BASIC TIPS FOR PEN DRAWING
- Reiko Lauper
- Mar 31
- 7 min read
Today, I want to go back to basis and share some tips how to improve your pen drawing/drawing in general.
Pen drawing is a simple yet expressive technique, but beginners often wonder where to start, what materials to use, and how to begin their journey.
In this article, we will cover the fundamentals of pen drawing, including essential techniques, practice methods, and the steps to creating successful artwork.
Choosing the Right Materials
Most of us in this class use fine-point pens, except for those working on an iPad. When selecting a pen, consider the variety of line thicknesses and ink colors available within the same brand. Some art supply stores offer testers, so take advantage of these opportunities to find a pen that feels comfortable and easy to use. While some pens can be expensive, reasonably priced options allow you to experiment with different styles without a significant investment.
For paper, a smooth surface with a certain thickness is ideal for pen drawing. Heavyweight drawing paper provides a great balance of texture and durability.
On the other hand, textured paper can be challenging to work with. Watercolor paper, for example, is not recommended for beginners due to its rough surface. If you must use it, opt for fine-grained or extra-fine-grained variations for better control.
Experimentation and Personal Preference
As you gain experience, you will develop a preference for specific pens and papers. I often use standard copy paper for easy scanning when creating digitally colored artwork. However, for original works, smoother heavyweight paper may be preferable. The paper's texture influences ink absorption and blending, but this is something you can explore as you refine your style.
While online resources and classes provide valuable guidance, personal experimentation is essential. What works for others may not necessarily suit you, and that’s completely fine. Each artist’s experience is unique.
When in doubt, try different materials, embrace mistakes, and learn from the process. Your personal preferences and style will evolve naturally over time.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
This quote reflects Thomas Edison's mindset, emphasizing that setbacks are simply steps toward success. :)
3 Key Perspectives of a Skilled Artist
Pens are an everyday tool, and while there are variations in their characteristics, their overall performance differences are minimal. As a result, the distinction between an OK drawing and an unremarkable drawing primarily comes down to the artist’s skill.
Skilled artists consistently keep these three fundamental perspectives in mind. Consciously practicing with these principles in mind is a direct path to improvement—not just in pen drawing, but in oil painting, acrylics, and watercolors as well.
Capturing Shape
Even the most intricate subjects are composed of fundamental, simple shapes. Understanding these basic forms and their spatial relationships is crucial.
Beginners often perceive their work as flat, which takes practice to overcome. Striving to see a drawing objectively is essential. If you get lost, try taking a photo of your work with your phone. A smaller screen makes it easier to spot distortions in shape and tone.
Many stippling artists tend to focus heavily on details, which is understandable. However, an excessive focus on details at the expense of overall structure can lead to an unnatural composition. Using your phone camera to review your work can help maintain a balanced perspective. Even when drawing from a photograph, understanding and capturing the shape* is crucial. This foundational skill helps ensure that the proportions and structure of the subject are accurate. In the next chapter, we will dive deeper into the practice of capturing shapes in more detail.
Capturing Light
Mastering light and shadow significantly enhances the realism and presence of a subject. Even if the shape is slightly imperfect, a well-executed play of light and shadow can create a visually appealing piece.
Same as with capturing shape, understanding both detailed/overall lighting is important. Always consider the direction of the light source and how it affects the entire composition.
Capturing Texture
Texture defines whether a subject appears hard, like a ceramic cup, or soft, like flowing hair.
Various techniques can be employed to convey texture effectively. Observing works by skilled artists can be a good idea—take a close look at how they achieve different textures and consider incorporating those techniques into your own practice.
By consciously applying these three perspectives, artists can significantly elevate their work, regardless of the medium.
Understanding and Capturing The Shape*
Mastering Basic Forms
The best way to develop an understanding of shapes is through practice. All objects, no matter how complex, can be broken down into three fundamental forms:
Cube
Cylinder
Sphere
In the field of art, a ridgeline refers to the boundary line where two surfaces meet. Ridgelines can be either straight or curved. A simple and clear example is a triangular pyramid, which consists of six ridgelines and four faces.
When creating a pencil sketch, using a light touch to indicate form can help suggest three-dimensionality and make shading easier.
For example, in the left-side sketch (below), subtle contour lines or initial shading already create a sense of volume, making the sphere appear more three-dimensional. In contrast, the right-side sketch, which consists only of an outline, lacks depth and appears as a flat circle.
