30 Ink Drawings in Thirty Days: Drawing One

At the start of this month I decided to do a drawing each day for 30 days. I didn’t realise there was such a thing called Inktober but it popped up everywhere on social media so I thought cool, I will stick with using a ballpoint pen to do the rest of the drawings (I had already started with a couple of pen drawings).

So this isn’t an Inktober exercise but it coincided with my start so I will run with it. I haven’t even bothered to see if they have rules, themes, suggestions, or whatever, but I do know they’re using ink and they’re doing a drawing each day. So if they’re the rules then I’m doing Inktober I guess. Any rules other than that and I’m out.

Here’s my rules for the 30 ballpoint pen ink drawings in 30 days. They’re not actually rules, more thoughts on what what I hope to achieve with this exercise.

1. One drawing per day, no excuses. I can’t miss a day and then do 2 to catch up.
2. Use a ballpoint pen. I’m not sure if I will break this rule yet. Maybe I’ll go buy some ink. Being in Istanbul means I don’t have a lot of art supplies here with me. Hence the ballpoint pen to draw with.
3. Draw what is around me. Start with the apartment and then spread out. So it could include the city or wherever I happen to be on the day. I don’t have any plans to go anywhere in particular over the next 30 days but if I do I’ll draw it.
4. Don’t try to make great drawings, just draw. Focus on looking rather than trying to make something that works as a drawing. So even if I finish a drawing and I’m not happy with it, I’ll still post it.
5. Have fun. Feel again.

Drawing 1 – Day 1 Flowers

I started with a ballpoint pen ink drawing of flowers. They’re Dancing lady orchids and are small, beautiful yellow flowers.

I was given this orchid earlier in the year and it was looking rather sick. I had no idea what sort it was and no clue as to what the flower would look like. About a week ago it came out and wow, they’re such pretty little things.

Somebody online told me they’re Dancing Lady orchids or Oncidium orchids. I told my friend before I learned what they’re called that they look like ladies in big Spanish dresses.

As a black and white drawing I found that they look like whirling dervishes though.

So, this is my first ink drawing with a ballpoint pen. Let me know in the comments if you are doing this #Inktober thing that I see popping up a lot on social media.

Also, please consider following me on Instagram or Twitter. I’ve already started posting the drawings on them a few days ago, so you’ll already know what the next couple of ink drawings are.

The Ballpoint Pen Drawings: 30 Days

• Day 1 Pen Drawing One: (Whirling orchids) You’re here, look up, it’s the orchids.
• Day 2 Pen Drawing Two: (Everyday carry today) Pen drawings of my EDC Everyday carry items. Sunglasses, wallet and Apple iPhone.
• Day 3 Pen Drawing Three: (Bro & his chicken leg) Ink drawing of my Istanbul cat Bro. He’s one of five cats that I’m looking after while I’m here in Turkey.
• Day 4 Pen Drawing Four: (500km Maybe?) Pen drawing of my well worn New Balance shoes using mostly lines.
• Day 5 Pen Drawing Five: (Chop chop) Ballpoint pen drawing that combines two of my interests: art and cooking. Shows a kitchen knife, wooden spoon and a herb jar with oregano in it.
• Day 6 Pen Drawing Six: (Sleeping Kitty) Interior pen drawing of a sleeping cat on a rainy day in Istanbul.