Author Archives: leslie

Drawing-a-Day: Waiting for now


I’m removing this image until I get confirmation that my info is correct. I shoudl know by this evening . I intend the piece to be satirical and thus want to be sure that my info is correct and not misinformational.Sorry for the inconvienence.

“the Big Bad GSA” measures A5 or 5.75×7.5 inches. I did a quick sketch with pencil and then used a couple of fountain pens filled with Noodler’s Black, Nikita and Eternal Brown.

Drawing-a-Day: Smoking Kills

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"Smoking Kills" measures A5 or 5.75×7.5 inches. I did a quick sketch with pencil and then used a couple of fountain pens filled with Noodler's Black, Nikita and Eternal Brown.

Cost is $25 USD, shipping to CONUS included.

 

A little story about this image. I don't smoke. Every piece of trash that is tossed onto my street blows into my yard. I have found parliment, kool and various other cigarette packages in my yard, along with a plethora of butts. I dutifully clean this shit up on my days off from work. I hate smoking. My grandfather died of lung cancer which was directly linked to his 3 pack a day smoking habit. I look at my having to clean up cigarette butts as some sort of evil eff you from the universe.

I also have to clean up styrofoam Dunkin Donuts cups, paper bags from McDonalds and Dunks, assorted lids from take away places. My neighbor's recycling tends to blow out of their recycling bins as they aren't secured. This all ends up in my yard in some weird wind vortex of recycling hell.

Review: Pilot Parallel Pen 6mm

I’ve been looking for a pen that would let me lay down a wide swath of ink without dipping a brush into my ink bottle. I’d seen the Pilot Parallel pens for sale through John Henry Booksellers but I haven’t placed an order with them in awhile. On my latest perusal of the GouletPens.com site I noticed they were carrying them for $10 each. That is a great price. I decided on the 6mm pen for the widest line of ink possible.

The way this pen works is like a fountain pen with a feed that flows between 2 sheets of thin springy steel. You can use the full flat side of the pen for a wide stroke or the corners for a very fine line. The pen feels a lot like a brush and lays down a very wet line. The fine line is very fine and adds a lot of versatility to the pen.

So far I’ve done about a half dozen drawings with the 6mm pen and frankly, it makes me want them all. It’s easily one of the most versatile pens I’ve used in a long time. It lays down a wide wet line of ink that covers anything well. The pen is really great especially when you look at the fact that it was only $10. Essentially it’s like getting a extra fine pen and a 6mm in one pen. In short it’s a good value.

Here are some examples of what I’ve done with this pen.

 

 

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The negative aspect of this pen is that it feels really cheap. Its pearlized gray plastic is light and is very slick in the hand. The grip area is also very smooth but clear. The cap is a funny shape and does not post. The corners of the nib do tend to lift fibers and can get blocked. They provide a special cleaning sheet that does a good job of cleaning the nib.

I’m not sure if the pen is a good candidate for turning into an eye dropper due to the threads. There is a gap on one side. I’m not sure that silicone grease would fill it well enough. I will try this and see what happens.

I got mine from GouletPens but it’s also available from JetPens and Pilot’s online store.

Drawing-a-Day: Little Hammer

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“Little Hammer” measures A5 or 5.75×7.5 inches. I did a quick sketch with pencil and then used a couple of fountain pens, one with J.Herbin Bleu Nuit and another with Noodler’s Black.

Cost is $25 USD, shipping to CONUS included.





 

Wordy Wednesday: Wheat Paste and Posters

Back in the late 90’s I move back to the area of Maine where I grew up. After 4 years of college I felt stifled by small town life. During that time I started publishing my ‘zine “To Avoid Suffocation” and bought my first desktop computer. It opened a world up that just would not have been accessible to me otherwise. While I was in school a friend introduced me to the bulletin board system and the magicial world of listserv. Oh my.

I started designing fliers for feminist and lesbian groups. The fliers were specifically made to be cheaply reproduced in halftone on a photocopier to look spectacularly shitty. Think punk posters drawn with sharpies and graphic ripped off of websites, manipulated in paint and stuck together in the magic of some forgotten lotus program. They were saved as bitmaps and distributed via the listserv, email, and zines everywhere. I must’ve made a good 50 or so designs and put them all out there under a pseudonym. I have a few hard copies of some of the designs and frankly they are terrible. Horrible stuff, but effective in their messaging. Which, is, I suppose the purpose of all posters.

While visiting my ex at her University I would manage to make a hundred copies of the posters, which at regular letter size fit easily into a regular bag. A spaghetti sauce jar of wheat paste and a cheap brush allowed me to quickly and easily slap all hundred copies up in a short period of time, and dispose of the evidence. I pasted them up alone and without my ex’s knowledge. While I waited for her to get out of class I’d flier bomb the restroom of whatever building she was in, the nearest dormitory, or the library. I wasn’t picky but I had a goal of putting up 100+ fliers each time I visited and I did. I realize now that I single handedly caused thousands of dollars in cleanup* effort, I kept the maintenance men very busy for a semester.

I was never caught. My disguise was that I looked like a student and I routinely was carrying some of my Ex’s books about so the look was complete.

I look back and wonder at my fervor at getting my message across. I suppose it’s the same passion that drives me to maintain this blog, though the messages are vastly different the drive is the same. I’ve got thoughts I need to put onto the screen, for whatever reason I do this and I enjoy it.

I should scan in some of the least offensive and terrible posters and put them up. Though, what is the statute of limitations for damage to public property?**

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Technique Tuesday: Cracked Paint

So. I had planned on a Technique Tuesday. I was gonna do a little piece on one of the many things I’ve got on my list and well, I got in a car accident on the way to work. Some moron cut me off and then stopped short and I rear ended her.  My little car is less happy than it was a week ago when it got out of the shop after being rear ended. Yes, I’ve had my car back for less than a week.

All in all, I’ve been driving 128 five days a week for the last 5 years and never been in an accident until the 2 I’ve had in the last month. I guess in a way I’ve been lucky. Two minor accidents in 5 years is really nothing.

As the cop said, “Any accident you can walk away from, well, you’re lucky.”

So yeah, that’s why I don’t have a Technique Tuesday for today.

Oh and to get the cracked paint effect, drive a Nissan Versa into a Honda Civic at approximately 15mph on a damp highway while slamming on your breaks and leaving a streak of black rubber and creating a cloud of smoke.

Also, look for a job closer to home.

And well, if you'd like to donate to the Car Repair Fund here's a handy button: