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Pens I hate btw <. .> Pens are evil. I only use em to ink >.<; But thanks to inking - I've had less problem drawing in a gestural manner lately, because I never have to erase anything - I just draw with a 2H pencil, then go over it in ink - when scanned, you can't see the pencil marks <,<m
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What'd Pens ever do to you Squirrel! 
I started out in Ballpoint pen. My buddy in highschool had a bagful of assorted Bic' sticks. The best part is when the "ball" in the nib gets all clunked up so you get line-BLOT-line-line-BLOT.
Just about all my "Elfwood" stuff from the Vintage post was done with black Bic Sticks.
in my sketchbook, all i use are pens, if possible. Using a pen forces me to get the lines down right the first time. If you use a pencil, you be drawing and erasing forever, and getting farther and farther way from what you wanted each time.
I also recommend instead of anatomy books, first go to a mall, and just draw people. Quick draw, theres no need to finish a drawing. It's your sketchbook! Your tryouts and experiments. Drawn them any way you want, then change it up. Exaggerate. Use the pen to see if you can quicky find and capture the feel of the subject. Draw circles untill your hands cramp up (excellent for loosening up, by the way).
Hehehe <,< I hate pens because this guy I went to HS with (who I may add, drew *AMAZINGLY* well - and very similarly to you Crimson <o.O> Creepily so... is your name by any chance Josh?)
But anyways - he drew awesomely with Pens >.> He was kind of my idol the whole time lol >,< we got along pretty well <,< I didn't get to talk to him too awful much; but cool guy. But yeah, I envied his amazing pen skills... alot. In college we wound up in the same art class a couple times <,< He'd do like this giant 3' by 5' ink drawing with color and everything... and I'd be like '... Look at my flat little faux manga people! <;.;> They're pretty... right? RIGHT?!? /selfloathing" <,<
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
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I started out in Ballpoint pen. My buddy in highschool had a bagful of assorted Bic' sticks. The best part is when the "ball" in the nib gets all clunked up so you get line-BLOT-line-line-BLOT.
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(this may freak out some of you that I know office supplies so well...)
What ya got there with the blotting is probably a Gel pen. Gels make a nice dark line, but can not only blot, but smear. Standard ballpoints can do a nice line, but it's uneven and sputter when old. I suggest a nice rollerball like the Tul brands. Dark line, even flow, non-smearing.
(too much info...huh?)
You know what else is a nice pen? >.>;; I used this for inking before I bought my special art pens (which I'm not yet convinced I'm going to keep using yet >.>
But basically, you know those V5 and V7 pens? I don't know what specifically they are, they're Pilot brand... they can smear; but they're *Really* good if you're careful!
That said <,<; I still loathe pens.
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
No, The 'rents went with "Richard". Although I'm neither Kingly or Lionhearted.
Atomic's got it right about Pens though. Where it may force you to make more mistakes(that can't be erased) it makes them apparent.
My only issue is when drawing outdoors... If you draw at a park/play area, Greet the Parents and do your best not to come off as an Oily-Greasy-Whack-Job-Pedderfile. I've gotten alot of weird looks and angry glares at parks where I didn't communicate that I'm "normal" and just an art student. Usually after that they're pretty cool and want to see what your up to(Rightly so cause it is their kids your drawing) and it may lead to some quick cash for somethin you'd be doodlin anyway.
-CJ
-CJ
Lol <,< That's the kind of worry I've had for some years when it comes to drawing people >,< I have long hair, my clothes aren't very good <'x'> I'm poor hehe /shrug; and I wear mostly black <,<
So I seem to creep people out <;.;> I'm not creepy though! Really! >.<;;
The ink thing... >.> I dunno, I don't think I could live with myself doing that, at least not right away. We shall see >.>
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
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Lol <,< That's the kind of worry I've had for some years when it comes to drawing people >,< I have long hair, my clothes aren't very good <'x'> I'm poor hehe /shrug; and I wear mostly black <,<
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HA! That's your excuse "FOR" the long hair, the black & motley clothing, the lack of funds! YOUR AN ARTIST!!
Oh, and don't worry about folks treating "You" weird for your looks. This is me.
As fer the use of Pen thing... I understand. I won't push it. But your highschool misadventures sound very close to my own. Just lemme see when ya do come'round... TO THE DARKSIDE!!... See Vader uses only pens. Why do you think his helmet's so glossy?
*ahem*
DO NOT WANT!!!!!!!
(Sorry <,<
<,<;;
(I hope someone gets that <'x'>
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
You guys are losers for not liking pens 
Nothing frees your hand like them, the way they glide over the paper, the way mistakes don't matter, the way some lines are crisp and some are sketchy. Pens are great.
