A few months ago, I left the apartment in the morning on a Sunday and found that I had a flat tire due to a nail-induced puncture. I had been trying to get new tires for my car anyway, so the timing was actually pretty good except that I thought I couldn’t get tires that could fit. But after calling the tire shop in a panic and finding out that they actually DID have something I could use (I know next to nothing about cars but mine takes an unusual size) and that they could change it that day I was just happy it hadn’t happened on a week day. Actually I was happy I had failed to get new tires the previous week.

Anyway, I found myself walking up and down a busy boulevard for a few hours while they changed my tires. I wandered into a Barnes and Noble and bought some sketch pencils, a small sketch book, and a book for learning to draw. I then went to a small cafe, thinking I could do some practice sketches, but the place was packed and while I was able to get a table, I was too self-conscious to start in front of all those people.

All of those things sat unopened until today when I realized that if I was going to do bark and sky in pencil, I might as well try nicer pencils. Not completely satisfied with the look, but I think once I get used to them it will look nice.

Next week we finally get to see the Under-Root. It took me a while to figure out how to draw it. I have two panels done so far. I might post a preview on the social networks if I feel like doing extra scanning.