Ceiling of Entry Hall, Peabody Essex Museum

Ceiling of Entry Hall, Peabody Essex Museum
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today Heather and I took a break and went to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. We saw a lot in a very short time: a wonderful show of aerial photography called Air Lines and an fantastic exhibit of teapots in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Then we sat in on a bead workshop. But the most amazing art in the museum is the museum itself, with its sense of inside and outside, old and new. I like the light in the entrance hallway from the windows in the ceiling, so I looked up and took this photo with my cameraphone.

Vicariously Vienna

Vicariously Vienna
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a digitally modified version of a photo Mel sent me in a multimedia message to my cellphone. He has been in Vienna all week and used his cameraphone to take a picture of the Votiv Church. It was a great shot, but when I transferred it to my computer, I could see that the sky had multicolored horizontal stripes running across it. Mel came home tonight, and I asked him if I should try to fix his photo of the church. I opened the image in Painter IX and decided to try the digital airbrush. But to make it more fun, I decided to enhance the sky with the purple that was one of the colors in the stripes. Then I cropped the image for a more balanced composition.

View of Narrow Alley in Moncao Portugal

View of Narrow Alley in Moncao Portugal
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I took this picture during my first visit to Portugal, several years ago. Mauro planned a surprise day trip to Vigo, Spain. On the way, we stopped for lunch in Moncao, Portugal. We ate steak grilled on marble, and Molotov, which is a meringue dessert. Then we walked around Moncao, which is right across the river from Spain. I loved the narrow, winding streets, and took this picture. Tonight I cropped it just a bit to to focus on the inviting view of the narrow alleyway.

Oranges and Blackberries

Oranges and Blackberries
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Yesterday I bought some beautiful blackberries, and tonight I sliced up some oranges to go with them. I like the way their flavors complement each other. But I also like the way they look together! I was admiring the colors and patterns of the fruit on the plate, and decided to take a picture with my phonecam. Later, I cropped the photo and adjusted the contrast to make sure that it was possible to see the geometric patterns of the oranges and the berries.

Forsythia in the Snow

Forsythia in the Snow
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here in Massachusetts, we still have at least six inches of snow on the ground from the recent blizzard, but today the temperature went up to 55 degrees, so we decided to take a walk with the dogs at Long Hill Gardens. I was surprised to see bright yellow forsythia blooming in the middle of the snow. I took a few pictures with my phonecam, and this is the one I like best.

Bouquet for February 14

Bouquet for February 14
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a piece of digital art that I started last year, working from my imagination. Today I came across it and decided to finish it, so I opened it in Painter IX. I had thought that I had started this with digital oil pastel, but when I started working today, I realized that it must have been digital crayon, because the color was going on differently. But I liked the effect of the oil pastel, so I kept going. I needed to add more flowers, and I remembered those primroses I photographed in the grocery store (and posted earlier this week). So I added the pink flowers with chartreuse centers. I also added some red daisies and tiny yellow flowers. It didn't take very long to finish, maybe twenty minutes, but I really enjoyed it.

Winter Evening

Winter Evening
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today was so busy that I didn't have a chance to take pictures of the bright snow in the sun. But tonight as I got home, I noticed the light from the street lamps hitting the snow. The colors were great, but it was almost dark. I grabbed my cell phone and put the camera on night mode. This is the picture as it came out of the camera. The edges are soft, but I think they work with the impressionistic colors of the light reflected on the snow.

Trees in Snowstorm

Trees in Snowstorm
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

We expected a blizzard today, and although the forecast called for heavy afternoon snow, early this morning it was already snowing hard and steady with occasional whiteouts. It was still snowing hard when I went out around 8:30 AM to shovel (for the exercise and to feel that I was keeping ahead of the snow, which was delusional.) Afterwards, I took some pictures with my digital camera, trying to capture the way the snow looks while it is falling. I like this one the best, so I decided to post it even though by now there is much more snow on the ground. (The forecast was right after all: it snowed even harder in the afternoon.)

