Ripley in my new cahier Moleskine

This afternoon Ripley was sleeping so soundly on the floor of my office that I thought I could probably get a quick drawing of her done before she stirred. She did move her paws around but thankfully kept her head steady most of the time.
This was drawn with the water soluble Kuretake brush pen, which is a most unforgiving and hair-pulling instrument. Still, I like the way I can go from a thick to a thin line without changing pens and breaking the mood.
This was drawn in my new Cahier model Moleskine, which my husband gave me for Christmas. The paper is thin like the basic Moleskine journal, but it is much larger, which allows freer expression. I was hesitant to use juicy watercolor on the paper so I added the background with some Tombow pens, and swished a little water over the top. There’s something about a cream colored dog on a cream colored background that just looks a little vanilla, you know? If I had been thinking I could have painted the background with an acrylic, which would have been less splotchy. Ah well.
The shadows are created by gently softening the black ink line with a Niji waterbrush filled with clear water.

Comments

1. 

   Kate
   January 25, 2006

   So girl! What’s the problem with the Kuretake?? I just got mine recently and will admit I’ve only played with it so far, but I loved what I did….

2. 

   Karen
   January 25, 2006

   There’s no problem with the brush, only with the one who’s wielding it. Unlike drawing with a pencil or pen where one can do successive approximation to get the line in exactly the right place, drawing with the brush pen really forces me to make that one perfectly deliberate line at exactly the right thickeness in exactly the right place, without hesitation (or it will puddle and widen and ‘blob out’ on the page. ) When I draw with it I find that it’s a little bit like drawing the “enso” – one smooth gesture, no fixing it. I keep having to tell myself, don’t think twice, it’s alright. (Sometimes.) The pen itself is wonderful; I just need practice to make that one perfect line in exactly the right place.

3. 

   Diahn
   January 25, 2006

   I like this very much – has a very restful quality. And the pen may have been difficult for you to handle, but I think you’ve
   achieved a great line quality – slightly imperfect, but very dynamic.

4. 

   Terri
   January 25, 2006

   Ah one of my favourite blog dogs. :o) The delightful Ripley doing one of the things she does best. :o)

5. 

   Gabriella
   January 25, 2006

   Ripley is such a beautiful dog and u capture her SO well! Cahier moleskine- they’re the bigger ones, right?

6. 

   Kate
   January 26, 2006

   Thanks for the further explanation! Yes, sometimes we really have to learn what something will so and how to adapt ourselves to its capabilities. You did well, in any case! Ripley looks wonderful…

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