When Size Matters (image is clickable)

Since my last blog was about what I consider my best mechanical pencil (the rotring 600) this one is about my biggest mechanical pencils -- or more technically -- lead holders. One is called The Chubby. This is a contender for the ultimate "big idea" charrette pencil -- it's like using a sharpie that can be erased. It lays down a big fat line when precision does not matter but boldness does. It has a round barrel in a sleek matte gray.

It also comes with leads in various colors (red, green, blue, pink, brown) in addition to a nice soft black lead. This pencil is supposed to have a sharpener in the end cap but for some reason it was missing in mine. Hmm. I was a little miffed about that at first, out of prinicple, but I doubt I would have actually used the sharpener. That is, quite frankly, a problem with buying on-line. Returns are a pain in the butt.

It comes in a fancy little padded tin, which probably is the reason it costs more than the Cretacolor pencil. About twice as much.

So, when you need to lay down some bold lines to convey those big ideas you can't do much better than whipping out your Chubby. Unless it is the Cretacolor 430 02 -- 5.6 mm lead holder -- a perhaps slightly more serious version of the Chubby. And this one does have a lead pointer in the cap. This hefty, solid metal tool comes from Austria. It is a serious pencil. For serious doodling.

The Chubby is available at Paper Source. I think that is who I ordered from. Cretacolors are hard to find too. I bought my Cretacolor in a store in Seattle a few years back.

http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Chubby-Mechanical-Pencil/3907.010/444672.html


http://www.xonexpens.com/products/categories/pencils/chubby.htm

the best pencil ever

If I had to pick one pencil to write with for the rest of my life it would be the Rotring 600 in a .7mm.

This is the ultimate mechanical pencil. It has a shaft made of solid brass which gives it really good heft and balance. It has a hexagonal profile – like a wooden pencil. It rarely jambs and is easy to take care of and refill.

They were available in both a silver and black finish. Both of mine, as you can see, are silver.

All of them have the distinctive ‘red ring’ around the top of the shaft – near the rotating lead hardness indicator. ‘Rot Ring’ is German for ‘Red Ring’. I bear down pretty hard so I break the .5mm too often so I stick with the .7mm. The earlier pencils said ‘rotring 600 /’ followed by the point size. Newer ones just had the point size. I have one of both.

Unfortunately, the Rotring company was bought out by Sanford which is a subsidiary of Newell Rubbermaid and this model has been discontinued. Go figure.

It can be found on a few websites and also on ebay.

(http://www.montgomerypens.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=2740)

Prices typically range from $60 to $80 depending on if they are new or used. I paid a very reasonable price for my first one but the second one was purchased after they started becoming hard to find. I hope I never feel a need to buy another one. That’s like the price of a week’s groceries.

For a while (not sure they still do) they made something called a rotring ‘Core’ which was a weird stubby rubbery thing. Obviously, this was part of the growing pains of the buyout. Huge mistake. Why did they think those were good but got rid of their classic? What were they thinking? To me, raving about the Core would be like thinking a Mustang II was cool.

They still make a pencil called the rotring ‘tikky’ which is very inexpensive but looks like a decent pencil. I don’t own one. I might give one a try sometime. So, if you can find (or decide to be extravagant and actually buy) a rotring 600 you will not be disappointed.

Just keep your hands off mine, please.

Dead Trees and Future Landfills

File Folders have to be one of the most mundane things in most offices, next to staple pullers. They are usually that very blah manila color (when I was a kid I thought they were called vanilla folders). Occasionally, people branch out into colors but those are right out of the box of 8. Not very inspired.

But then there are the folders made by Knock Knock. (www.knockknock.biz)

These guys have folders in great colors with bold text that say things like: "Dead Trees", "Future Landfill", or "Wasted Paper". Or even bolder ones with things like "Useless Documents to Provide Appearance of Importance in Meetings" or "Papers to Shuffle Endlessly Thereby Accomplishing Nothing".

They also make post-it notes with similar things to say about the sometimes pointless, fruitless, brain-numbing things that get in the way of the fun stuff at work. Actually, every product they make is geared toward making 9 to 5 more fun.

