Marilyn and Scarlett
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 9:08AM Years ago, about twenty five years, I bought several Karisma Graphite Aquarelle pencils in the Very Soft grade. They have a thick lead, leave a rich black mark, and produce a wonderful smear with a little moisture and a swipe of the thumb or fingertip across the paper. At some point, they went out of production and artists who had enjoyed using them have yet to discover an adequate substitute. And there isn't one. There are other water soluble pencils on the market, and some of them are really pretty good, but they are no more the same than Scarlett Johansson is the same as Marilyn Monroe. Beautiful, soft, smoky, sensuous and desirable, yes, but not the same.
Anyway, I've hoarded my last few stubs of this lovely drawing media and used them sparingly. Mostly I've just looked at them when I pick a soft pencil out of one of my pencil tins, wishing there were more. But they're no good if they don't get used. And it's very satisfying to use them roughly. Here is a morning toss, using a Karisma Aquarelle with Derwent watercolor pencils. A quickie before work with Marilyn and Scarlett together. I think I need a smoke.
Reader Comments (4)
This is a great post. A wonderful metaphor.
You've defined one of the funnier, truer aspects of being an artist - how attached we all are to our drawing devices, our stinginess with them when they go out of production and how counterproductive it is to not use them...."but how am I going to do the next drawing without it?????".
The truth and beauty of all of this lies in the the superb drawing you created with old Aquarelle (f) that literally uses and illustrates your point!
I'm always impress by your fine work and witty sense of humor.
I also have some Karisma graphite aquarelle pencils that I treasure. I also have some remaining Karisma coloured pencils - I had to change to Prismacolor brand. Oh Karisma, why did you stop making these wonderful products??? Now, have you ever watched UK artist Shirley Trevena work on video? She uses a stubby wide black aquarelle pencil. I have searched the world trying to find one like it. Does anyone know this pencil? Or other stubby wide coloured ones? NOT the thin aquarelles, I have those, including a set of diminishing Karismas... :- (