Entryway of London Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel

Entryway of London Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I have been watching the Masterpiece Theater version of "Bleak House" on TV. I read the novel in graduate school and loved it! Tonight I joined Mel for a while as he watched the rebroadcast. Much of the novel revolves around the Chancery Court in London, and as we watched, I remembered that when we were in London, we stayed at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel. At the time, I wondered if there was a connection to Dickens, and liked to imagine there was. Alas, from what I can tell, the real Chancery Court was actually half a mile away from the hotel, and the hotel is in a building that was built in 1914. But that doesn't detract from the sense of romance and history that I felt in London, as I half expected to see characters from Dickens on every winding street and in every narrow courtyard. So tonight I cropped this image of the hotel entryway from my photo and decided to post it. Oh, and the Christmas Tree? Well, it was December. But then, isn't it always Christmas in a Dickens novel?

Morning Light on Lough Corrib near Galway

Morning Light on Lough Corrib near Galway
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Tonight Mel was telling some friends about our drive from Belfast to Galway during my trip two summers ago. Here is one of my favorite pictures from that excursion. This is a photo I took of the morning light on Lough Corrib, in Oughterard (very close to Galway). We stayed in a wonderful bed and breakfast, a farm on the edge of the lake, and we could see the lake from our window. In the morning, the light was wonderful, so I went out to take pictures.

Quiet Street in Costa Nova Ilhava, Portugal

Quiet Street in Costa Nova Ilhava, Portugal
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is an image of Costa Nova Ilhava, the Portuguese town with striped houses which I mentioned a few days ago, the location of the wonderful bakery. When I looked through my photos to find a good picture of Costa Nova, I was frustrated. The original version of this photo had the best view of the houses, but a row of cars was blocking the view, there were many wires, and even a satellite dish. But I did like the view of the striped houses. So I did some digital editing: a little cutting, a little pasting, and a little digital airbrush with Painter IX, and as the little street in Costa Nova Ilhava became quieter, I decided it was good enough to post.

Primroses

Primroses
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today was full of errands, deadlines, and work to do. But as I was rushing through the supermarket, I noticed these little primroses, and they reminded me to stop, breathe, and look for just a second. I loved the very intense pink with a yellow center that was almost green. So I took a picture with my cameraphone. Tonight I cropped the image, and adjusted the color at the center of the flowers just a bit with a wash of yellow, using PainterIX's digital watercolor.

Pastries of Portugal

Pastries of Portugal
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is a sweet memory of Portugal's amazing pastry! (My favorite, natas, are third row from the top, center.) I love the little pastry shops with their careful arrangements in glass cases. This picture could have been taken in any number of bakery shops, but this one was in Costa Nova Ilhava, south of Porto, where the houses are painted with vertical stripes. (I will post photos of the town itself in the near future.) I had to do some editing of the original photo (composition, saturation, brightness) so that the image would do justice to the pastries of Portugal.

Self-Portrait with Make-up

Self-Portrait with Make-up
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I guess it is time for another self-portrait. This was another assignment in the portrait painting class that I took a few years ago. The assignment was to do a self-portrait with objects that indicate a social context. I decided to paint my reflection in my make-up mirror.

View of Harvard Square from the COOP

View of Harvard Square from the COOP
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

It rained hard last night and early this morning, but it cleared up and was warm(in the fifties!) so Mel and I decided to make a Cambridge run: coffee at Peets, then the COOP, and Harvard Bookstore. I was sitting in the third floor of the COOP reading a book when I looked out the window and decided that I liked the view of Harvard Square well enough to take some pictures with my phonecam. When I got home, I cropped this one and adjusted the contrast. But there were some distracting shapes on the street, so I quickly opened the image in PainterIX and did a little street sweeping with digital pastel.

