Tag: Stillman and Birn

One week 100 people day 2

I almost didn’t post today as I wasn’t up to sketching and I got only three sketches in, none of them great. But I like it when creators show their failures so I’m doing it myself today: my lack of shoulder mobility coupled with a lack of sleep and the difficulty of the subject made for a bad sketching day.

Parker 51 with Montblanc The Beatles Psychedelic Purple on a Stillman and Birn Alpha. Sketched 6-8 were done today. As usual the goal for me is to get to 100 even if it takes more than a week.

Celebrate your failures.

One Week 100 People 2024: Day 1

An inauspicious start for this year’s one week 100 people drawing challenge: I hurt my shoulder yesterday and now it’s extremely painful to draw with it. So today’s sketch batch is just five sketches, done with a vintage Radius Comet fountain pen and Diamine Anaranth ink on a hardcover landscape Stillman and Birn Alpha.

These were all sketched from Creative Commons Flickr photos, working for no more than 1-2 minutes per sketch, directly with pen and ink. The expressiveness of this nib has been a lot of fun. Number 5 is my favourite so far, which one is yours?

As I noted earlier, I’ve decided to only post these on my blog this year and not on social media.

Urban Sketchers Sketchwalk to Gan Meir

I went to a very special Urban Sketchers sketchwalk and drink and draw today. The event celebrated the end of a special sketch swap between a group of sketchers in Barcelona and in Tel Aviv, and there were sketchers there from all over the world (Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, India, etc). We met at Gan Meir in central Tel Aviv for a sketchwalk followed by a drink and draw at the top of Libling house. It was hot, it was humid, and I needed a break by the time I got to the garden, so I went to the nearby Stephan Austrian Bakery for a cold coffee and a Sachertorte, a rare but much needed treat.

Coffee and cake.

A lot of people came in to pick up an ice cream cone, including this little fellow:

For some reason he didn’t get any ice cream.

I then went back to the garden and started sketching the waterlily pool:

Work in progress

There was a group of ping pong players nearby, and I got hit by balls several times. I was also visited by several curious children. It’s all part of the Urban Sketching charm.

The waterlily pond complete

I then saw a group of kids with a metal detector, searching for treasure in the sand, so I sketched them quickly:

Treasure hunters.

This was our sketchbook throw down, and I loved seeing all the different styles and sketch subjects together,

Sketchbook throw down.

We then went to Leibling House nearby, and there saw some of the sketch swap participants’ work. We had a party on the roof, and I got to talk to sketchers from all over the world, and see so many different sketching styles.

The exhibition

I had to leave early, but I did get to check out Leibling House and see their Frankfurt Kitchen, which is pretty amazing:

Actual storage space, proper sinks for washing dishes and room to dry the dishes.
Storage space for dry goods, and foldable iron board. Perfect use of space.

What struck me most is how the sketchers from abroad saw and sketched the same tired old local monuments and tourist attractions. Through their work I got to see them with new eyes, and it made me want to visit them and try to sketch them myself. I also got to see Leibling House for the first time, and I plan on returning to it in the future, as it’s a wonderful museum and exhibition space.

Urban Sketch at Pro Democracy Demonstration

Back to the weekly pro democracy demonstration. Used some new art supplies that I’ll review later. Tons of energy and wind tonight.

Process photo
People gathering to demonstrate

Live Travel Sketch Log

I’m off to participate in my first ever LARP this weekend, and I’m going to try and capture as much of it as I can in sketches and post it here.

Long train ride means that I can try to sketch.

My lines and painting came out more wobbly than usual due to a combination of neuropathy and the train ride.

Rough painting on the train.
One and a half pages done.
Close up of morning run sketches.
Close up of train station sketch.

Update: the weekend was excellent but phenomenally busy, and I got only about 4-5 hours of sleep per day. Still recovering, but working on a backlog sketch journal of the trip in the meanwhile.

Here’s the second page completed:

Journal Sketch: New dog, coffee and sunsets.

I’m tired, it’s been a long day, and I drew this late, so not my best work.

Here’s the close up of my work.

And a photo of the lovely dog, as my sketches didn’t do her justice:

Journal Sketch: Cute dogs, treasure hunt, and cold coffee

It’s been a long day, so excuse the wobbly lines and imperfect writing.

Here’s a close up, for those who enjoy close ups:

Tools: Stillman and Birn pocket landscape epsilon, Platinum 3776 UEF nib with Sailor Epinard, Schmincke and Daniel Smith watercolours, Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.1.