Trying for a bit more peace, an intrepid few Artist Safari attendees decided to tackle the museum again. Maybe it would be quieter on a Tuesday afternoon? Maybe…
You know that feeling? The one where you just know that someone is standing right behind you looking over your shoulder? Drawing in public has it’s moments. The ones when the public forget their manners.
What about when you’re drawing with a small sketchpad practically tucked under your jumper, facing into a corner trying to look really, really inconspicuous (‘cos you hate people looking over your shoulder) and just know they that someone is doing just that? How did I know someone was doing just that? Because I could see their reflection in the glass. Grrr…
Jeff reckons I get it more than the guys do ‘cos I look more approachable. They’ve suggested a nose ring, leather jacket, copious bits of chain and a scowl. It would help to be taller too. I’ll work on the scowl.
We gave up after an hour… and headed to the coffee shop for a conference. Conversation inevitably turned to materials and revelations of the interesting inventory of a nearby Asian newsagent… I came home with a bunch of stuff: a “writing” brush, ink and huge sheets of drawing paper that, I find, takes the ink beautifully. The ink is really different – it’s slightly thicker and smoother flowing than India ink – rich, dense and indelibly black. The paper is amazing as well – soft and incredibly absorbent but not hint of bleeding at the edges of marks. Held to the light there a very fine gridded watermark. Kind of tissue paper, but not, if you you what I mean. Fascinating.
The best thing though (for the ever curious) is a what I think is a kid’s calligraphy practice book. There are pages of figures interleaved with sheets of paper not unlike the drawing paper. Just thinner and transparent enough to see and draw the figures underneath. What a great toy! I imagine by the end of the book I’ll get a (bit of a) an idea on handling the brush and ink even if I can’t read a word of it…