Cammenga Compass. Tilley hat. Pen and Ink drawing. Bolts, bungs and buckets.
Now it’s time to own a very decent compass. The Cammenga Lensatic USA army compass. Won on eBay. Why a compass? After a short visit to the woodland, river and hills at the back of local (3 miles) Coed Cwm Einion, Furnace, (Artist’s Valley) it would be nice to walk a bit more. Not only for the pleasure of being surrounded by nature.
Although that is a magnificent reason. But also to gain insight of how to get around with knowledge of choosing an interesting direction and staying safe by finding the way back to where you started from. Ordnance survey maps can be used with the Cammenga. However, a mathematical small calculation is required as they do not possess the ability for map reading and altering the compass with an adjuster for declination. Declination? See link below.
https://www.nwcg.gov/course/ffm/location/65-declination
A great YouTube video explains the map reading technique to use the Cammenga very well. Here below too.
Also. Purchases from the last week. A very nice Third Tilley hat. Bought in a Machynlleth charity shop/thrift store. Cost was £20. It has a smaller brim than my other two Tilley hats (Hessian and Original Cream) and that’s a plus in brighter, drier and warmer weather. The larger brims are fantastic for keeping rain off your face and getting down the back of your neck. But can get warm if used in hotter weather or strenuous walking. I have written about the Tilley hat before here on the blog site.
Lastly. Purchased too last week was the book by John Hullah Brown, ‘Sketching Without a Master’.
Intentional is to carry on with dip nibs and draughtsman Rotring and Pelikan nibs for pen and India ink drawing.
I copied these drawing exercises from the book and, to be honest, I found it to be really comforting, a great vibe and very relaxing simply sitting and ‘copy’ drawing. A naive bucket, bung and bolt was pretty quick time wise, but resulted in a half hour of pure joy. I cannot bring to mind a bucket, bolt or cork stopper visually due to Aphantasia. So copying was a simple pleasurable exercise.
There were a fair few second hand charity shop purchases over the last few weeks. This was due to assisting the Dyfi Wholefoods team (my wife’s Wholefood Shop in Machynlleth) over weeks on end to prepare for the move to new premises. I could pop out and look around the charity shops’ shelves for interesting items. A fair few books, clothing and small bits and bobs were rewarded by my giving them a huge grin or beaming Wow! Smile. Borne from simple realisation that they had new ownership and would be treasured again.
Please tap on individual images to enlarge.
Just to say thank you too for helping the site get to this realisation. To reach such a number of visits is inspiring. Much appreciated.
Gray Summers 