to the moon and stars and back

Aw, I found this a drawing whilst looking for something else.  I made for my Art O Level  many many moons ago. Around thirty years ago. I did this and some studies of denim with blue ballpoints. I'd never have imagined then that I'd become known for drawing with a ballpoint pen. Or that I'd have a drawing of a pair of converse in ballpoint that would go viral. Although, I was a real dreamer so maybe I would have imagined that. Well, not the bit about it going viral. I couldn't have dreamt up the Internet. Even my imagination couldn't have come up with that!

something old something new something borowed...

I've a few original artworks, in my Etsy shop, going cheap.

The drawing above is brand new. I did it while waiting in the car park, in a local village, Hayfield, here in Derbyshire. It's the village where the BBC production called, funnily enough, The Village is filmed. Throughout the filming Hayfield was transformed into a village from 1914. Which basically means that they hardly did anything to it. It really hasn't changed much in a hundred years. 

Below, is an oldie.

You can find them both, and some others, HERE.

how to draw a shoe

As promised, here is the second method I use, when it comes to drawing shoes. This, it has to be said, is my favourite method of all. And, I use it not only for drawings shoes but for most of the still life drawings that I make. In fact, this is probably how about 90% of them were created. A friend of mine says it's cheating, but I don't think so. This method means that everything I draw is the actual size of the object. Plus, for me, it brings the object and the drawing closer together. I feel that the object really becomes a part of the drawing when I draw like this;

Method 2

Oh, and by the way, I have used exactly the same tools as in the last post minus the tracing paper. You don't need that.
Step 1. Get your Converse boot, or whatever it is you want to draw, and draw around it. Yes, actually put it on the page and draw around it. I've used pencil to get the initial shape in the drawing above. It'll never be true to shape, because it depends what angle you are coming from (in so many ways), but I like that.
Step 2. Then draw around the pencil outline with a ballpoint to give you a ballpoint outline (apologies for the totally bloody obviousness of what I'm saying). It doesn't matter if it differs from the pencil outline, it's your shoe and your drawing.

Step 3. Adding 'values'. I'd never actually heard this term before I started drawing-blogging. I think it might be a US term (?) or even a technical term. As I said in the last post, I've had no training so maybe that's why I'd never heard it before. So, for those, not in the know, like me, add some shading. By looking at your shoe you can see where the darker bits are - hatch there.

Step 4. More hatching. More more more. Continuing on from the last step, building it up and adding some texture.

Step 5. Adding more detail and continuing with the therapeutic cross hatching. Really feel those textures. Touch your boots!

Step 6. Finishing touches. Adding the lovely details and, again, for this drawing I've added a bold outline. If you don't want a bold outline leave it out. Not every drawing needs one. Finish when you want to finish. It's your drawing. Let the drawing tell you when it's done.

Well, that's the process I go through. But, hey, don't listen to me. I'm sure you have your own thing going on.

Check out THIS LINK to see the other method I use for drawing shoes.
Plus, you can buy my 'How To Draw...' zines, and other stuff, HERE.

hung up

Finally. This print. Available. On Etsy. Find it HERE.

i'm not out to convince you or draw upon your mind

I've had so many enquiries, over the last few weeks, about the type of ballpoint pens I use. The answer is quite simple; any. Any I can get my hands on. I have no loyalty to a specific brand. I buy the cheap and nasty ones. I'll buy them in packs of six or ten. Usually I don't even buy them, I find them. I pick up any lost or discarded pen I come across. I use the ones that come free in charity envelopes. Any.

I don't really get hung up on the materials I use. I don't care. I'll use anything in order to draw. And, to me, there is something quite magical about creating a piece of work out of something so cheap. I like that.

This drawing is now available as a print HERE.