Pen drawings and illustrations have a rich history as artists in the past considered it as a medium to create life on paper.
With the advent of technology, the art, along with the artists, has slowly faded away. However, A Karthikeyan, a viscom graduate and an animator, with the sole aim of reviving the art of pen drawings, has taken it up as a profession and using one of the most economical tools – ball point pen.
Ballpoint pen art developed in the mid-20th century. A few enthusiasts, who started drawing using ballpoint pens for quick sketch works, slowly transformed it into an art form.
With artists and illustrators getting into modern abstract paintings now, Karthikeyan prefers to stick to the basics to create an identity for himself. He has made hundreds of drawings of many legends and great leaders in the last five years.
According to him, one of the major reasons for the diminishing art form is the lack of patience among youngsters.
“It takes several hours of practice and patience to complete one drawing. The love for the art made me to practise it every day and now I draw nearly eight paintings per day,” says Karthikeyan.
Karthikeyan has currently displayed his works at the Poompuhar Crafts Mela at Kamadhenu Kalyana Mahal. The expo is on till July 30.