My Favorite Pen: A Reunion Story
In praise of simplifying and being less precious about creative work.
I forgot how much I love this pen.
Why I love this pen:
It’s creates a substantial line thickness and glides effortlessly across the page.
It doesn’t bleed through paper.
It doesn’t feel expensive (because it isn’t), so I instantly put less pressure on what I’m drawing.
It makes me think of Lynda Barry, which helps connect me with the magic of making pictures and thinking on the page.
It was 2019 when I discovered the magic of Paper Mate’s Flair felt-tip pens. I purchased my first set of three while gathering supplies for a workshop led by Lynda Barry. At the time, I had no idea that this workshop and, to some extent, this pen would change my perspective on drawing. It’s a perspective that I sometimes lose sight of while editing each line, color and composition choice in digital formats. Much like that perspective, I somehow forgot how much I love this pen.
I have a suspicion as to why the Flair pen temporarily fell out of favor for me. It’s not archival ink. It’s also not waterproof. Things drawn in this ink will not stand a substantial test of time, nor will they endure any meaningful amount of moisture. For my “serious” drawings, I surely need more serious ink!
But I’m sick of serious drawings right now! The weight of planning and perfecting has been getting in the way of getting anything on the page lately, and I hate it! I just want to sit down and make a thing and allow that thing be whatever it is. I need a channel for ideas to escape my brain with less editing and more messy wiggle room.
So, I’ve been drawing messy four-panel comics with my Flair pen, and I have been enjoying it very much:
There is nothing particularly special about these drawings, but it felt nice to quickly draw a complete idea from start to finish. It felt good to allow myself to make a thing!
If you’ve been feeling stuck, here’s a permission slip for you to do the same.
Humorously, I originally drew this zine with a Flair pen and then promptly spilled water all over it… before I took pictures, before I scanned it in. It was completely ruined. This may have been the moment I questioned my love of the Flair pen!
When the page dried, I scanned it anyway. I digitally inked over the top and the result was something I wouldn’t have normally created digitally. There was something that felt a little more free and alive than my usual digital approach. The lesson I’m choosing to glean here is that the process of drawing this zine with cheap non-archival non-waterproof ink was still a worthwhile exercise even though it wasn’t the end product. Why? Because it created a result I otherwise wouldn’t have created!
I shared a printable version of my Permission zine with paid subscribers last year, and today I want to share it with ALL subscribers! My birthday is next week, and I want to celebrate aliveness and messiness and making things. I hope you will celebrate with me by doing some version of messy aliveness that brings you joy.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for being here! Time and attention are among our most precious resources, and I truly appreciate you making space for my work. In case you missed it, last week I shared the process behind a wood burned art piece called Mushroom Mouse.
Simply hit the button below to access a printable version of today’s zine! The file is formatted as a letter-size PDF and will need to be trimmed to get the correct size and shape. Reference my mini zine tutorial for instructions on how to cut and fold your zine.
Please note that this is copyrighted work that is for personal use only and is not eligible for resale. Please print it for yourself and share with your friends!