Shady Ravenna Ravine

 

6/9/25 Ravenna ravine

Comp study for top sketch

With temps projected to be in the upper 80s last Monday, Roy, Mary Jean and I decided to change our sketching plans to find a cooler, shadier location than our original plan. Ravenna ravine was perfect: A shady, green oasis under the 15th and 20th Avenues Northeast bridges. Although the Ravenna neighborhood and a major arterial are only 115 feet above, walking through the three-quarter-mile-long ravine feels like being in woods far away from the city. A friend who lives nearby reports that the early-morning birdsong from the ravine is cacophonous!

Although it had been a few years since I walked through the ravine, I knew that I would want color to capture the deep greens and filtered light. Remembering the fun I’d just had at the Chinese Garden, I brought along my Caran d’Ache Neocolor II water-soluble crayons and an A5-size Hahnemühle sketchbook (which I realize now that I have never reviewed, but it has the same 100-percent cotton paper as my most-often-used A6 size and the square-format that I also like but don’t use as often).

Glacial erratic

As I’ve been doing lately, I made a compositional study first before hitting the color. I also sketched a huge glacial erratic at the head of the creek against a boardwalk that leads to the trail back up to street level. It’s amazing to think that the erratic (similar to the one in Wedgwood) has been there for thousands of year! As the temperature climbed late-morning, we stayed cool and comfy in the shade. We thanked the trees continually as we walked and sketched.

Sketch kit notes: Especially on hot days, my daily-carry Rickshaw bag needs an auxiliary tote to hold my water bottle and other necessities. It also contained the A5 sketchbook and Neocolors that won’t fit in the mini Rickshaw. Because they are a little cumbersome to work with while standing, I’ve usually reserved Neocolors for situations where I’ll have a table to work on, but lately I’ve been determined to use them in my usual standing manner. I’ll show my current set-up soon.

6/9/25 My sketch journal spread documenting the post-hike reward and ride home

Although many of the old-growth firs have been lost, a few centenarian redwoods still remain. 

The 20th Ave. NE bridge trestle

Best Graphite Wannabes

 

The three candidates for graphite wannabes (emulating the 6B-ish Blackwing extra soft graphite pencil) are, from top: Holbein, Derwent Lightfast and Caran d'Ache Luminance.

When is a graphite pencil not? When it’s colored! Among the many hidden talents of colored pencils is their ability to act like graphite. Not completely, of course – graphite pencils will always have unique, inimitable qualities. But colored pencils can be applied in pressure-sensitive, subtly modulated layers just like graphite can – with far less smudging. In addition, pigment has no reflective shine like graphite, which can sometimes reduce the latter’s darkness even when the core is dark and soft.

A few weeks ago I started thinking about which colored pencils might make the best substitute for graphite. I wanted a pencil with the softness of about a Japanese 6B (or a Blackwing “extra soft”), which is the type I would use specifically for small, quick studies in which it’s important to bang out dark values efficiently. In addition, the core would have to glide as smoothly as possible, which facilitates speed, similar to the way soft graphite flows.

The use described above is not typical for colored pencils, which are generally applied slowly in multiple layers. In addition, Uglybooks paper has more tooth than I might typically choose with soft pencils of any kind, and my colored pencil choice might be different with a different paper. For the purpose of making small studies, however, I am always using my daily-carry Uglybook, so it’s important that the pencil I use pairs well with its paper.  

With these criteria in mind, I auditioned six of my softest colored pencils. It was just as interesting to see the ones that were eliminated as it was to pick the finalists. For example, Prismacolor is easily one of my favorite soft colored pencils for almost all uses, yet in this application (or perhaps especially on this paper), Prismacolor feels “sticky” and doesn’t glide easily the way graphite pencils do. Ideally, I wanted Carand’Ache Museum Aquarelle to serve as my graphite wannabe because a few are always in my bag anyway, but it, too, “sticks” a bit. Worst of all was Derwent Inktense, which is also always in my bag, but it drags badly.  

