Sketch Dump

A joke inspired by a post on fountain pen site fpgeeks.com . Drawn in a Moleskine pocket reporter notebook with a Koh-I-Noor 2mm leadholder, and then inked with a Pelikan Steno fountain pen, filled with Pelikan Blue/Black ink.

The fine nib, and well behaved ink are pretty good on the less than stellar Moleskine paper.

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Sketch: Counter Knowledge

An attempt at copying the cover of Damian Thompson's "Counter Knowledge", in the hope of learning to draw what I see, rather than what I *think* I see.  Also without pencils, to commit to the line completely.  Not very good, but not completely terrible.

 

Media: Moleskine Pocket Reporter, Rotring Esprit with Diamine Monaco Red, Schneider Base with Diamine Imperial Purple.

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From 2D Goggles: A Matter of Proportion

Read More at 2D Goggles/a>

Although this Chibi Brunel is the highlight of the post for me, the rest of it is an interesting look at the use of proportion in the creator's own comic, and in others.

Looking back through some sketchbooks, I notice that I tend to draw figures 7 heads high, personally, which falls squarely in the category of dullard realism

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STUFFE

ANTI-MONKEY BUTT POWDER
A new product tested at Urban Velo. Clicking through to the manufacturer's site, the ad videos are really very funny.

LONDON CYCLING
Some interesting stuff from Karl on Sea on his recent visit to the capital.

He compares London's hire scheme with others.

He looks at how driver behaviour can make even a fairly straightforward route an intimidating experience.

And lastly he observes the dominance of the Brompton in multi-modal commuting.

OTHER PEOPLE'S PROJECTS
I'm really enjoying Kim Harding's account of his bike build. The build is based on a 2009 Genesis Croix de Fer frame (one of the "do it all" cross bikes that are becoming more and more popular), which was an unusual bike at the time it was introduced because of its disc brakes.

It should build up into a really nice commuter/light tourer/off roader.

CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE DEPT.
I've been irritated by Copenhagenize's occasional jabs at the "sport" cyclist, so it was nice to see him speak favourably of Robert Penn's "It's All About the Bike" here.

SHOULD IT BE CALLED THE ROULEUR'S JERSEY?
A great article on why Petacchi's disqualification from the Tour would not mean Mark Cavendish taking green, here on the Pave blog.

VELOCLUB DON LOGAN DOES LE TOUR
...and has an international incident afterwards too.

REDUCE SPEEDS, AND THEY WILL COME

Copenhagen's Car-free streets & Slow-speed zones from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

The Utility Cycling blog had this nice Streetfilms film about Copenhagen's people friendly spaces. It's good because it shoots holes in many of the reasons people give for not taming the car a little in our cities. As has been said before, if we can make the spaces between our buildings into more than the parts where motor traffic goes as fast as it can, good things happen.

ARTHUR DE PINS AT THE BEACH
Drawn.ca features the work of French artist Arthur De Pins, here. Appropriately for the time of year, if not the weather *I'm* experiencing, it's beach themed.

THEY DRAW AND COOK
Artists and illustrators write and illustrate their favourite recipes. Featured on the Lines and Colors blog.

SALSA UPDATES
Salsa have an update on the clever Wanderlust, and downright nifty minimalist racks they showed earlier in the year.

They're also making a Snowbike, the Mukluk, which looks very cool - check out the design features they've put on the frame.

STUFFE

I'M STILL NOT BUYING AN IPAD


But this is really cool. Lines and Colors features Brooklyn artist David John Kassan painting from life using an iPad. £600 is a lot to pay for a sketchpad, but people assure me that Apple's pricey rectangle does other stuff too.

FOCUS BOOKS
I really like this little productivity idea for cartoonists & artists from Kevin M at New Construction. To get over that "good book", or "first sketch" feeling (the hesitation before sketching in a really nice book, or before doing the first sketch in a new one). As he points out, it's also an inexpensive way to get into a particular thematic vein before starting work properly.

CYCLING INQUISITION AND RAPHA
In which Lucho articulates something many of us less stylish cyclists feel in the rarefied atmosphere of the big R. He also notes some disturbing trends in new "colorways";

If this is what cycling fashion is descending into, will someone please come over to my house and simply piss on my eyeballs?

Also on the subject of Rapha is this BSNYC piece, about Rouleur.

If you thrive on the history, imagery, and lore of the sport you will certainy enjoy it. However, I can't even take the Bible seriously, much less bike racing, so when I read Rouleur I generally feel like a child sitting in a religious service and trying not to laugh.

He has a point about the reverence of some of Rouleur's contributors, but it's often a fascinating read; the issue illustrated has a great piece about the Gendarmes who escort the tour that you'd probably not see anywhere else, and Tom Southam's piece about riding in the Tour of Britain is really good. Still, at least he takes the mickey out of Assos, so it's all good.

SKETCHBOOK - A Magickle Sheep

So, the day before yesterday there was some discussion about sportwool, and its amazing ability to keep you comfortable in both warm and cool weather. I think it was photography's Guy Collier who mused on how it could do this.

And the answer that sprang into my head was "...because they use the wool from MAGICKLE SHEEPS." I was unable to get that out of my head, so sat down with the sketchbook for half an hour last night.

Self Criticism Dept:
The head is too blocky, overly large & not oval enough.
The rear legs are flat out weird.
The Paul Daniels Sheep would have presented more of a challenge.
I really should start scanning them instead of taking pictures of them with my N97.

STUFFE will be back tomorrow, all being well.