IF Highlight

                                                             Size: 10 x 17 cms
                                                             Media: Mixed media
                                                             Pens: Sailor Saporro, Copic
                                                             Marker, Prismacolor pencil.


Mark's highlight of the year was on 31st December at midnight when he celebrated the New Year with a cup of tea. Happy New Year!! to all of my Friends and readers of The Pen Mover........Cheers!!... Rod (raises cup of tea in the air).

IF Messenger

                                             Size: 18 x 20 cms
                                             Media: Pen and ink on paper
                                             Pens: Dip pen (Gillott 170 nib), Rotring artpen and
                                             Copic sketch marker

                                   
                                             Size: 19 x 16 cms
                                             Media: Pen and ink on paper
                                             Pens: Lamy and Copic




These guys somehow relate to Mercury, the messenger of the God's. My message to all my readers and friends is : Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!!!! Also thanks to everyone for their kindness and support during this first year (since May 2011) of my blog, 'The Pen Mover'..... Cheers Rod

IF Sink

                                                         

                                                            Size: 11 x 16 cms
                                                            Media: Pen and Ink
                                                            Pens: Sailor Sapporo & Copic Marker


It is generally thought that a ship's Captain should go down if his ship should sink. This is a myth apparently. If a ship sinks it is the Captain's duty to ensure the safety of all others on board before his own. So if there isn't time to get off he would therefore be the last (or one of them) and go down with his ship....it's not a voluntary pride duty thing after all!

IF Separated

                                           

                                                 Size: 15 x 18 cms
                                                 Media: Ink on paper
                                                 Pen: Sailor fountain pen


I drew this Christmas card a few weeks ago to print and send out to a few friends and family. What always confused me as a Kid, was how the stories of Jesus and Santa Claus were separated. The ideas that everyone had a beard (apart from Mary), the Virgin Birth and the immaculate conception(s) etc etc didn't help.

The Crisis

                                                        Size: 18 x 17 cms
                                                        Media: Ink on paper
                                                        Pens: Lamy and Rotring

"Every little thing counts in a crisis". Jawaharlal Nehru ( India's first Priminister). They can take away your job, they can take away your house, but some things they might not take.

IF Brigade

                                 
                                        Size: 29 x 19 cms
                                        Media: Pen and Ink
                                        Pens: Lamy Al star and Rotring Artpen

                                           Size: 25 x 18cms
                                           Media: Pen and ink
                                           Pen: Rotring Artpen  

The theme for IF this week is 'brigade'. The first thing that came to mind was the  'Charge of the Light Brigade'....mmmmm... the Tennyson poem rang loud...." Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the Valley of Death Rode the six hundred, Forward the Light Brigade!"........After a bout of navel-gazing I drew these ideas (whilst still thinking about brigade!!)..... It would have been complicated!!


       

IF Round

                                           
                                               Size: 24 x 13 cms
                                               Media: Ink on Paper
                                               Pen: Lamy AL Star & Rotring artpen EF

                                                Size: 16 x 10 cms
                                                Media: Ink on Paper (Noodler's Golden Brown ink)
                                                Pen: Hero M86 Fountain pen

                                                  Size: 24 x 9 cms
                                                  Media: Ink on Paper (Golden Brown)
                                                  Pen: Noodlers Flex Nib


This weeks IF theme is 'Round'.

Apparently, round things are more aerodynamic which means they have less resistance to airflow..they should have less drag..therefore I suppose they should be faster...round is good....sometimes.

IF Vanity

                                                     Size: 12 x 14 cms
                                                     Media: Ink on Paper
                                                     Pen: Lamy Al Star

It's costly to be vain...

Doodles

                                                              Size: 11 x 19 cms
                                                              Media: Ink on Paper
                                                              Pen: Lamy Fountain pen

                                                 Size: 20 x 16 cms.
                                                 Media: Ink on Paper
                                                 Pens: Sailor Calligraphy, Lamy, Rotring Artpen.


Sometimes its good to leave your comfort zone when drawing and experiment with some doodles...I did a lot of doodling today and here are two of them. I can't really explain in what direction I am going but I suppose Artwork should really speak for itself. I hope posts like this happen on a weekly basis...I'll try and make that happen (or edit the text on this bit out at a later date!!).

IF Silent

                                                 
                                                       Size: 9 x 16 cms
                                                       Media: Ink on Paper
                                                       Pen: Noodler's Flex Nib Fountain pen

                                                         
                                                       Size: 10 x 16 cms
                                                       Media: Ink on Paper
                                                       Pen: Noodler's Flex Nib Fountain pen


I was not going to write anything with this post as it seemed to fit the theme of ' Silent', but..... (silent pause)......I want to explain my thoughts. I felt that there is a relationship between light and noise and dark and silent, and to try and portray that, I have used a cross-hatching technique which gradually applies more ink to the paper by applying more black ink lines, eliminating the white and therefore eliminating half of the sound. On these experimental drawings, the sound comes in from the right and disappears to the left. This could be reversed I suppose, but in my mind, if I was to draw silence, the page would have been black...... some might think white!