Looking North from Singing Beach

Looking North from Singing Beach
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today was unbelievably warm for February in Massachusetts, and we decided to walk the dogs on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Lots of people were doing the same, and there were lots of dogs having fun on the beach, greeting each other, playing tag in the sand, and even chasing tennis balls into the waves that came onto the sand. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but in between it is a great place to go for a long walk, if you get a nice warm day like today. I also took some pictures with my cameraphone. This is a view of the rock formations that you can see at the north end of the beach.

North Beverly Commuter Rail Crossing

North Beverly Commuter Rail Crossing
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I took this picture tonight with my phonecam at the railroad crossing near the North Beverly Commuter Rail Station. Everyone else was waiting for the train to Boston to pass by so the traffic could move again. I was waiting for the train to move so I could take a picture of it, and this is the result. I used the night photo feature on my cell phone camera, and did nothing to the image except crop it just a bit.

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of February 2

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of February 2
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is how the pencil sketch looks right now. This drawing started as a rough sketch for the painting I finished recently for my friends, and I decided to finish the pencil drawing too. Recent changes include adjusting the hairline, and trying to add more expression to the smile.

Liberdade Street Scene in Sao Paulo Brasil

Liberdade Street Scene in Sao Paulo Brasil
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Last night Heather and I went to a Spanish language get-together. Several of the people there speak Portuguese and had lived in Brasil or were from there. Two of the people around the table also speak Japanese, and that made me think of Liberdade, an amazing Japanese area in Sao Paulo. Tonight I cropped this image out of one of my pictures from Liberdade. You can get a glimpse of the street signs in Portuguese and Japanese. I loved the collage of languages in Liberdade, just as I enjoyed the crazy collisions of languages last night.

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of January 31

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of January 31
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I recently finished painting a portrait for my friends, and decided to return to the preliminary pencil sketch that I made before painting, and finish it. Today I worked on the background and the clothing, but also modified the shape of the face and the hairline, bringing them closer to the photo I am using as a source. I also added some shadows to the face.

Roses and Blue Plate

Roses and Blue Plate
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Even though my art show doesn't official start until February 1, I was offered the chance to hang the show today, and I was glad to do it. So early this morning, I took a photo of this pastel with my digital camera because I realized that I have digital images of all the pastels in the show except this one. Anyway, everything went according to plan and by noon, I had all the art up on the wall. But tonight, as I was posting the digital image, I saw some problems caused by photographing a matted piece through glass. So I opened the image in Painter IX and did some very gentle editing with a light dusting of digital pastel.

Brown Mountain

Brown Mountain
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I guess it is time for another Colorado picture. This is one of the first images I made with my Clie handheld paint program, and of course, I drew a mountain, working from my imagination and my memories of Colorado. Tonight I opened the image in PainterIX and cleaned it up with a little digital pastel.

Natural History Museum at University of Kansas in Lawrence

Natural History Museum at University of Kansas in Lawrence
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is a nice memory from Lawrence, Kansas, a photo of the Natural History Museum at KU. My children enjoyed this museum when they were growing up, and so did I. I took this photo in spring, as you can tell, and the red-bud trees on campus are amazing. I had a great time when we lived in Lawrence, and have wonderful memories of and strong connections to the people I met there.

Outside the Window

Outside the Window
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Even though it was cold today, we had sun and bright blue sky. I had a lot of work to do today, but while I was at the computer, I found myself looking up at the tree outside the window. I liked the way the tree looked against the shapes created by the window's frame. I decided to take a few pictures with my phonecam. Tonight I edited them on the computer, and this is the one I like the best.

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of January 26

Pencil Sketch for Portrait as of January 26
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I recently finished the portrait that I have been painting for my friends. Now that the painting is done, I decided to go back and finish the preliminary sketch I made back in mid-September (and posted here on September 14 and September 22, 2005.) Today I worked on the background, and this is what it looks like tonight.

Snow Covered Branch Against the Sky

Snow Covered Branch Against the Sky
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

When I woke up, it was snowing and we had more snow on the ground this morning. After my son and I finished shoveling, I went back outside with my digital camera and took pictures. I took this photo from below, standing under the tree and looking up. I was intrigued by the intricate tracery of the snow-covered branch against the white sky.

