all made up with nowhere to go

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.

Further to reading Favourite Books From My Youth™, I reread Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume. I haven't read it in decades, unlike the Christopher Pike, because it was one of those books I think I was afraid I wouldn't like once I was older (much like Archer's Goon and/or Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, both of which I am happy to report I still love to bits).

Reading it as an adult once both your parents are dead is heck of an experience, let me tell you. I mean, I always got that it was a sad book, because the main character is dealing with the death of her father but wow, it hit me in a completely different place this time than when I read it as a teenager.

I like that it's such a short book! It's less than 150 pages! (I prefer short books, tbh. I have the attention span of a gnat, and I've always been like that, and anything over 300 pages is, generally, an automatic nope).

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I made a couple more books the other day! (pic here)

I watched a video where someone made a square sketchbook and then I wanted to make one. I do not need to make any more books. I have a basket full of them. But, while I've made square books before, I have not made a square sketchbook, as it simply did not occur to me! Which is daft, because I think I like square ones the best!

So I reclaimed some cartridge paper (A3 size), cut it so it would make an 8x8 inch book, and used the offcuts to make a long sketchbook as well.

I won't get to use it for a while, since I am trying to use the books in the order I made them, but knowing it exists, and I made it is pretty neat.

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In semi-related news, I have been having a ball drawing with various types of fineliners! I don't know how, when, or why I mostly stopped, but for some reason I did (probably around the time I started using biros to draw with all the time, but I'm not 100% on that, and I only think that because I was looking through some of my more recent sketchbooks yesterday*). But now I've started again! Hopefully, I shall continue to have fun with them!

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*I regret to inform everyone who is concerned about the longevity of artist materials**, that a bunch of my sketchbooks, which are actually notebooks and not sketchbooks at all, do not have acid free paper, and have started yellowing across one edge, despite not being in direct sunlight. UM, WHOOPS.

**side-eyes at least one famous comics artist.

Today I went on a not-so random trip to Burnley! It was not-so random, because I needed to get my brother a birthday card (his bday is next week). I decided to go today because I wanted to get some biros for drawing with. I've got a book that ruuger recommended me ages ago called The Three-Colour Drawing Book, but I haven't really used it because I don't really use biros any more*.

(I realised I drew in pen A LOT when I was a teenager. I suppose it's because it's what I had to hand, and it would've looked suss getting out a pencil when you aren't supposed to be using one).

ANYWAY. The other day at work, I found two Usborne drawing books that I thought might be suitable for my nephew, as it is his birthday next month. Also one of the two ways I learnt to draw when I was very much younger was from Usborne instructional books, so I knew they would be good (hopefully). I sat down and flicked through them last night and...I kind of want to keep them? It feels mean, but my nephew doesn't know I have them. They just...I don't know...the drawing instructions are nice and simple, and the one has ideas for all sorts of stuff to do in it (it's an idea a day book), and it just pinged me creatively, and I felt excited about drawing.

And then I thought about the three colour drawing book, and dragged it out, and then was like, "Hmm, where to get ballpoint pens from???"

I initially went and looked at Cult Pens (since it is a Very Good pen website), and then realised that the postage would cost as much as bus fare, and I needed to go to Burnley anyway, so...that's what I did!

And I got bargain pens, so I am very glad I went! I mean, they were the ones I wanted (Bic), but they were on offer because of back to school. So I got a set of ten in four colours (red, black, green, blue), one of those four colour changing pens (because nostalgia), and a set of two Uniball Eye pens, which I've got into using recently. I don't need them, but they were £2 instead of 4, and a single one can be almost £3, so I thought it would be stupid not to get them.

I also ended up getting a snack haul because my inner five year old doesn't understand the concept of "not hungry". It included Sour Unicorn Haribo (????) and two different types of Poundland's Twin Peaks bars, because apparently there's around six or so variations??? (I've only ever seen the milk chocolate and white chocolate ones before, but this time I got Caramel Crunch and Honeycomb something or other).

And then I came home and did boring/other stuff, and have not managed any drawing yet, but that is okay! There is plenty of today left.

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*This is kind of a lie; I have my Zebra Z-Grips that I (mostly) write with and (sometimes) draw with, but I only have them in black. They do come in other colours, but I've kept telling myself I don't need them.

I did not carry on with watching Resident Evil longplays. I instead opted for Earthbound, as this week's been somewhat stressy, and I wanted to watch something a bit more cheerful (I know EB is terrifying when you think about it, but the fight descriptors and the music and the sprites make me smile. SO). I am currently just before Saturn Valley.

Oh, and talking of games, I randomly found out last night that Miitomo is closing down? I haven't touched it in over a year, so if I hadn't seen someone I follow on twitter talking about it, I never would have known. I still have it installed on my phone because now and then I've thought about going back on it, but it just...didn't grab me after a while. I may as well delete it now, I guess, because there's no point keeping it (and I never made any more Miis besides myself, and I've already got one of me on my 2DS anyway, so I don't need to save it. I feel like I am rambling!)

Anyway, I guess the point is that I am not entirely sad to see it go, but I kind of am? *shrugs*

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I knitted a scarf while scaring myself with zombies! It was using the expensive cotton yarn I bought back last year (I wish I'd bought two skeins now, but it was expensive, so I couldn't justify it to myself).

I've done bits and bats of drawing, and am thinking about making a bunch of paintings of busts of people, because that's all I seem to be drawing right now (or wanting to draw, outside of making animal characters. Though I've lost steam on that, because I want a world for them to exist in before I make them, and I don't know about that yet).

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I've got an eye test on Monday, and I'm actually looking forward to it, because I think my eyes have been funky for about a year at this point. I'm hoping my eyesight has changed enough to get a new pair of glasses, because the ones I've got are doing my nut (the sides dig into my head when I have headphones on and gdi, it hurts us precious). Also I'd like slightly bigger lenses, as I don't feel I've been able to see so well on the edges of my vision. And it would be nice to be able to see well again.