なんと！

先日の新宿御苑でのスケッチが、モレスキン公式ファンサイト「モレスキナリー」さんにて取り上げられています。ワワワ！と言った感じです。モレスキンを使われてる方にも、アーバンスケッチングの魅力が伝われば！と祈っております。

スケッチのルーツ

部屋を整理してたら出て来た！Dan PriceのMoonlight Chronicles!! なんと1995年物です（笑）これが僕の『スケッチ』のルーツと言っても過言ではない。

Look what I have (re)discovered while cleaning my room.  Moonlight Chronicles by Dan Price, circa 1995! I won't hesitate to say that this book/zine is my roots, for my sketching life.

絵は子供のころからずっと好きで描いてたけど、『スケッチ』という形で何かを残すようになったのは、ホントにこの本？Zineを読んでからだなぁ。。。

I used to draw things since pretty much I was born but documenting, leaving something as a sketched format, happened after I read this book.

  まだUrabn Sketchingなんて言うコトバも発明？されてなかった頃。当時はこうやって自分の身の回りの事を記録する事はJournaling（ジャーナリング）って言われてたよ。

It was well before the word "Urban Sketching" was invented.  Back then, it was called "Journaling".

こんなに『上手く描こうとしてない』絵に、僕の心は射抜かれた（笑） これならオレもできるじゃん！て思ったよね、もちろん。

These lines!! I was struck by these "not trying to look good" look of his sketches.  And I thought "well, I could do this!",

でも、到底こういう風には描けないのね！？ビックリしたのは、無意識にキレイに描こうとしてる自分。そして、それなりに描け過ぎて全然面白味のない絵！わかる？なんて言うのか、上手いんだけど、だからこそ魅力がないというのかな？面白くも何ともないの（笑）

女の子も美人すぎるとなんかつまらないって言うじゃん？あれ？違うか？

But you know what, it was so very hard!? I was surprised to find out that I was unconsciously "trying to draw good".  The sketch looked nice and OK but it was boring, you know?

Just as you get bored quickly by a perfect looking girl?! no? lol

 ただ目の前のものを『描きたい』って描く事の重要さ。ピュアさとそれによって表現される面白さ。対象により似させて描く事を『上手い』と教育されていると、手や頭の記憶でスーーーッと上手い線を描いたりするけど、そうじゃない、とても初歩的な『描きたい』って言うだけの動機？「上手いとこ見せたい」って言うような、なんかスカしたイヤラシサがみじんもないのがスゲーと思ったね。

そんなワケで、未だにやっぱりこういう、どっちかというと描き手の個性が見える絵の方が断然に好きだなぁ。 でも世界は「上手い絵」が好きな人多いよね〜。教育され過ぎだよね。

  

Just drawing something in front of you, for the sake of wanting to draw.  That pure energy or a desire to express, will give a drawing/sketch a soul. Maybe he was "trying to make these sketches good" who knows, but I didn't see them that way.  It was more like, he tried as much as he could to draw whatever he wanted to draw, without trying to make them look perfect.

And I still value that kind of attitude myself.  You need to have FUN sketching, not perfection.  Though at the same time, I know many people love good/realistic looking sketches... I think they are overeducated, lol

Urbansketchers Japanのブログに記事をアップしました。

先週末、再びUrbansketchers の集まりがあったので参加してきました。

その時の記事をUrbansketchers Japanのブログにアップしましたので、良かったら読んでみて下さい。

Urbansketchers Japan のブログも充実しているのでチェックしてみて下さい。

下のロゴをクリックで飛びます。

Platinum Sepia Ink

I used to use Sailor Kiwakuro ink for my watercolor sketches, but one time I had them smudging my sketches like hell (maybe because of the paper quality? I have no idea tho) and ruined my sketches, I have since switched to Platinum Carbon Ink!  People warn about this ink because it cloggs up the pen faster than the regular ink, but so far, I am and my pens are doing fine!

Now, I didn't know about this but Platinum also have Sepia Carbon Ink!
One day I was talking to one of my stationary goods nerd friend and was talking about pen and ink.  I said to him Platinum Carbon Ink works really nice for me and I wish they had Sepia ink, then the nerd friend said "Eh? they DO carry Sepia ink".   I was like wooow!!

So, I ordered right away on my iPhone and the very next day they delivered this beautiful Sepia ink!!

