Pillars of Creation

Pillars of Creation was my first serious attempt at drawing using only a blue pen on paper. I started with the central curving shapes drawing ellipses at different angles and then joining them together.

For me drawing with a single color is really a chance to focus on shading, lighting, and shape. I found shading was more easily controlled – especially in lighter areas – when scribbled randomly instead of careful strokes. The precision comes in the angle of the pen on the paper and the pressure applied. I find there is a certain challenge in knowing that you can’t ‘undo’ any mistake…making mistakes another challenge to successfully rework into the final piece as an intentional addition.

I am currently working on a second drawing of a flower with blue pen as well that I hope to finish soon.