'Kids' art tools take the pressure off.

Why I love to sketch in chunky felt tips.

Recently I was at a life drawing 'event'.
Ok, it was a Hen Do.
But I do regularly go to life drawing classes when I can.

And the model was offering out charcoal to sketch with.
A 'proper art tool' in my mind.
The pressure was on all of a sudden.
Make something good - it's a 'proper' tool.

So I turned around and I picked up a grey felt tip pen and immediately felt a lot calmer.
Felt tips are for making a mess.
Felt tips are for expression.
Felt tips ask for bold moves but without the judgement.

I am aware this is slightly ridiculous.
You could think the exact same way about charcoal.

Some artists get loosey goosey with charcoal - I like felt tips.

I fully recommend changing up your tools to see what clicks.
For years I painted in watercolour and never really anything else.
I tried acrylic and I loved the depth of colours it gave and the fast drying (I'm a little impatient - adhd).

Sketching in HB pencils felt awful.
I was aiming for a finished line art straight away - it took too long to make marks and most importantly - I could erase it.
Meaning I would get stuck in this cycle of make a mark - rub it out.
Not learning to trust what I was drawing or forgive myself for mistakes.

But felt tips - that's for some big boy moves.
And.
It's seen as a 'kids' art tool.
Somehow - in my head, it takes the pressure off.

Before and after - from sketch to final digital art.
Poster design for film Dyslexia and Me, D Forder.

Using felt tips for texture in digital art.

I use felt tips a lot in my digital line art - I love the textures it brings both in the sketch and line art.
I never really got on with digital pens - couldn't find a flow.
So my digital work is like a collage of hand-drawn parts and Photoshop.

Can you spot it in my digital work?

​My point?

If you like to draw in pen - draw in pen.

If you like to skip the drawing stage - skip it.

Art doesn't have strict rules despite how much school tried to convince you it does.