As I have read on its review, the color isn't really Sepia-sepia, but more like a lighter brown.  I would say Chocolaty Brown.  Which I don't mind.  I filled my Lamy Vista with this ink and drew above sketch. Since I am used to using very black carbon ink (with bent nib calligraphy pen which creates very thinck line) this very light brown thin lines feel a bit too weak?  But you can always sketch lighter subject, something you don't want to have thick lines or defined lines, such as food sketch and/or flower sketches?

This is another example with the sepia ink.

親愛なるナヌークノートブックのその後

あまりの変わり様に正直かなりショックを受けて、ナヌークのTwitter宛にメールして、こんな事になってるんですが、同様のクレーム来てませんか？と聞いてみた。

回答を書き出すと：

•もともとナヌークの紙はOKシュークリームラフという銘柄を使ってて、その厚さ等、発売当初から変更無し。

•OKシュークリームラフは一般紙でナヌーク用に開発されたものではない。

•今までもロットにより裏抜け具合、紙表面の繊維の毛羽立ち具合が変わったということがあったが、ロット差に関しては管理数値（色の透明度、白色度、平滑度）が一般紙の誤差の範囲内。

•もともとOKシュークリームラフは書籍に使用される目的で作られた紙のため、筆記等目的の高級紙と比べると管理数値の範囲に際がある。

との事。

分かる！全部分かるんだけど！！なんだ、あまりの使用感の違いが（オレの中では）大きすぎて、、、水彩絵の具でスケッチする人なんてそんなにいないだろうから？大騒ぎしてるのはオレだけかも知れないけど、使い始めて2、3ページ描いたところでこんなショック。そして、この先ナヌークじゃダメじゃん？て事実がちょっとキツイね。

、、、というか、これはもう、いい加減にちゃんとした『スケッチブック』に絵を描けよと言う事なのかもなぁ？高いスケッチブックに挑むより、安く手に入るナヌークに逃げていたと言うのは実際にあるんだよ。そしていつの間にかナヌークの紙質の良さに助けられ、ここまで来てしまったと言う事なんだけど。

ううーーーーー。

これを読んでるナヌーク愛好家の方がいたら、コメント下さい。

おしまい。

親愛なるナヌークノートブックが！！！

きれいなノート「ナヌーク」でお馴染み？の、ナヌークノートブック。

そのシンプルさと何気に良い紙質を気に入って、2010年くらいから使い続けているんだけど、ついこのあいだ買ったのを昨日使い始めてビックリ！がんがん裏抜けするじゃん！？いつからこんななったの！？

もともとグラフィックデザイナーの松本弦人氏が作ったという話もすごく好きで、さすがデザイナーが考案しただけあって、これだけシンプルで潔く、その上クオリティーの高いノートが500円とかで買えるってところに感動したんだけど。本当にこれ、使い勝手が良い。しかも最近はコレに簡単なスケッチをして、さらに水彩絵の具で色まで塗るようになってたから、本当に重宝していた。

かなりヘビーに水彩を使っても感心するほど裏抜けしなくて、それを同じスケッチ仲間や外国の友だちにもプレゼントしたりオススメしたりして、けっこう自慢のノートだったのだ。

それがだ。昨日新しいのを使ってスケッチして、ページをめくったら何だか汚いんだよね？ 確認したら裏抜けの跡なの。普段から信頼してる紙質なので、その時は「あれ？オレそんなに筆圧強かったかな？」って思ってたんだけど、帰宅してから見ても、なんだかおかしい。

試しに薄墨の筆ペンでスッスッと書いてみたら、書いている最中から、明らかにインクが紙に染み込んで行くのが分かる。？？？えええ？？？

今までだったら、インクは紙の表面に乗るけど、こんな風に染み込んで行く感じじゃなかったじゃん？だって、塗ったとたん紙の繊維に吸い込まれたインクが変な感じでブツブツになってるじゃん。なんか、意味がわからなくてずっと？？？って感じ。しょうがないから、以前使ってたナヌークと比べりゃ早いや、と古いの全部引っ張り出して来て試してみたよ。

左から筆を下、上、下、と3ストローク（写真では動揺して上下上って書いて有るけど）真ん中が2ストローク、そして右側が1ストローク。

そしてその裏がこれ。（1、2、3、はストローク数）

ま、普通こんな感じだよね。

次は昨日下ろした新しいナヌーク。

表面に見えるなんかポツポツした跡、コレ繊維にインクが吸収された跡だと思うよ。

てか、今までこんな量のインクで、紙の表面にがこんなまだらになったことないぜ。

そしてお待ちかねの裏側！

がガガガーーーーーーーん！

どうよ？

こんなのないぜ？今までこんな簡単に汚くなったことなんて一度もない。

WWSketch Crawl and Urban Sketchers 24hr Sketchwalk.

