Some recent drawings

Clementine peels and Mexican ceramics.

I'l get back to the travelogue soon, but wanted to share a few drawings from the past month or so.

Succulents and a bowl of green almonds.

 

Although I didn't manage to do a lot on the trip, I've been drawing pretty steadily since we returned.

 

Succulents and Knitting.

Yesterday I ordered a new fountain pen, my first in a long time -- it's a Moon Man M2 eyedropper pen. These are pens with barrels that can be filled with an eyedropper, rather than a cartridge or piston system. I've never had one, and thought it would be worth a try at only $20; other users praise the extra-fine nibs on these pens.

Embroidered purse and desk objects.

My favorite pen for drawing or writing is a now-vintage Shaeffer 580 with a beautiful, responsive gold nib, but I'm becoming reluctant to take it with me when I travel. I've never been completely happy with the Lamy Safari I bought as a low-cost alternative: it's easy to fill and use, but the nib is too stiff for me. And while I'm quite happy with my usual Noodler's Lexington Grey ink, I'm also eyeing some other possibilities from Noodler's range of bulletproof (entirely waterproof and bleedproof) inks: possibly a blue-black ("54th Massachusetts"), and a dark khaki ("El Lawrence").

 

 

Two versions: Still life with pomegranate, pears, and orchid.

 

Finally the Christmas tree made its appearance, the pomegranate got eaten and was replaced by persimmons. It's all really very mundane, I just draw whatever's in front of me.

 

And, below, one more of the tree in front of the fireplace. Montreal has forbidden wood burning and none of us want to pay for the expensive conversions required for gas, so for now, there will be no chestnuts roasting on this one.

We took the tree down yesterday, and there was a snowfall. Outside, the world is white, and inside it looks pretty bare: midwinter has arrived. It would seem like a good time to do some watercolors, just to put some color into life! But I don't mind the monochromatic, graphic quality of winter. Drawing with pen or charcoal often seems more appropriate now, and I think my mood and vision become more focused in response to the weather and the starkness. We'll have at least three more months of it, so it's important to find a way through that embraces the season.

Comments

[Vivian Lewin]

Beth, I appreciate this glimpse of your tree and the contrast between its dizziness and the lithe limbs of the orchid...

[pohanginapete]

Noodler's El Lawrence is my standard ink — I've used it for years now, and I still love it. It's a little more greenish than a khaki, and in some light looks almost like a faded black — a page of writing looks like something you might find in a diary from the middle of last century. It's not completely waterproof like Noodler's 'Bulletproof' black, but it would certainly stay easily legible even with a good soaking. If you want to put a wash over it, though, you'll need to look at something else. Even though it's more expensive than most other Noodler's inks, it's still good value compared to many other brands. It also writes very wet, to the extent that I prefer it in a fine rather than medium nib in my Lamy Al-Stars.

Water resistance is important for me, so I'm severely constrained in my choice of inks. If water resistance isn't an issue, the choice is endless. Recently I bought a little bottle of Sailor's Tokiwa Matsu ('Old Pine'), and it's gorgeous. It has no resistance at all to water, though — otherwise, I'd be infatuated with it.

If you're looking for a strong colour, Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses is a beautiful ink that shades well and will remain legible if wetted.

[Martine Pagé]

I love your illustration of the Christmas tree! And I love that I can spot familiar ornaments in there :)

[Pinaki Lahiri]

Sometimes line drawings speak so much in silence. In Calcutta (now Kolkata), India it won't be that easy to find a fountain pen,turning it into a fossil soon.Good to see your mind through your beautiful Sheaffer.

[Beth]

Thank you, Vivian. The tree is down now and I'm sorry you didn't get to see it this year.

Pete, thanks so much for this information about El Lawrence and your uses of Noodler's inks. I'm going to order some El Lawrence and try it - my Lexington Grey isn't absolutely waterproof either but it's fine as a base for watercolor; in the comparative results I've read, it tests pretty much the same as yours. But for drawing and writing, I think this color would be very attractive to me, and it has some personality, which the grey doesn't! I also liked Black Swan in Australian Roses in the test swatches, so that's a possibility, but probably not so much for drawing. I'll probably go with a blue-black like 54th Massachusetts. Anyway -- it was nice to find out you also care about this and get the benefit of your experience!

Thanks, Martine! Yes, they keep coming out every year...

Dear Pinaki,Thank you very much for your comment and kind words. I was also glad to find out about your blog and enjoyed reading your recent essays. Thank you for getting in touch.