Ain’t This a Fancy Pen! {Pen & Ink Watercolor Tutorial}

Hi friends! Today I will show you how to make this pen and ink with watercolor drawing.

I am using a brand new tool called the Cuttlelola DotsPen. It is a pen with a nib that goes in and out creating stippling on your paper. I was really skeptical about this one, I thought it would take a long time to learn but it was quite easy to get the hang of, this was my first attempt! Here is the reference photo I used.

Video!

Of course you can use any pen with waterproof ink and make the dots by hand:) After the video I charged the pen again and used it straight away and got 30 minutes continuous use on high use before needing to charge it. I even let my kids try it and they loved it, even my son who says he is not “artsy.” Then I went over my watercolor with the pen again after it was dry and added the additional dots in 10 minutes. This is great if you want the look of stippling but do not want to spend the time. I could see myself enhancing plain rubber stamp images with this pen too!

PROS:

• Fun to use.
• Easy to use. (this is my first attempt)
• Fast. I usually do not do stippling because I do not like the time it takes, this is quick and easy!
• Waterproof ink great for pen and ink with watercolor washes.
• Compact-everything fits in a reusable tin.
• Affordable ink refills-these inks cost about the same as other pen refills. (shipping is extra)
• Rechargeable with a USB cord (included) but it is the same cord that my other electronics use so it is convenient.

CONS:

• The pen is large and may cause fatigue or discomfort after prolonged use.
• You get one size of dots, where as with a set of traditional pens you could choose different point sizes.
• Initial Price (although I think it is well priced for what it is and if you are a working illustrator it would pay for itself quickly)
• You can’t draw with the pen “off” because the nib will push back into the pen, I tried signing my name with the pen on and that looks weird. Have a regular pen handy for drawing lines.

Bottom line: I think it is a great invention . It is fun and easy to use. I wish the battery charge lasted longer but you will have a longer charge if you use it right after charging instead of waiting, also it can be used while charging. I would recommend this to any illustrator who wants the look of stippling in less time. What do you think? Would this be useful to you? Do you like the painting with more or less stippling better. I can’t wait to play with it some more, maybe I’ll even do some more digital stamp files LOL! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!