Drawing With Silk
Sanity through drawing; 'Lumos' pen review
Happy 2023!
I’ve no idea to start this newsletter, so I’m just going to write. The end of last year was really, really stressful, to be honest. I was exhausted by the intensity at work and also by family stresses and strains. Daisy mainly brought us a lot of worries, phone calls from, and trips into, the school.
My stress and energy levels were put to the test. (Hence the lack of these newsletters). Apart from my drawing practice, many self-care rituals, such as daily yoga, flew out of the window when stress knocked at the door.
Yet as always, drawing kept me grounded and sane. As I felt my anxiety levels rising to the point of being out of control, the Universe stepped in and sent me a gift. Actually, it was a very real gift from Tom Gyr at ‘Tom’s Studio’ who hand-makes calligraphy and fountain pens. He sent me the most beautiful Rose Gold ‘Lumos’ fineliner refillable pen to trial.
So in the run-up to Christmas, as my evening downtime, I tasked myself with creating a fineliner floral wreath drawing, (as I did in 2021 - it’s becoming an annual tradition). This was the perfect opportunity to trial the Lumos pen.
I kid you not, it’s like drawing with silk!
I particularly love the pen's weight in my hand and the way it glides so beautifully on the bristol board paper, I use for my botanical-inspired drawing.
The Lumos is refillable, and the nibs can be replaced, so it’s a much more sustainable option, rather than using disposable fineliner pens. The Japanese-made fibre and brush nibs come in 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, Brush, Chisel and Felt Tip. So plenty of choices for drawing and fineliner enthusiasts out there.
I’m using the Lumos with black Sailor Bottled Pigment Ink (Kiwa-Guro) which is a delicious rich ink (permanent and waterproof). The combination of the Lumos pen and the Sailor ink is like drawing luxury!
(In fact I was so obsessed I drew two botanical wreath illustrations instead of one this year, and plan to keep making them actually because I adore drawing them.)
My wish from Tom’s Studio is to make a 0.05 and 0.03 nib because I use these nib sizes for a lot of the flower shading. But all in all, I’m a complete convert to the Lumos pen as an alternative to the Sakura micron pens. There’s no looking back!
I’m currently on a drawing frenzy, so expect to see much more here in this newsletter and on Instagram, as I’ve vowed to start sharing more of my drawing passion and work. I have many more intentions for 2023, but more about that later.
For now, I’ll leave you with some inspiration for your own creative practice.
Much love and stay creative,
Georgie x
Inspiration to Draw On
Journalling Prompts
How do you refocus on your creative work after time away or a change in routine?
Music to Meditate to
Take your pencil for a slow, meditative walk across the page with this week’s short but beautiful track:
Book Recommendation -
Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favours the Brave by Ryan Holiday
I read this book over 36 hours between Christmas and New Year, and I couldn’t put it down! You’ll feel inspired to put your fear aside and achieve anything you want by the end of it.
And Finally…A Quote to Live By
“Courage is the commitment to begin without the guarantee of success.”
~ Wolfgang von Goethe,
Thanks for reading. For more, I draw pictures and keep a library of creative exercises for you to try instead of scrolling on your phone.
If you enjoyed this and know someone who might appreciate it, consider sharing :)