After eliminating all of those, my qualifying candidates were the following: Holbein, Caran d’Ache Luminance and Derwent Lightfast.

Holbein - nearly as smooth as graphite

The first pencil I tried was Holbein, and right out of the gate, I knew it was a strong contender. The other two had a tough act to follow. After making several sketches with each pencil, Holbein is the winner by a wide margin. In addition to being suitably soft and dark, it also glides as smoothly as any soft colored pencil can on mildly toothy paper. It’s still not quite as smooth as soft graphite, but surprisingly close. Interestingly, Holbein has never been a pencil I reach for to make colored pencil drawings in a more traditional manner, yet here it is my first choice as a graphite wannabe! Will wonders never cease.

A distant second is Lightfast, which is also beautifully soft but has more drag than Holbein.

Luminance, which I enjoy using on high-quality drawing paper, is unpleasantly scratchy on Uglybook’s paper.

Derwent Lightfast -- a distant second

Caran d'Ache Luminance -- scratchy

These illuminating and surprising results further justify why it is necessary to have a wide range of colored pencils for the task at hand, even if the task is to pretend it’s graphite.

Avalanche

 

6/7/25 Seminar at UW Bothell

Now that I am “of a certain age,” I receive a lot of mail related to Social Security, managing investments for retirement, long-term care insurance, senior communities, and hearing aids. The only topic I’m actually interested in is Social Security – specifically the optimal time to begin taking benefits.

After considering various options, I responded to one of several fliers on this topic: a morning seminar on maximizing Social Security benefits and minimizing taxes. It turned out to be an avalanche of words on a complex topic that the presenter tried to deliver in two hours. The only useful outcome was an appointment for a free, one-hour consultation where I will be able to ask my specific questions (and hopefully get them answered).

Although the seminar wasn’t as useful as I had hoped, I did enjoy making a quick sketch of the University of Washington Bothell campus buildings, which form an intriguing modern profile against the sky.

Blackwing Lab 5-13-25 (Metallic Gold/Silver Cores)

Blackwing Lab 5-13-25 with metallic silver and gold cores

Although I’ve never actively collected Blackwing’s quarterly editions, some of the California pencil company’s irregularly released, very limited Lab editions have interested me enough to buy entire boxes or swap with friends for a few. Within the graphite collection, the extra-soft graphite core naturally interested me. I’ve also grabbed boxes of the non-photo blue pencil and the matching red one. Most recently (and belatedly), I tried a box of Blackwings installed with special soft erasers.

It’s been a long while since any Blackwings have piqued my curiosity enough to put out a request. A kind and generous friend came to my aid: Blackwing’s latest Lab 5-13-25: Metallic Cores.

The many faces of the same 12 Blackwing Colors

I’ve always found Blackwing Colors editions to be excellent colored pencils – soft cores, good layering, solid quality. (My only quibble has always been that they keep coming out with different editions of the same 12 colors.) I had high expectations that the new metallic gold and silver pencils would be of similar quality.

Indeed, they are just as soft and heavily pigmented as previous Colors. I thought it would be worthwhile to put them head-to-head with a few gold and silver colored pencils in my collection: Prismacolor (vintage Eagle and Berol), Faber-Castell Polychromos, Caran d’Ache Pablo, Caran d’Ache Supracolor, Caran d’Ache Prismalo Bicolors and Derwent. Just for kicks, I also tossed in Caran d’Ache Neocolor I wax pastels.

From top: Blackwing Lab, vintage Prismacolor, Polychromos, Pablo, Supracolor, Prismalo Bicolor, Derwent, Neocolor I

Impressively, Blackwing Lab metallics compare favorably with all contenders, and they are shinier and more opaque than Polychromos and Pablo. (Interesting, isn’t it, how the color “gold” is interpreted by each pencil maker?) As always, scanning an image with metallic pigments takes away some reflective qualities, so I’ve shown an image that was photographed, too. Unfortunately, the black Uglybooks sketchbook paper I used is, itself, quite reflective, which makes it difficult to photograph well.