IF Stripes

                                Size: 21 x 16 cms
                                Media: Ink and Watercolour on Paper
                                Pens: Sailor Sapporo, Pentel Waterbrush, Lamy


This weeks IF theme is 'Stripes' and this is the Boss with more than anyone......

IF Fuel

                                     

                                 Size: 11 x 7 cms
                                 Media: Ink on paper
                                 Pen: Sailor Sapporo Fountain pen


Now that my Art Fuel has arrived I can make this post...Noodler's American Eel Bullet proof black pumped smoothly into my Sailor Sapporo and flowing out of the nib like a slippery fish onto cheap photo copy paper!!

If Scattered

                                 
                                     Size: 28 x 14 cms
                                     Media: Pen and Ink
                                     Pen: Sailor Sapporo

This week's IF prompt is scattered. This is the moment before they all scattered. I wonder what made them scatter?

If Contraption

                                                     Size: 12 x 15 cms
                                                     Media: Ink on Paper
                                                     Pens: Lamy FP & Pentel waterbrush

                                                     Size: 8 x 14 cms
                                                     Media: Ink on Paper
                                                     Pens: as above.


The Executive Easy Travel (top) and the prototype (below).
For the word Contraption, the dictionary says: Informal, often facetious or derogatory a device or contrivance, esp one considered strange, unnecessarily intricate, or improvised.

IF Hibernate

                                                          Size: 10 x 14 cms.
                                                          Media: Ink on paper
                                                          Pens: Sailor Sapporo, Lamy Al Star, Waterbrush
                                         

Random drawings

                                             
                                                Size: 10 x 7 cms
                                                Media: Ink on paper
                                                Pens: Sailor Sapporo and Pentel

                                             Size: 15 x 6 cms
                                             Media: Ink on paper
                                             Pens: Lamy and Pentel

                                             Size: 18 x 6 cms
                                             Media: Ink on paper
                                             Pens: Sailor Caligraphy and Pentel

                                         Size: 25 x 14 cms
                                         Media: Pen and Ink
                                         Pens: Lamy and Pentel


Some of the random drawing that I did last night and today!

IF Mesmerizing

                                     

                                           Size: 9 x 9 cms
                                           Media: Ink on paper
                                           Pens: Lamy & Pentel.

It's probably obvious, but this was a quick one (again). A Work of Art that will surely mesmerize the viewer.

IF Boundaries

                                   
                                Size: 17 x 16 cms.
                                Media: Pen and Ink on paper
                                Pens: Sailor Sapporo, Lamy & Pentel waterbrush

This weeks IF theme is  'Boundaries'.  "Boundary, n. In political geography, an imaginary line between two nations, separating the imaginary rights of one from the imaginary rights of the other." Quote by Ambrose Bierce, American Writer/ Journalist 1842-1914. Remembering those who perished September 11th 2001.

IF Mysterious

                               
                                     Size: 17 x 8 cms
                                     Media: Indian Ink on Paper
                                     Pen: Sailor Sapporo EF

This week the theme for IF is Mysterious.................What else can I say? All drawn with my new Sailor Sapporo fountain pen which has an extra fine nib.

IF Disguise

                                       

                                             Size: 24 x 21 cms
                                             Media: Ink on Paper
                                             Pens: Rotring, Sailor , & Pentel Waterbrush

IF theme this week is ' disguise'. "Everyone is Jesus in disguise." ( Mother Teresa ).

IF Influence

                                        Size: 17 x 11 cms
                                        Media: Ink on paper (Black Parker Quink)
                                        Pen: Noodler's Flex Nib

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. A quote by Mark Twain.

Wet Cowboys

                                            Size: 15 x 20 cms
                                            Media: Ink and watercolour on paper
                                            Pens: Hero 616 & Pentel waterbrush


                                     

                                       
                                           Size: 15 x 20 cms.
                                           Media: Ink,Graphite, watercolour on paper.
                                           Pens: Hero 616, Pentel waterbrush

                                           
                                                Size: 12 x 16 cms.
                                                Media: Ink on paper
                                                Pens: Lamy Al Star, Hero 616 and Pentel waterbrush



Continuing with the cowboys from the last post, I wanted to make some experiments using non-waterproof Ink for a change to see how it looked with a controlled wash of watercolour or just water. I usually stick to waterproof inks which do not run with a wash and the results can be fairly predictable. This ink will run and offers a less defined line,which when washed, will spread and mix with other colours altering form and feel.
I enjoyed doing this and will try using it again in future posts.





                                         

If Imperfect

                                           Size:19 x 20 cms
                                           Media: Indian Ink on paper
                                           Pen: Lamy Al star

                                   
                                        Size: 29 x 19 cms
                                        Media: Indian Ink on Paper
                                        Pens: Noodler's Flex nib & Lamy Alstar

                                             Size: 14 x 13 cms
                                             Media: Indian ink on paper
                                             Pen: Lamy Al star EF

                                                Size: 15 x 17 cms
                                                Media: Indian ink on paper
                                                Pen: Noodlers Flex nib & Lamy al star.

This weeks IF theme 'Imperfect'. I thought about the Imperfect tense whilst doing these drawings and also the Imperfect side of Artwork that I am attracted to.

Hippopotamus 40

                               Size: 19 x 14 cms.
                               Media: Ink and watercolour on paper
                               Pens: Noodlers Flex Nib and Pentel waterbrush

My friend Judith asked me if I would draw her a Hippo as they are one of her favourite animals. I finally got around to drawing this one for her 40th Birthday which is in two weeks time. The Noodler's Golden Brown ink that I used was not as waterproof as I had expected and I tried to incorporate the brown stains into the watercolour. She likes the result and will get it framed when she returns to Ireland from her holiday in Spain.

IF Obsession

                                  Size: 17 x 22 cms.
                                  Media: Ink and watercolour on paper
                                  Pens: Noodler's Flex pen & Pentel waterbrush

IF theme this week is 'obsession'.. An obsessive sports fan starts to explode!

IF Perennial

                   

                         Size: 21 x 13 cms
                         Media: Ink and Watercolour on paper
                         Pens: Lamy Fountain pen and Pentel waterbrush


The word 'perennial' is this weeks IF theme. One of this words meanings is yearly or once a year. A perennial or per annual bath!

Midweek Reality

                       
                             Size: 19 x 16 cms
                             Media: Ink and wash
                             Pens: Sailor fountain and dip pen and Pentel waterbrush

                            Size:  32 x 24 cms
                            Media: Ink watercolour on paper.
                            Pens: Noodlers Flex Nib and Pentel waterbrush


I wanted to post some non cartoon sketches for a change and I whilst I thought I would have to create another blog for this, I have decided to keep everything in one place although its only cohesive in the sense that it is all artwork that I have drawn.
The top sketch is of La Iglesia de L'Orxa (L'Orxa Church). My Dad sent me some Sepia Ink from the UK and I tested it with some other browns that I had, Golden Brown By Noodler's and Sailor jentle Brown (for wash). The lower sketch is actually made up of different people I saw around L'Orxa swimming pool on one particular day of sketching...I didn't however, draw the pool!

IF Gesture

                                  Size: 29 x 22 cms
                                  Media: Noodler's Ink on Paper
                                  Pen: Dip pen Gillott no.5


Is it a bird?...Is it a plane?....NO...its GMan!  Not had a lot of time this week..so..another quicky, more 'Steadmanesque/ Groszesquisms as it seems the order of the day for me! Cheers.... as GMan said!

IF Stay

                                 Size: 24 x 24 cms
                                 Media: Indian Ink and paper
                                 Pens: Dip pen Gillott no.5 and Lamy fountain

The IF theme this week is the word 'Stay'. The first thing that came to my mind was telling a dog to stay. Then I remembered something I had read on the internet a few weeks ago which said "STAYING calm is paramount if you or your pet is attacked by a dangerous dog."... Yeah Right!!!

IF Remedy

                             

                          Size: 23 x 19 cms
                          Media: Indian ink, watercolour and paper
                          Pens: Lamy and Noodlers Fountain pen and Pentel Brushpen

                                 

No prizes for guessing that the IF theme this week is ' remedy '...

                     

Pecking order!

                                           Size: 11 x 16 cms
                                           Media: Indian Ink & watercolour on paper
                                           Pens: Noodlers flex nib fountain & pentel waterbrush

My parents are coming to visit us in Spain this week and I told my Dad on Sunday that I would give him his Father's day card when I see him here. I suppose its obvious...he is top of the pecking order! Well he is in Seville at the moment and he will be with us in Valencia this Thursday, so you get to see his card before him!

IF Launch

                          Size: 24 x 32 cms
                          Media: Indian Ink & Watercolour on paper
                          Pens: Lamy Fountain, Noodler's Flex Fountain, Pentel waterbrush

                              Size: 23 x 32 cms
                              Media: Indian Ink & watercolour on paper.
                              Pens: As above.

                                       Size: 11 x 21 cms
                                       Media: Indian Ink on paper (Noodler's bullet proof black)
                                       Pen: Noodler's flex nib fountain pen.


This weeks theme for IF is 'Launch'. Adrian knew that his Space book launch was going to be different from the usual boring signing. Interested to know which you preferred.