Pointillism or Stippling  

I’ve often referred to my technique as Pointillism, but I’m not so sure it is. Most references regarding Pointillism that I’ve found, define the technique as a style of brush strokes and the use of distinct color dots.  However, I see plenty of artists on the web using the term Pointillism to describe their dot-style pen-and-ink pieces. I now use the term Stippling to describe my technique. I’m open to be educated, or to further discuss either technique …

 Tools

Whatever technique you want to call it…it is mostly dots; hundreds of thousands of dots. I use Sakura Pigma Micron pens tip size  01(0.25mm line-width) or 005 (0.20mm line-width). Aquarelle Arches’ cold pressed 140 lb. watercolor block (12-1/8” x16-1/8”) is my paper of choice.  

Process

Each piece takes approximately 300 hours. I start with a simple outline. I develop the eye(s) first, followed by the head. If I don't like these features then I begin again. I try to imagine and focus on the source of light throughout. It was very challenging for me to contemplate the light source while creating the markings of the Ladybug. My first inclination was to blacken the dots of the Ladybug's shell entirely, I had to restrain myself, and this is why the technique works for me. It's a slow process I can't just blacken anything in all at once; it's a dot at a time. I usually have 4 pens going at one time. Each with a different degree of usage; I find it easier to taper to a soft tone with a near dead pen keeping the fresh pens for the darkest areas.