This Was Fun and Relaxing - Ballpoint Sketching

I may have to rethink my use of fountain pens or even microns.  Where I hesitate wanting to sketch directly with either of those two type pens, I'm finding with a ballpoint, I am much more relaxed enjoying the process.  I'll have to play a bit but maybe can work the two together (ballpoint plus other type of pens).  Just not sure how oil based and dye based inks will work together as I'm still trying to understand the make-up of various inks.

I love the softness of the ballpoint.  I love the fact one can go very light and then go back darker once the initial lines are put down on paper.  The lighter lines are easy to cover and blend in even if off a bit as the drawing progresses and corrections made.  I love the soft building of values as well.  The variation in value is a major plus.  Next best thing to working with graphite and without the smudging :-D

This is using a cheap PaperMate stick 1.0 m pen with black ink.  I felt fine jumping in with the pen and throughout the drawing process.  I could probably take this further but think I'll stop here.  And I MAY take color to it but for now leaving as is.

There are some areas with little tiny blobs or pooling of ink when touching point to paper and that happened even after wiping on a paper towel.  I guess that's the one thing one has to work with using ballpoint and oil based ink (from what I'm understanding and seeing first hand).  I can handle that little bit.  Will have to experiment with different ballpoints and brands to see if one brand or type is more problematic than the other.

Worked in the Fabriano Venezia sketchbook.