More Ink, #inktober and other

 I admit it, I have been slacking off, well at least as far as doing one #inktober work a day. I also admit that I am not good with daily challenges, I don't like following routines too closely, and "must do's" definitely put me off.  That said I have not been totally ignoring the challenge I just haven't quite kept up. Above is my piece for October 13. I went back to the theme of fish, but this time drew two and used some of my colored pens for the ink work.

Per usual there are some things I would have done differently but on the whole I rather like this piece. The fish are based on some images of carp that I have in my Photo reference Library. though they aren't exact copies of any of them, the coloring is from my imagination.

Last Friday I was in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. my purposed in heading up that way was to visit some of the Harvard museums, The Peabody, and The Natural History. After wandering through the museums and around the Square (which I almost don't recognize) I walked down MA Ave. to Central square. There I visited the Dick Blick store they have opened in Cambridge. I wasn't really intending to buy anything I just wanted to see what they had on hand, when I saw the display of Coptic Markers and found the black .03 and .05 sized ones. I have been reading about them in the WetCanvas pen and ink forum so though I should buy a couple and give them a try. They also had a green marker in the .05 size, I liked the color so purchased that also.  

Long story shortened, I used the pens to create the above drawing, it is more or less just a doodle, but I rather like how it came out so I am considering it my pen work for Oct. 14 even though it was done in my sketchbook and not on the Bristol Board I have been using for all my other #inktober works.

I picked up a dried flower/seed head of Queen Anns Lace on my way to the bus depot last Friday, and tried my best to draw what it looked like. Two views, one a side view and one from the top down. I didn't try to draw it exactly but to do enough line work to give the impression of what it looked like. I think I was semi successful.

Above are two photographs from the Peabody museum. The top is a shrine they had set up on the 3rd floor where the space is devoted to Central/South American cultures. The shrine is for the Day of the Dead Celebrations (Dia de Muertos) so are the side panels shown in the 2nd photograph.  This holiday (Oct. 31 to Nov. 2) is celebrated in Mexico and other South/Central American countries. I am not sure if the display is permanent or because the Holiday is coming within a few weeks.

I have to say the artwork is both arresting and colorful.

As for the museums, I found them interesting and worth the visit, but I don't think I will be heading back to either soon. The Natural History museum has a lot of very dusty faded looking stuffed animals. Since most of the animals are probably getting on in age it isn't surprising, I had though I could make photographs of them to use as drawing references, but the fur/feathers are so faded that the images would have been useful only for shape/form. Though they do have other exhibits that are well thought out and set up (minerals, NE woods), if I had a child under say 14 it would be a wonderful museum to visit.

One last photograph, I think these yellow leaves belong to an Ash tree, it overhangs the stream that meanders through the center of Brockton. On my trips to and from the library I pass over this stream. The afternoon I made this photograph the sun was shinning on the leaves almost making them glow.

That is it for today, per usual comments are welcome.