch sketchbook.

Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 crayons and Hero Fountain Pen

Hero Fountain Pen

Mungyo Oil Pastel

Mungyo Oil Pastel in Bogus Kraft Paper 9×12 inch

Daniel Smith watercolor in Stillman & Birn Alpha 5.5×8.5 inch hardbound sketchbook

Canson Biggie Sketchpad 9×12 inch

Winter Trip 2013 sketches

We just came back from Southern California and along the way, I sketched. I brought a Stillman & Birn Alpha 5.5 x 8.5 inch hardbound sketchbook and a Strathmore same size spiral 70 lb but never used it once. When you have to keep up with kids in Legoland, San Diego Safari Park, eateries, Chinatown, you just don’t haul anything larger than palm size. Plus I had to be discreet when I sketch people around me. So a very small 32 page blank book and a Moleskin watercolor journal 3.5 x 5.5 inch. The watercolor one, I used mostly in the car rides or it would be too cumbersome with even a small travel palette and a waterbrush. These were done with Daler Rowney travel palette.

I have learnt from my last trip not to bring my bottled ink because every time I have to drive over 4000 feet elevation, there are spills somehow. Plus who wants to deal with inky fingers along the trip. A pencil and a Pilot 78G with a cartridge were perfect. But for characters with personality, the best is the Pentel Pocket Calligraphy Brushpen. A few strokes and I could describe the scene.

Animal Paintings Part 2

A few oil pastel pieces on 6×6 inch Strathmore black field study spiral sketchbook.

 

Doodles

A bunch of doodles.