Category Archives: Illustration

Pen+Gear Sketchbooks: Not All Are Winners

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Joe

I’ve been working on notions of what the final scenes of my Teenage Beast story will be like, sketching ideas in my Pen+Gear Sketch Diary. As I have written before, that sketchbook is a gem as far as price and … Continue reading →

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Friday Five – Number Two Hundred Fifteen

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Tina Garceau

Two hundred and fifteen in a continued series creating a collage using five elements.

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You Can’t Keep a Good Spacefaring Hippie Down!

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Joe

Drifting through the starry void, he felt as one with the cosmos. It was utter harmony and contentment. His shaggy hair floated weightlessly about him, catching glints of light from distant nebula. He pondered the vastness stretching infinitely out in … Continue reading →

Posted in Doodle Tuesday, Drawer Cards, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, Sketch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dixon Ticonderoga UCreate — a Decent Little Sketchbook!

Posted on September 30, 2025 by Joe_Williams

I’ve used UCreate sketchbooks manufactured by Dixon Ticonderoga a couple of times before in recent years, and I have just finished off my third. They are affordably priced and are readily available at Target and Walmart. The quality of the … Continue reading →

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The Frugal Review • The Pen+Gear Sketch Diary

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Joe_Williams

When my wife and co-host of this fabulous site, Tina, calls about a cheap sketchbook she’s found at a big box store, I’ve learned not to question her. I just say, “Buy it!” She’s got a knack for spotting art … Continue reading →

Posted in Doodle Tuesday, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, News, Pixels Versus Pigment, Sketch, Stuff Joe Likes, Technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Cheapskate Strikes Back!

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Joe_Williams

I was in an art supply store recently to pick up some gift items for a friend, and I thought I would pick up a smallish, mixed media, sketchbook for myself. I was thinking a 7-inch by 10-inch sketchbook would … Continue reading →

Posted in Curious Clutter, Illustration, It Came From the Sketchbook, Sketch, Stuff Joe Likes, Technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Friday Five – Number Two Hundred Fourteen

Posted on September 12, 2025 by Tina Garceau

Two hundred and fourteen in a continued series creating a collage using five elements.

Posted in Collage, Friday Five, Illustration | Tagged , , | 1 Comment