We had this thing called World Wide Sketch Crawl today.  And today was also the day for Urbansketchers Anniversary Sketchwalk!!!  It was pretty much a festival for Sketchers around the world!

It was my first experience to "officially" join Urbansketchers Japan team today so I was a bit nervous but I knew some participants who were also the first timer via Instagram, so I was both nervous and exciting!!

But in the morning when I woke up, it was already 9:36am!!  We were supposed to be at Tokyo station at 11:00am! I was already 30min late!!  Way to go sinizzio!

Anyway, I got there exactly 30min late but everything was fine.  I acted really cool (LOL) and introduced myself and my wife to other members of USk Japan and we all got to sketch together! Exciting part was meeting with a couple of friends from Instagram.  We all knew each other and talked on Instagram but never met in person!! But as you know how it is, right away, we were like old friends!!  Awesomeness!!

今日はワールド・ワイド・スケッチクロールに行って来た。同時に今日はアーバンスケッチャーズの10周年記念として、世界中でもみんなスケッチウォークをする事になっているようで、いわば今日はスケッチャーズのお祭りみたいなもんだね。

こういうイベントに今まで一度も参加した事が無いので、どんなものか不安もあったけど、インスタグラムで繋がっていた友だちも参加すると聞いたので、不安半分ドキドキ半分で挑みました。

で、朝。目覚めたら既に９時半とか！僕らは11時に東京駅の新マルビル集合だったので、この時点で既に30分の遅刻が確定。なにやってんだ！？

ま、キッチリ30分遅れで到着したけど、みんな既にスケッチ中。何事も無かった風に颯爽と紛れ込む。そして、インスタグラムで繋がっていた何人かの友だちと現実に会う！！実際に今まであった事無いはずなのに、インスタで繋がってお互いの絵とか見て、コメントし合っているせいもあって、全然初対面じゃないみたいなこのノリ！サイコ〜！

This one was the very first sketch that I did of Tokyo station... In my mind, I was very sure everything will fit in the page, but no... it didn't... no....

一番最初のトライ。描く前は完全に全部はいる計算だったんだけど、入るわけが無い！！

It was sunny but as were were sketching it got bit cloudy.
到着当時は天気もよくて上着脱いだんだけど、途中から曇ったね。

This one was my second try.  But it still is very distorted, I somehow shurunk it a half size!? 

で、こちらが２度目の。これでさえ大幅に縮められている！！

We could sketch more but we were also hungry... so off to lunch!!

もっと描きたかったんですが、さすがにお腹もすいちゃってね。

After lunch, we started sketching each other.

みんなでお昼を食べて、一段落したら誰ともなくみんなスケッチをし出すという。

This is my sketch.

I added more color a few days later.  

楽しすぎ。

World Wide Sketch Crawl is tomorrow.

Midnight observational sketch.

My wife doing something on computer @2:00am.

@2:16am

@2:32am, she wore her Uniqlo light down vest.

Having fun with failed color palette...

I was making color swatches but it didn't work out as I hoped... so I played with it.  It was fun.

My new fountain pen.

HERO 9018 calligraphy nib pen.

Quick sketch on the train.

Sometimes, opportunity to sketch arrives out of nowhere.  Often times, when I am eager or ready to sketch, nothing seem to interest me to draw.  I carry all my sketching goods with me the whole time but it seems that the more I am ready, the less interesting the world seems...  And it is when I am not really thinking about sketching, the perfect timing arrives!!

It was when I was on the late night train going home from my weekly figure drawing session.  Everyone sitting in front of me were minding their own business, and no one seemed to pay attention even if I started sketching them!! I was only 3 stations away from my station, that is only 5 more minutes till I get off.  If I were a usual self, I'd say "nah..." and kept sitting but that night, after the figure drawing session, I was a bit high maybe? I started to draw anyway.

I started sketching from the left.  Initially I thought I'd be happy if I could finish the 3rd guy on time, but I was quicker than I thought and it seemed I could go on more so I did.  And when I got to my station, I was drawing the 2nd guy from the right.  And I could just stand up and get off the train... but I couldn't!  I really wanted to capture the last guy (the guy on very right) who were sleeping looking up with his mouth half open!  So, I kept drawing, sitting for an extra stop...

Well, I think it was worth it.  I felt really complete and content!  Luckily, one extra stop didn't hurt much and I walked home from there, I got to excersise both on my sketching skill and for my body.

This is the colored version.

