I thought ballpoint pen drawings were inherently monochromatic, but then I discovered Samuel Silva’s ballpoint pen art. Using just eight different colored ballpoint pens, Silva creates incredibly photorealistic portraits of people, animals and landscapes. Samuel Silva uses regular BIC ballpoint pens and each drawing can take from 5 to 50 hours to finish. “I don't mix them [colors] nor blend them. Ballpoint pen ink dries instantly and can not be erased. I just cross hatch the different colors in layers to create the illusion of blending and the illusion of colors I don't actually have”, explains Samuel Silva on his DeviantArt page.

Silva says he started drawing from the early age of just 2. “I started drawing and developing my own style of ballpoint pen drawing back when I was in school, in simple classroom sketches in the back of my exercise books. I never imagined there were so many brilliantly masterful ballpoint artists out there.”

“Ballpoint pen is not my only medium”, Silva says, “it's just the one I'm currently trying to master. At this point in my life I'm proficient with chalk, pencil, color pencil, pastels, oils and acrylics. Maybe one day I'll create an account just to share those.”

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks Clare for the tip.