Tools of the Trade

Digital and Analog

Dear Sarah - January 17, 2025

I started following Dave Conrey (@daveconrey - Pieced Together) who posted a digital collage piece and mentioned that he uses Procreate Pocket on his phone. I have that app but it never occurred to me that I might use it to make collages. I used images from my phone (you'll recognize a couple of them) and then experimented with drawing over the top and, voila! The background texture is a huge installation at the Narita airport, photo snapped as we were on our way out of the country.

This could be a very handy tool when I might otherwise be tempted to scroll - while in waiting rooms, at the breakfast table, or during wakeful moments in the middle of the night.

Dear Nikki - January 17, 2025

I feel so analog, as I pick up my 2B pencil and drawing paper to do some very basic exercises: straight lines, ellipses, circles, cylinders and bowls. Not very exciting, but surprisingly satisfying.

Today I went to Opus and bought the supplies for my drawing course, which starts on Monday. Here's a drawing of what I bought, minus the soft charcoal, which had rolled out of sight. Used straight lines, ellipses cylinders, and circles!

And now I must clean my house, which will have its own kind of satisfaction. The sun is shining, my new passport arrived, my favourite apple (Cosmic Crisp) was on sale, and soon there won't be dust on the windowsills.

(Just joining us? These letters chronicle our full year of daily drawings and accompanying correspondence/conversation. Learn more about Sarah Harvey here. More info about me can be found here.)