The Blackwing 602 pencil .. Returns! UDPATED Dec 2015

THE BLACKWING PENCILS.... SHARPENER .. AND ERASERS.. .Now for sale at Stuart Ng Books. Try them in store... or order them online:
http://stuartngbooks.com/palomino-blackwing-602-pencil-box-of-12-en.html

Here's the original post for 2011

It's that time of year when gift item catalogs are showing up in the mail... and this page caught my eye:

In case you've never heard of it, one of the most beloved instruments in the artist community is the legendary BLACKWING 602 Faber Pencil... "Blackwing" sounds like a super hero, and in many ways it was... and is. It's the stuff of myth and magic, and if you read this blog, you know I love a good story.

This one has a happy ending... after many years of no Blackwings... it has been resurrected and is now commercially available again. Has anyone tried the new "Palomino" Blackwings???

Jenny Lerew's terrific blog "the Blackwing Diaries" is named after this pencil. Here's a link to her post on the famous blackwing:

http://blackwingdiaries.blogspot.com/2005/11/why-my-blog-is-titled-as-it-is.html

More history of the blackwing here:

http://blackwingpages.wordpress.com/

http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/blackwing.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwing_602

And two reviews of the new version:

http://boingboing.net/2011/06/17/the-new-palomino-bla.html

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/09/back-in-blackwing.html

Got an artist on your holiday shopping list? A box of Blackwings pairs well with a Stuart Ng Books Gift Certificate.

CTNX 2011 - 1st of 9 posts (CTNX posts UPDATED Nov 28th, more links)

(UPDATE Nov 28th -- I HAVE JUST ADDED 1 NEW POST & LINKS TO SEVERAL OF THE ARTISTS FEATURED IN THESE POSTS) Only 3 years old... CTNX has become the premiere animation event. This year featured more exclusive guests... and SOLD OUT panels and programs.....

The exhibit hall was the largest yet with all the spaces sold out... amazing for such a young show, but obviously the demand is there!
Around the convention you could enjoy free demos of traditional hand-drawn animation...
and demos of computer animation...
Artists appreciated the free live model workshops....I love seeing the models in all their different costumes & poses! So creative...
There was so much programming for the attendees to enjoy.. the hard part was trying to decide what to see!
The live drawing demo stage was always busy... and the overhead screens allow everyone to see the drawings in progress... not just those in the front row.
The screen also provided reminders about more programming not to miss, like the RalphMcQuarrie gallery!
In the lobby area, there were impromptu portfolio reviews by attending pros....
So much action going on... with an oversized Incredible Hulk overseeing it all!
Look at the long list of workshops and artist panels... all SOLD OUT!
Enjoy the following 8 posts with highlights from 2011.. and start planning now to see it all for yourself in 2012! I have just added new CTNX photos courtesy of Matthew K !

CTNX 2011 - Sketchtravel debut & signing with 10 contributors!

The fates smiled on all of us... and thanks to a terrific effort by so many involved... the US Debut of Sketchtravel exceeded expectations....

The line-up was outstanding.. and all the artists were great sports! R to L below you can see Lorelay Bove, Eli Harris, Benoit Le Pennec (and that guy in the aloha shirt, Stuart Ng ;)
The fans were thrilled....the line-up continued with (R to L) Benoit, Bill Plympton, Peter de Seve, Charles Solomon (writer), Paul Felix, Robert Valley, James Jean and Catia Chien...
It was quite a crowd on both sides of the table... the signing happened during the last hour the exhibit hall was opened.
What a night to remember! Everyone was so understanding... especially the attendees who were waiting in line.. OUTSIDE! I was the one handing them chocolates once we finally got everyone inside. In spite of the late start, we got the signing wrapped up after about an hour, for a champagne toast courtesy of CTNX, and time for the artists and attendees to mingle...
Great picture below of Robert Valley @ signing courtesy of Matthew K:

During the signing and party, we're running around like only we can at team SNB. Because the exhibition hall closed at 7PM, the lights dimmed to kick off CNTX @Nite.... which included the signing area, so I only caught these few pictures myself. I managed to have a really fun, too brief chat about our Pres Romanillos Sketchbook with CTNX guest artist Carlos Grangel who stopped by for the Sketchtravel signing and party. Sorry, no picture, but what a nice guy! Stuart and Mary were taking care of the artists and attendees at the signing, and I had to return to our booth, which was still open during the signing... and needed to be shut down after the hall closed for the night. It takes a team... and some of us are behind the scenes :)

CTNX 2011 Andreas Deja + Animation's Most Beautiful Squirrel!

Just one example of the "rock star" talent at CNTX this year... our longtime patron Andreas Deja. Not only is he an artist's artist.. he also writes the most generous and insightful blog! My current favorite post of his.. and there are MANY to admire.. is this one devoted to Animation's Most Beautiful Squirrel:

http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/11/animations-most-beautiful-squirrel.html

These next 4 photos by Matthew K show Deja drawing at our CTNX signing.....





Here's my picture of him on the CTNX stage...

And another only-at-CTNX moment.... a signing with Andreas Deja and Regis Loisel at the same table right outside our Stuart Ng Books booth...
Andreas was signing and sketching in our SNB publication "A Different Stripe"


Of course we recommend the book... and Andreas's blog is a MUST for artists and fans... I've featured it here on the blog before...
Read more for yourself at http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/

CTNX 2011 - Regis Loisel

Many SNB patrons enjoy the art of Regis Loisel... including his "Peter Pan" series... vols 1 & 2 where translated into English, but the rest of the series is only available in French....

Losiel himself was available to meet fans at CTNX! He was making his exclusive US appearance at CTNX 2011, and stopped by our booth while he was there...
We helped out at one of his CTNX signings.. where he delighted the crowd with large, accomplished sketches in the style typical of European signings...


Our booth was located just on the other side of this wall... an ideal set-up to service the signings.

These last 5 photos taken by Matthew K show Loisel at work... and the results.

Below you'll see Loisel's sketch of Mickey Mouse...
Another drawing below from the signing covers 2 pages....
Here Loisel draws and chats with artist Craig Elliot (far right).They both worked on the Disney film Mulan. (Update 11/28 new CTNX post about Craig's new book!)

Thanks Matthew for use of these great photos!

CTNX 2011 - Terryl Whitlatch UPDATED 6/14 with You Tube video interview

I'm a fan of artist Terryl Whitlatch!

She was a fun guest at our signing at the SNB showroom in Torrance back in 2010, where she graced our drawing board with this wonderful addition:
There are two more posts here on the blog about the signing. See posts for Dec 17, 2010 and Aug 26, 2011.

UPDATED June 2014 -- Here's long interview with her from 5/16/13 Academy of Art University You Tube video. Host is Gil Banducci, editor on some of her books.

At CTNX 2011 she made several panel and signing appearances. Here she is at work at the live demo stage....
and a close up of her drawing in progress...
In spite of the crowds, it's amazing to see the artists so focused on their work...
Here's a reference shot of her with some of her artwork...
Her most recent book is "Animals Real & Imagined"
She was part of a panel with William Stout (below right) and James Gurney (center)... photo below by Matthew K of all 3 at their signing....

Prior to the signing, all 3 were on a panel about creature design... imagine that! Gurney of course is best known for Dinotopia..
Here's a studio shot of him...

William Stout's credits are too long to list here... He has been with SNB since the beginning... and has visited our showroom for several signings...

One of his many books is this personal favorite of mine "Prehistoric Life Murals"

Learn more at www.williamstout.com

Also fun interview with Bill on John Flesk's Blog:http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2011/11/19/william-stout-production-designer-of-%E2%80%9Cthe-return-of-the-living-dead%E2%80%9D-interview/