Passion Flowers

Passion Flowers
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a piece of digital art that I made tonight. When I opened a new document in Painter IX, I didn't have a specific plan. Earlier today I had spent some time matting and framing pastels for my art show next week. I guess all that time spent with rectangles might explain why began this by creating some rectangles within rectangles in black and white. I had a vague idea about filling shapes with patterns to make a digital collage, but by chance I opened the image hose brush, a tool I almost never use. I decided to try it out, and chose the passion flower nozzle. I adjusted the size of the nozzle and put in some individual flowers. I liked the design, so I kept going. Then I added some passion flower leaves, too, in various sizes. This was just an experiment, but I decided that I like it well enough to post.

Snow Fall on Dogwood and Blue Spruce

Snow Fall on Dogwood and Blue Spruce
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

It snowed today, so this morning I used my digital camera to take some pictures. The blue spruce provided contrast for the falling snow, as well as for the lacy snow-covered branches of the dogwood tree. I took several photographs of this, then later I cropped and edited them to get the composition right. This is the one I like the best.

Morning Light on Loch Erne in Northern Ireland

Morning Light on Loch Erne in Northern Ireland
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I took this photo two years ago in early January during a visit to Northern Ireland. Justin, Mel's colleague at Queen's, invited us to come to Enniskillen, and arranged for us to stay on the shore of Loch Erne in an old manor house that is now a hotel. The morning light on the lake was amazing, so I took this picture. I decided to post this today because Justin is visiting the U.S. and will give a talk tomorrow at UNH. Tonight we met him at Logan Airport and took him out to dinner.

On the Beach at Lynch Park in January

On the Beach at Lynch Park in January
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

For the past few days, we have been having another spell of warm temperatures, in the forties and fifties. Yesterday we took advantage of the weather and walked on the beach at Lynch Park. I used my phonecam to take this picture, a view of Beverly seen from the beach. For this image, I had to adjust the color and the contrast on the computer afterwards. The amount of detail is sometimes limited with the phonecam, especially with a landscape, but the spontaneity is great and it does a good job of capturing the composition. Later on, I might use a photo like this as the basis for a painting.

Yellow House Fantasy in Cascais Portugal

Yellow House Fantasy in Cascais Portugal
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Time for another picture from Portugal. This image began as a photo that I took in Cascais, Portugal, during a July visit a few years ago. I loved the sunny streets of Cascais, and was attracted to the yellow house on the corner. I call this a fantasy because it is digitally modified, and I have changed the colors by using Painter IX's digital watercolor. As I decide on colors to apply, I look at the original color and try to intensify it if I can, but then as I get going, I let my imagination take over. But I want to point out that the one color that I have not modified at all is the bright yellow house on the corner. Sometimes the reality of Portugal is more fantastic than than anything I could imagine.

Pam's Hat

Pam's Hat
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

The other night, I started sketching on the computer (with Painter IX's digital chalk) and realized I was sketching hats, apparently inspired by my visit with my friend Pam. She has a collection of terrific hats. It is always fun to see her hats, and I love the way she looks in them!

Carnations as of January 18

Carnations as of January 18
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is the pastel drawing of carnations, as it looks tonight. Today I adjusted the elipse at the base of the pitcher, and the position of the spout. I worked on the background and added some shadows, within the bouquet and on the table. There isn't too much more to do, which is good because the carnations on my kitchen table won't last too much longer. . . .

Mountain Memory

Mountain Memory
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a digital watercolor that I painted several years ago, based on memories of the Colorado mountains. I have been thinking about Colorado because today I had a chance to see a friend that I have been close to since high school back in Colorado. She has been visiting Colorado recently, and today returned to Maine via Boston, so we had a chance to get together.

