So, forget the expensive tools of the trade.
No concern for India ink, fancy brushes, chisel tips or sepia.
Not a care as to nib size, or whether the pH is neutral.
To create his spectacular bird illustrations,
Mark Powell used...
wait for it...
a lowly Bic ballpoint pen.
Seriously.
Black.
Medium point.
Now, in the United Kingdom, the place Mark calls home,
ballpoint pens are known as biros,
after Mr. Biro, who invented them.
As far as the paper upon which he draws,
it's from Mark's collection of antique envelopes and ephemera
dating back as far as 1756.
I appreciate how well it provides each piece with integrity and character,
along with a rich sense of history.
Images used with direct permission from Mark Powell.
