this week I be mostly using

 A little while back, probably through one of my poorer periods (one of my even more poorer periods), I decided that I would not buy any more pens until I'd used some of the many thousands that I already have. Well, okay, so yes, I have bought more - but just the black, brown and blue fine liners I use a lot of - but for the most part I have kept to that self imposed challenge.

The best thing about it is that it's making me use things I wouldn't normally choose to use. You know, the stuff that isn't the black, brown and blue fine liners. I've used lots more colour felt pens, markers and other stuff I can't think of right now. Things, when  bought, I thought I'd use all the time. They'd push me in new directions, etc. Then they sat in pencil cases and pots and on shelves and I never touched again.

Many moons ago, way before I'd taken up drawing, I got these fountain pens. I went to the Artist & Illustrators fair in London and was talked into spending a huge amount of money on these Pilot Parallel pens and a load of coloured inks. I thought I'd use them for calligraphy. Then I put them in a pencil case and didn't even look at them for a decade.

Now, I've always been a big fountain pen fan. Somewhere in this house I have a box full of old-school fountain pens, inks and nibs. I have always loved playing around with my handwriting and there's nothing better than a fountain pen for that. So rediscovering these modern fountain pens and the variety of lines they make has been a joy.

 And, what's more, it has pushed me. Next time you have a craving for a new pen why not have a dig around in your drawers (!!!) and see what you can find. I really love the results and the marks I've been making with these. Next stop is those scratchy old fountain pens that are lurking around just waiting for me to dig them out.

 So, hands up, who's gone and ordered the Pilot Parallel pen now? That wasn't the point of this post, remember?!

 

And, by the way, these little Toulouse Lautrec inspired drawings are up for sale dirt cheap. Yes, I'm going through one of my even more poorer periods again. get them HERE.



cover me with the thought that i pulled the trigger

Above is a new poster that I've created for the Buxton Fringe Festival. I've had this love of poster art for many a year, and creating my own, for our Dr Sketchys (amongst other events) is just one of my favourite things to do.

Some of the artists I adore the most are those who making posters way back when; Toulouse Lautrec, Mucha are just Gods to me. with that in mind, I had this idea of making a series of posters where I pay homage to these heroes of mine. Obviously there's no improving on their works, but just perhaps, doing my own cover version. So I started with this beauty, below, Le Frou Frou by Lucien Henri Weiluc. Damn, it's gorgeous.

You can see more of my poster artwork HERE.

i want to do whatever common people do

I've been obsessing over this guy recently. I've always been a fan but, just of late, I've fallen for him in a big way. I don't know why that is. Maybe it's because I've recently spent some of my evenings in a seedy bouchon in France or because I have been designing and illustrating posters for the Dr Sketchy events that I co-run.

I've always been a big fan of poster artwork from the Victorian freak show posters to the drop dead gorgeous Art Nouveau. And, of course, Toulouse Lautrec. This really was art for the people. The working classes. The common folk. Of which I am proud to be one.

Here are some of mine. I can honestly say that I've enjoyed making these above all of the recent work I've made. I hope it shows.

And, now my mind is racing with ideas of creating a Dr Sketchy Sheffield does Toulouse Lautrec event. Now, there's a poster I cannot wait to make.