By incorporating soft shading or contour lines, you can better define the structure of an object before adding tones, resulting in a more natural and convincing three-dimensional effect.
The presence of surfaces with different orientations indicates that an object is not flat but three-dimensional. The ridgeline, which marks the boundary between these surfaces, serves as a crucial visual cue for conveying depth and structure.
Since ridgelines and surfaces are interconnected, they also influence shading, which is tied to each face of the object. This means that ridgelines should be considered as part of a unified system along with solid forms and shading.
If ridgelines are not correctly placed when drawing a three-dimensional object, the shape and shading will appear inaccurate. If an object looks distorted or if the transition between light and shadow feels unnatural, the ridgeline’s positioning is likely incorrect.
Ensuring that ridgelines align with the correct surfaces and shading will result in a more realistic and well-structured drawing.
Having a physical model to reference can be helpful, but if one isn’t available, everyday objects like cups, bottles, or plastic containers can serve as substitutes.
Once you’ve built confidence in drawing these basic shapes, challenge yourself by sketching simple motifs such as flowers and animals. Choose subjects that inspire you—whether it’s a beautiful flower, a beloved pet, or a favorite object. Drawing what you love not only makes the process more enjoyable but also enhances your skills through meaningful practice!
Studying and sketching from photos is an excellent way to practice pen drawing. Observing details, understanding forms, and translating them onto paper helps refine technique and improve accuracy.
Next week, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of drawing from photographs, a topic that brings valuable insights into artistic growth. Stay tuned for that discussion! :)
How to Create a Three-Dimensional Drawing
Bringing three-dimensional depth to a flat surface requires both knowledge and technique. Since drawings exist on a two-dimensional plane, artists must use optical illusions to create the illusion of depth and form.
Beginners often struggle with this, resulting in flat-looking drawings. You may have heard an art teacher encourage you to "add more wrap-around feeling" to your work. But how exactly do you achieve that sense of depth?
By understanding the principles of three-dimensional drawing and applying them through practice, you can gradually develop the ability to create realistic, dimensional artwork.
Selecting Important Ridgelines
I kept saying how important the ridgelines are, however, when drawing complex shapes, focus on important ridgelines that define the object’s form. These ridgelines are found in two key areas:
Boundaries of Light and Dark: Where there is a sudden change in light or shadow.
Sharp Changes in Surface Orientation: Where two surfaces meet at a steep angle.
For objects like spheres, focus on ridgelines where lightness or darkness changes significantly.
Even if a ridgeline is barely visible, such as when lit from the front, it can still be important. You can lightly draw these invisible ridgelines to enhance three-dimensionality.
By focusing on these key ridgelines, your drawing will have better structure and depth. Unimportant ridgelines are those where the change in surface is small, especially those that appear flat at first glance. In many cases, it is easier to create clarity as a drawing.
Using Tones to Create Depth
Building on the concepts we've gone through, it's important to consider how shading can enhance the form and depth of more complex shapes. When drawing these shapes, the same principles of shading, ridgelines, and surface orientation come into play. Here are some tips for applying shading effectively to complex shapes.
In stippling and other shading techniques, three-dimensionality is primarily conveyed through tonal variations. This can be achieved using two key methods:
Shading – Accurately replicating the relationship between light, shadow, and reflected light helps define form.
Contrast – Emphasizing differences in light and dark areas enhances depth and volume.
Consider Fig 1(below), which depicts a torso sculpture. The figure is divided into distinct light and shadow areas, with additional attention to reflected light. For instance, the highlighted reflected light near the lower portion of the torso enhances its realism.
By mastering these techniques and continuously refining your approach, you can create drawings that convincingly depict three-dimensional forms on a flat surface.
Fig 1: Adapted from Charles Bargue Drawing Course
The presence or absence of reflected light significantly impacts the perception of three-dimensionality in a drawing. Even subtle reflected light can enhance the illusion of depth and form.
Using Contrast to Create Depth
Contrast plays a crucial role in distinguishing the foreground from the background. To enhance depth:
Increase contrast in the foreground – Darker shadows and brighter highlights make objects appear closer.
Reduce contrast in the background – Softer, less defined tonal differences push objects further into the distance.
This technique is widely used in landscape art to convey atmospheric perspective such as the mountain drawing you had worked on in the previous lesson, but it is equally effective for other three-dimensional subjects. However, when applying contrast to objects that are only a short distance apart—such as within a still life or figure drawing—excessive contrast can make the image look unnatural. Carefully controlling the intensity of contrast ensures a more realistic and balanced composition.
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