March 26, 2009
How does an artist create skin tones using a range of ballpoint pens?
Can you answer Jacob F's question about pens?:
Hi, I'm an artist working with ballpoint pens on paper, I've made some pretty nice work with simple black on white, and recently I picked up a boatload of coloured ones. So far I've been unsuccessful in creating a good skin tone with them. Can anyone give me pointers as to how to get a skin tone down from pens?
Filed under More Pen Answers by Guest Author
Comments on How does an artist create skin tones using a range of ballpoint pens? »
well, we learn in our drawing classes that by stippling, hatching, and cross hatching, we can develop different values of color. So with a ball point pen I have seen a lot of beautiful skin tones created using these techniques! Good luck and have fun!
I have never used colored ball point for skin tone, just used a shading technique to give at least a tonal quality…interesting. I cant see it working really because flesh tone is created in layers of color or blended colors and ballpoint doesnt work well to either style.
Crosshatching with yellows, reds, and oranges. Use greens and violets for shading.
Constantly stand back from your work to evaluate what to do next. Every fifteen minutes stand back.
You can crosshatch at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, & 90 degrees, for a much finer gradation of tone and hues. The horizontal, vertical and 45 degree lines of the most common crosshatching doesn't have to be adhered to.
Experiment for about three hours with your pens before you get to your main project.
All the best to you.