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.
I do generally put pen (or some kind of tool), to paper (or some kind of surface), every day, but I'm really TRYING to do it purposefully in one singular location (journal). Here is a successful attempt from that particular day.
I'm also super lazy, which means I never go up to my actual studio and only use what's out on my computer desk.
. . . Whimsy and nostalgia all entwined in an inky world of discovery . . . This piece was the last piece of artwork my Grandmother got to see of mine before she passed into the Lord's presence this past summer
This was about a year or 2 ago when I started to get into painting with acrylics. I asked my nephew what he likes and this is what I came up with. He loved it!
Stream of consciousness portrait. Just for fun and... to use of old markers and pens that have been lying around forever. In other words, getting rid of old materials.
One of my oc's. I love her lots. I would upload 2 different pieces of her if I had the premium version of this but....ya know..... this one's for sale though! $60 usd, Cashapp only. DM me or however that works, and I can send her to your email for digital download! Payment upfront required for any and all purchases.
