When I'm not traveling out of town, I'm a real homebody; I rarely go to coffee shops or restaurants. So even though on home turf, I was exploring new terrain.
Cup of Joe is on the corner of Main and First Street. Trying to establish more about the venue, I put in the afternoon traffic on First Street, as seen through the front window. Aha, another for my Inside/Outside Series!
I started with a line drawing using a calligraphy pen. Oops....the ink was water soluble...adding watercolor pencils maybe not the best combination. The guy on the right got kind of mucked up. I do like the irregular line the pen makes, though. I'll have to see about loading it with permanent ink cartridges. These two men seemed to be really enjoying each others company. Coffee shops are sure a great place to people watch!
 |
| mannequin with white sunglasses |
I probably spent more time on this drawing than it was worth. Cup of Joe has a funky mid-century vibe. Mannequins with vintage clothes, formica tables, Fiestaware, and green and blue lampshades, which impart interesting colors onto people's faces.
The juries still out on my new Derwent pencils. I do like their vibrant color, reminiscent of my wax pastels that I have used a lot for years now. I think less is more (like the first sketch versus the last).
Any thoughts?
I love all of these -- very lively! I've recently become a big fan of water-soluble colored pencils. And if you don't like those Caran d'Ache pencils, I'll take 'em! ;-) They're my fave!
ReplyDeleteTina
I'm so mutable, Tina....now that you like these drawings, I like them more. Thanks, comrade in mark making! My one consistent use for my Caran d'Ache watercolor color pencils is using (usually the blue or ochre) as a line underdrawing for a wax pastel drawing. I'll keep your request in mind....not quite ready to unload them yet.
DeleteI wrote a whole book on watercolor pencils, Marcia, and still don't find myself reaching for them too often! I'll look forward to seeing what you do with them...I actually like the effect with the calligraphy pen, here! (Which pen were you using?)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved drawing with the Derwent Blue-Grey, but they changed the formula to be more like the Albrecht Durers from Faber-Castell. Those are my favorites when I DO use watercolor pencils, but not for that lovely, subtle blue grey...
The calligraphy pen I used was another new tool--PILOT Parallel Pen 2.4mm. I really like the variable line I get and that I can carry it around (airplanes, especially) without it leaking. I'm going to try putting permanent ink into an empty cartridge next. I'm a real dunce with fountain pens. Just can't seem to get a reliable, responsive line and they get clogged up faster than I can get back to my pen cleaning device. (Too much bother for this impatient soul.)
DeleteHave you tried the pencil marked Outliner in the Derwent set? I used it a lot in the top and bottom of the 3 above. It strikes me as Payne's grey-ish (kind of bluish grey) color. So it's the Faber-Castell you use most?
I must be really patient, I just mess with my fountain pens endlessly! I like the idea of relationshop...
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried that pencil, no...it looks nice! And yes, if I'm doing anything at all serious, I use the Faber-Castell.
Just getting started with live capture of events. I have found that I cannot draw as quickly as the action is happening. I decided I needed a photo to get the best results. Found that all ink is not equal. I have made it a must to have only waterproof ink so that the watercolor will not destroy the drawing. Did this once and was the last time. Learn with experience. I so want to go to a restaurant, coffee shop or even a grocery store and draw.
ReplyDeleteMarcia, you write "I started with a line drawing using a calligraphy pen. Oops....the ink was water soluble...adding watercolor pencils maybe not the best combination." Just a thought to consider, but I've found that you can use the water soluble characteristic to your advantage with the right subject matter. Take for instance the sketch at https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5510/11395052995_b2b1d924d9_b.jpg, drawn with a Pilot Varsity and then selectively reactivating the black ink with a slightly damp brush. Suddenly one is presented with the opportunity to generate intensely moody washes of gray tones! And odd as it may sound, once reactivated by wetting, the Pilot Varsity ink becomes permanent and insoluble for some reason!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder to work with the water soluble characteristics. I like the "moody" drawings that you shared. This pen I was using is so new, I didn't know until it happened, that I had ink that would bleed. Though caught by surprise, I worked with what I had and came up with a drawing that was still worthy of posting. I use water soluble graphite for grey tones here https://flic.kr/p/roY746 and here https://flic.kr/p/qUuAaT and here https://flic.kr/p/p8pjm8
DeleteThos are very cool drawings, Mark! I've done a few I really liked with water soluble ink, too...you just have to work WITH it.
DeleteMarcia, when you use the water soluble graphite do you draw with it and then wet, as you can with watercolor pencils?
These are the variations of what I've tried with the 9B water-soluble graphite stick: 1) draw with it on dry paper then mobilize value gradations with a wet brush (similar to what Mark described with his ink drawings) 2) wet the paper first then draw 3) Get graphite on a water brush and apply to paper (I use the back of my hand as a palette/testing surface to control how much graphite I have on the brush)
DeleteI really like the depictions of the people. They are all cool characters!
ReplyDeleteCup of Joe coffee shop attracts a microcosm of Cedar Falls. Yup, we're cool characters!
Delete