jade_johnson•2d agoOG Member

Switching to ballpoint pens changed my doodles way more than I expected

Everyone in this sub always raves about fineliners and gel pens for desk sketches. I used to agree until I was stuck in a 3 hour safety meeting last Tuesday with only a cheap Bic ballpoint. I started doodling a little house and the way the ink layered with pressure made it look way more natural. Now I actually grab a ballpoint on purpose instead of reaching for my Micron pens. Anyone else find themselves liking a basic pen better than the fancy stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

hollyl451d ago

Noticed how the cheap stuff usually wins once you actually start using it for real.

the_stella1d ago

Yeah because nothing beats paying extra for a label that falls off after two washes.

king.aaron1h ago

hollyl45 nailed it. The cheap stuff forces you to work with what you've got, not rely on the tool to do the work. Ballpoint ink builds up in a way that makes you slow down and think about every hatch mark, and that pressure variation gives you shading you can't fake with a consistent gel flow. I still use my fancy pens for commissions but for messing around, a tired old Bic makes better drawings than any of them.