So, can file folders be part of the "Good Things That Make Designing More Fun"? When they are as irreverant as these -- heck yeah!

Still On The Grid

Ask anyone in my studio -- I am the source for all things "old school". Need an ellipse template? Go see Bill. Need a bar compass? Go see Bill. Need a little erasing shield?

Yeah, you get it.

It is a collection that has been amassed over many years. This is true for a few reasons: 1) I am by far the oldest person in the studio as none of the others have escaped their 20s yet. 2) I never throw anything away. Well, rarely, anyway. 3) I still appreciate the "old school" approach to designing. A thick pen in your hand; a roll of trash; a scale. Yeah, that’s a good time.

This leads me to wonder how many things have been designed and built over the years simply due to the arc of a grand stroke that was the radius of elbow to pencil tip. Also makes me think of the time Robert Marvin told me it was time for me to “stop designing with a pencil and start designing with your mind”.

So, for most of my career these “tools of the trade” have been hung (somewhat neatly) on two black plastic covered grids with plastic hooks on them. I got them at The Container Store in Dallas, TX way back in the early 80’s. I don’t think they are available like this anymore. Well, not in black. They still have a similar product in white. They have a similar product in metal too. Nice.

Anyway, the next time anyone in the studio needs a flexible curve they know exactly where to find it.

the kaddy. for real.

I am, I freely admit, a pen geek. I love pens. Thick ones. Thin ones. Black. Red. Green. But mostly black.

I am fickle though. Today I might be loyal to micros and tomorrow I am all about staedtlers. right now (see previous blog) I am loving some copics.... go figure.

I am most at ease when surrounded by them. So, I never like to not have a handful of them nearby -- just in case I get the urge to sketch or doodle or make a grocery list or something.

I have found the perfect little pen caddy. it is actually called a kokuyo kaddy. When you unzip it and fold down the sides it will stand up-right. well, most of the time anyway. It holds about 60 pens or pencils and has a little velcro thing in the top to hold spare leads, etc. I have two of them in my timbuktu right now -- both filled to capacity pretty much.

Of course anyone who loves pens must love sketchbooks. That is another subject for another time.

Bill.

PS -- My one pet peeve: Put the caps back on when you're done!!! Please.

mistakes? well, sometimes

there are those among us who never make mistakes. at least that is what they would have us believe.

they do, however, probably need to at least erase their guidelines. right? as for me -- I make lots of them. or at least I change my mind from time to time.

so, a good eraser is a must. I have an electric one but it's loud and always reminds me of the dentist office which makes me freak out a little and you can't draw with clammy hands. or the shakes (unless its a very conceptual sketch then shakes are just 'technique'). this is my favorite eraser -- simply because it already says what I usually say when I make a mistake. "holy crap!" there is another one that just simply says "oops." I like it too. a bit more subdued for those minor goofs and smears.

actually, these are really nice soft erasers that leave no smudges or residue. and they fit your hand well. the only place I have found them is paper source. I know there are stores in Atlanta and Alexandria, VA but you can also get them on-line.

and if you aren't making mistakes you are making a big mistake -- playing it too safe!

Bill.

p.s. -- I like kneaded erasers too and found some (faber castell?) that come in red, yellow, and blue which I like better than that typical nasty looking gray.

this is the first post

what things do you use in the office or at home that make designing more fun? where does your geekyness show itself? pens? pencils? sketchbooks? file folders? paper clips? with this blog I will highlight the things I love to have around when I am designing --- Good Things That Make Designing More Fun.

the first one is the Copic Multiliner SP pen. they feature a durable aluminum body and feel good in your hand. the ink is waterproof and pigment based, providing a consistent ink flow that makes drawing "more fun". they work great on trash paper and heavier stock as well. the really cool thing is all Multiliner SP pens are refillable and have replaceable nibs. so, for a couple of bucks its like having a new pen. they come in 9 point sizes from .03 to .70 and a brush.

they are available at lots of good art stores but I usually get mine at Sam Flax in Atlanta. Enjoy.