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...