It was in the search for pens for drawing that I made many discoveries. Firstly, the same pens can have completely different names in different stores and books. Secondly, there are an innumerable variety of pens, liners, markers and other drawing tools, and each type has its own characteristics. And thirdly, all this goodness is almost impossible to find in Minsk, and what you can find is many times more expensive than in other countries (even Russia and Lithuania)...
In my material, I will use the names that I ultimately came up with, and at the same time I will illustrate each tool with a photograph - so that you know what to look for (in fact, this is how I buy pens myself :))
Ballpoint pens. Of course, you can draw with them, but they are more good for doodling (see). Since the ink is distributed unevenly due to the ball, even a solid line with constant pressure can be too pale in different areas, or vice versa with excess ink (and it smudges! Yes, it is ballpoint pens that usually smear the most).
One of the possible uses of ballpoint pens with bright colors is to decorate a finished black and white drawing with color. By the way, “poisonous” (sometimes called neon) colors also work great on black/dark paper. I haven’t seen anything like this in Minsk yet, but I have experience buying from the Chinese. Apparently, such pens can be bought in neighboring countries - in particular in Russia.
Gel pens. They also suffer a little, like ball ones, from the inconstancy of the line, but:
- They make best pens with white, silver and gold ink for drawing on black/craft, colored paper;
- They are sold even in Minsk, although the Chinese have more choice;
- They are very cheap.
Markers. Why not? For example, I just robbed a child of several colored markers and I even liked it. Felt-tip pens, of course, have their own characteristics: for example, if you pass them over the same place twice, the color changes noticeably, the paper becomes too saturated with paint, and some even “pillow” or get very wet. Therefore, it seems to me that felt-tip pens are good for drawing either on thick, smooth paper, or when your movements are already adjusted and confident.
By the way, double-sided markers are convenient:
Liners(in stores they are simply called pens, capillary, gel and God knows what else). An alternative name for these pens is liners: different artists call them differently. Liners are the most convenient and common tool for drawing, as they solve the problem of paint uniformity. Today they are produced in a variety of types.
What is a drawing liner? How to determine if it is a liner? For the skirt - like this:
Liners may differ in thickness: as a rule, it is indicated by a number characterizing the thickness in millimeters. For example, here in the photo there are 0.7, 0.5 and 0.05:
It’s up to you to decide what thickness you need. But practice shows that initial stage It's easier to learn to draw with thick liners. Thin ones are more suitable for small elements inside a large picture.
There are liners different colors. At the same time, as a rule, only black and brown liners are made of different thicknesses. Colored liners are usually equally thin. Well, or I didn’t come across others :) In Minsk you can find them even in ordinary stationery stores, but I usually found a very poor selection.
Colored liners can be used for:
- Coloring other people's mandalas (I haven't said yet that the most popular on Amazon last year with great triumph was anti-stress coloring book for adults— and it was made using the techniques I’m talking about?!);
- Coloring your black and white drawings;
- Drawings of colored mandalas and other elements.
Unfortunately, such liners are more suitable for drawing/coloring on white paper. For a dark base, they lack saturation and brightness (and for such cases there are other options;) Just about them next time).
Brown liners. I call them craft for myself - because their color is very similar to craft paper. They also come in different thicknesses, just like black ones. And from some manufacturers you can even find a brush liner! True, I haven’t mastered it yet - it was just included in the kit :))
By the way, in nature there are also hybrids, double-sided liners: for example, a tool that has a felt-tip pen on one side and a liner on the other. The good thing about these tools is that you have the same color in both cases. This is convenient when you use a thick line in the main drawing, and draw the details with a thinner one.
To make the image complete and complete, any woman needs to take care of a suitable nail design. Many people are satisfied with a regular manicure and a plain nail polish, but it is much more interesting to do something original and thereby emphasize your individuality. Even if you have never made designs on the surface of your nails, it is not at all difficult to learn. Some of the most simple tools for drawing on nails - ordinary pens with gel rods of various colors.
