[OT] Something unique from Tony Myers
Mingkahuna
to me by ASPer Tony Myers of Ambrosia Sky. As you may know Tony had some space
at the Ming table and joined me for the show selling his wonderful pens.
During the show Tony pulled out a most unusual "pen" that turned out to be a
mechanical sketch pencil. I have never seen such a thing. You can see one
here:http://www.ambrosiasky.com/sk1.html Tony's description of this unique
piece is much better than I can set forth here. But I've got to say that the
mechanism that is at the heart of this mechanical sketch pencil is 100% top
notch. Tony presented a similar "Sketch" to me as a thank you for the table
space and to use me as a test rat. The piece is meticulously crafted in a
material that I call Joss. Tony and I have both been working with this
wonderful blue material and don't know quite what to make of it other than we
both love it.
After having used this piece since Chicago, my two usual sketch pencils, a
Mirado Black Warrior No.2 and my 30's vintage Sheaffer mechanical, will be
retired, for the most part. Tony's pencil has one hell of a lot going for it.
I don't know whether he can or will be changing the shape, but the shape
thickness of this pencil really works for me. I recall as a yute sitting there
drawing when my Mom, an accomplished artist, would come up behind me to see
what I was sketching. Invariably she would "tsk, tsk" the way that I was
holding my pencil, not correct from the standpoint of a trained artist. But
the thickness of Tony's pencil almost forces you to hold it correctly. While
you can hold it like a writing instrument, the "proper" ways for sketching are
much easier and handy. For my hand Tony has nailed the ergonomics. Plus, the
material, very similar to cellulose acetate, has much of the warm tactile
softness that makes CA so appropriate for pens and tool handles (industrial
grade). The "Sketch" was getting a lot of attention from artists who attended
the show, and I can tell you that much of my work will now be transfered to
paper by the tip of my Sketch.
BTW, Tony, if you read this, a neat aspect of the Sketch is that when not in
use the lead can be completely retracted.
Art