Pen Pattern Diary

Above Artwork by Princess Pea

Artwork by: Daniel Age 9

I love two-dimensional design. There is something so satisfying about turning a blank canvas into a textural work of art; with only the use of your pen and the patterns you create.

The Pen Pattern Diary is a project for all skill levels; from the most basic shapes to the most intricate designs. You want to give your page interest, movement and texture. Your imagination is your inspiration.

This project is meant to be done in black ink. We want to focus on the visual texture of the page; adding color would be confusing to look at.

My favorite brand of pens to use for this project are Prismacolor because of the perfect saturated color you get on the page, but any brand will work. I would also suggest having two or three different pen tip sizes for a variety of line widths (this will add interest to the project).

For the younger set, you might want to think about using Crayola washable markers :)

Daniel and I used templates to create some of our patterns. If you don't have templates laying around the house, you can use every day household items:

Here are some simple patterns that make a big impact on the page:


Diagonal lines are very good at creating energy and movement on a page.
Graduating shapes sizes can also create movement on a page.
Solid filled shapes are dynamic and become a focal point.
Empty space can be just as dynamic as filled space. (Positive/Negative space)
For the young kids: stars, hearts, circles, squares, and triangles.

If it becomes too overwhelming to think of filling in a whole page...section it off and do one section at a time. I usually start with my biggest shapes first and then fill in with pattern later.

Here is an example of Daniel's work before it was complete. This will give you an idea of how he sectioned off the page:

This is a project that can be done a little each day. Sometimes it helps to step away from the drawing...

This is my current pen pattern drawing (close up version). It is a work in progress...

Email me YOUR pen pattern drawing to princesspeacrafts@cox.net and I will post it on my blog.
Have fun drawing!