Farewell, Skip, You Sure Were A Fighter

By Bill Craig
It is with great regret that I say goodbye to a friend I have never met.

His name was Skip and on the Straight Dope he was known as "BarnOwl"

Skip passed away last Friday from lung cancer and emphysema, but before he left he made sure I'd be "okay", because I had mentioned on the Dope that I'd like to get back into painting, but wasn't sure how much I could do "free-hand" since I now have developed a Parkinsonian tremor.

Skip recommended a book and a device known as a Camera Lucida which is nothing but a set of mirrors placed in such a way that they will reflect a particular image on a canvas or paper and one can then proceed to sketch the outlines and then paint in the rest.

http://www.camera-obscura-lucida-shop.com/new-hardwood-camera-lucida.html

Would it surprise you to know that many of the greatest painters used this technique?

Do you think of that as "cheating"?

Skip (BarnOwl) is one of many people I have met on the internet, but never in person.

We never met, but he sure reached out to me, and because I will have that book and his e-mails, I feel very fortunate that he did.

Rest Peacefully, Skip

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