Writers Who Paint, Painters Who Write

Funny how moving into an apartment makes you remember all the little things you don’t own, and have always borrowed.

…like pencil sharpeners.

I’ve been doing a lot of art lately, including a large acrylic painting for the wall of our apartment. I haven’t painted in a very long time, so it was a good exercise. Art is a good balance to writing, which I’ve also been doing a lot of. I’m beginning to submit to chapbook competitions– mustn’t let my poetry major die after graduation! And because writing requires so much critical thought, so much paying attention… Art is like therapy for a writer.

An Assorted (Yet Cohesive!) Paper Review

In this post, I outlined my initial impressions of four different Clairefontaine papers, which I received generously from Exaclair and bound into a short-term, multi-purpose book (what some people call a “journal”). I used this book during the last weeks of classes, as well as through the madness of Senior Week, and Graduation itself.

And it felt good (really good) to put this book aside after graduation– to start brand new, on a blank page. (What a handy metaphor, no?)

As it turns out, my blank page was on the other side of the country. But now I’m here in Colorado, and yes, I promised fuller reviews. So here we go.

Digital Color Printing Paper

Pentel Pocket Pen and ink on DCP Paper

First, to clarify: this paper isn’t meant for traditional writing and media. It’s for machines, and I’m sure it works superbly that way. But I’m not interested in machines (except, maybe, Leo Marx’s). I wanted to test a loose-leaf Clairefontaine paper– one that could be used for bookbinding!

This has perhaps been one of the few drawbacks to Clairefontaine products– they’re more like, well, office supplies than art supplies. So I really appreciate trying out some loose-leaf paper, which can be used as a raw material for a variety of art projects. The DCP paper is also available in a variety of weights (90 to 350 gsm), which allows for even more customization.

The short version: Use your fountain pens, markers, brush pens, and crayons on this paper; leave the paint and wet media alone. Water-soluble pencils/crayons/pastels have the potential to work well (perhaps if they’re more oil-based) but don’t overdo the water. Stephanie at Biffybeans did a review of this paper, and had similar findings.

Also, this is the time to experiment with bright colors. So channel your inner pop artist.

However, for whatever reason, I found that I did less art on this kind of paper. When I did draw, I used my Pentel Pocket Pen, which left beautiful, clean, high-contrast lines. Writing (in ink) on this paper was pleasurable, but the paper was too glossy to use a pencil, and the thinness also encouraged more minimalist approach.

Stamped! Notice the wet spot to the left; that's bleed-through from the drawing posted above

The Epitome of Self-Absorbed Art

I posted a while back about a drawing project that I was engaged in– a 7-foot tall realistic self-portrait. …In pencil. (Yes, I wore them down to stubs)

This was such a strange final assignment for my drawing class. We (the students) mostly sat around in the studio, twitching slightly from hyperconcentration, and wondering, “what does one do with a larger-than-life self-portrait?” It’s not exactly the typical Mother’s Day gift, but it’s even weirded to have it on your own wall.

So now it’s in storage. But I’m pretty proud of it (except for the face, which I, um, never finished in the chaos of exams) and wanted to share.

This is most of my body, but the full thing was head to toe.

(fun fact: I almost forgot to draw my tattoo until the last minute)

This is the strongest part, I think. That damn rip in my jeans took me HOURS.

Yeahhhh, just look at it.

Exams and More on the Horizon

This week is my last week of college.

…which is scary.

And that’s the thesis of this post. There are so many things I need to sit down and work through (emotionally, financially) before graduating. All I know is that I’m moving to Boulder, Colorado in one month, and I need all the connections, help, and employment that I can get.

My final project for my figure drawing class is a seven-foot-tall portrait of myself. From head to toe. It has been incredibly time consuming, but also very meditative: I’ve spent hours with a bottle of white wine, just shading. I feel like it should be challenging me to do some self-reflection, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Soon.

Anatomy in Pencil