To make a frame or not to make a frame... that is the question.

I don't know why but I never liked making a frame before I sketch.  You know, some people make a square/rectangular frame in their sketchbook page before they sketch?  I could never do that.  But when I was sketching with @lolsup, and when I asked her for some tips,  she told me "framing can work as your reference point".

hmmm, I see...

The reason why I don't like making a frame beforehand is because one; I usually can't draw nice straight lines on the go. (cuz when I want to sketch, it's usually like "I wanna sketch NOW!" and there's no time to put down my sketchbook on a firm surface and make nice straight lines), and two; making a frame makes me feel I am committing to my sketch.  I just want to sketch/draw whatever I see and not make a work. I don't make myself feel like "OK, now, I will sketch this interesting/beautiful scene in my sketchbook!"  It's weird mentality... I want to start from wherever and whatever and if that works, I want to progress from there and if that goes well, it'll end up becoming a piece... but not make myself commit to the sketch before I start sketching.

But the other day, I kind of thought, hmmm why not make a frame by taping some masking tape on my sketchbook page and see how that works...

And here are the results.

It was nice.  I didn't feel I need to commit to what I am doing because there's actually no frame made with a line. but rather with a tape, which made it feel more like a border... if that make sense? lol

and after I colored my sketch and peeled off the masking tape, it created this invisible frame!!  which looks kinda neat!

And yes, I guess having a frame makes it easier to sketch a scene.  and eventually make one commit to finishing the scene as a work piece.  I wasn't feeling being made to commit to sketching before doing these pieces, but as I sketched them I focused more and more and finished the whole scene.

If there wasn't a frame, I might not have...because when I lose my concentration or make a mistake and feel "ah, crap" I will stop sketching there...  Bur when you have this un-sketched blank area in the frame, you kind of feel you need to fill it in even if it's already crappy.  LOL

Anyway, so I think it's working for me now.  And after I've done these sketches, my wife and kids saw them and said "I think you are getting better" , "Your sketches getting more detailed" blah blah blah... yes, I guess that's because I finished a sketch as a whole scene not just person or object in front of me... which I usually do without framing...

Hmmm, very interesting change in my sketching style.  And I think, hope if you are not used to framing your sketch before, you might want to give it a try next time?  It will give you a good surprise.

水彩絵具のアルミケース

そうそう、これ書こうと持って忘れてたんだけど、ようやく日本でも固形水彩の携帯ケースが安く買えるようになったみたいよ。

てか、 ずっと探してたんだよ。
なぜか、固形水彩の入ってるあの小さいハーフパン容器とか、それを入れるアルミのパレットケースって言うの？は、日本であんまり流通してないのか、ほとんどが海外のブランドの物を大手が仕入れて、その結果、空のアルミケースが５０００円くらいしたりするんだよね。

で、以前探しまくって、ハーフパン用のアルミケースだけは見つけたんだ。それでも２６５０円、それに送料がついてやっぱり３０００円くらいしたんだよ。しかもそれには固形水彩を単品で買った時に絵の具が入ってる、あの白い容器無し。

チューブで買った絵具を、その白いケースにひねり出しておいて、その時々に応じてアルミケースに入れて出かけたいな、とか思っていたので、その白い小さなケースも欲しかったんだよね。海外ではフツーにバラで売っているのに、日本では無くてさ。海外から注文しようかとも思ったんだけど、バカらしくなっちゃって放置してた所、、、

アマゾンに来たぜ！中国のメーカーだけど。いや、でも驚くほど安く自分が欲しいと思っていた物が現れて、正直ウハったね。

見てよ、種類もけっこう揃ってんの。ハーフパンはもとよりフルパン用のもあるよ。
ただ、パレットの皿？がこのケースの場合大きいのが２つしかないって所ね。ま、そんなに大した事じゃないけど、前に買ったものはこの部分が３等分されててて、そこも気に入ってたもんだから。

あ、ちなみのこのケース、例の白い小さな容器は、透明のが付属してる。チューブの絵具を入れるだけなので、何色でも絵具が入れられれば構わないんだけど、届いたのを調べたら、いままで使っていたWinsor&NewtonやVan Goghの白い容器より若干大きめだった。でも、ほぼ気にならないレベルだね。　

いまこれを書いてる最中に調べたら、アマゾンでも他のメーカーの空ケース（前に買った物＝レンブラント）を売ってたけど、値段は倍してる。

 下の写真がレンブラントのケースと、今回買ったチャイナのやつ。

 

チャイナの方がきも〜ち、ほんの気持ち小さい。 

 

 開くとこんな感じ。 汚いな（笑）

これは１２色用のパレットなんだけど、真ん中の所にもハーフパンを横向きで入れて全部で２０色入る。左のはいまホルベインの水彩を入れている。右の新しい方には、以前使っていたW&Nの物を。

おしまい 

あ！ちなみにチャイナのケースじゃなくて、レンブラントの空ケースが気になる方は、こちら。

English summery:  I couldn't find a decent priced empty half pan case in Japan.  But recently they started to stock on Amazon.jp.  The ones I found was from China and it was 1/2 price compared to the one that I got before.  I wasn't expecting much but it works quite fine!

