when i am king

I discovered a couple of new (and inspiring) artists thanks to a combo of IG/Pinterest, which was nice.

I've not really been feeling the urge to draw much this year, but thanks to the one artist, I started again, a bit, just messing around, and I really enjoyed it! Turns out I miss drawing, who knew! Also because of them, I made a 12 page sketchbook from some heavy weight kraft card that I have - they draw on toned paper, and for once I actually found it kind of inspirational*. So I am going to draw a bit in that and see how I like it.

(I did not find any of my white pens - including a Posca! - failing to show up properly on the card very inspirational, though).

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I also bought myself my first lot of proper alcohol markers! I feel incredibly guilty about it (because spending money), but I have been wanting to buy some for most of the year, if not longer.

(Although if I am honest, I have actually wanted alcohol markers since I was at high school and my D&T teacher showed the class some work he'd done with some. I thought they looked really cool, but then thought no more about it for years afterwards).

Like. Sharpies are nice and all, but they are not art supplies, and they stink to high heaven.

So I got myself two sets of Spectrum Noir markers from the Range! I have the Floral set and the Blue blending set. I wanted the Turquoise one, but they didn't have it in stock at the store I went to, but there was the blue one, and I am nothing if not biased re: colours.

I also picked up two more packs of Daler Rowney Simply marker paper in Poundland, as they were 50p for ten sheets, so at least I won't feel like I'm wasting it if I just use it for swatches or trying something out. I swatched the Spectrum Noir markers, and they look really nice on it! Unlike the Sharpies, which I tried out a few months back.

I partly bought the markers because I've been doing a lot more drawing this past week or so and, because, as I said, I wanted them, and it was sort of a treat for getting a job. Also they're WAY cheaper than Copics, and I don't have immediate access to any of the other brands, especially not refillable ones.

And I also found a use for a terrible sketchbook I've had for years! Turns out it works really nicely with gel pens and Sharpies, and I kind of wish I'd realised that when I bought it, but I wasn't using either thing at the time (I bought it just after Xmas 2018, according to the order email). But if I can use it to practice marker technique/mess with gel pens, that's fine by me. I wouldn't have even though about getting it out, but that another artist I found via Pinterest uses a sketchbook of the same brand (but which, for whatever weird reason, seems to be only available in Australia, when it is a British brand??? I DIGRESS). So I thought about pulling mine out to see what would happen. And it was a positive result, so yay!

I will probably never buy another one of this brand - although I have one in a smaller size because it was mum's and she never got to using it - but I'm glad I no longer feel like it was a waste of money.

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Finally, in more whiny news, I have been in absolute agony with my hands hurting A LOT over the past week. So much so, that I considered going back to the doctor but a) I'm positive they'll say there's nothing wrong, like the condescending physio did last November and b) I'll get put on painkillers, which I do not want.

They're still hurting now, but they're not as bad - although as I type this, they do feel stiff, and I feel clumsy typing.

Also my toe joints decided to join in, just for funsies. They've not been as bad, but even so. I am far from amused.

I guess I'll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks or so. It comes and goes anyway, but this last week was the worst it's been and I don't know why.

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*I like drawing on coloured/toned paper, but I don't choose to do it as often as I do drawing on white/off white paper.