Line work and designs

Making a brief calm before the work week storm begins.

 sitting down and just focusing on some line work is usually all i need to adequately prepare for such a challenge. 

in this particular session, I started with some handmade paper that i formed from about 18 years ago. 

this cotton paper was made with a hollander beater and a proper press.  hollander beaters really are the best way to maximize the fiber fibrillation and get the strongest bond after sheet pressing.  this paper is workable with both dip pens and even some quick motion, linear fountain pen work at the very end. after saturating (and then letting dry) the cotton with different layers of pigmented ink, the paper can handle some looser ink like that from a fountain pen.

working on line work and some designs is a way to prepare for some less than desirable times

 by the time i have laid out the plaid (the first step in some line work), i am able to change my mind from a more disorganized free flowing mental state to a very directed thought process. 

the blood pressure drops and the mind's capabilities expand during this focused time.

 when finished with the design, i can then take this state to any challenge off the page.

another benefit of this type of "calming" process is that i get something tangible at the end. this object can be pulled out at anytime and reference my mind back to the focused state that my mind was in.