Inks and Hope

Yesterday was a search for new pens and proper ink.  The one think that has discouraged me in the past was that my artwork would actually turn green over time, like a cheap ring, destroying what I had done.  So even though I liked the medium, I dropped it. This time, however, armed with the Internet and my smart phone, I went forth into my community.

Now we are talking small town here (well, maybe medium town).  There are two craft stores and a host of office supply places.  I had done some research and had come up with several names of pens I thought might work: Koh-I-Noor, Rapidograph and (of course!) Prismacolor.  My first stop was at Staples.  For a one aisle arts department, they actually had some nice drawing/drafting pens, but when I checked online, I couldn' t find anything on these particular pens (Staedtler) other than to note that they were not the top pens this manufacturer made.  I made note of them and moved to Hobby Lobby, a few doors down.

There I hit the jackpot.  They had two packs of Prismacolor's premier line which I had read very good reviews on, and so, with reservations (after all, who advertises their ink turns green over time?) I bought them.  It occurred to me also that the greening may have been due to the paper.  It was acid free, but was not what I would call "top of the line".   At any rate, so warned and so armed I took my prize home.

In the evening, I got out the pens.  They were smooth, responsive and easy to use.  I sketched a sparrow with results that heartened me after several months of setbacks and failures.  Maybe I could do this, just in a different way and using a different set of tools.

As Winston Churchill is quoted as saying: "Never, never, never give up!"