It’s a new month, and I’m still working a little more than usual every day to get ahead of schedule for the end of July and beginning of August, when I plan to take some more time for “whatever”. (Most likely some combination of quilt piecing, knitting, TV/movie watching, painting, doodling, gel print-making and collaging.)
Of course, there’s still time to do fun stuff in between, and I’ve been spending some of it trying out a new fude nib pen, which I’ll write about below.
But first, here’s a photo Donald snapped on Sunday. He just happened to be outside when the Blue Angels flew right overhead, probably on their way home to Pensacola. (I heard them, but wouldn’t have been able to get outside in time to see them if I’d tried.) Pretty neat!
Duke 600 Fude Nib Fountain Pen
I chose this new fude nib pen after reading some rave reviews, especially in regard to its ability to provide a lot of ink quickly, which is important with a nib that can be used to put down a heavy line (one of the main reasons to use a fude nib). I don’t know much about fountain pens, but it sounded like a good pen, was in my price range (less than $20), and felt worth a try.
I’m still getting used to it, but I’m satisfied so far. I do find myself having to work to get it started after leaving it for a day, or even a shorter period. (Usually the best bet has been to dip the nib in water and scribble a while on scrap paper.) That may have more to do with the ink I’m using than the pen itself, but from what I read, it’s also just a fact of life with some fountain pens. Once it’s flowing, it seems to work well—as far as I can tell! (Again, lots to learn about fountain pens.)
Below are a few photos of the pen. It has a metal body, which was a selling point for me, but as it turns out, a lot of people dislike metal pens. They’re heavier than plastic and can be harder to grip, though this particular pen has a textured area that makes holding it easier. As far as weight goes, I haven’t noticed any fatigue from using it, so far.
My first try with the pen is pretty messy, but here it is, anyway. I painted a vaguely floral page of watercolor blobs, allowed it to dry, then went over the top with the pen. I don’t like the way it turned out, really, but I can’t fault the pen. It did a great job of creating everything from thicker lines to very thin lines. (Every bit of ink here came from the same pen.)
I think I used the pen for this, as well. I didn’t even try to vary the line much (though there’s some unintentional inconsistency). Still, I guess this belongs in this section of the blog post. It was just something to do(odle) at the end of the day. Using the pen in any way is still practice, I guess.
More doodling… And confirming that this ink really is waterproof—or at least water-resistant. (It’s Noodler’s Bulletproof Black, and it seems good enough for my purposes.)
Next, I doodled more mushrooms with “the Duke”. (I think this company was trying to sound fancy, using the name “Duke”. It makes me think of all those Regency-era romance novels with something about a duke in the title, which makes it vaguely embarrassing!)
I sketched these, then tinted them lightly with Kuretake granulating (actually color-separating) watercolor (“Aurora Orange”).
And last night I made a rough doodle of potted plants, with the intention of tinting them at a later date.
I’m definitely getting more comfortable with the pen, even if I’m maybe not using it to its full potential. If I’m having fun with it, that’s good enough for me!
Reverse Coloring Book Again
It occurred to me that I hadn’t done this type of thing in a while—that thing where you just fill the page with water and paint, let it all run together, maybe add more drops of clean water or salt for added texture, and then play “find the shapes” after it’s dry. Some people call this technique “reverse coloring book”.
This one is pretty random and abstract. Not sure I like the scribbly sections, but it was fun enough to do.
(I didn’t use a fountain pen for this one, by the way. I think it was a Uni-Ball rollerball pen. Not sure how much difference other people see, but it’s definitely a different experience.)
Doodle-Blobs
(Or Grumpy, Misshapen Bunny-Blobs)
I’m not sure what to call these, but they’re becoming a frequent “thing” I like to do. Usually I’m just cleaning my palette when I make the watercolor blobs, but this time I actually selected and purposely mixed these colors, believe it or not! They’re kind of bland and same-y, but I was in the mood for golden browns and warm ochres.
When it came time to doodle, I chose rabbits as a little more of a challenge. I’m not the best at doodling bunnies! Some of them are okay, but others look a bit hunch-backed or something… One or two of these rabbits also have attitude problems, based on their facial expressions.
Oh well. It was something to do. I could do (somewhat) better if I sketched with pencil first, but not everything (anything, sometimes) needs to be “good” (or at least “better”). You may get more interesting results when you’re just spontaneous.
Vintage CorningWare
I blatantly stole this idea from a video on YouTube. I don’t know which video it was, but it was something from Ohn Mar Win. I’ve seen art based on this type of vintage cookware before and thought it looked like fun, but this specific style is based on something I saw in one of her videos.
I didn’t plan my spacing well, so I ran out of room, but it was still fun to do, and I might try something similar again, if the mood strikes me.
I used traditional watercolor for most of this, with a little watercolor pen and white acrylic paint pen for details.
I love the nostalgic subject matter and the vintage colors in this one. There’s something really cozy about those old 70s home decor colors. Shades of brown, avocado green, harvest gold, and orange just feel safe and comforting to me, now. I know it’s purely the effects of nostalgia, but it’s powerful, nonetheless! I wouldn’t want to live in a house full of 70s decor, but every now and then it’s nice to retreat into the aesthetics of the past.
Interesting to note that I was born in 1979, so maybe I should be more attuned to 80s/90s color schemes, but I don’t think I am… Well, I’m sure I like some of them (like a certain type of bright and colorful “mid-tone pastel” plaid that I love and associate strongly with the 80s), but I dislike the dusty pink and powder blue pairing that springs to mind when I think about 90s decor. And I’m not a huge fan of the “jewel-tone” aesthetic, either.
Of course, 70s colors didn’t disappear instantly in 1980. Lots of things were still in the earthy palette, especially when it came to more expensive items that wouldn’t be replaced for another several years. In fact, my first washer and clothes dryer as a married woman were made in the 70s and were avocado green. They served us well for quite a while. (Back when they made things to last, I guess!)
Mosquito-Free Camping
I just felt like making a campfire scene, one night last week. I made a rough sketch in pencil, then painted it with Boku-Undo E-Sumi Watercolor (“Shadow Black” set). I did use a little yellow already on my palette for the fire and lantern. The Boku-Undo inky paints don’t really include anything that light and bright.
Later, I decided it needed sharpening up with ink outlines. (Just a rollerball pen again.)
Simple, but fun to doodle, and much nicer than dealing with mosquitoes and all the other less comfortable aspects of actual camping!
Until Next Time!
This one doesn’t really “go” anywhere. I was going to doodle some mice with sewing notions, but it didn’t really work out. Maybe something to attempt another day (with a pencil instead of starting with ink).
Here’s the best of the worst:
To anyone reading, I hope your summer’s going well and you’re taking the time to do something you enjoy!
