Otherlands Chairs

When I arrive at Otherlands before the other customers, I often draw the chairs...

and the tables.

People Doing Things at Otherlands

making coffee at Otherlands

 I like to draw people doing things. That is what I do some weekend mornings at Otherlands Coffee Shop

ordering coffee at Otherlands

paying for coffee at Otherlands

playing music at Otherlands

listening to live music at Otherlands

coming & going at Otherlands

doing projects at Otherlands

pontificating at Otherlands

having conversations at Otherlands

trying to get a word in edgewise at Otherlands

thinking at Otherlands

brooding at Otherlands

staying connected at Otherlands

standing at the bar at Otherlands

sitting at the bar at Otherlands

reading the newspaper at Otherlands

reading & watching at Otherlands

Otherlands Coffee Shop & Sketchbooks, PART 2

12" x  9" Canson Sketchbook        Lamy pen, water soluble ink, water brush 

In 2013, I was planning to sketch while traveling and was looking for ways to complete sketches more quickly.  Blending water soluble ink with the water brush was much quicker than cross hatching. The water brush, though, required me to use thicker paper, so I started trying out different types of sketch books.

7" x 10" Strathmore Watercolor Sketchbook        Lamy pen, water soluble ink, water brush 

I was missing strong lines, so I experimented with a combination of techniques.

8.25" x 5,5 Pen & Ink sketchbook         black Prismacolor chisel tip pen,
 Lamy pen with water soluble ink, water brush

When the paper was too thin to take water, I tried using gray markers.

8.25" x 5.5" Handbook sketchbook         black chisel tip Prismacolor pen and
gray Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen

8.25" x 5.5" Pentalic sketchbook         black Pentel brush pen and
gray Pentel Color Brush

I started with lines and here I am playing more with tones and colors.

5.5" x 8.25" Moleskin sketchbook               Tombo Dual Brush Pens, Lamy pen and water brush

8" x 6" Stillman Birn Epsilpn Series           Faber-Castell Pitt artist pens

12" x 9" Stillman Birn Beta Series sketchbook         Tombo Dual Brush pens, water brush

Otherlands Coffee Shop & Sketchbooks, PART 1

7" x 10" unnamed-brand sketchbook     ink pen

I have spent many weekend mornings sketching at Otherlands Coffee Shop while Margaret drinks her coffee. Almost every sketchbook filled over the past 15 years contains some Otherlands sketches. While scanning 25 sketchbooks last week, I noticed that several changes have occurred since I started sketching with the Urban Sketchers. First, for a long time I used the same size and type of sketchbook and drew with an ink pen.The top sketch is from 2003, the second is from 2005 then 2010, 2011 and 2012. Each sketch is from a different sketchbook. 

            12" x 9" unnamed-brand sketchbook       ink pen

12"x 9" unnamed-brand sketchbook     ink pen

12.5" x 9" Cachet Sketchbook          ink pen

7" x 7" Stillman & Birn Sketchbook      Lamy Pen with black & blue
 water soluble ink & a water brush

After I started meeting with Urban Sketchers, things started to change. I found out about water brushes that allow one to blend water soluble ink. Next week, I will show Otherlands sketches from five more sketchbooks.