And I don't mean for finished pieces or for practicing clean lines (though both are great uses). I mean for the simple purpose of allowing you the freedom to draw loosely, and afterwards saying "Wow, that is pretty good considering I couldn't erase". Plus, ink, especially blue ink, really looks beautiful to me.
Pens bad! >.>
<,<
(And I know I'm a loser <'x'>m)
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
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But basically, you know those V5 and V7 pens? I don't know what specifically they are, they're Pilot brand...
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Those are Gel Pens. Proving once again I know way too much about office supplies...
Oh <'x'> Odd... I've never had the problems you've described with them though <o.@>; Maybe I've just been lucky! <'x'>; oh wells
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
I personally use Pigma Pens from Sakura. Their Micron line is awesome, the .005's nibs are pretty good compared to most same sized pens I've tried. I press pretty hard and am known to snap/bend the nibs off sharpies. I'd stay away from the Brush line seeing as traditional brush/inkwells are cheaper and produce a better effect. I'm not too hyped about their Graphic stuff so far. The size 3 is great, 2 useless and 1 isn't really needed seeing as adding two more swipes with your .05-7 will do the same trick.
And C'mon, the whole idea of this post was to get "motivated" about art, not name call.
-CJ
hehe <,< I don't think anyone was being serious <^,~>m
Those pens look kinda like what I bought <@.@> Though I find I really can only use the smallest one right now <~_~>;
Mine are "Faber-Castel 4 PITT artist pens" whatever the hell that means <'x'>;
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
Whew! kk! That's the problem with the intersnets. Sarcasm and Intonation are lost.
Ah, and your not lucky with the blotting. You just haven't used them long enough. With a bit of practice you can somewhat control the blotting so it's a good thing in my mind. That's why I cringe when I'm given "Good" pens that won't run for my b-day and what-not.
okies. Tiered... and tied... er tired too.
Sleepies.
-CJ
Regarding Pens - my personal "comfort zone" drawing utencil is a Derwent Sketching Pencil - either 4B or even 6B. (as I understand it, they're water-soluble, too - tho I haint tried that yet). They're big and soft, and thus smooth (meaning, less movement resistance on paper). I like big, fast, flexible lines - and often turning the thing on its side and getting big gradients.
I prefer these pencils over pens not because I erase a lot (I don't, really). (I've had many instructors who force the use of pens to break students of over-erasing - not committing to a line) Rather, its just because I like the greater fexibility of the tool - from dark, thin lines to soft, gray, gradients.
But I do use pens - many different kinds: sharpies of varying widths, Microns of varying widths, Prismacolor designer (color) pens, Staedler Permanent Lumocolor pens of varying widths, many others.
And yeah, I guess I'd have to say I "hate" ballpoint pens.
BUT! Although I prefer THe sketching pencil, I'll often force myself to use other drawing utinsils (even ones I "hate") simply because they each bring something different out of me that I wouldn't get from my "comfort zone" pencils. Some of what I get with a ball point pen is unique to that medium - it leads me in somewhat of a different path. Its still "me," - but a slightly different "me" than with a pencil. And I thinks thats a worthwhile experience.
...however, even I have limits - I aint gonna try somethin like, say, a hand-made human-bone quill dipped in pig's blood just to see what it'll "bring out" -- that path is just a little too scarey for me!
Yeah >.> I've only recently gotten back to gestural drawing. I did it some in school; but I was *WAY* too nervous >.< and my art teacher... how do I explain...
She was a good teacher, but at the same point utterly awful.
The thing is... she was great when it came to understanding fine arts.
She was *Terrible* at explaining *why* you needed to know them.
So for a guy like me, who's sole interest was manga/anime drawing at the time >.> I just thought she didn't understand my style was all... that probably ticked her off too (understandably); but it also left my education incomplete <x.x> Something I"m trying to fix now myself.
I don't blame her at all btw; I blame myself - I just wish we'd understood each other far better; telling someone their art style is 'crappy' is the fastest way to make them defensive and unwilling to experiment; and thats exactly what happened in my case.
Hands I've been practiciing and practicing... and practicing... I have sheets of em! <X_X> still need more practice...
Pens I hate btw <. .> Pens are evil. I only use em to ink >.<; But thanks to inking - I've had less problem drawing in a gestural manner lately, because I never have to erase anything - I just draw with a 2H pencil, then go over it in ink - when scanned, you can't see the pencil marks <,<m
I'm rambling aren't I <'x'>
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.