Boxing Bear Print Co.

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Giving Up the Sharpie

Jeff MitchellComment
leland palmer

“What pens do you use for your ink drawings?”

I’m not going to knock artists who don’t use “professional” tools to create art. If creating art with crayons or ketchup or pig’s blood gives you what you need, then so be it. However, it’s NOT okay to make excuses for your work based on your lack of knowledge of the options you have. I know this, because I did it for years.

“That’s how I intended it to look.”

“I think it adds to the effect.”

For me, that attitude was rooted in complacency. I spent years blocking in ink drawings with Sharpie pens because they were cheap, and I was used to them. It wasn’t until long after I started getting paid on art jobs that I began to upgrade my rig.

I went through many brands of pens before I settled on Pigma Microns. It’s a matter of personal preference, but take the time and minimal expense to experiment with different brands before you make your final selection. I prefer the Microns because they offer a great variety of pen sizes, and the ink is consistent throughout a whole piece.

You're an artist. Experiment for Christ's sake!