Super Fun Night Sketch Outing

A couple of days after our first sketch outing, @lolsup and I went out again, this time in Shibuya area! If you ever come to Tokyo or are in Tokyo right now, you should check these two places out. One is this seafood place called "Kaikaya by the sea" in Shinsen (one stop away from Shibuya) they are really popular among foreigners and the food is amazing. the other is a bar called TRACK, located in Ebisu.  Both sketches were done while I was a bit drunk lol.

I never been to an Urbansketchers sketch outing before but I never realized how much fun it would be to just sit together with like minded friends and sketch!!!  I need to organize some meet ups with more people next time!!

最初のスケッチミートアップ？の数日後、再び@lolsupと出かけました。今度は渋谷周辺。もし東京に来る機会があれば、開花屋（渋谷から一駅隣の神泉 にある）と、恵比寿のバー、トラックはおすすめです。両方ともお酒を飲みながらのスケッチでしたが、本当に楽しかった！！

いままでUrbansketchersの集まりなどに参加した事は無かったけど、同じ趣味の人と黙々とスケッチすることがこんなに楽しいとは思いもしなかったなぁ。

今度はもっと大勢の人と集まる企画をしたいなぁ。

It's a small world...

１０月のある日、InstagramでフォローしているNY在住の @lolsup が突然メッセージして来て、いま日本に来てるから会わない！？って！(笑) お互いInstagram上でしか会話したことないのに、まるで前から知っているかのような親近感！

@lolsupの事は、ちょうど２年前にNYへ行った「後」に知って、現地で会えなかった事を残念に思いつつ、コメントなどで話をしたりしてた仲。次に東京に来た時か、オレがNYへ行く機会があったらぜひ一緒にスケッチしよう！なんて言ってたのが、いきなり本当になった！！

全然違和感なくスケッチしながら楽しい時間を過ごしたよ。スゲー時代。

super fun urbansketch time with @lolsup from NYC!! We only knew each other on Instagram and never met in person, but the other day I got a message saying "wanna hung out?!" and she said she's in Tokyo!!! whaaaaaaattt?!?!?!? it's just so crazy and awesome!! 

Sketches from my dream memory.

The other day, I had a really weird dream where I take a train from this train station in a cave.  The station is called "Shinagawa" and I somehow remember that I've been there before too.  The name "Shinagawa" actually is one of the train station in Tokyo, however the real Shinagawa is very futuristic and located almost very center of the business district in Tokyo and is surrounded by many tall business buildings... and not in the cave!!

this one is the first try with watercolor.

2nd try with watercolor pencils and water brush.

Anyway, I took a train from this Shinagawa station to do a coverage on this town where there are only elderly and cats live together.  I was carrying a video camera and was with a couple of crew...  Once there, I remember walking around the town and seeing many cats and elderly walking around.  Everything was slow.  I saw Prius driving in front of us but it was really slow, and it had a cat's face graphic covering the entire back of the Prius...? I also remember seeing a humanoid cat people with very funky fashion standing in front of this fence.  One of them wore a funky eye glasses but he? she? wore it somewhat crooked way that it wasn't fitting the right way... I found that very interesting so I remember that very clearly.

anyway, I thought it'd be interesting to document my dreams this way more...

It's been a long long... way too long time!!

Been thinking I need to make a new blog but just remembered that I had on already and found out that I've abandoned it for almost like 3 years... wow!

Now, I've been sketching for the last 3 years and posting them on my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sinizzio/) but I think I need to have a page where I can talk/write/describe more about my sketches? So here I am again...

Well, I've been using Van Gogh watercolor paint when I first started coloring my sketches --- which you can see in my very first entry --- then I switched to Winsor & Newton --- which you will see in my most of Instagram posts --- then just recently I've switched to using Holbein Watercolors.  These sketches are colored using Holbein.

anyway, that's it for now.  I will post more if I remember that I have a blog again...