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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My Tools, Let Me Show You Them

Edit: I had no idea that this didn't post...*face palm
この記事がきちんと更新されていなかったのにまったくに気付かなかった。ごめんごめん。Orz


More sketches from my trip back to New York this summer, but first I wanted to talk about my tools.
夏のニューヨーク旅行の写真を見せたいがまず僕の現在利用しているスケッチの道具について話したいと思います。
I've often been asked what it is that I'm using to do these sketches, so I thought I would go ahead and show those who are reading the blog.
スケッチのためにどんな道具を使っていますかとよく聞かれていますのでこのブログでみんなに見せたいと思います。

First of all, I change my tools and materials often in an effort to experiment. In particular, I try to use different formats and sizes for every new sketchbook that I use. As it stands, I've pretty much found what kind of things I like to use, but I'm still open to experimentation.
まず、僕はいろいろな道具を試すためにしょっちゅう道具を変えています。とくに、使用するスケッチブックのサイズとフォーマットを毎回変えているので、自分がどういったものを好んで使うかはよくわかっています。これからもいろいろな道具にトライしていきたいと思っています。

So, what I'm presenting to you is what I'm currently using to draw. It's my current "sketching kit."
なので、下に載せているのは現在使っている道具、つまり今のスケッチキット。



If you aren't aware, I live in Japan at the moment, so I've been able to take advantage of an array of different types of pens that are hard to come by in the states. Some of these pens I was able to get in the states, but they were ridiculously expensive, so I'm glad that I'm here for that reason and will definitely stock up on a bunch of these before I eventually return to the states.
みんなもう知ってると思いますが、今、僕は日本にすんでいます。そのおかげで、アメリカではなかなか手に入らないようなペンや鉛筆を入手することができます。アメリカにいたときもそういうペンを買う事はできなくないけど、とても珍しいものなので、泣きたくなるほど高価なので、日本にきてよかった。アメリカに帰る前にたくさん買っておきます。
1. Kuretake Mannnennmouhitsu- This was a brush pen that I picked up while looking for the pen at the bottom. I thought it might be a suitable replacement for my favorite pen but it has a totally different feel from what I was used to. It is a lot more fluid, a bit messy, and the ink is different. What I like about it though is that the ink is non water-proof, so when mixed with the water pen, I can try to get different tones and effects.
この筆ペンは、一番下のペンの代わりに買ったものです。大好きなペンのかわりに使えると思ったが触感が違った。このぺんはよりすらすらに書けるし、インクの質が違うし、書き終えてから指先が黒に染込んだりする。それでもこのペンの好きなところは防水インクを使っていないので、水ペンの水とよく混ざります。それでいろんな質感を出せます。
2. Zeebra Sarasa Clip 0.5mm- Just a pen I picked up from a convenience store. It has a nice flow and "sharp" feel that I like. At about $1, it's also cheap.
ただのコンビニで買ったペンです。すらすらと書けて鋭い感じが出るから好きだ。しかも100円の値段でやすくていいです。
3. Uni-ball Protech 0.5mm- This is a pen that I've loved for a long time. This pen is fairly easy to find in the states I think. It has much of the same feeling as the pen above except that the quality is a little more better. It says that the ink is water-based, but I don't really use it along with a water brush like the 1st pen.

長い間気に入って使っていたペンです。アメリカでも手に入れやすいと思う。上のペンと質感はほぼ同じだけどこのペンのほうがより良質だと思う。水性インクを使っていると書いたけど、ぼかしなどをするときにはこのペンを使っていません。
4. Kuretake Mizufude Pen Medium Size- I believe this is also available in America, but it may be a bit difficult to find. I'm not terribly satisfied with this pen because it seems to clog and becomes useless pretty easily. However, it still is pretty convenient compared to bringing a water container and a real brush on the train. At first I started trying to do watercolor on trains, but for the sake of speed and efficiency I use it to get grey tones along with the brush pen at the top.
アメリカで買う事はできるだろうけど、取り扱っている店は珍しいと思います。正直、このペンの使い心地はあまり満足していません。インクがつまる時が多いのでちょっと不便だと思うけど、電車の中に水に入った器を運ぶより便利だからよい。最初は水彩で色を塗るときにつかってきたけど、仕上がりが早いので、今は白黒のぼかしだけに使っています。
5. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen- I believe there is a small following for this pen in America. Deservedly so, because it is an awesome pen. It won't replace a a nice brush and good ink, but it's the next best thing especially on a rocky train. I'm so glad that I can get this pen here for about $7 US, as opposed to the around $14 I would pay at NY Central Art Supply...

