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How do you make these drawings?....
        The drawings start out as a light pencil sketch. Then, ink is applied one dot at a time. In the darker the areas, the more ink dots are applied and less dots of ink in the lighter areas.
        You know, what you see here on your screen of these drawings is nothing compared to the prints. When you see one of these printed out will you see how effective Stippling is and really appreciate it. The French painter Suerat made wonderful paintings with dots of paint ( that technique is called Pointellism), and his works are still valuable contributions to the art world.

What type of pen do you use to make these drawings?....
        I use Koh In Noor Rapidograph technical ink pens. These are my favorite pens to use but there are other technical pens you may use. Rotring and Staedtler's Marsmatic pens are also good quality pens. Pigma Micron pens are also a great low cost pen that use archival ink and come in various sizes and they only cost $2 or 3 dollars. A 3X0 Koh In Noor will run about $20.
If you are new to using technical pens, I'd start out with the 3X0 ( .25 ) size. It is good for detail work and as you get better you can either go smaller for very fine detail or larger if you like to work large or finish faster.
        I've talked with other artists out there and it really all comes down to using the pen you feel comfortable with. Some people are so used to using ball point pens that they create art with ball point pens to this day. So, go to your nearest art store and try out a pen, find one you like and go home and draw!

Rapidographs can do some really small and very intricate drawings. 6X0 and 4x0 pens produce very smal dots.

What type of paper should I use for an ink drawing?....
        In it's simplest form, the best paper you should use is the best paper you can afford to buy. If you are new to drawing, buy a good quality sketchbook to work with first. I recommend any of the sketchbooks made by Strathmore. Strathmore has been making quality drawing papers for eons and you can get acid free recycled paper sketchbooks at an art store or hobby store very easily. Get the ones that are for drawing because they also make sketchbooks for watercolor, charcoal, pastel etc..Those have different surfaces for the specified media.
        Good quality illustration board is nice if you like a hard paper for your drawing. Buy a large sheet of it and cut it to whatever size you want to work on with a metal ruler and xacto blade. Don't cut your fingers, you need them to hold the pen!!
        When you are ready, you can graduate up to individual papers that run around $2-4 per sheet like Stonehenge or Canson color tinted papers or the big dollar paper like Twin Rocker Hand Made papers. Dick Blick art supply online carries a nice assortment of Twinrocker Handmade Papers. You can find a link to either of these sites on my Artists Resources page. Hot Pressed watercolor papers are also ok to use but watch your pen nibs ( points). The rougher the surface of the paper the better chance you have of snagging your pen nib and maybe damaging the point. For inkwork with a pen, you want a very smooth surface and hot pressed papers are going to give you that. One rule though if you want it to last and not fade or discolor, get ACID FREE paper.
        If you finish up with a nice drawing, do take the time and spend the extra money to mat and frame it. Hey, you worked hard on it so go the distance and frame it to protect that paper! Use a mat too, paper up against the glass will start to ruin your drawing. A mat surrounds your drawing with a complimentary color and most importantly keeps a space between the glass and the paper. Use two pieces of acid free tape on the top of your drawing to hold it to the mat or the backing board if you prefer to allow for contraction and expansion of the paper. Do not tape all the edges of your paper to the board or mat...just two pieces across the top will do fine and save you tape! Acid free tape is available at art stores.

How did you arrive at using this technique?....
        I did pen & ink drawings in High School. I learned the technique there. I've tried other pen & ink techniques such as line drawing, hatching, cross hatching and others but I feel the most comfortable using the Stippling technique. I originally liked the fact that when you finished a drawing using this technique it looked as if it was a printed image you were looking at and not just a drawing like you would get after using pencil. The stippling made changes in values easy with a gradient application.

How long does it take to make a drawing?....
        The #1 most asked question...the answer is simple...A LONG TIME!  It really does take a lot of ones time doing Stippling. On a 16"x20", it can take anywhere from 30 to 50 hours to complete depending on the subject detail and the large background to fill. The larger 18"x24" size takes easily over 50 hours and up to finish. Some artists I have talked with spend way more time than that. Most people only work 40 hours a week so you can see the time involved in a drawing.

Don't you have a life!?....
        The #3 most asked question....Yes, I do. These drawings are done over a period of days and weeks. I will draw for 2 to 3 hours sometimes and through the night sometimes. It is just a matter of how much you get into the drawing at various moments. Stippling is a "time intensive" technique and the long hours just go with the territory. Look at it this way, some people spend at least two hours a night watching TV. I spend mine doing art when I'm involved with a drawing.

Is it safe to use my credit card to purchase my artwork here?....
        It is as safe as handing your credit card to any waiter in any restaurant to pay for a meal. Actually, all credit card transactions are fully encrypted. You are being taken to their web sites to do your purchasing and card transfer details and they are very large companies that have people working full time to make sure your credit card information is totally safe at all times. If you still are doubtful about credit card use online, then just send a Money Order or Personal Check. I accept both. Send it to the address below every image making sure to name the print you are purchasing and how many you want with a good legible address to send the artwork to and there you go!. If you have any questions about purchasing a print just email me...can't you tell I love to talk?

If my print arrives and I am not happy can I return it and get my money back?....
        You bet! Put the print back in the box or mailing tube and send it back to me. You have 30 days to do this. I will send you your money back using a money order so you can cash it immediately if you live out of State. For those of you that live in the great State of CA, well, your just going to get a check from me. Remember, Money Orders cost money...go figure. All I ask is that you pay for the return postage.

Do you have one good reason why I should buy your art?....
        Well, you've seen it and you've come this far reading this so you must be interested in my art right? Some people buy art as an investment. They want it to make them rich. That will take a good many years to happen. Others buy art that pleases them or touches something inside them, those are the people I want to buy my art. Are you like that? Has one of my drawings made you think or smile or dazzle you? Did one of them remind you of something, someone, or some moment in your life? If so, then the art has touched you. Money doesn't touch you like art does. Money is nice to have but we are talking art right?
        When framed and inside your home, you will be proud of your purchase. It will look impressive and show your love of fine art. You print will last for years and demand attention from the people who see it.
        If you want an investment you are going to have to pay much more elsewhere.  Here, I price my art so more people can afford to buy it. Some people feel that good art costs more and if it costs less then it isn't good art. I don't agree with this. That is art marketing 101.  If you want a quality piece of art that speaks to your soul and didn't cost you an arm and a leg to buy it then that is a good reason to buy my art. Of course, if you'd like to pay more for art, then go to a gallery and sip wine and don't forget to bring your Visa card and your ID. Remember, Art is Art and your children, porkbellies and real estate are an investment!

What is the #2 most asked question?....
        " How many dots are in that drawing? " ....I have no idea. I'm not going to do a drawing over a months time and remember to keep counting every time I push the pen down to make a dot !. I suppose if you wanted to sit down with a magnifying glass and start counting all of those dots you are more than welcome to do it. I usually just reply with the standard answer..." A LOT "...and then quickly go into the fact that I don't ever count them up because if you just said "a lot" you will see the wheels turning inside that persons head trying to sum up what a smart-butt answer that was. A 16"x20" or 18"x24" drawing has thousands of dots so I can understand the nature of why one would wonder just how many there are...I'm just not going to count them, I've already spent about a month staring at it anyway.

Any why do you have paintings on your pen & ink website?....
        " Very good question. Like most artists I've expanded my horizons into oil painting. Nothing new, I did some back in college and off and on over the years but never offering any for purchase. My work is miles better now, has been juried into many shows, won awards and have already been sold through some of the galleries I am affiliated with. It makes sense to offer my paintings on my website now.