Carnations as of January 16

Carnations as of January 16
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Late this afternoon, I had a chance to work on this pastel again. I did a little more checking and correcting of the underlying geometry, using T-square and ruler. Then I worked on balancing the composition and adding more color and depth to the carnations. This is still a work in progress. . . .

January Thaw at Long Hill Gardens

January Thaw at Long Hill Gardens
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

It is very cold and windy tonight, but earlier in the week we had a January thaw, several days with high temperatures in the fifties, and no snow on the ground. So we took advantage of the opportunity to go to Long Hill Gardens to walk the dogs. I grew up in Colorado, and am still surprised to see green in January here in Massachusetts: green grass and bright green rhododendron and azalea leaves peeking out from under melting snow. While we were walking around the gardens, I noticed these little plants, and I used my phonecam to take a picture. Tonight I cropped the image to get the composition I wanted. I don't know what these plants are, but I was impressed by their color, their pattern, and their optimism.

Portrait as of January 14

Portrait as of January 14
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the portrait I have been working on for my friends. Today I made a few small adjustments to the mouth, then modified the shadows on the shirt. I think it is just about there, so I signed it. But if it turns out that there is something I need to correct, I won't mind because I have really enjoyed painting this portrait.

Carnations as of January 13

Carnations as of January 13
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Since two days ago when I last posted this work in progress, I used a ruler, to check the lines and most important, the elipses. I worked on this drawing in daylight for better light. I added some detail to the pitcher and flowers, and deepened the background for contrast. This still needs a bit more work, so I will say to be continued. . .

Rio Lima Seen Through the Bridge

Rio Lima Seen Through the Bridge
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here's another image of Portugal. This is from my very first trip there. I cropped this from a picture I took of Rio Lima as we drove across the bridge, headed north from Porto to Vigo, Spain. Tonight, I adjusted the brightness, contrast, and saturation to try to make it possible to see both the bridge and behind it, the scenery and its reflection in the river. We see so much of life from moving cars. It isn't always possible to stop to take a picture, so I decided long ago to take a picture if I really want to, even when it seems unlikely that it will come out. Sometimes I am disappointed with the result, but sometimes I am pleasantly surprised.

Carnations as of January 11

Carnations as of January 11
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a work in progress, as you can see. Tonight I transferred my carnations to a blue glass pitcher. I got out my pastels, and blocked in the pitcher, the table, and the general position of the flowers (which are as always hopelessly and wonderfully complicated). Once I got the drawing to this point, I stopped because it is just a sketch and can be easily changed. If things work out, I hope to complete this pastel in sunlight. My pastels are going to be shown at the local Barnes and Noble in February (an opportunity that came up last week) so I would like to get a few more pastels done. It's not that I don't have enough of my pastels on hand; I probably do. But for me, the biggest benefit of an upcoming show is the urgency of making more art, so I am trying to capitalize on that. To be continued. . . .

Carnations Will Do

Carnations Will Do
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Yesterday I picked up two bunches of carnations. There were more elaborate bouquets, but I liked the color of the carnations, and decided they would do. I intended to draw them with pastel, and planned to work late last night and early this morning. But the dog got sick, and I made a very late night run to the vet, and I stayed up most of the night taking care of him. It paid off, because he is doing much better now. But I had no time or energy left to draw today. Maybe tomorrow. So instead I decided to photograph the carnations with my phonecam. I liked this composition the best, despite a couple of small flaws that were distracting, so I opened the image in Painter IX and cleaned it up with digital pastel. For now I think this picture will do.

Snow on the Vines

Snow on the Vines
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I have been meaning to post this photo that I took on January 1. I guess I had better hurry and post this before the snow is all gone, because we are headed into warmer weather (mid-forties, they say). I began this image by using my digital camera to zoom in on the details and complications of snow on the vines on my fence. Later, I cropped the image into four parts, resulting in even closer views, and four images that almost look abstract. Of the four views, this is the one I like the best.