Scanned image of swatches reduces the reflective qualities. (All swatches and sketch made in black Uglybook sketchbook.)

Photographed image shows a bit more sparkle.

Since the Blackwings naturally came with erasers attached to the pencils with their iconic ferrules, I decided I might as well test it, too, against a Tombow Mono Knock. (Oddly, it’s the standard Blackwing eraser that comes on all graphite pencils; I would have expected the “sand” eraser that comes on the current Colors edition.) Although the Knock isn’t necessarily known for its skills in erasing colored pencils, I’m sometimes surprised by how often I reach for this excellent eraser when drawing. Blackwing’s eraser did an OK, though not stellar, job.

Erasing test

Finally, I made a test sketch using a reference photo I had taken on a golden-hour walk through the neighborhood. It wasn’t nighttime, of course, but I thought the black paper would best show off the metallic sparkle, the warm glow of low light and a silver-gray Element. That’s a lot of sparkle there! I look forward to using these during this winter’s nocturne season. 

6/4/25 Blackwing Lab metallic pencils in Uglybook (photo reference)

Although I always enjoy writing reviews and comparison posts, it's even more enjoyable now when all my pencils are so easy to find and pull out!

Matthews Beach is Overrun

 

6/3/25 Matthews Beach

Even though it’s less than 15 minutes away, I’m pretty sure I’d never been to Matthews Beach before last week. It’s not too surprising, though – it’s a tiny beach on the north end of Lake Washington that’s mainly used by swimmers and people who immerse themselves in cold water for therapeutic purposes. Seeing a reference to it in the Seattle Stairway Walks book piqued my curiosity, so I picked a sunny afternoon to visit.

With a very short beach and not even many trees, there’s not much to sketch there, but I did manage a square compositional study. The most prominent “feature” of the beach is that it has been overrun by Canada geese. I thought Green Lake and Lake Union were bad; Matthews Beach is far worse – so many geese! Noisy, bossy and very poopy! (To hear how annoying they are, check out the short video I posted on Instagram.)

Poop machines :-(

Process note: If you’re wondering about my “9/30” notation in the sketch above and in others I’ve shown recently, it’s to indicate that I’m on another challenge! Alluding to it a few weeks ago, I quietly and arbitrarily began 30 days of square compositional studies on May 28 when it was time to switch to a new Uglybook.

In fact, it’s not even a fresh Uglybook. Beginning this tan book for the last Pencilvember, I abandoned it when I became frustrated that graphite wasn’t giving me a sufficiently strong contrast against the paper color. Looking among my unfinished Uglybooks to use for the composition studies, I saw how badly graphite had smudged on the pages I had used. That’s what gave me the idea to look for a colored pencil that could give me the tactile satisfaction of pencil for these studies without the mess of graphite. Although I didn’t like tan with graphite, I like it much better now with dark colored pencils. Unlike graphite’s reflective shine, the matte finish of colored pencils helps to increase the contrast against the paper (and I love how white pops so brightly on tan).

I’ll be talking more about both my compositional studies and my search for a graphite wannabe, but since most of my “studies” are also ordinary urban sketches that are already appearing on my blog, I thought I’d explain.

Clueless at Top Pot

6/6/25 Top Pot Doughnuts, West Seattle

Before heading over to Seattle Chinese Garden with USk, I made an early stop at the West Seattle Top Pot Doughnuts for breakfast. After all, it was a special day: It was National Doughnut Day!

As a regular observer of this holiday, I was appalled by the number of Top Pot customers – every single one except me, in fact – who were clueless about the day! The cheerful staff greeted each one with, “Happy National Doughnut Day!” and each responded with, “Oh – is it today?” or “Is that a thing?” I was the only one who had approached the counter with the greeting first!

