Couple of weeks ago I talked about trying different kinds of paper with my shiny brand new Copic Sketch markers.

The contenders for this part of the experiment are two types from the Deleter line of manga papers. I love Deleter paper for its smooth surface that lends itself well to pencils and inks. I wanted to see how well it would work with Copics.

Variations on a theme in sepia, Op. 1 No. 2

First sketch is done on the Deleter comic book premium paper, plain, 110kg. (≈75lb) The second is on Deleter comic manuscript “memory” paper, 135kg. Right away it was clear to me that these papers are not conducive to blending. Maybe just barely. The first layer comes out super streaked. I was able to build up some smooth tones in subsequent layers of the same color, but mixing the colors just did not work out well.

So there ya go, cozins. I have issues with trusting labels, but in case of paper they are very accurate. :) I still love Deleter paper for use with inks, but for Copics, let’s look elsewhere!

Last month I got to contribute album design for Child’s Play CD 2008, a collection of “nerdy” music benefiting the Child’s Play charity. :) This project was so much fun to do—working off the established brand to create something new and lively. I’m proud of how it came out, and I daresay, cozins, this is one of my best work to date. :D

100% of the proceeds go directly to Child’s Play charity, so if you or a friend enjoy nerdy music, check it out! Good fun for a good cause. The music itself is 100% awesome—you can sample all of the tracks at the OneUps website. The album is available through the Penny Arcade store.

A couple of months ago I was introduced to the awesomeness that is Copic Sketch markers. Now, I’ve heard about them plenty before - people are willing to swear upon their unborn children how great these things are. But all that fell upon my deaf ears because I’ve never had an opportunity to observe them in action– until now.

Wow. It’s true what they say, cousins! These are not your regular markers. They blend, cousins. And they layer. And different colors merge together so nicely without the marker tips picking up stray color. I ain’t never seen a marker that can do that. ^_^

The only downside to these lil’ wonders is the price tag. Therefore I limited myself to 4 colors in the E (earth) range for now. It allows me to get a feel for the markers and do really nice sepia tone sketches.

I’ve had a lot of fun playing with these. The marker tip behaves like a brush, and it satisfies my desire to create in the traditional medium. It also gives an organic feel to the artwork, which is something I’ve been craving lately. (Does Copic count as traditional media?)

Variations on a theme in sepia, Op. 1 No. 1

I also played with several paper choices to see which kind is best for the markers. The first one I tried was my moleskine plain notebook. Not sure of the paper weight, but the page is pretty thin and the marker bleeds through. I could get some layers but the colors didn’t blend well at all. I’d use this paper for rough sketches only.

The other paper I tried was the fancy Copic bleedproof marker pad, 70gsm. I was surprised how thin this paper is! But it lives up to the promise—the markers didn’t bleed through, they blended very well and I got the best results with a blender than on any other paper. (Perhaps no so evident in the sketch on the right. :D) This paper was also a dream to draw on—I use light to medium pencil pressure and the paper was very responsive. I was even able to erase any stray lines without leaving grooves in the surface.

Next is a comparison of Deleter comic paper.

Make an eco-aesthetic cover for your favorite paperback in 5 minutes, without glue or tape

It is no secret that I am in love with pretty packaging. It warms my heart to see the expanding attention to detail and visual awareness in this area. Like the paper bags and napkins at Starbucks. Say what you will about the company, but their bags are made from 100% unbleached recycled fibers, with at least 80% post-consumer content (PCC). And how much other beautiful packaging material is out there? It’s sad to think that most of it goes to waste after single use. Surely we can reuse all these papers, and practice a sort of eco-aestheticism? ^_^

If, like me, you don’t like throwing away pretty things, here’s one way to extend the life of a paper bag, or any paper packaging that tickles your fancy.

The Eco-friendly (+ super easy) book cover

The small Starbucks bags are the perfect size to cover paperbacks, no matter the page count. My assistant for this project will be Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. The only tool you will need is scissors.

1»
Cut away the bottom, and remove the handles from the bag. Spread the paper flat. (You can smooth out most major wrinkles with a warm iron, if desired.)

2»
Trim the paper approximately 4 times width of the book, making an allowance for the spine. There should be enough paper to wrap around the book, with 3–4 inches for the cover flaps.

3»
Make folds on top and bottom edges of the paper, matching the length of the paperback.

4»
Place the book spine in the center of your paper, and fold one side over the cover, forming a flap. Slip the book cover into the folds of the flap.

5»
Repeat on the other side, and you’re done!

You can reuse the cover many times, simply adjust the flap widths to compensate for differences in book thickness. For larger format books, try the Trader Joe’s paper bags!

Enjoy your newly beautified and protected books, and do share what other papers you’ve been able to take to the Second Life. (ha! :)~ I couldn’t help myself.)

What fantastic news, now artists all over the world have a day to call their own and to celebrate, well, being themselves. ^_^ October 25th has been chosen to honor artists worldwide. (Which also happens to be Picassos’ birthday.)

As the official website says:

Picasso was instrumental in bringing art to the masses more than any other artist up to that time. He is the iconic artist personified.

Now more than ever it is important to focus on art and culture. Mainstream television, globalization and the internet are wiring everyone down to the lowest common denominator. True living requires attunement to our common humanity which is accessed through inspiration and the arts. By giving our attention to artists, we have the opportunity for one day to focus on what is eternal and timeless in our civilization. Just as Remembrance Day is important for reflection, Oct. 25th can give us a reason to participate in the arts personally.

Alyson Stanfield of Art Biz Blog has some great suggestions on how you can celebrate this day. More information is available on the website www.internationalartistday.com.

Artist cousins,
On Oct 30th Graphic Artists Guild is hosting a workshop about the do’s and don’ts of finding and using an artist representative. Might be of interest to some of you. (Info via Colleen Doran’s blog.)