No need to be an artist
You don't have to be a manicurist or have experience as an artist. Even an inexperienced person can make drawings and patterns on nails with gel rods. To do this, you need to be patient, perseverance, inspiration and, of course, pens. Often the work of novice nail art masters cannot be distinguished from work performed by professionals. But first it’s better to practice doing the most simple drawings, trying to keep the nails of the left and right hand they looked the same. If you are right-handed, drawing with gel sticks with your left hand will require some skill.
This tool is recommended for beginners because unsuccessful drawings are very easy to wash off with water. And to consolidate a successful result, you need to wait for the pattern to dry, and then cover the nail with colorless varnish. This manicure is also loved by experienced masters, since the texture of the gel pen has a noble shine, and the rod has an optimal thickness. With such a pen you can even depict very complex drawings with many small details.
Background and fixer for patterns
An ideal and unique manicure can be done at home with ordinary gel pens. This process has several stages. To make the designs on your nails look neat, you need to do a classic trimmed manicure or push back the cuticle, after softening it. Next you need to paint the nail plates with varnish. It is better if the nails have varnish of one or two colors. An ombre manicure would also look great – one color gradually transitioning into another. French manicure as a basis for drawing with a colored gel pen is also perfect.
Novice artists may not have enough experience to perform these types of manicures, so you can simply paint your nails one color. It should be a shade that contrasts and harmonizes with gel pen. For example, silver patterns look great on a black or dark purple background, and red patterns look great on a yellow or white background. The base can also be transparent. Transparent varnish can also act as a fixative. Before painting on your nails, you need to wait for the base polish to dry.
What patterns to depict
Before making patterns on your nails, draw with a pen on paper. Invent your own ornament or find ready-made samples. Usually beginners have few ideas, but later they become more and more. Here are the most simple ways nail decorations:
- Stripes. They can be longitudinal, diagonal or transverse. Choose ones that will highlight the beauty of your nails. Longitudinal lines will make your fingers visually longer. Blue or red lines on a white background will “tell” about your love for marine style. This design can be complemented with a sticker in the form of an anchor or a steering wheel on one nail. Stripes of rainbow colors are appropriate in spring and summer, they are combined with bright outfits.
- Lines. Straight, curved, wavy, zigzag - whatever. They are easy to draw even for beginners. The main thing is to maintain the distance between the lines and make sure that the pattern is the same on all nails. Longitudinal and transverse lines intersecting each other will look like cells.
- Dots. It’s easy to draw dots or small circles, but you need to try to make sure that the distance between them is equal - this way the pattern will look more neat.
- Geometric figures. Squares, rhombuses, triangles, ovals and circles give a lot of scope for imagination. These figures are depicted not only separately, but also together with others, for example, a rhombus in an oval or a square in a circle. You can draw the same stripes or dots inside the figure.
- Floral ornament. Branches, leaves and flowers are the most popular drawings on women's nails. And this is not surprising - the fair sex loves nature. Depict plant patterns not difficult. Start, for example, with an image of a chamomile, dandelion or tree branch.
Using a stencil it is easy to draw more complex patterns. Convenient adhesive-based stencils are sold in specialized stores. Nails will look even more beautiful and elegant if you combine a gel pen with polish, stickers, rhinestones and other materials. Give free rein to your imagination, draw and enjoy the result! 
Who wants it?
Drawing and ink from scratch
I will start this post with “wanting”, because in the matter of acquiring the ability to draw with a pen/pen, personal desire is even more important than talent and thin. skills.
Typically, drawing in any other technique begins with pencil construction, corrections, possibly changing the composition in the process, and therefore active use. In general, no one bothers you to make a pencil drawing according to all the rules for drawing with a pen/pen, but this post is just about how to learn to do without it.
First of all, those who want to learn how to draw “without an eraser” should have patience, a small amount of time (but every day!) and a lot of desire. Why do I attach such importance to desire? Because very often, especially at first, you will be disappointed in your work, and as a result, in yourself, in your skills, and only desire will prevent you from giving up on this whole thing from a high tree and deciding that you can do it without this skill. live in peace.