How can people go about their lives so unaware? Tsk, tsk.

Sunny and Shady Chinese Garden

 

6/6/25 Seattle Chinese Garden (Even though this isn't comics, I'm now in the habit of editorializing as I draw and can't stop myself from commenting!)

Seattle Chinese Garden in West Seattle is a USk Seattle mainstay, especially in late spring when the peonies are in bloom. Meeting there on May 1 last year, I remember it was cold – 56 degrees, according to the notation on my sketch. Last Friday we were treated to full-on summer – sunny with temps in the low 70s! It was a gorgeous morning to pull out my colors for a change.

Technical notes: Before I brought out my water-soluble Caran d’Ache Neocolor II crayons, though, I began by making value/composition studies. These studies (see below) really as are as useful as instructors are always telling us they are (though I rarely heed their advice). In the second one of the bamboo grove (which I sketched last year in watercolor), a sketcher was sitting in the grove’s shade, and I wanted to keep him in, but I didn’t like the focal point of the sunlit bamboo stalks to be dead-center in the composition. So he had to go. If I weren’t studying square compositions, I might have decided to stretch the composition horizontally to make room for the sketcher. But I think the tight square is stronger.  

Composition/value studies

Happy Hours

 

5/26/25 Aegis residents and their guests enjoy the Memorial Day barbecue.

Memorial Day was a special event at Aegis: Tables and grills were set up outside for lunch. Residents, their guests and all staff were invited to the barbecue. The general manager took over grilling duties so that the chef could join the festivities, too. Entertainment was provided by Do Peterson, a vocalist with a gentle voice. Although the breeze blew a few decorations off the tables, we were all happy that the day stayed dry.

The sketches below are from a couple of Happy Hours, which occur every Thursday afternoon. Musical performers take the stage while residents enjoy snacks and beverages. This duo performs fairly regularly. I always try to time my visits with Greg so that I can enjoy Happy Hour sketching.

4/24/25

5/29/25

Scouting Mission: Old Stove Brewery

 

6/1/25 Old Stove Brewing Co., Ballard neighborhood

All the umbrellas gave me interesting compositional possibilities to make small studies from.

Now that outdoor dining weather has begun (fingers crossed!), I’m on a mission to scout potential USk drink & draw locations for the summer. My favorite, of course, is Project 9 because it’s within walking distance, but it would be fun to try new locations in other neighborhoods, too. First on my list was Old Stove Brewing Company Gardens in Ballard, which is the newest location in this local chain.

What attracted me most in the photos I’d seen online was the huge beer garden. I picked a sunny Sunday afternoon to check it out with Ching and Natalie. In addition to the garden, it has spacious indoor seating, too, with views of brewing tanks.

Lots of shaded tables? Check. Good food and brews? Check. Good space for inclement weather? Bonus!

Jax

 

5/31/25 Jax (reference photo by Katelyn This)

Although I’ve drawn plenty of dogs with their tongues lolling out, I rarely even see cats with their tongues out (given that my allergies force me to avoid cats in general). When I saw the reference photo of Jax, I knew he would be fun to draw – he was laughing at me the whole time! Even his tiny fangs are exposed!

Process notes: I worked on this portrait for short periods over the course of several days. The first day was only the basic block-in with graphite. By the end of that session, I knew something was wrong with the proportions – but I couldn’t figure out what. I didn’t get back to Jax again for several days, and when I did, I knew instantly what was wrong. It was easy to fix.

This has happened many times: If I just wait a day or two, I usually see the problem quickly. It’s important to give the brain time to process a drawing and not rush to finish when I know something isn’t right.

I remembered to show the stylus (toward the middle of the heap), which
I used to incise the paper so that whiskers will show up as white.

A Third Place

5/11/25 Chocolati, Greenwood neighborhood (For the record, this brownie drenched in hot fudge sauce was so huge that I could eat only a quarter of it at a time!)

