Quick scribble of a woodland scene

ballpoint pen on cartridge  30 x 20cm

 Here's another quick sketch done with ballpoint pen at the cork sketch group

Drink & Draw event. I heard someone say recently that the ballpoint pen is the 

pencil of the 21st century.. I guess that could be true really as even the cheapest

mass produced pen can still offer up a satisfactory drawing result. I find for speed

and tone and a fine line, a ball point pen can be second to none when you are in a

hurry. I also like to use sandpaper with these scribbles, drawing the ink across the 

page in a semblance of a wash, making for a nice finish. Of course with the pen, 

there's no turning back, once you put down that line it's there to stay, but I like to 

think that's an advantage to as it forces you to make better decisions knowing in 

advance that you will not be able to undo any strokes. I have been using ballpoint

pens now for many years and I find that each time I return to graphite or oil pitt I

 do less corrections as a result of using this medium.

Thanks for looking :)

Study of Caravaggio's "Doubting Thomas" with disposable pen

  Ball point pen on recycled paper 12 x 8

I started this the other night while with the Cork sketch group at their drink and draw event

 and finished it on returning to the studio. I felt attempting a Caravaggio study would have

 been a bit of a challenge with the,"ten for a penny" ink pens I am using at the moment but 

they seem to be more than able. Any reluctance on my part to do this was based on the fact 

that there is no adjustment allowed so I would have to look at my own mistakes when finished. 

But that's all part of the process and I think I got away with it, for the most part. I do like the 

results though, because the finished scribble gives me a good understanding of where I
might have made better decisions with my pen strokes and it also teaches me to accept the
limits of my ability with the media.

Thanks for looking :)

Leo

 Ballpoint pen on cartridge  20 x 14 cm

Leo is a dog of no particular pedigree

Small and muscular and tough

His growl so deep it makes you shudder

and he pants like laughter

then walks toward you rolling his big head

which he lands in your lap

and closes his eyes and snorts and sighs

"I am your dog

Where are the dog treats?"

Thanks for looking :)