Ball Pen Art for Beginners
Ball pen art is a fairly exciting and modern form of drawing which relies on ball pen art techniques like shading and hatching to bring out the texture and personality of the artwork. Ball pens are immensely versatile and accessible. In this article, we’ll dive into various ball pen art techniques, using which you can engender a piece worthy of the Louvre.
Ball Pen Art
Ball pen art drawing involves creating drawings using a ballpoint pen, which was previously exclusively used for writing. Unlike traditional art mediums like pencils or paints, ball pens produce fine lines, which ensures that you can carve out meticulous details. Ball pens are for everyone; you can make simple line drawings or complex detailed artworks. However, you must be wary of the right tip size and ink quality. If you think that the devil is in the details, choose pens with fine tips (0.5mm or smaller). For broader lines, a medium or bold tip can be used.
Ball Pen Art Techniques to Try
Seldom, artists are bamboozled by the sheer versatility of ballpoint pens. At present, there are several artists, whose projects make ball pen art easy. But how do they do so? Let’s look at some of the popular ball pen art techniques employed around the globe to make easy ball pen art.
1. Dot Art
Derived from pointillism, this ball pen sketch art involves placing countless small dots to build up shading and texture. If you are using multicolored ball pens, the space between the dots can give the illusion of bright colors. Start with lighter pressure for lighter areas and gradually build up with denser dots for darker regions. It will also help you detail fur, fabric, or metal textures.
2. Cross-Hatching
Cross-hatching involves drawing overlapping sets of parallel lines to create shading and texture. Cross-hatching or hatching in general makes for an easy ball pen art. Be mindful of the spacing and direction of the lines, as they may alter the effect. You can use perpendicular hatching lines, although we advise you to keep them at an angle to drastically play with the negative space.
3. Line Art
Using clean, continuous lines you can create simple yet effective ball pen sketch drawings. Line art can be used for everything from intricate patterns to basic shapes. They provide your drawings with an innate minimalistic quality. You must experiment with varying line thicknesses to signify the dimensions of your subject.
4. Gradient Shading
Gradient shading is an advanced ball pen art technique. You can achieve smooth transitions from light to dark by gradually building up layers of lines or dots. It helps to create hyperrealistic portraits and sketches.
5. Blending
Blending is not commonly associated with ball pen art. But you may surprised that it is possible, albeit not with a blending stump. To achieve softer transitions, all you need to do is apply varying pressure while making your ball pen art. Alternatively, you can use a fine-tip ball pen for the same. What you need to do essentially is to control the flow of ink.
Ball Pen Art for Beginners: Simple Ideas
Now that we have recapped all the popular ball pen art techniques to use, we’ll discuss some easy ball pen art ideas for you to practise these tips.
- Natural Elements: Draw leaves, flowers, or trees with basic shapes and textures. Start with outlines and gradually add details and shading.
- Portrait Sketches: Begin your ball pen art portrait with basic facial features and expressions. Use a fine tip and focus on one feature at a time.
- Geometric Patterns: Create geometric designs or mandalas. Use a ruler or stencil to ensure precision and symmetry in your designs.
- Doodle Art: Fill a page with random doodles and patterns experimenting with different line styles and techniques.
- Minimalist Drawings: With a few simple lines or shapes, make minimalist and easy ball pen art.
- Hand Lettering: Combine calligraphy with simple illustrations. Choose a short, meaningful quote and integrate it with your illustrations.
Image Courtesy – Muddy Colors
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