Mixed Media Drawings:

Pencil, pen and ink, Sumi, watercolor, gouache, etc. on paper.

I've noticed that working on paper often dictates the style of work I do. Finding beautiful paper excites me and makes me happy to be alive. My mark-making is different than that of painting. When sketching, I usually prefer to use a pen over a pencil. I'm fond of ballpoint. When rendering, I like both pencils and pen. I especially love Sakura Pigma Micron pens with archival ink. My favorite sizes are .005 and 01. I'm usually stocked with many of these, but I still never seem to have enough of them. If the point dries out even a little, I toss them. I also love to add gouache and watercolor. I like working in various media because it takes me to unknown places. Frequently, the results are surprising even to me.

I think drawing is the basis of all art. I'm sure that's obvious, but there's something about how the line meets the brain via the hand. I have learned a lot about how this mechanism works through automatic drawing exercises which has greatly helped me to tap into my raw imagination.