Meet my New Friends the Pentels

Hi there. How are you?

I'm a sucker for a good pen and when I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. For years I've had a serious relationship with Bic ballpoints and black Pilot pens.

When I made the decision to draw in color,  I stuck with what I knew and bought Bics. (Read more about that HERE.) I like those Bics, but I knew there was more out there for me.  I was feeling stifled by the limited color range that Bic had to offer.

So, I went looking for new friends.

* HEADS UP: As an Amazon Influencer, I earn a small commission when you purchase the supplies I've listed here with Amazon links. It's a small way to support the work I do without any cost to you. (Thank you!)

I experimented with Staedlter and PaperMate InkJoy ballpoints, but was disappointed with both.

First I Met Staedtler and InkJoy.

I met Staedlter and PaperMate InkJoy at the big box office supply store.  I was charmed by Staedtler's ten color set and reputation as a quality art supply brand. InkJoy's branding and their claim to be ultra smooth got me interested.  Both had a chance to be my new bestie, but the spark faded quickly.

I didn't like the way the Staedtler pens felt going on the paper. It took a lot of muscle to get a dark, saturated color. Next, I hung out with the InkJoys. The colors were vibrant and for a time the the ink flowed just as smoothly as advertised.  After just one drawing (seen above) the orange seemed to seize up and I had to apply a lot more pressure to get it to flow. Could I really have used up a whole pen with one drawing?

Maybe I was wrong to stray from Bics?

Meet my new friends, the Pentel RSVP ballpoints. Their smooth, vibrant ink is fab for drawing.

Then, I had a chance encounter with Pentel.

While checking out the stationery section at Big Lots one day, I came across a set of 4 Pentel R.S.V.P pens. I don't think I've ever bought a Pentel pen before. They seemed lowbrow to me. (I'm an art supply snob.) But, at less than $1.00 a pen, they were a cheap date, so I decided to give them a shot. So glad I did!

Pentel RSVP and Bic Cristal pens were used in this abstract sketchbook spread.

The Pentels have a nice, vibrant color, go on smooth, and are less apt to "throw up" as the Bics will sometimes do. (You know those little mini explosions of ink that ballpoints have a tendency to make? That's what I'm talking about.)

I also appreciate that they're retractable.......I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to cap a pen and gotten ink all over the place.

I used Pentel RSVP ballpoint pens in this 3-color sketchbook spread.

I've got a wider circle of friends.

I'm pleased with this new friendship and I'm excited to pursue it further. (I'm going to order more Pentels in additional colors today.)

Just because I've got a new friend, doesn't mean I'm giving up on my Bic besties. They produce the darkest darks and are more opaque than Pentels. I like to think that I've just expanded my circle of friends, which will hopefully result in more colorful, more successful drawings!

That’s all for now!

Ciao, Jen

P.S. This blog is no longer being updated.

Visit my new website for the most recent and up-to-date posts!

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Sketchbook Drawings Become Greeting Cards

Hi there. How are you?

Most of my studio time lately has been spent on the computer, turning my very popular multi-color ballpoint pen drawings into saleable objects. I'm in the process of designing a set of greeting cards that utilize these drawings as backdrops.

Here's how I do it:

This ballpoint sketchbook drawing became the backdrop for a greeting card.

Step One: Scanning

I scanned this drawing into the computer. In Photoshop, I took out a couple of stray lines and adjusted the color so that it would print as close to the original drawing as possible.

I made a few different versions of this card before I got something I liked.

Step Two: Adding Text

After cropping the background image to proper card size, I imported the file into Illustrator, where I added in the text. As you can see, I went through a few iterations before I got something I liked.

Step 3: Printing

This is the first time that I've printed cards "full bleed" (image goes right to the edge). I'm printing on an upgraded 92# cotton paper, which gives the card a more luxurious look and feel.  There's been a learning curve to get the colors to print as I'd like, but after much trial and error, I'm getting prints I'm pleased with on this new paper.

I've made 7 cards so far.

I've still got more cards in the works, but I wanted to share with you what I've made so far.

There are cards for happy occasions......

This modern, abstract Congratulations and Thank You are a stylish addition to your stationery stash.

And cards for more somber ones....

Send your sympathy or well wishes with elegance and grace. The abstract ballpoint pen drawings are sure to bring a little comfort to someone going through a rough time.

And cards for Mom and Dad!

I'm particularly pleased with my Father's Day and Mother's Day cards.

I'm excited about this collection and where it's heading. 

I'm planning on adding cards for graduation, for the holidays, a valentine, and a simple "hello."

For what occasions do you purchase and send cards?

What type of card would you like to see me add to my collection? Do tell!

I am looking forward to adding this card line to my wholesale collection, so I can pitch these to shops around the country! Until then, you can find them in my online shop, at 6Pence in downtown Carbondale, and at the Homestead Collective (inside Packrats) in Downtown Cobden, and also in my Etsy shop.

That's all folks. Until next week. Ciao!

A New Ballpoint Drawing Video

Hi there. How are you?

I've been doing a lot of drawings in my sketchbook lately. These new multi-color sketches are going to serve as backdrops for a new line of cards and prints I am designing. (More on that soon.)

I recorded another short time lapse video while I was drawing this in my sketchbook.

I made a new video.

Since my last time lapse drawing video was so popular, I decided to record another while I was drawing in my sketchbook this weekend. You won't see the whole composition being drawn, but you do get a good 1:30 of drawing goodness.

Like what I do?

If you appreciate these videos, please consider patronizing my shop or contributing to my "Virtual Tip Jar".  I would love to upgrade my video set up and I need your help to make it happen.

Send a Virtual Tip

That's all for now.

I'll be back next week to share some of my new cards with you. Ciao.