Below, I will show some techniques that will help you get a normal result, and also give examples of errors and unsuccessful work, which you shouldn’t be afraid of at all. I hope all this will help maintain the desire to learn and prevent feelings of inferiority from appearing =)
So, the tools:
Pens. You can draw with ballpoint pens, gel pens, or something else. Now I prefer to draw, but at first it was either ink or liners.
I had to draw with reusable “Uni pin” fine line liners, but apparently they are either for smoother paper, or we didn’t agree with them in Feng Shui, but their rod wears out faster than the refill runs out. Only once did we refill them, and that was when Leo was writing in his notebook and not drawing. Perhaps they are not erased, and the rod goes away when pressed into the body, but the result is the same. The most popular sizes are 0.1 and 0.2, sometimes I use 0.3, but that’s when I don’t have 02, and very rarely 0.05 for particularly small details, when I even decide to draw them.
The liners from Faber Castell are very similar to the “Uni pin”, one of the series even has the same cases, only the inscription is different (I don’t have them now, so the photo is from a different series)
Another option is Centropen liners. They are one and a half times cheaper than "Uni pin" and two times cheaper than "Faber Castell", they are not inferior in quality, the rod still goes out, perhaps a little slower. The only difference is that they are disposable, but considering the fact that the rest are thrown away before refilling, the savings are not bad.
On this moment Leo gave up on liners - at such a cost, it turned out that it would be cheaper to buy and forget about the problems with the rods.
Paper. Unlike drawings, it’s most convenient for me to draw with a pen in notebooks - all the waste paper is together, it doesn’t get lost anywhere and is always at hand. For works and ink I use, and for liners I have a cheap Chinese notebook with paper of average quality, so that it would not be a pity, because the paper goes out in reams, and the drawings there, for the most part, are not the kind that you should be proud of right now.
The paper is grayish, with a density of 98 g/m2, which is quite enough for double-sided drawings.
When I've copied this notebook, I'll switch to good ones with white beautiful paper and pleasant bindings that have been waiting for me for a long time =)
Now we take the tools in our hands and start drawing.
Basic rules/tips:
1. draw anything: objects on the table, furniture in the room, chandelier, interior, view from the window, flowers on the windowsill, etc. or from photographs (animals, birds, people, but don’t get too carried away with photographs, the main thing is nature)
2. draw without construction as it turns out: clumsily, with errors, extra lines, compositionally incorrect, etc.
3. at first it is better to take a thinner pen so as not to blacken too much
4. you need to draw lines quickly, not tremble over every millimeter (at first there will be 1000 of them and 1 line, then only 1)
5. every day. Even the busiest person can find 10-15, even 30 minutes of time and devote it to drawing; everything else is excuses and lack of that very desire. Leo knows very well and first-hand what deadly busyness is (1 job, 2 hack jobs, full-time study + diploma - and Leo had this). Therefore, I ask you not to write to me in PM and comments, they say, “I would love to, but I don’t have time,” there is simply no desire and there is laziness, and there is no need or point in notifying me about this - it’s not impressive, it doesn’t evoke pity or sympathy.
6. Before evaluating the result of your work, you need to copy 100 pages, no less. At the time of creating this post (08/26/2011), I had 101 pages copied, I draw on both sides of the sheet, fortunately, the thickness of the paper allows it, and there is no point in putting each such work in a frame. Many pages have 2-3 small drawings.
7. how to help yourself not to be lazy: always carry a pen with you. When you are sitting somewhere: in a cafe, park, in line, at home, with friends, etc. - take it out and put it next to you. The brain will get used to the constant potential opportunity to draw and will take advantage of this opportunity =)
How to make your life easier at first:
You can build a drawing with dots. Actually, the construction is more in the mind than on paper, but by putting a point in some key place, we create a visual support for ourselves
Connecting the dots
Now you can tint and detail, but in sketches of this type, this is unnecessary. Here it is important to convey shape, movement, and somewhere to emphasize the volume with a careless touch.
I have no more than 10 completed works in my entire notebook.