For most of my adult life, I have longed for a “third place.” Traditionally, the third place is a pub or bar where people stop after work for a pint with familiar faces before heading home. Rather than an evening pint, an afternoon coffee has always been more my vibe. When I was single, I enjoyed taking my journal out to cafes on lazy Sunday afternoons before the next work week began. As a strong introvert, I wasn’t necessarily seeking conversation or community, but I liked the feeling of recording private thoughts in a public space. And people watching was always fun.

Throughout my working life, I continued taking occasional breaks from work and home chores by seeking out coffee shops, but I never really found a place that had exactly what I was looking for. Maybe I’m too picky: The shop couldn’t be too small nor too large. The music couldn’t be too weird or too loud. Ideally, it should be within a 15-minute drive and with easy parking. The ambiance had to be comfortable in just the right, difficult-to-articulate way. And it goes without saying that the coffee and snacks had to be good. Is that so much to ask?

5/17/25 Revolutions Coffee, Green Lake neighborhood

When I started sketching, the requirements became even stiffer. I still needed all of the above, plus the tables had to be set at angles that made it easy to sketch other patrons. And good lighting, preferably from big windows. Back in the day (spoken with that familiar tone of everything-was-better-in-the-past old fogeyness, emphasized with a deep sigh of resignation), people read hard copy books and wrote in paper journals, so cafes with good lighting invited such patrons. Now, most patrons use screens, so lighting isn’t important or even welcome.

And speaking of those people on screens, some are using those potential third places as their actual work places – occupying tables for hours, conducting meetings or job interviews, and writing their PowerPoints, all for the price of a latte. Zoka Coffee, one of my favorite indoor spots when I first began sketching, became impossible in later years because seating became so competitive. (Not to mention that their pastries went downhill. Pfft – that put an end to that.)

5/26/25 Macrina Bakery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

Most recently, I had high hopes that Macrina Bakery would become my third place. When it first opened, it seemed to check all my boxes with the added benefit of being within (too-easy) walking distance. Fairly quickly, though, it became too popular. I’ve stopped in many times lately when I couldn’t find a single seat available.

As you know, I visit many coffee shops in my own ‘hood and outside of it, hoping one will feel just right and become my third place. I’m still searching.

Lowest Low Tide at Golden Gardens

 

5/27/25 Golden Gardens Beach

A couple of days last week were the lowest low tides of the year – an ideal time to visit Golden Gardens Beach. Although it’s only about a 20-minute drive due west, I rarely get over there; I can’t even remember the last time I did. (According to my blog, it was 12 years ago!) I know Puget Sound isn’t exactly the coast, but I still feel fortunate that it’s such an easy drive to a spot where I can observe the moon’s strongest pull.

What I didn’t think about was how breezy it would be on the water. Underdressed on a beautiful, sunny day, I got chilled sketching in the strong wind, so I didn’t get around to beachcombing as I thought I might. It was enough to catch these little snippets of beach life.

Double-Duty Bouquet

 

5/25/25 Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle, Supracolor, Neocolor II

For the past several years, a flower grower opens a kiosk every spring in a corner of the 76 station a few blocks from home. Although her family also sells at farmers markets, Maple Leaf is lucky to have Bao’s convenient kiosk. She makes the most spectacular bouquets in town, and whenever I want flowers, I get them from her.

I take two bouquets to the cemetery on Memorial Day weekend, but I always filch a few flowers from each for myself (I know my parents and sister wouldn’t mind). My mini-bouquet served double duty this year because I wanted to sketch flowers for a special birthday card (the recipient is turning 90!).

Special Guests at Drink & Draw

 

5/30/25 Project 9 Brewery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

Sunshine and warm weather have a way of bringing people out! One of our biggest turnouts ever at a USk drink & draw included a special guest who came all the way from Pune, India. An enthusiastic member of USk Pune, Rajeev was in Seattle for his daughter’s wedding and brought his whole family to Project 9 Brewery – and they all sketch!

Rajeev (at left) and his family