Redrawing my relationship with line work

Hey folks,

It’s a short one this week as I gear up for some big things in the coming weeks. But before we talk big, I wanted to revisit something that’s been on my mind lately: line work.

When I first decided to follow my passion and become a full-time artist, I gravitated toward my earliest inspirations—comic books and, more importantly, line work. I would draw people, places, and things, then fill them in with color. However, as I took more classes and studied other artists, I noticed that lines were becoming less prominent. In their place came shape-based drawing, with only a few strokes to indicate gesture.

At times, it almost felt taboo to lean too heavily on lines in my own work. But recently something has shifted. I feel myself slowly returning to line work, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. When I start with pen, I capture so much more of the energy I want than I do with an unsteady brushstroke. There’s a personality in those lines that I’ve been missing.

I don’t quite know yet where my lines will land stylistically (pun absolutely intended), but I’m excited to explore. With Inktober right around the corner, I’ll be leaning into this part of my practice and seeing what comes out. My goal is to stay open, free from judgment, and let the work lead me.

We’ll see where the lines take me.

Thanks for reading—if you enjoy following along on this journey, I’d love for you to subscribe and share this newsletter with a friend who loves art too.