Fabriano 2014–2025

August, 2014 — Pasadena, California

October, 2014 — Buffalo, New York

November, 2014 — New York City

November, 2014 — Boston, Mass

August, 2024 — Wild Turkeys

September, 2024 — Providence, RI

October, 2024 — Yale, New Haven

October, 2024 — Portland, Maine

January, 2025 — Boston, Mass

March, 2025 — Northampton, Mass

March, 2025 — Wellesley, Mass

This small sketchbook was initially dedicated to travel. At the end of 2014, I set it aside for unknown reasons during the final years of my father’s life. He makes a brief appearance at the end of the first section.

A decade later I found the unfinished book on a shelf of journals, more than half its pages blank. I took a surprisingly long time to draw to the end, occasionally approaching a goal of daily drawing. As in other of my drawing books, the subjects are from life or from paintings and sculptures in person or online. Most are quick observations. I considered leaving out the earliest pages from the animation but left them in to be a facsimile start to finish.

The paper in this book was frustrating: too absorbent, too rigid, stiff card stock. Ink lines spread and feathered. Turning the pen to achieve thin lines risked damage to the nib but produced splatters that I enjoyed. The binding did not lay flat. But once every page was done, I’ve missed the book and it’s been hard to move on to others that have better paper and binding. Go figure.

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Animated gif of Fabriano sketchbook, 2014–2025, 6-1/4″ x 4-1/8″.
Pilot Falcon, Resin Black barrel, Soft Fine 14k nib, extra flex.
Platinum Carbon black ink.
Paper Mate & Pentel mechanical pencils, 0.5 mm, HB leads.

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