Brush Pen Illustration

What a delightful manual. If you've ever wanted to use a brush pen, this beginner book is for you. Every page is full of colorful instructions and demonstrations. It's a pleasure to browse or to follow the demos step-by-step.

If you're looking for a guide to painting quick sketches for your journal, illustrating notes, or drawing for children, you'll have so much fun with this. The simplicity of line, of how-tos, and ideas will make you smile, and - even for that alone - I'd recommend it.

This book focuses solely on illustrations using brush pens. After explaining different brush pen types and different paper types, a vast collection of illustrations shows fruit and vegetables, animals, trees and many more examples of brush pen drawings. Step by step instructions make recreating the art easy.

Brush Pen Illustration is a new tutorial/step-by-step DIY manual from artist designer Sho Ito, published by Quarry Books - Quarto due out 26th June 2018. Originally published in Japanese in 2011 as "Fude Pen Illust Renshucho (Boutique Mooc #958)" it's been reformatted and translated for the re-release. It is 106 pages and contains specific tips and tricks for rendering hundreds of animals, plants, foods, shells and many other items from daily life. Many of these are deceptively simple and all are fun. The book is mostly printed in full color and includes a goodly proportion of clear photographs, especially in a useful inspiration gallery showing ways to use the art the reader produces.

The aesthetic (see cover) is definitely Asian in feel. The tutorial items will all be recognizable to western readers as well. The designs are spare and elegantly simple.

The book begins with an intro and materials chapter including pens, paper, and general techniques (circa 15% of the content count). The author does include a short resources list with e-tailers who carry the brush pens and types of paper which are best to use with these projects. After the intro, the lion's share of the book is given over to specific tutorials grouped by subject (animals, foods, plants, Asian art, black and white illustrations etc).

There are a number of really interesting lessons in this book concerning the use of space and movement.
One of the things that many artists struggle with is the use of negative space. Ito's simple step by step tutorials brilliantly utilize negative space to illustrate 3D shapes and volume (see the sheep on page 55 for example).

There are many many such takeaways from this very enjoyable book.

Well worth a look.

Four stars

"Brush Pen Illustration" is a step-by-step drawing book that uses brush pens. The author started by briefly talking about brush pens and paper and then explained some brush pen techniques. Most of the book was 2-4 step demonstrations on how to draw over 200 everyday things, like food (vegetables, fruit, sweets, meals), animals (dogs, cats, and other animals), flowers, zodiac signs, and more.

The objects and animals were drawn with a Chinese brush painting look. The book was also Asian-oriented, so the author choose to demonstrate foods like sushi, which may not be of interest to everyone. During the step-by-step part, the focus was on what strokes to do in what order, so each stroke was numbered.

I now have a better feel for how to create the Chinese brush painting look, and the animal and flower drawings were of interest to me. However, while there's enough instruction to allow you to jump into creating his demonstration objects, I had been expecting a little more discussion about what to look for in brush pens and on using the techniques.

Brush Pen Illustration More Than 200 Ideas for Drawing with Brush Pens is written by Sho Ito.

I have tried the genres: Arts & