As I go back through old A&J comic strips, looking for something to post, I’m more aware of whether a particular cartoon was drawn with a felt-tip pen or a traditional dip pen. This is, of course, because of my recent comments here. I have professed a preference for dip pen and India ink, and I have not changed my opinion, but I have wavered. I will admit that sometimes I have to look closely to tell, myself. And I must say, the lines drawn with a Micron 08 felt pen have more weight than lines drawn with an Esterbrook 048 pen nib. This is a plus with me, because I have always felt my line work appears somewhat anemic, partly because I don’t use a lot of blacks or shades of gray, probably. Still the pen nibs do allow a varied line, and they glide so much better. By that I mean, the feel when I draw is one of fluidity and control. To me, drawing with a dip pen feels like Sonja Henie on ice, and a felt pen feels like, well, me on ice. Of course, with a dip pen there’s always the possibility of the disastrous ink blob appearing out of nowhere which is the inking equivalent of falling through the ice. There’s a little more to say on this subject, though not much. I’ll try to say it next time. This cartoon, by the way, was drawn with a felt pen.
76 responses to “Finish Line”
Ghost: Whether or not it becomes a passion isn’t really material. Those three urns will always mean something to you and a way to connect to those 3 special people in your life. I had a lilac tree and lilies of the valley at my house in Royal Oak. I meant to plant a lilac tree last fall, but forgot. It is amazing what the aromas from those flowers or from food that they made can bring the lost ones alive in our hearts. Let me know if a Cardinal shows up. If you get 3 Cardinals chirping at your window, you will be a lucky man.
There is nothing unmasculine about gardening….Yeah that is how I knew it was time for the new hip. It can be very hard (but rewarding) work.
When I lived in Kingwood, Texas I was only gardening female in a fifty house loop cul-de-sac. The husband’s and I had a great time discussing planting, mulching, mowing, etc.
This caused some hard feelings with women but they still did not get out into yatd.
By the way, I have to go to Tulsa this week and look at that Mustang convertible.
Red white or black black? I say black.
Steve in RO: “… aromas from … food that they made can bring the lost ones alive in our hearts” This is why I think it’s important to keep and pass down family recipes. I started by sharing what I called “edible holiday heirlooms” with my nephews, who were both very young when my parents died. Here’s part of what I said in my introduction –
It is said that our most vivid memories may be brought to mind by the smells that are associated with them. The Christmas season in particular brings so many wonderful smells that recall some of our fondest memories.
A special feeling of “connection” comes when you are following the recipes passed down to you – sometimes you feel like all the mothers and grandmothers are there in the kitchen with you, surrounding you with their love.
Okay, I’m going to go ahead and ask the dumb question that’s on my mind.
You talk about “dip pens” as the kind that you use with liquid ink and a real metal nib. But aren’t there pens that provide that, without requiring frequent dipping? By keeping a supply of ink in a little rubber bladder or plastic cartridge, mounted on or in the pen body?
Thanks,
==mitch4
Steve, Cardinals are some my best customers at the All-You-Can-Eat Birdie Buffet. (I brought my mom’s feeders here, too.) They and their friends have almost finished off the 9 pounds of seed I bought a couple of weeks ago. I have a greater appreciation for this cartoon now…
http://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2008/05/07
Definitely black, Jackie.
Ruth Anne: My wife makes sugar cookies with a recipe and the same cookie cutters that her great-grandma used. Someone in her family has made them since about 1930! Last year I asked her about it and as we moved right after Christmas, she said “Oh no, I don’t have time” I told her that I would make them when our daughter came home. By the time I got home from work, there they were together in the kitchen making them. All we had out last year was the manger, no tree or any other decoration. My wife gave me a nice hug and said “Thank you. This was well worth the time that it took to make them” Oh are they good cookies.
Black it is.
Accidentally ran across one of my favorite A&J cartoons. First laugh I’ve had today. Well, several days. Thanks, Jimmy.
http://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2008/07/03
Mitch, they are called “fountain pens.” You might find http://www.lizsteel.com/fountain-pen-sketching-part-2-why-draw-with-a-fountain-pen/ interesting.
Here are the iris for your sister mom and friend, grandmother Ghost. Pinks and solid purples. They will have a flying porcine aviator by them.
The lavender purples are for Mark’s mom and grandmother. They get a cat. In fact their cats live on in my garden.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1726559640989103&id=100009052528502
Yes, that one was funny. I laughed too.
And Ghost Kitty loves the garden and flowers. He hides in them.
Hugs, Ghost.
Jimmy:
Although I am not very handy, I understand completely your comments about the tools that you use as you draw.
If you ever have any free time, you might enjoy reading Neil Postman’s “Technopoly.” His view about tools and the effect that they have upon the user is intriguing.
Stray, random thought of the day:
So there I was, sitting at my desk, working on an audit when this hit me:
“Things did not go well for Bubba when he tried to give his comfort crocodile a kiss on the nose.”
Yeah, I think I might need another vacation.
Hi, Galliglo! I’ve missed you.
Small point, Rick: If “Bubba” was kissing the nose of a crocodilian, it would more likely be an alligator than a crocodile. Not that the results would have been appreciably different, of course. 🙂
Galliglo, long time no see. How is the job and everything going?
Lost in A**2, welcome back to the Village. Glad to see you. And I loved the blog about sketching with fountain pens.
Dearest Ghost, I’m so happy that your friend’s service was beautiful. It’s a consolation after the sorrow and the shock of loss.
Jackie, I love iris and would have said there are no pink ones; what a mistake! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pink iris — guess I don’t get around very much. Those colors are lovely!
Thank you, Sweet Charlotte.
Jackie, as well as others of the Southern persuasion, will probably appreciate this. After the graveside service this morning, family and friends gathered at the activity hall at my friend’s sister’s church, where a dozen or so of the church ladies had prepared lunch. (For those of you who do not know, Southern church ladies can do some seriously good home-style cooking.) I imagine this or something similar is done in other parts of the county, but I know it is a long-standing tradition in the South, and one that seems to cross all racial and socio-economic class lines. In my opinion, it is one of the finest features of Southern, if not all of Americana, culture.
As Jackie has noted, it’s what we do at times like this.
You are in my thoughts, Ghost. Hang in there.
Jackie…I vote red. 🙂
Ghost, Charlotte, Jackie, et al.:
Can speak only from experience in N. MN. As a kid, attended only one or two funerals in NYC, and was not involved in any gathering afterward. There was none after Dad’s funeral in White Plains, NY, but circumstances made that unlikely, I think.
Post-funeral gatherings w/ food are common among various denominations here. Sometimes it’s only coffee and goodies, but more often a light meal. If in a funeral home, it’s generally light, and that’s often true in a church if the ceremony was definitely after lunchtime. Sometimes it’s at the Eagles, another eatery, or a BSU gathering place. I was unable to go to my college roommate’s recent funeral in Palo Alto, but the ceremony involved a chamber concert. He is one of the many unchurched whose salvation I’m not worried about.
Once in a while, an obit in The Bemidji Pioneer will note that the deceased specified ‘no funeral.
Somebody noted above that he’d lapsed into vernacular and neglected to name himself as the subject of a sentence. I do it often, and it’s actually pretty standard informal English. E.g., “Beats me.”
Peace,
Ghost, I have cleaned out both Walmart near me and Lowe’s has no iris. So I added one more variety called Batik which is purple and white. You can Google the iris name. I am using lots of pink and you can choose the purple you want me to use for your grandmother.
Miss Charlotte the peach iris are great favorites of mine. My mother loved iris, the peaches and purples she loved best I think. Those are complimentary colors.
My grandmother I associate with white iris. I will plant a bed for my aunt and uncle, parents of my guardian cousin. They loved iris too. He is to tell me which to use.
Plan is I will put name of iris and who it is for in bed.