Taking Ballpoint Pen Sketching to the Next Level: Tips and Techniques

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

If you enjoy this lesson, please give a thumbs up and comment to help spread the message. Please make sure to watch the video all the way through as drawing with a ballpoint pen is slightly different than a pencil. There are steps that I go over that can specifically make your pen sketches instantly better!

[@incredulouskirk]

How do I keep my ballpoint pen art from fading due to light exposure? Love your work btw.

[@HectorValenzuelahuglife]

I love how your process translates over to multiple mediums. I'm a tattoo artist and my process is similar to yours(I have picked up some great tips from your videos to refine mine) and it carried over to my tattoo process.

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Yo that's badass!

[@HectorValenzuelahuglife]

keep the videos coming. much appreciated@@bobbyrebholz2183

[@ducksoff7236]

THANK YOU! I haven't touched a pencil in two and a half months using ball point exclusively for now and everything has improved for me considerably. Just drawing along and layering a cylinder had me grinning ear to ear. This is the second lesson from you that gave me a pretty good leap forward. I can't thank you enough!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You are so welcome!

[@Dean444ful]

I love the detail you go into. I’ve seen plenty of videos about shading and they rarely go into how to hold the pen/pencil or lay down the lines. Great stuff keep at it

[@I_AmTheUser]

Dude this is freaking insane. I started drawing again after so long I’m kind of starting from scratch again with anatomy sketches because I used to just copy pictures I looked up. Now I want to get into the habit of drawing from my imagination and create my own art. I can’t wait until I get my skills up to start the ball pen sketching/drawing

[@JamBoia]

Are you keeping up? Did you improve your skills? I am wondering what happened

[@I_AmTheUser]

@@JamBoia I improved so quick. I stopped again though. No excuses, I need to push myself through repetition even if it gets boring. I just wish I was already a master, drawing comic-style fights or something. So many ideas I have. So many, man.

[@I_AmTheUser]

@@JamBoia update: every mistake I make, makes the right decision much more clearer

[@JamBoia]

@@I_AmTheUser aww man I am happy for you. I tried this style a bit but it is too hardd. It is just a hobby for me and can't get into it always. So I didn't improve. Do you have any tips man?

[@JamBoia]

@@I_AmTheUser I really want to be master of it too. I love anime or smh like these so I really want that skill..

[@michaelcooper6144]

Thanks for this great lesson on drawing with a ballpoint pen. I have been drawing using a ballpoint pen for some time now and have watched videos and read books on the subject. Your video is one of the few instances where specific techniques in laying down strokes is demonstrated, most KZbin videos are very general. Thanks so much!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You're very welcome. I totally get the frustration.

[@krisferree7740]

Thank you for reinvogorating my passion for drawing. I've only recently come to your channel but it's madea huge difference. Thank you and you're work is excellent!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Happy to hear that!

[@neo5802]

I'm an amateur ballpoint pen artist and this gives me a lot !! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise

[@waqarmughal6088]

I just started using pen for my sketches. Pen holding technique helped me with light hatching big time. Thank you!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Glad it helped!

[@braydenhaesecke4902]

Hey man, you are an amazing artist and I love every video you have ever posted on this channel and hope you continue to touch other artists in the way you have touched me. People would laugh at me saying I want to be a Creature Concept Artist saying it isn’t real. But you have showed how far you can go with this and I am truly impressed and one day I hope to be at your level. Thx for showing me how to draw, how to create, and how to truly make art. Though it isn’t your level I am excited to reach it one day.

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

I think there's just a lot of misconception about being a concept artist from people who aren't artists.

[@braydenhaesecke4902]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 I would love to improve to your level one day but I can’t afford your course right now. Is there a training or schedule you recommend that I would do as a novice artist seeking to reach a level you have achieved. For example would you recommend doing life drawing courses or just studying animals in general? How can I train myself for a life doing this?

[@Weluvduxc]

Great videos man, ever since I started watching your videos, my art quality skyrocketed and I was able to get my first commission. Keep it up bro❤

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

That is awesome!

[@FMP177]

That was awesome!!!! So detailed and you take your time explaining things. I learned more today than any other times. Thank You

[@DrawingFromImagination]

Great point about producing barely visible lines. Great lighting is really important in that scenario because if you aren't paying close attention you might even miss the fact that you are indeed producing lines, if you happen to not be drawing on a totally fresh bright white page.

