Testing new papers

I'm still trying to find the perfect paper even when I know it doesn't exist. However  I feel lucky to try these AMAZING Hahnemühle papers. They were so kind to send me some samples of my favorite one: Verge paper (also known as laid paper) in cream color.

All of them are excellent. See the amazing texture! Watercolors look better than ever. No see through, feathering, bleeding, ghosting, etc. The only finding I detected is the surface could peel easily when using an eraser (see photo bellow). Maybe I found the way to transform this weakness into a positive power.

Serious candidate for my next notebook.

Laid paper texture.

The Surface peels after using an eraser.

Little new project

I found a deck of cards as a great support to create a new universe. It allows the representation of a fantasy world with just a pieces of cardboard. For example, the creatures come to life from nothing and they have their own ID which is the card. Think about it, magical.

After discarding the possibility of a board game I'm developing a kind of "collection of aesthetic cards". The area for an illustration or photo is huge. On top of that the combination with a little text adds a new dimension.

I'm enjoying a lot designing a big number of cards. It's fun and relaxing activity. I don't want to set any barrier. Creativity should flow with freedom. No commission, no deadlines, no limitations. After that I will (hopefully) find the way to organice everything.

Taking care of the colors, frame, typography (I use my dear Olympia typewriter font), composition and every detail part of the enjoyable process. Now I can have this first test in my hands. The cards are REAL. Still a lot to do. This is just a draft. I even made the box. I will create many more cards and improve everything.

And what is this about? Well, at the moment I will say it's a story-prediction based in a near future, year 2050. And those are the years, months or maybe just hours before the singularity. The last days of mankind.

Writing tools while traveling (updated)

These are my writing tools I'm carrying in my trips. I try to optimize volume and mainly weight. Simple is better. Even sometimes I have the feeling I'm using too many colors.

Notebook size is 9x14cm. The second case keeps some spares and tiny ink bottles. I included a pocket watercolor pad but it's an alien item and not a regular part of the kit.

Travel route is getting a very different shape

Latest trip.

Once upon a time my route used to be a line across a map. Recently it's more like a magnetic field around Bangkok. Thailand catches me and it's good.

Trip years ago.

Watercolors to illustrate a future deck

I'm doing some watercolors in order to illustrate several cards of a future deck. I chose a new watercolor paper brand Hakuho. Experiment. The first feeling was not very positive but the second day of use I discovered how magical its texture is. See some close up to appreciate it.

More fantasy creatures come to life. They enrich the atmosphere for the story to tell. Definitely more interesting than the real world.

Encapsulated Thunderbolt

2050. Some years ago a capsule with a huge thunderbolt inside was found in a lake in the Earth. Some people say they saw a big eagle flying with the capsule in its claws. People often say crazy things but also they see even more incredible events.

Despite its origin, the capsule is now one of the main energy supply. Engineers and tax employees worked hard in order to juice the energy to satisfy hungry customers. Actually they don't understand well the mechanism inside but taking each volt from it is enough.

Something like free energy. 500MT can cover the waste of energy for an average wester family.