Many missives in this little red Fabriano Sketchbook. Each drawing in this body of work is made with a fixed width fountain pen. Each drawing has a conversation with the drawing before and the drawing after.

The lack of opacity of the Fabriano sheet allows a reader to experience the show through drawing on the verso and the full drawing on the recto. This creates a rhythm and a linear experience a story line as one pages through.

There is no meaning to the marks until the reader views the drawings in context. The experience create a narrative of imagination.

I've been making drawings daily in anticipation of Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. Working in different directions, experimenting.

I'll be showing drawings new and old. This pic is a Hipstamatic grab of two drawings. Been very busy extending my measurement works. These show three dips. The larger needs the last pen dip. 

I'll be looking forward to visitors from noon - 6 PM.

This morning I opened a package in my snail mail to find some handmade square sheets of paper. Shortly later I made this drawing.

I had never used this ink, this pen, or this paper before. Difficult drawing, Interesting results. 

The way that the small sheet and all the edges come into play when placed on a larger surface make the deckle feel like a drawn edge.

I'm working with smaller drawings now. It's all in response to the heat and how much energy it takes to make big drawings. I love small drawings and right now I am making drawings that can be paired or shown in multiples.

This is the start of a larger series of drawings made on 7 x7 inch paper. They follow the rules of the measuremnt series; dipping a pen and drawing a single stroke one after another until the ink is gone and repaeating this until it fills a defined field. The drawing reveals a rhythm and the marks measure the distance and mass one dip of a pen can make. 

I've made a series of four drawings in my new red Fabriano sketchbook. This is a narrative of sorts. This is a new project and new form for the measurement drawings. This first series is done with a refillable fountain pen. I can fill it to complete the entire book.

I'm starting another that uses a dip pen where we can see how many missives can be drawn with the dip of a pen.

This past week I spent some time on a barrier island listening to what the sand, sea, and sky had to say.

I've been commissioned to create a piece for a beach house. I'm planninga couple of sketch trips to capture some rhythms and a color samples that will be used in the drawing. The feeling of late summer was in the air everywhere I went.

Took this little snap on my visit.

Looking forward to my additional trips.

Back in the studio in August and it's already been very productive. My last visit I completed another drawing in a new series.

These drawings consist of three repetitive marks drawn in columns. I'm learning about how the columns react based on speed, ink, and drawing impelments. This drawing was made using prefilled drawing pens. They create a consistant line and tone. I love the different experience from close and distant views. Still, they don't run out of ink for many. many marks. This is not consistant with my need to use measuring as a key element in making my recent work.

A couple presents that came in the mail this week.

A set of amazing Fabriano sketchbooks and a fabulous polka dot pencil case. destined for my art gobag. Thinking about little sketchbook projects. A book full of ink drawings? Tests required.

I'll have time in the studio this week.

Half the book is microperfed. Yeah.

A good hot cuppa Joe and off to the studio today. Time to make some drawings on new Fabriano paper I'm gonna pick up as soon as the art supply opens.