[@ghost2031]

I was already a fan of your pencil sketches but I've decided to switch to ballpoint pen and now your tutorial video comes along. Exactly what i needed, thanks.

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Great to hear!

[@dixonleavitt5915]

Great video! You’ve opened up the possibilities of ball point pen for me! Thank you!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Happy to help!

[@belial8166]

Thanks for your tips ! You do an Amazing job

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thanks for watching!

[@Bennie.1010]

Its really great the amount of detail you put in your explanations. High quality videos you make

[@SuperTigger1999]

I love that you always emphasize how the supplies doesn't really matter, and its rue and something l always say as well you don't need crazy expensive stuff to make your vision shine. Also this was extremely helpful because l've been wanting to do a lot more drawings in fine ti markers or pens cause of the whole no eraser rule it's really fun to do

[@ManCity-5Peat-Loading]

Love this man! I made a new year resolution to take my leather craft to the next level, and this is giving me motivation!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Great to hear!

[@SuperFcsmith]

Great lesson DS, haven’t read all the comments but I’ve been drawing with BPP for 40 years and I always use Pentel RSVP fine point ( several colors but use black mostly). These are better than Bic. The only Bic I like was called the Accountant fine point white body not clear. But haven’t seen these for years so I always use my Pentel.

[@dirkaandewiel8540]

I came across your channel this morning. Great art, how-to videos and tips. Thank you very much!! Continue to follow you with interest and curious to see how your Studio will turn out. Grts from The Netherlands

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Awesome, thank you!

[@xell1312]

what a crazy thing, whatever it is, it stimulates me to draw, very creative, it stimulates my imagination a lot to draw, and thank you very much for all the things that I already do, to mention again, it's like training to look at the page and the 3D way to stand out, thanks also for the tip that the things in the foreground are darker. I learned something different at school. a very powerful way of looking into the paper.

[@Storm-k1b]

Thank you so much❤🎉

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Gasen-gf6pw]

A free tutorial? Great!

[@dimitrioskalfakis]

very good exposition to the nuances of the biro pen, a most capable and unforgiving medium. exemplary work.

[@AyrtonM13]

Helped me draw the connection between how related the ballpoint pen is to black and grey realism tattooing. Literally the same theory and techniques

[@Suburbyyn]

youre one of the only people i've ever seen who holds the pen like i do

[@imu-sama2359]

thank you so much for your awesome drawings and your accurate explaining!!!!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You're very welcome!

[@bryanterborg3665]

I have more confidence from your tutorials. That base layer is key for me, it's like magic. It really helps the values, and tones, contrast of the subject. I am heavy handed, so I went from a B4 to a B2 to a HB. I'm going to give a ball point pen a try using the base tone method. I'm used to pen and ink but I use the Sakura pen set. Țhey won't work the same. Thanks again Bobby! BIGFOOT RULES!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You're very welcome!

[@arrigojeceam9299]

Greetings, happy new year from France. I love your sketches from instagram and your technique is so effective. I have a bad habit to press my pen too hard on the paper when I sketch and your lessons help with that. I will have to learn patience too this year thank you for sharing your 39 years old experience.

[@thesalad4829]

Amazing lesson. Your drawing looks like something straight out of darkest dungeon as well!

[@timothyperrigoue3997]

> First; Thanks for sharing these amazing techniques. If everyone watching took on these practices... there could be a tidal wave of amazing art done! >> The use of the Ball Point has a couple added unnoted benefits. The 'Smudge Danger' is nearly eliminated ( I do keep a wadded up tissue handy to stab away ink goop which occurs.) The ink sets and dries so quickly there is nearly zero smearing. >>> Most importantly to me... if one gets used to this drawing method on hard smooth gessoed panel [or canvas if you want that texture] ; one can safely use thin Oil Paint washes and glazes over the ink! This is a whole technique in and of itself...and not part of the Concept Art state of mind... Yet getting thin, rich color layers over a mighty drawing is pretty sweet! NOTE: Graphite cannot readily be trusted as a base beneath Oil washes... over time the graphite will always slowly migrate to the surface of an oil painting. CHEERS!

[@keshisarmiento]

I learn the pendulum motion in tattooing, i didn't know you can use it for pens, gonna try this thank you ❤

[@Jaybee547]

Hey, thi is great. Looking forward on your next video on ballpoint pen sketching. Thanks.

