art supplies

A Week in Japan

Monday, July 18, 2016

Ginkaku-ji Kyoto Japan

Just got back from a weeklong trip to Tokyo and Kyoto. Sadly I was a bit sniffly -- and the weather was by turns hot/humid and rainy (at times torrential) -- so I didn't get to sketch as much as I would have liked. Some highlights:

-The drool-worthy art supplies at Tokyu Hands and Sekaido.





















I got a new supply of my favorite Rotring Tikky Graphic pens, a fine-tipped brush pen, and a flat-tipped waterbrush. I also bought some watercolor-paper postcards and a book on watercolors by Japanese master Hideshi Katoh.






















-Also bought two traditional brushes at a small shop in the narrow lanes near Tokyo's Senso-ji temple.





















-Had great tofu and noodles at O-men (below) in Kyoto, and visited Ginkaku-ji (the "silver" pavilion -- pictured at the top of this post).

O-men Kyoto Japan


-Took a Japanese calligraphy workshop, where the facilitator gave us a choice of various words to practice. I chose "dream."

dream - Japanese calligraphy

-Shopped at Itoya, the ultimate stationery shop. Every floor is perfectly curated and designed.
















-Sat in our room at the Keio Plaza Hotel flicking channels and tried my hand at sketching sumo wrestlers. It was a challenge, since the matches only last a few seconds!

Sumo wrestlers drawn from TV in Japan

-Had a sketchbook custom-made for me at Kakimori, with two types of paper. It was fun to pick out the paper, the binding, and the covers and watch it being made on the machine.















And now I have just one week to prep for USk Manchester!

beach

Making Waves in Pacifica

Sunday, July 03, 2016

Rockaway Beach, Pacifica, CA
(8x8, ink and watercolor on Fluid 100 block)

The wind was fierce yesterday at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica. I was glad to have my Helly Hansen jacket -- stood up well to the gale! M. took this picture of me while I was painting.