Green Glass

open

 

 yup

Roz Stendahl made me do it.

When I say I have too many journals, what I mean is....

This is another one I started.  Roz Stendahl had a Project Friday series using the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen.

Really, how could I resist?

If you sit nearby me, you will be drawn.

And sometimes, late a night, when no one is around, ...

Or when I'm waiting... again....

This kind of debacle.

As usual, I'm being held sway by more than one impulse and they are playing themselves out in my journals.  This is Frederick.  Roz Stendalh entertained us last week (were you paying attention?) with a series of portraits of her in-house model Carl.  I was moved to get one of my many models out and refocus myself with a brush pen, which I've enjoyed ever since she introduced me to one.

This was done with a Pentel Aquash pigment ink water brush pen  (not the water based brush pens they have or the Pocket Brush Pen, which I adore, but I wish they'd come up with more distinctive names to separate them).  This has grey ink and a similar feel to the pocket brush pen and is similarly waterproof.  I am a slow learner, so after a year of having used the pocket brush pen, I feel like I'm still just beginning to explore all the things it can do.  

This is my model.  He doesn't mind being photographed.  He's used to the attention.

Roz suggests picking one subject and focusing on it from different angles.  Not that this is revelatory, but I do what Roz says.  It works for me.  I don't know why I picked Frederick.  Something about all the lines. Or maybe the pace.  He doesn't jump around too much, which I appreciate.

I'm also trying to do some shading.  And I keep looking.  I hope I'm seeing.  

Meanwhile, since I am NOT working on putting together another pamphlet journal, I discovered on my shelf of journals-to-be used that, that in fact, I had one already.  Frederick is standing on it.  Now the dilemma.  Continue NOT making new little pamphlet journals with my new spray paint papers?  Actually use what I have made instead of just adding to the stockpile?  Reshelve what I made before and push on with my Catch and Release hand-bound journal and actually finish it sometime in the nearer future?  Oh, the choices, the choices.

Frederick is keeping his opinion to himself.  He knows better than to get into the middle of this kind of debacle.

I had no idea how much my current happiness is dependent on having a place to cut and paste.  Silly woman.

Frederick

Roz.  Carl.  You need to go there and see that.  That's what I'm talking about.

When I say she inspires me, I mean,...  why have you not gotten a pentel pocket brush pen yet?  Or a Faber-Castell calligraphy pen?  

Except she would say it's not about the pen.  It's about what happens when you find that joyful moment with the right pen in your hand, or discovering that it's not the right pen, or the right pen but doesn't that paper drag a little (this one does to me), but more than that it's about looking, really really looking.  

So here's Fredrick.  

And above that was someone's class picture who forgot that when you put your hair in a ponytail (especially a little little one) it doesn't show up in a photo.  But your wonderful sunflower shining smile does.  The one that makes your mother break into a smile every time she looks at it.  

Every. Single. Time.

Honest

It's hard to believe that I don't use my pentel pocket brush pen everyday.  But I don't.  Which is sad.

If it can make even a wobbly line drawer like me feel successful, than that is one mighty fine pen.

One day I'll learn more about how to resize images and insert text and all that fancy stuff, and then I'll point out details.  Or maybe not.  But just so you know, that is not a hand. That is a goalie glove.  It's suppose to look like that.  Really.  Honest.

Cray-pas

Cray-pas.

I had cray-pas as a kid.  And then I lost them.  And now I've found them again.  Good smudgable color.

That and a pentel pocket brush pen.  

Good for what ails you.

Pausing

No pictures and not a lot of words.  Today I got away from the house and went for a much needed walk. At the turn around spot, I pulled out my little current journal and a Pental Pocket Brush Pen (PPBP) and played a little.  Despite my best intentions, I've been so wrapped up in the on-line classes I'm taking, I've gotten away from my PPBP and even the little bit of doddling and twirling I did with it, playing with the line width and the wonderful flow of ink, made me feel happy and peaceful and glad.  That's really all I have to say, and nothing to show.  If you haven't recently, pick up a tool you really enjoy and just play with it for a few minutes.  How could that not make it a better day?