Most often my ducks look like this
The main mistakes that will definitely be:
500 lines, when you want to draw one - patience, my friend, everything will happen, but not right away.
Problems with the composition, crawling out of the sheet or too much space from some edge. To avoid this, you can at the very beginning mark the extreme points of the object, at least by eye
Disproportionality (it turned out to be a very beaked duck). Heals with time and practice
Incorrect perspective, general clumsiness (here the perspective is lame on all four legs, the verticals are generally gloomy)
The jar of honey has gone crazy
What is necessary and useful to draw:
Interior - no matter where you live, you can always draw what it looks like without even getting up from the sofa/chair/armchair/bed
All sorts of items household appliances, dishes and so on (above there was a meat grinder - this is the most brutal, especially in different angles).
Just a box
If you have one, you can draw a pet from different angles when it is static (you also need to draw it in dynamics, but this is more difficult and later)
It is good to draw indoor plants in such a way as to convey their volume and make the appearance of the plant clear.
Leo's houseplant is oak, it's so obvious =)
Who indoor plants no, don’t be lazy and buy some flower, put it in a vase/glass and draw
It is also very useful to draw somewhere during a walk - we find a bench/stump, sit down and draw the first thing that catches our eye.
It is not necessary to draw every leaf, the most important thing is to convey the impression, the volume
Or you can draw it if the object is piecemeal
A good subject for drawing is any stone. It is necessary to repeat the shape, convey the texture and not lose the volume (Leo still loses it from time to time)
Drawing from photographs.
Also good, but in moderation and quickly. Open the photo, spend 5-7 minutes on it and move on to the next one
This way you can draw something that is not found in Everyday life, all kinds of animals and birds.
Leo likes to take photographs of ducks in Vinnitsa and somewhere on ponds, and then in the evenings he draws them in detail or just as a sketch
The black and red musk duck drake was so beautiful that Leo couldn’t resist going into details
In general, nothing difficult if you regularly devote time to practice.
If someone has problems with self-motivation and physically needs some kind of external kick in the form of: role model/ridicule, competition/mutual assistance, regularity - .
Good luck and best wishes to everyone who is interested! =)
I kindly ask those who post my reviews and articles on their websites - I am not against borrowing my materials, but please sign the author and provide a link to the source text:
Author: Ater Leo
Taken:
Which is used every day office workers, school and university students, is also an excellent drawing tool. Gel pen graphics have a great advantage: the drawing is clear and rich. Although, on the other hand, it will not be possible to erase incorrectly drawn strokes with an eraser. Since the prices for pens are low, drawing with them is quite profitable and economical. Decorative graphics made with gel pens can become an original and interesting addition to your home interior.
Where to begin?
For inexperienced artists who are just looking for their skills in drawing, black gel pens are perfect. They will help make the drawing refined and sophisticated. Graphics with a gel pen for beginning artists will not be difficult to perform, you just need to take into account some features.
Pressure
Exist different ways pressing pens on a sheet of paper. To get a continuous thin line, you need to use direct pressure. The pen is placed perpendicular to the paper and a straight line is drawn. This method is perfect for drawing contours. You can draw by pressing the tool at an angle. The result is dull strokes. If you draw lines in one direction in this way, you can create halftone transitions. Intersecting lines will help deepen and enhance shadow areas.
Paper and its structure
When using a drawing method such as graphics with a gel pen, you must also take into account the structure of the paper. If you choose smooth paper, the lines will be clear and even. If you draw on a rough surface, the lines will turn out short and choppy.
Circuit
In order to avoid making irreparable mistakes in your work, you first need to draw an outline using a regular graphite pencil. Then minor mistakes can be removed with an eraser. This procedure must be done after tracing all the details with a pen. In this case, you need to wait until the drawing dries completely. The lines drawn with a gel pen are generally of the same thickness. It depends on the diameter of the rod. To draw lines of different thicknesses, you need to choose pens with different ball diameters. When drawing, it is better to use several gel pens, since different dyes have different densities. As a result, you can get lines of varying saturation, which will create a unique effect.
