Welcome to Pen & Ink Master Class! This course will guide you through all the fundamentals of learning to draw. We'll start with the basics: understanding the difference between outline and contour lines, then moving to cross contour and crosshatching. You'll learn how to create depth, texture, and form in your drawing, just using pen. By the end of the course, you'll have these key skills that you can apply to all of your drawing.
This course is designed to go step-by-step and in order. You can also ask questions and get feedback on the Discord community.
In this first demo, we'll focus on understanding the different types of pens that come in your pen set. Knowing your tools and what they do will help you achieve the best results in this course.
In this module, we'll explore the difference between an outline and a contour line. This is a core skill to learn because understand in all types of line drawing.
Now we're going to practice what we learned in Module 2 but with an actual object. We're starting with an apple since it's a simple object to draw. If you don't have an apple to draw, you can draw virtually any fruit or vegetable and it would work well for what we'll be practicing.
In this module, we'll dive into the next big section of the course which is cross contour. Cross contour is a bridge between simple contour lines and crosshatching, which is why I love to teach it. You'll be applying this technique to an apple, using charcoal to explore how cross contour can enhance volume and depth.
What you'll learn: In this module, we'll apply the cross contour technique to pen and ink drawing. We're going to draw the same object, an apple, so that we can focus on learning technique and becoming more accustomed to the skill of cross contour drawing.
Why pen after charcoal? I like to start with charcoal because it's a little more intuitive to vary your pressure with charcoal than with pen.
This module explores crosshatching. This is the fundamental shading technique used to create depth, texture, and tonal variation in pen and ink drawings. You'll will learn the principles of crosshatching, including line direction, spacing, and layering to achieve smooth gradients and dynamic textures. By the end of the module, you will develop greater control over crosshatching, value, and shading and the ability to enhance your drawings with expressive line work.
This module brings together all the essential pen and ink skills covered in earlier lessons - outline, contour line, cross contour and crosshatching. Using sushi as a subject, you'll apply these skills to reinforce the concepts introduced so far in this course.
Now that you’ve practiced crosshatching on simple forms, it’s time to apply those skills to more organic subjects.
In this module, we’ll explore crosshatching on rounded, symmetrical objects by drawing chess pieces. Using different Micron pen sizes, you’ll learn how to control line weight to emphasize form, depth, and contrast. Chess pieces provide a great challenge for practicing smooth shading on curved surfaces while maintaining their structured, balanced shapes. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a stronger understanding of how to use crosshatching to enhance both dimensionality and symmetry in your drawings.
In this module, we’re bringing everything together to create a well-composed, thoughtfully arranged still life in pen and ink. This final project is broken into three key lessons: first, we’ll dive into a longer tutorial on composition, exploring how to create balance, depth, and visual interest in your drawings. Next, I’ll walk you through the process of setting up a still life, considering factors like lighting, texture, and arrangement. Finally, we’ll go over the project itself—what to keep in mind as you work, how to approach the drawing process, and tips for making your final piece as strong as possible.