Ball Pen Drawing artwork

Ball Pen Drawing Artwork

This is the 2nd drawing in 2020, but the first one where I used a pen to draw a complete sketch, I have already tried several times to draw using a ball pen but I screw up and end up tearing the paper apart. But I have always had the will to learn how to draw with a pen, it was just a matter of time before I start really getting into it.

when it comes to the comparison between pen and pencil sketching I must say that there are similarities and differences.. The similarities being that you basically have to master the shades, especially if you are using one color pencil or pen, the more degrees of darkness you use the more realistic your drawing will look also the more 3D like it will seem.

The differences (and that's where the real deal is) are that the way you use the pen is totally different, a pen can only be used vertically to the paper (or almost vertical) unlike the pencil that you can use even inclined, and that causes some issues for artists that are used to incline their hands like myself, I had to keep focusing on my position all the time which is frustrating.. Especially that no error is allowed, you cannot use an eraser with pens, one wrong more and the whole artwork is lost.

The second major difference is that it is very hard to find the lightest layer with pen, with pencils it's easier, you just pass it on the paper without almost applying any force on it and you get the fine light shade you want but in the case of pen it will take you some time and practice to figure out how to do it. That is why I am considering making a tutorial about it. There are not that many on Youtube.

Once you master how to get the lightest layer you will have to find all the degrees of shades between it and the darkest one (which is the normal color of the pen applied on paper with force).. after some researches and tryouts I came to the conclusion that the best way to do so is by using what's called the squares technique, It includes drawing inclined parallel lines for the side to another and then drawing other inclined parallel lines but this time for the opposite side, the intersection of the lines will then form very small squares. The smaller the squares are the more realistic your drawing will look. 

For the darker and darker areas you will have to add another layer of the same thing (intersection of parallel lines from 2 sides) and more if you want darker.

As you could see it is very difficult to explain the process with words, a short video tutorial would be much better and clearer. Nobody reads nowadays anymore. So if you want me to make a tutorial just let me know and I will see what I can do. It will not be easy but I will try my best, especially that I am a beginner myself in pen drawing.