Patterns
Anything can be drawn using a technique such as gel pen graphics. The patterns, for example, turn out simply fantastic. When drawing patterns, you can allow yourself to realize almost any fantasy on paper. To make the drawing original and unusual, you need to use more than one gel pen. If desired, you can add colors to the pattern and take multi-colored gel pens. If the artist’s imagination does not allow him to run wild on paper and draw an exclusive pattern, then the Internet will provide a huge selection of various designs and ornaments. You can view such pictures, combine them, and ultimately draw something of your own, simply based on the selected pictures. Or just stop at one pattern and draw only that. In any case, the picture will turn out beautiful and interesting.
Some subtleties
The cores of gel pens are usually thick, which allows the artist to draw using an extraordinary dotting method called dotwork. Since colored tools always don’t draw very well, graphics with a black gel pen will be much richer and of better quality. It is important to remember that the gel paste tends to dry out quickly, so the stick must be used within a few weeks, otherwise it will stop drawing. Graphics applied with a black gel pen will lose some shine and color after 2-3 days from the date of drawing. You must draw lines on the paper very carefully, since it will be impossible to wipe them off. It is also important not to forget that you cannot touch the finished drawing, because the gel can be smeared on the surface of the paper.
What else is important to remember?
Graphics with a gel pen should be applied in accordance with the position of the fibers of the sheet, that is, from top to bottom. The painted part should not be touched with your finger, otherwise you can change the saturation of the lines. It is best to choose high-density paper for drawing, and work with light pressure, because the gel paste has the property of “pulling” the sheet. If gross errors occur during drawing, which simply need to be removed, use white or other covering materials. We must remember that graphics with a gel pen require the precision and accuracy of the artist. Of course, the first time the drawing may not be of very high quality. But everything comes with experience. Over time, the drawings will become clear, and the confident hand of a master of his craft will be felt in them.
We are used to painting in black and white... Perhaps that is why white drawing on black or colored paper it looks especially impressive: breaking patterns and impressing. Although the same drawing, in black and white, will not seem as striking.
I fell in love with painting with white paints on a black background as a child. And thus she “hacked” a couple of drawing competitions - this decision was so unexpected for the audience. And now - when I got carried away - I prefer unusual combinations when choosing colors :)
Mandala gold on black:
Doodling silver on red
Zentangle white and black on orange:
But the most impressive thing still remains White color on a black background - regardless of whether you draw mandalas, zentangles or are just learning:
Today I have 4 white pens in my “arsenal”. They are different and appearance, and a line that can be left on paper. This: 
In Minsk you can more or less easily buy Crown Hi-Jell Roller is a familiar gel pen, but with white ink.
Handles production Sakura are rightfully considered one of (if not the) best white pens for drawing on black paper. Masters all over the world, from the USA to New Zealand, draw mandalas and zentangles with their pens. For some time now, Sakura pens can be found in Belarusian stores. And once upon a time Gelly Roll I brought from Ukraine and Russia, Decorese They actually sent it to me from the USA...
Uni-Ball They are famous for their wide range of pens and liners, but I haven’t seen them in Belarus either. But with some luck, you can find them on AliExpress (if it’s difficult to bring from other countries).
Crown and Gelly Roll have a thinner line (meaning you can draw more graceful mandalas or zentangles): 
But thanks to the thickness of the line, Uni-Ball and Decorese produce a more saturated and bright color. There is no need, for example, to draw a pen twice along the same line. Moreover, you can draw with them almost anywhere. For example, on stones:
Now you have a better understanding of white pens for drawing on black paper, which means you can already navigate a little in the range of these products yourself. Of course, there is much more choice on the same AliExpress: a simple search reveals dozens of types of white gel pens for drawing, in different price categories, individually or in sets. Choose, order - and draw!
If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments or send by email.
If you are interested in what I am drawing with all this, you can look in my Instagram @bygirl, and if you want to quickly learn yourself, I collect pictures on Pinterest, and on Youtube videos with lessons and examples.