New tools in action. Kitty asked me if I was going to talk about my pens this morning on the way to school. I guess I am getting tedious--so much so, my daughter pinpoints exactly what is working this week for me. No, I answered her, I talked about them yesterday. URg. My plan today was to point you to this cool blog "comic tools: snooping into cartoonists' toolboxes M-W-F". MK Reed asks illustrators about their tools, inks, pencils, etc...down to the weensie details and a discussion on working technique. She links to the artists' websites, cites their training and expertise. Its great, affirming and opens up other techniques/materials. Overall, everyone adores the faber castell Pitt Pens (which I have praised as well). I love Neil Swaab's entry (he is blogged here at the RFA) and Matthew Bernier's detailed information on slow lines and fast lines, high carb--down to the watch out on how to buy a brush. Bernier's blog is illumninating too>> Here is Bernier's advice--
"Advice: Don't become like me. No, really though, good tools do help. It's true that a great artist can make good comics with the worst pen available. But- I could never get the exact kind of line I get out of a good brush with a bad brush. Bad tools slow you down, break your rhythm, harsh your mellow. I pay good money so that I can know for certain that any problems I have at the drawing table are my fault and not my tool's."
Right on.