Currently exploring image making with fountain pens: immediate mark making, no pencil, no eraser. I'm enjoying the discovery process and embracing the stray mark made with semi-blind contour and continuous line drawings.
I’m often asked about my Bic pen drawings and how I do them. It starts with a good foundational drawing, the ballpoint pen part is just trying to colour within the lines. I try to do my best to explain the process, but the best way to show my progress is by posting my efforts to master pen drawings over the span of 3 or so years. I have been doodling/drawing with ballpoint pens as far back as I can remember - they were cheap, readily available and always lying around the house. It wasn’t until I was bored during a particularly long team meeting-conference call (around 2016-17) that I started to think about the possibilities of ballpoint pens as serious portrait illustration tools. My first experiments with full colour ink portrait drawings were rather crude, but that’s the point of learning new techniques—as long as the curiosity and the love of drawing is there, you can transfer that skill and passion into any medium. Remember, the most exquisite drawings and paintings you see didn’t materialise fully formed, they started out as failed experiments. Failure after failure after failure. It’s important to remember this when you get discouraged (I've failed spectacularly over the years). The only difference between the accomplished artist and the beginner is hundreds of hours of practice. Talent can only get you so far. It’s the hard work that you do behind the scenes that makes your work look effortless. Keep doodling. Keep learning. Stay curious.
It's been an interesting week, one of which had events I didn't expect to affect me as much as they did. I'd like to say something that occurred was surprising, but quite frankly, it wasn't. It's concerning how far things have gone and how some seem to feel indifferent to or even support them. We'll see what will happen, 11 days can't pass soon enough... besides that, time ticks on. A bit too fast in my opinion, but it is what it is. I know this drawing isn't my usual style, but something about drawing like this feels mindless for me, it lets me zone out and disconnect.
George the mouse found himself in a pickle. He had discovered the most perfect mushroom house at the end of an alligators nose. The trouble was the door was too small and he could not get inside...
Daily Drawing 685
Odette made this amazing cover of AC/DC's song "Thunderstruck" for Like a Version. My most recent music discovery. What about you, discovered anything interesting lately?
In wanting to get active with my fellow doodler community, I wanted to stop in and introduce myself. My name is Dalton Stark, I live in Texas, and i'm a doodle addict, and an advocate for the possibility of anything. For me, doodling is my purest state of being human. My sketchbooks are a very sacred place for me to practice this expressive and arcane form of imagination meditation, which I'm always trying to find more excuses to spend more time in. It is to me, all about intuition, making discoveries, surprising yourself, having fun and maybe even making yourself and others smile or laugh sometimes. I look forward to being a part of this beautiful inky ecosystem with y'all, here are some very secret sketchbook spreads.
'Queen of Marseille' I
I have discovered a few unfinished sketches from my previous travels to France from few years ago.
I decided to bring them back to life. I think before I didn't like them so much as I do now.
My first lady of Marseille saying 'Salut' and I am slowely saying 'Goodbye' to the summer...
#29 Breath of Fire 2 - My fanart drawn in ibis paint on iPad pro. I recently discovered this game on the Super Nintendo. I really like the artist’s concept artwork for BoF2. I wanted to draw a few of the characters and the logo in my style. Ryu is the main character, and I like Catwoman type characters, so I thought Katt looked fun to draw. Also, I drew the logo slightly different from the original. I don't like to draw every detail exact. As usual: [No Tracing] [No Ai] [No free form line tools for inking except for the perfect circles]
I feel only positive emotions after drawing this landscape.
It's a bit wintery, snowy, and magical.
I love the background texture. But I still need to work on the details.
Recently, I discovered the miraculous power of gouache. I ordered paints a few days ago (still waiting for the shipment). That's why there are only digital versions for now.
I have already purchased a course on the Domestika platform. I'm going to try my skills at traditional painting on paper. It will be a big challenge. Fortunately, I have a great teacher :) Thanks, Ruth Wilshaw, for your Domestika course and daily inspiration to create!
Day 6 of #whimsicalByMamaminia art challenge.
I'm starting a new art challenge #whimsicalByMamaminia
Art challenges are an excellent way to stay motivated. They are great for creating consistently in one style.
I fell in love with gouache paintings with a whimsy touch when I discovered Ruth Wilshaw.
It's my first attempt at creating an illustration with a whimsical accent
Words on the watercolor are from Vincent van Gogh's letter to Theo van Gogh (Cuesmes, July 1880). Neal ran away only to discover that all that he was running away from is still with him.
Finally I finished this one! New original character Marisha. She is a pirate and a very skilled thief! I was doing this artwork for Mooncolony art contest in Discord. Worth to try a new theme! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAB-YNU2ZoA
Due to financial/logistical reasons, I can't do literal linocuts as often as I'd like, so I draw my illustrations in reverse, flip them digitally, have them printed, and then color them in by hand. The result is basically an "artist's print". I only make one of each. These were watercolor, but I've recently discovered gouache, so keep an eye out for future pieces that incorporate that.
Joan Miró (1893-1983)
Miró always maintained a rigidly inflexible daily routine—both because he disliked being distracted from his work, and because he feared slipping back into the severe depression that had afflicted him as a young man, before he discovered painting. To help prevent a relapse, his routine always included vigorous exercise—boxing in Paris; jumping rope and Swedish gymnastics at a Barcelona gym; and running on the beach and swimming at Mont-roig, a seaside village where his family owned a farmhouse.
Miró hated for this routine to be interrupted by social or cultural events. As he told an American journalist, “Merde! I absolutely detest all openings and parties! They’re commercial, political, and everybody talks too much. They get on my tits!”
From Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
I'm playing a lot with the background texture. I'm discovering the power of brushes from Krita Software.
I fell in love with the gouache texture effect.
I like the silhouettes in this illustration, but the leaves could be better. I need to find a good brush for drawing leaves faster and with ease.
Or maybe I should try some other techniques?
Have a creative time!