Mountains near Ermesinda, Portugal

Mountains near Ermesinda, Portugal
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

In January, it is nice to see some green fields and blue sky, so here's a picture I took one July in Portugal during one of my visits. This is north of Porto near Ermesinda. Tonight I cropped the image to improve the composition, and adjusted the contrast just a bit.

Fantasy in Trafalgar Square, London

Fantasy in Trafalgar Square, London
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

We saw Woody Allen's "Match Point" today, with its great images of London. (Some scenes even take place in the Gherkin, which I invite you to see in my blog entry of March 14, 2005, "Considering the Gherkin"). Here is another view of London that shows both old and new, from Trafalgar Square to the London Eye. I call this a fantasy because it has been digital modified, and I have taken liberties with the color. This image began with a photo that I took during my short visit to London two years ago. Tonight I cropped the image, and then opened it in Painter IX, where I added some gentle digital watercolor, to create just enough color contrast to make the patterns visible, and to make it possible to see the London Eye (and the construction crane)in the background.

Portrait in Progress as of January 6

Portrait in Progress as of January 6
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the portrait I am painting for my friends, as it looks tonight. I think this painting is getting close to finished, so I wanted to correct a few things I have noticed over the past few days. Today I concentrated on adjusting the hairline, making the forehead wider. I also modified the mouth very slightly, and and added some highlights and shadows to the face. I don't want to say that it is finished, because the minute I say that, I will see five things that I want to change. . . .

Roses

Roses
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

It's too late for the Rose Parade, but here are some digital roses that I created a couple of years ago, using Painter IX's digital oil paint. I don't know why roses make sense in January, but they do.

Sticking to Principles

Sticking to Principles
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Last night and today I did a series of drawings to be used as an illustrations in a workshop. They are all cartoons using little stick figures. I drew the cartoons using felt-tip pen on paper. After I scanned the drawings into the computer, I opened them in Painter IX and cleaned them up with digital bleach. I did about eight drawings, but this is the one I like best.

Portrait in Progress as of January 3

Portrait in Progress as of January 3
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is the latest version of the portrait I am painting for my friends. In addition to sharpening up the collar and tie, I have been making small changes to the face, using a very small brush and being careful so I can avoid losing what I already have. I adjusted the eyeglass shape, modified the hairline, and changed the position of the mouth just a bit. Small details are important when it comes to portraits. I want to capture a likeness, as well as an emotional sense of the person, which in this portrait, relies almost entirely on the facial expression. When you paint a smile, you are trying to capturing a fleeting expression, a face in motion. In this case, it is a wonderful smile, and I am trying to do it justice.

Loch Erne Ferry in Enniskillen Northern Ireland

Loch Erne Ferry in Enniskillen Northern Ireland
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here's an image from a New Year's Day adventure that I had two years ago, during a trip to Northern Ireland. We spent the day in Enniskillen, where one of Mel's colleagues lives. He gave us a tour, driving the perimeter of Loch Erne, and then suggested a late afternoon lunch. The surprise was that lunch was on an island in the middle of Loch Erne, and that the only way to get there was on a very small ferry, big enough for just one car or in our case, three pedestrians. That's where I was when I took this photo. Tonight I cropped the original to improve the composition. I adjusted the lighting and saturation to re-capture the excitement of the day and the beautiful colors of the sky reflected in the water.

Bougainvillea in Aveiro, Portugal (Digitally Edited)

Bougainvillea in Aveiro, Portugal (Digitally Edited)
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

How about another image from Portugal? I cropped this image out of a photo I took in Aveiro during a visit to Portugal in July, 2001. Portugal is an amazing mix of very old and very contemporary. Although the image might suggests an old world setting, in fact I cropped this out of a photo of a very modern shopping mall (called a "shopping" in Portuguese). This beautiful outdoor mall is adorned with bourgainvillea all along the roof line. I love the bougainvillea against the clear blue sky. But although the sky was blue in the original photo, it wasn't exactly clear! In fact, there were multiple guy wires visible against the sky. So I decided to use a little digital magic, opened the image in Painter IX, and made them disappear with digital airbrush.