clutch pencil

We're Moving

2008-01-21T15:41:00.000Z

clutch pencil is moving to www.clutchpencil.com

things will get underway as soon as possible.

thanks for visiting

L. Woods Interview

2007-06-10T22:53:00.000+01:00

This interview was found bobbing in the wake of the recent "Postopolis" event in NYC. The lead paragraph manges to impressively skirt sycophany and rather place appropriate appreciation where it is obviously deserved.

Gene Ghini

2007-06-04T10:01:00.001+01:00

A recent exhibition of marker maven, Massimo losa Ghini prompted this shout in April's ish of Ottagono.

For more, see: http://www.antoniajannone.it

life on MARS

2007-05-02T16:05:00.000+01:00

2007-01-30T15:45:00.000Z

From the cover of DOMUS magazine, here is a drawing by Herman Wallace of the prison cell he has been confined to for the last 34 years.

it's a wrap!

2006-12-30T11:52:00.000Z

Got some goodies for xmas. Thanks Liz.
Get y'all butts down to minimart before the end of January. Nuff said.

What's kind of cool about this pen/pencil set is that an architect more commonly (well, to me anyway) known for his digital design skills (Virtual Guggenheim) was the designer; i'm talking bout Hani Rashid, can you dig it?

recommended design drawing books

2006-12-02T04:18:00.000Z

This list was posted by someone on a forum at Architosh.com:

"Paul Laseau:
- Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers *
- Graphic Problem Solving for Architects and Designers (Architecture)
- Freehand Sketching: An Introduction

Francis Ching:
- Design Drawing *
- Drawing: A Creative Process
- Architectural Graphics

Thomas C Wang:
- Plan and Section Drawing *
- Pencil Sketching
- Sketching with Markers

Grant W Reid:
- Landscape Graphics *

William Kirby Lockard:
- Drawing as a Means to Architecture
- Design Drawing

Michael Doyle:
- Color Drawing

NB There are several other books by Francis Ching which contain many finely crafted drawings. Paul Laseau has several other books as well.

The 4 I would go for I have marked with an asterix."

Lost Utzon sketches found

2006-11-29T15:03:00.000Z

This is from an ish of BLUEPRINT (no.223) that I was flipping through.

Markers

2006-11-28T10:18:00.000Z

These sketches accompanied an article in Ottagono about losa Ghini Associati's involvement in the rebranding initiatives of Alitalia, the Italian airline; designing kiosks, waiting areas and check-in desks. Their designs have been realized at Turin airport in time for last winter's Olympics, and plans are underway for sites at Rome Fiumicino airport.

Colour was an important design feature, and these quick perspective marker sketches show just how easy it can be to demonstrate ideas in this this medium. I also like the way that people are indicated so transparently with a few deft lines.

Maybe pantone markers (as some people call them) are seen as a tool for product/industrial designers, but I don't see why interior designers/architects shouldn't make good use of them as well.

They are pricey though.

2006-11-27T18:19:00.000Z

this was done for a survey of part of the site my studio is using for this term's project. It actualy came out better than many survey sketches I've done where things don't remotely join up by the time you get to the end.

2006-11-27T18:07:00.000Z

Here are some napkin sketches from a trip to Spain.

The Debate Rages On.

2006-11-26T13:22:00.000Z

What...It's been 2 months since my last post?!!

I hadn't been over to Archinect's forum lately; after checking in found this discussion. It makes for good reading if you want to bother scratching your head over representation.

I particularly like that people are still using the term, "Luddites".

In my opinion, that poster, "+q", is demonstrating sketching rather than technical drawing as it would be used to make plans and elevations. They are pretty cool "mech" contructions anyway.

2006-09-17T16:57:00.000+01:00

Came to the library next to our studios today for one last sessions sans students. It is perfectly calm in here. Being a Sunday afternoon does help, but come term time, this place goes from annoyingly noisy to untolerably rank right around exams. Someday they'll invent a remote control for librarians to mute morons.

I just realized that the library bought the Phaidon three volume design compendium; the one that comes in a strange black crate thing. It's full of great design drawings of some of the most famous objects ever made.

Here's one of Raymond Loewy's lesser known designs: a pencil sharpener that never made it past the prototype stage.

According to the accompanying text, it did not represent any kind of technical inovation, "the planetary cylinders, which create the cutting motion, had been employed in mechanical pencil sharpeners since 1915." It was more the streamlined look that set it apart from less, er, aerodynamic desktop models.

I find it interesting that Loewy's drawing uses such elaborate calligraphy. Apparantly he trained as an engineer in Paris, maybe that had some effect?

There is a funny connection of this object to another that I've recently come accross. The term "planetary" in relation to a geared mechanism. See, I just bought a bicycle and it has a 7 speed internal, "planetary" geared hub. Here is a cool technical drawing of it that I found on the web.

2006-09-12T12:48:00.000+01:00

This is a pen brush sketch of an air conditioning unit at work. It's a Mitsubishi, "Utopia". About 6 live on the canteen patio. They are unavoidably noisy and smelly. During the heat wave in July they broke down on the hottest day.

Gives the (corporate) phrase "hotdesking" a whole new meaning. Here's a view from the seat I now occupy.

But enough about the shitty end of the stick; howz about some news from the sharpend end?

I've dropped into the university's fine art library to snoop around the stacks.

Here's what I've found:

This book hasn't even been ckecked out yet!

The english title is "Diving Trips: Drawing as Reportage".It is a hardback in German/English. There are many colour illustrations. I like the design of it too. It is an exibition catalog from a show in late 2004 at the Kunstverein, in Hanover.

As the title says, this book explores drawing's "aspect of reportage".

Jessica Abel, Steve Bell, and Joe Sacco are some of names that I am familier with.

There are about 6 contributors, and the writing looks as good as the illustrations.

The actual title of this book is "Pictures & Words".

I was lucky enough to go to the book launch at the MAGMA gallery in London. It was fun, lots of orginal art featured in the book was up on the walls.

Igort, the pen name of an Italian artist is featured in this accessible softcover. I read his graphic novel, "5 is the best number". I really enjoyed it. Much like a George Pelecanos story I think.

The authors divided this book into 3 sections and each section has some introductory text. They also do a brief treatment of each artist in support of their work, but mostly let the pictures do the talking.

The kind of book that is fun to pick up and randomly open.

A few other titles worth a mention that I'll maybe talk about later are:

"The Undressed Art: Why we draw", by Peter Steinhart. This looks like a good one to read on the beach. It is an enquiry into...well, I think there is a lot more to it as well.

"Berger on Drawing", by John Berger. More musings (and some epistilary exhanges with successful artists) from one of the most famous names in art criticism. Looks like one to read twice.

Well, I'm off to read my just purchased copy of "American Splendor", the first ish from the new DC Vertigo series.

DRAW ON!

2006-05-04T16:12:00.000+01:00

This installment of CP is brought to you by...once again, CoFFE!!