最初は水彩で色を塗るときにつかってきたけど、仕上がりが早いので、今は白黒のぼかしだけに使っています。良質の筆とインクの代わりにはならないけど、このペンはそれに近い価値があると思う。特にゆらゆら揺れる電車では。日本では700円で買えるからうれしい。それに対して、アメリカでの値段は1400円くらい...


Pentel TUFF 0.9mm mechanical pencil- I like a thick led so I can get more variation with my line, and I usually use 2B or B led.
線質の変化の多いほうが好きなので厚くて2BかBの芯を使います。



The book I'm currently using is Fabriano Classic Artists Journal. I had to order this from America because unfortunately there is not a very good selection of sketchbooks in Japan. Most of the are ring bound which I just hate. They do have some good quality sketchbooks here, like moleskines, but they are incredibly expensive. It's slightly cheaper to just import the books from Blick Art Supplies in the U.S.A.
Anyway, I had gotten a multi-colored version of this before and I really liked how this worked with pencil. It really takes the led well, but unfortunately the pages are pretty thin so I can't go crazy with a lot of paint or water. But it serves my purposes well enough. Before I tried the 7X9in, now I have the 5X7in, and I prefer the larger size.
今の使っているスケッチブックはこれ。日本ではの選択は限られて僕の好みに合わないのでアメリカから注文しなからばならなかった。詳しくいうと、文房具屋とかアートの店の揃えはほとんど私が大嫌いのらせん綴じだから買いたくない。もちろん、他に質が良くてモルスキンみたいなスケッチブックが揃えてるけど高すぎるからそれも買いたくない。アメリカから輸入する方が少しだけ安かった。
とにかく、前は色紙で作られたやつ買った。鉛筆での描きごこちはいいけど、紙が薄いから水を使うときはやめたほうがいい。それでも、僕にとってはいいスケッチブックだと思います。前のサイズは約18X23センチ。今は約13X18センチ。大きいほうがよかった。
By the way, while searching for links for these pens/pencils, I found that I could find most of them from Jetpens. I don't know much of anything about them, but they seem to be a good source for those who are not in Japan.

Okay, sketches...
では、スケッチを...






4 comments:

Mark said...

This are great.
I really enjoy the line quality on the brush sketches.
best,
mark

adriano dos anjos said...

Ótimos desenhos, eu também adoro desenhar dentro dos coletivos.

Teri Proschuk said...

Thanks for visiting my blog.
These are some great drawings, I would love to see more.
Teri

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling said...

Excellent work. I had to laugh when you mentioned the outrageous prices of NY CENTRAL! LOL! Although pricey, I gotta admit, if Utretch Art Supply, or Pearl are out of stuff, NY Central usually DOES have it. For a small store, they really keep on top of their inventory, their staff is smooth and efficient, and the store has that cramped college bookstore feel that I like. Getting back to your sketches. They are brilliant, you have a very sensitive hand and a quick eye which you need for drawing on the subway. I do this frequently and have a blog devoted to the subject as well. Would love to do a guest spot on your blog and have you do one on mine. Please check me out at www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com

Thanks sooo much for turning me on to some new brush pens also. You may be pleasantly surprised using a Utretch Design Marker. It's double sided has a brush as well as a chiseled tip with decent ink flow, and is very durable. Believe it or not , the fat crayola markers are fine too. They are made to stand up to the pounding of a five year old! LOL! But have an excellent conical tip, long lasting ink flow, and just feels good in your hand. There is also no annoying smell, and you can also make them do double duty as a watercolor.