[@isaacbeckett1499]

Amazing work as always and I’m looking forward to trying this out later today! The part about limiting how dark an area gets, it made me curious if you could do a video with more insight into how not to “overwork” an area? Thanks again!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

I will definitely be going over that in a lot of future lessons!

[@TimeSplitterChimp]

My mum passed away a few weeks ago and weirdly the last thing she bought was some hair clips for my Daughter to send over to Thailand because my ex is Thai and before COVID we broke up and she also bought a pack of Ball Point Pens but left them in my shopping bag and I took them home by accident. I started using your video to help me calm down when I feel like cutting myself and I am trying to get better at art, I love drawing Creatures, Demons and Monsters just from my mind or my Daughter and I will draw something together and give each other 3 random words we have to make a creature out of, she gave me Cyclops, Crab and Crocodile the other day and if you scroll through my community page you will notice which one it is, it's a few weeks ago I posted it but ty so much for making these long videos.

[@RG-lq8fs]

The best pen control

[@samdavepollard]

major skillage detected many thanks for sharing your knowledge subbed

[@siredaruler6016]

I subbed to your channel!! Good stuff!! This will definitely help me with my art 💯🔥

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@gabrielbruce1977]

These pens are literally $2 per dozen at my local office store. I order the purple ones! Also I've found the Strathmore mixed media 500 journals help me control my pen a bit better and adds some texture.

[@Ramolos]

Awesome as usual, keep spreading your experience and your talent with us ! Thank you very much for all of that ❤️❤️

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you! Will do!

[@davefletch3063]

I love the humble ball point pen. They have the ability for subtle shading and variety, and they are cheap, can be found almost everywhere. With rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits you can even get wash effects

[@seskoneify]

Happy New Year 🎊

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Happy new year

[@Theaviator548]

"i keep calling this dang thing a pencil" had me chocking lol...

[@tMarie234]

Thank you so much for sharing your time and knowledge! 🥰🙏 Kindness taking shape … ✍🏻❤️‍🩹

[@martagilvazartlife]

Happy new year to you and your family

[@dpcaw]

A video that I just realized I needed lol Ballpens are so handy and easily accessible but I've always found ballpen drawings to be too strong and harsh. You made me realize that it can be done with a bit of control. Will try this soon. Would you say that it can also be done with a sign pen? But I think a sign pen's ink is more runny. Perhaps you can consider doing a video in the future with just all-sign pen drawing:) thank you. your channel is a true inspiration:)

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

I don't think I've ever tried that.

[@mattyiasemides3270]

Thank you so much for another great video

[@obaosundina3730]

Picked up a lot in this one. New here too. Thank you and keep it up sir!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Welcome aboard!

[@tommyseptic1973]

This is so awesome! How do you get your pen from dropping the random globs and splotches of ink? Always seems to happen to me

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

@@tommyseptic1973 Thanks. I make sure not to use old pens. I also do a little test run before I draw.

[@MarcLaisneARTVenture]

Great drawings 🔥🔥🔥

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Hey Marc! Thanks, dude. I love your channel and you have some great drawings as well.

[@MarcLaisneARTVenture]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 thank you very much, we should do a little collaboration 💯

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

​@@MarcLaisneARTVentureDefinitely.

[@InkSketch518]

Thanks, very helpful

[@맘마-y9e]

Heappy new year 🎉 I really like your painting a lot

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you so much 😀

[@motherofaxolotls3440]

I know you already did a mini tutorial on drawing scars in your skin wrinkles/markings video, but I'd love to see more of how to draw different types of scars, such as stitches or burns. If not, that's okay :> your tutorials are much appreciated!

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

As I do more drawing/creature tutorials, I'll go over some really fun textures.

[@therooh3736]

I found this to be very helpful. Thankyou 🙏

[@keckygxm3r553]

Hello again, happy new years

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Same to you!

[@efesdead]

early bird gets the worm Happy new years friend love your art trying to learn shading and monstrous creatures from you and thanks

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you so much 😀

[@agusromero9148]

Fabuloso 👏👏👏👏

[@XxSilverRiffxX]

Great video. I've always been concerned about sketching in pen in the fear that the ink is not lightfast. Do you seal up your pen sketching after the fact?

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you. I don't seal any of my drawings up. The ink dries just fine and for my pencil work, I keep my skin from touching it. Also for pencil, I use black Prismacolor on top because the wax helps keep the graphite down.

[@-MichaelLastname-]

holy fuck. Haven't even watched the video yet, that opening drawing is nuts!

