More Pen and Ink...

Tools of the trade sometimes inspire! Last Fall I got a 9X12 wire bound multi-media paper pad. Fountain pen ink and watercolors both tend to soak right through regular sketch paper.  This recent one is from an internet artist challenge, but which one? Oops. This one is in Mont Blanc's "Toffee" ink, a favorite.

Pitcher and Pinecones, 9X12

I Love the color of this ink, especially on cream paper. The paper in this pad is very bright white, but is nice and sturdy so the fountain pen doesn't scratch groves in it, nor does it soak through to the other side.

Next is one I did last November at the duck pond in the Hayward Japanese gardens. I had to do it from a photo, because ducks, well they fidget. It's annoying and wonderful.

Japanese Gardens, 9X12

This was a lesson in not drawing at high noon. I liked this colorful little guy, and he was relatively easy to draw. The huge boulders at the back were more difficult. I remember mother saying rocks were one of the most difficult things to convey. She's right. But I'm not sure she ever tried snow though.