I am SOOOOO frustrated. It’s been too hot to torch, so I started a pen and ink drawing a couple of weeks ago, and it’s been starting to look good. Last night after working on it a while, I took a break to make supper and then came back to it. I was horrified to see the lower right hand part of it was smudged! I use waterproof India ink, and I’ve never had this happen before. So I tried painting some white gouache over the smudged parts, and the ink was mudding up. I still don’t understand what happened, other than maybe the ink is so old it’s not waterproof anymore? After the paper dried I tried white acrylic paint, and that seems to be covering up the worse of the smudging. But as to whether I’m going to be able to draw over the paint, I have yet to see.

I haven’t decided yet whether I should keep working on it or just give up and start new. Regardless, I went to Dick Blick and ordered all new ink, some more pen nibs and a couple of new kinds of paper, and even paid for 2 day shipping. That’s how frustrated I was.

Well, at least my orioles are still entertaining me. Like any siblings, they fight and squabble,

and here’s one enjoying a cool bath on a hot day,