Robert E Wood watercolour palette.
This is not a top ten list, but rather a totally random list of things I like. listed in alphabetical order of course, and complete with links where possible.
1.Derren Brown magician. I’m not a big fan of magicians, but I really like what this guy does. In some way some of his work seems at first fairly simple, but at the same time it really is amazing what he can do. He often makes it seem like you can understand how he does the trick, and then afterwards I find myself wondering if the explanation is a misdirection. This is a link to one of his tricks.
2.The word callipygian. Jane was reading the recent issue of the New Yorker when she came across this word. Only the New Yorker would toss a word like that into an article and assume you would know what it means. I looked it up online and it means…
3. Fine line painting pen from Loew- Cornell Inc. I use this pen with gouache, and it really does make a fine line. It is a little tricky to use at first, but when you get used to the feel of it, it really works great. A tip to keep in mind is just to clean it well after use.
4.Life brand diapers. We have tried a few brands of diapers on our kids, and for some reason this brand has been the best for us. They don’t seem to leak when the kids are being active, and our kids are active.
5. Robert Rauschenberg’s Erased de Kooning. Rauschenberg wanted to introduce drawing into his all-white series. He tried erasing his own work but he thought it didn’t work as art so he decided to erase a drawing by de Kooning.
De Kooning at the time was the biggest artist of his generation. This work can be viewed as a challenge to the abstract expressionists who didn’t take Rauschenberg seriously, and a declaration of Rauschenberg’s ambition to be recognized as an artist moving beyond the limits of a second generation abstract expressionist towards a more conceptual based art.
6. Rising Stonehenge paper. This is not a sheet of paper that is as beautiful as some papers, but it does have some great characteristics that make it one of my favourites. It is a durable sheet of paper that stands up well to heavy working, and erasing. It is suitable for a large number of media, and techniques. It is a rag paper, and is acid free, and is cheap.
7. Steidl Books. This company produces some of the most beautiful art books around. This is one of my favourites.
8. Twilight Ladybug. This is a great toy. It is a ladybug that serves as a night light, and the neat thing is that the light projects the moon and stars around the room. The colours of the light – red, blue, and green – can be changed by pressing a button. It shuts off automatically after an hour. My daughter loves it and finds it very relaxing.
9. Robert E Wood watercolour palette. I have two of these great palettes, and I’ve probably had them for close to fifteen years or more. They have 24 deep wells for holding paint, and a central mixing area. I keep one for watercolour, and the other for gouache.
10. Wool work socks. I like wool socks, and I wear them most of the year. They don’t itch, and in the winter they keep my feet warm, and oddly in the summer they are cooler than cotton socks.
Painter's Progress 