[@GyreArts]

You inspired me to do a incomplete but kinda cool feeling dragon community post without thinking while drawing Also I may get into doing thumbnails if it builds up the creative muscles

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thumbnails help free your mind and they give you more options

[@YnkyzydorCastella]

You gave us a some awesome tips as well for sure, :D Thank you! :D

[@pazuzu6581]

Zeichne selbst ähnlich -aber du toppst das! Du solltest für Games+Filme zeichnen!! Du hast dir einen sehr gut bezahlten Platz in diesem Genre verdient!!! Frazetta,Biz,Boris...diese Ebene hast du erreicht! Viel Spaß weiterhin...

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you. My full-time job is designing creatures, characters, and environments for games and film. I love it.

[@pazuzu6581]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 top! Weiter so!

[@BruceDavisdon]

Love ballpoint pen art, but I’m hearing that they are not “archival”. Can the artwork be sprayed with Kamar varnish or something to aid the longevity of the piece???

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You can actually spray it with Lascaux UV Protect to prevent UV damage but I don't move my sketchbooks around a lot after I finish a drawing so they stay pretty clean, even with pencil.

[@slavraccoon480p6]

Happy new year

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Same to you

[@samankucher5117]

awesome video it was very informative :) one thing i struggle with is how to render small forms like a finger when i render it it's always dark or unclear but if i don't it stands out like a sore thumb ... any advice on that ?

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

That will be something I can cover in future videos because it's a legitimate frustration.

[@samankucher5117]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 cool :) thank you 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@brushrunner]

Happy new year bro, 1st channel i sub in 2024

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Happy new year!

[@legos523]

Hey i know its unrelated to the video but i have watched a bunch of your recent shading videos and i now know how to make layers with pencil but i dont really understand how to apply them in my own drawings. I mean you show how to make a specific thing like a "scar" or a "feather" but not really an entire process of how to draw a whole face with explanation from what ive seen so far. Its hard for me to explain because i dont even know what mistakes im making everything just comes out leagues below your drawings 😅

[@UniDeathRaven]

I wonder if this style can work for comics. Can ballpoint pen withstand applying colors and still look good ?

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Most color is digitally added to comics now. It's much faster and won't smear any ink. You can scan your traditional line work in and keep that as a separate layer, then add color on top as its own layer also.

[@RoccoNatale-e6m]

hey how do your drawings stay in tact over time? i’d appreciate it if you had any tips to offer

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

I just make sure to keep my palms off the page so I don't smear anything. If you watch my pencil work, I mention often what I use.

[@samankucher5117]

15:20 true and muscle memory is important to work on :3

[@matiastorres313]

Stunning art, artist and videos man!!, Awesome channel!! i love Dark Monsters too 💥👑💀😈💥

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@cheryladelmeyer8172]

I need a beginning video.

[@coalachaos6486]

SICK!!!

[@chillarttalks]

great stuff :D

[@paulonopa]

badass

[@htp28ytb]

💛💛💛💛

[@itzzzsss]

Ballpoint pen drawing is awesome when u go at it until u get a slight leak that ruins the smooth look

[@robinannortega]

😮

[@ane3830]

If you need a fancy way of saying "up" in anatomy, you can say "superior". Inferior is the opposite of that.

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

I have no idea what you're even saying but, cool👍

[@ane3830]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 😄 at 7:32 when you say "northernmost", if you want unambiguous anatomical terms, you could say "superior" part of the deltoid. I know it's a bit fancy-sounding, but sometimes one might end up saying things like "the part of the triceps that's closer to the body" when you could as well say "medial part of the tricep" (or lateral, when talking about the opposite side). Of course there's the problem that one would then have to explain the terminology or assume the audience knows ... so one would still use too many words. Heh! No easy solutions.

[@stephenleslie9282]

Why use ballpoint pen when it's not archival is it not best to try and conserve one's drawings 🤔

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You can conserve any drawing based on how you store it and how you treat the process while drawing it.

[@stephenleslie9282]

@@bobbyrebholz2183 I do portrait drawings I love ballpoint point I don't use it for commissions because it's dosent last could you possibly outlinethe the process how I could conserve the drawings in one of your drawing videos thanks so much Bobby 🙏

[@asphyxiatixn]

This guy is cool

[@keshisarmiento]

I learn the pendulum motion in tattooing, i didn't know you can use it for pens, gonna try this thank you ❤

[@bobbyrebholz2183]

You're welcome 😊