Ever tried making art with a ballpoint? If so, you'll know it takes a certain drawing techniques to master. The Art of Ballpoint showcases just what incredible work can be created with this humble yet versatile tool.
Written by ballpoint artist Matt Rota, this book covers the history of the discipline, profiles some of the best contemporary ballpoint artists and analyses their work, which ranges from mutant animals to wall-sized abstractions. The contributing artists discuss their methods, the messages in their work and their personal connections to the pen.
The exhaustive book covers classical drawing, modern abstraction, graphic illustration, contemporary realism and sketchbook styles, and is peppered with exercises to help you develop your own technique. These explore everything from line drawing and cross-hatching to photorealism, mixed media and contour drawing.
The large-format, 162-book is also available as a Ballpoint Art Pack, which combines a condensed version of the book with a companion sketchpad, featuring prompts and drawings to get you started. Yet whichever format you opt for, it’s a great resource on ballpoint art for both artists working in the medium and those who wish to.
This review originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine issue 137; buy it here.
