Digital Abstract 1

Inspired by Jon Burgerman, I started this visual excursion as a linear composition in Illustrator, added some color, some texture, then brought it into Photoshop where the mayhem really began. I stacked about 30 layers of various opacities and blending modes, painted with some handmade and standard brushes (occasionally with layer effects) and generally stumbled around until I had something I liked.

Working organically is time consuming but fun. It’s also a good way to develop an eye for creating focus since one decision or set of decisions can send the composition careening in a direction that lacks punch and emphasis. Rather than doing too much subtracting of layers that were counter-productive, I opted instead to adjust the opacity or blend mode, or just add another layer to compensate and correct.

Cleaning Your Niji Waterbrush Pen

If you’ve read enough of my posts you’ll know that my #1 favorite sketching/inking tool is the fabulous Niji waterbrush pen (thank you Satoshi for introducing us over a year ago. Our feelings for one another grow deeper with each passing sketch). I currently have 3: My original which is my watercolor workhorse, #2 which is filled with Rapidograph Black India waterproof ink, and #3 which has yet to be put into use (#1 is getting worn out due to using it on some unkind paper so it may become my texture/fill in brush).

Since the ink tends to eventually build up (splaying the bristles like any brush and ruining the point), I decided one day to see if I could disassemble the thing and give it a good cleaning. I was a bit nervous because the 3 brushes I have were hard to come by (I know I could order them online but where’s the fun in hunting?) and I didn’t want to damage my much loved Nijis.

Happily the operation has been successful on both active brushpens and each time (especially with #2 ) I’ve noticed a clear improvement in performance, for example the worriesome ink flow increase diminished and I no longer had to worry about wrecking a nice line with a pool of black). Here is a photo showing how the brush comes apart and a few bits of advice.

1. Remove Cap
2. Unscrew reservoir from tip sleeve
3. With your thumbnail, apply pressure at “A” to push brush tip out of sleeve
4. Rinse assembly, use q-tip to clean inside of sleeve
5. With fingernail remove the black buffer (at far left of photo)
6. Gently pinch the brush tip and carefully slide it out of its housing
7. Rinse with soapy water very, very gently (The synthetic bristles I believe are heat-bonded to the circular base “B”. Pretty durable which is great because no ferrule means deeper cleaning, but be cautious).
8. Once clean, shape the brush tip to a point with your fingers. Slowly reinsert the tip into its housing. This is the trickiest part, if you rush this bristles will splay and get permanently tweaked. If a few bristles on the edge get damaged, you can neatly snip them off at the base, no worries.
9. Reverse the process to reassemble.

Happy cleaning.

Zoo Tripping and Tips

I visited the Oakland Zoo last week. I took some video which will hopefully give me some good sketch fodder. I also did some quick sketching of the animals and humans, including my favorite: the Crowned Crane.

I recently skimmed through a book on quick sketching. One of the tips was to have an inverse ratio between the size of the subject and the size of the sketch. Another was to have in mind the purpose of each particular sketch. It’s a good read, though I didn’t go through each exercise as the book suggests.

Chidler Sketches

Our housemate recently moved out leaving an empty “playroom” which the chidlers quickly annexed. I grabbed my markers and a rubber band sketchbook* and proceeded to give art direction to my band of diminutive dramatists. Here are some of the resulting drawings.

* Take 10-15 8.5″x11″ sheets of paper fold in half to create a 5.5″x8.5″ book. Put a rubberband aound the middle to create a temporary binding. Voila.! Start sketching.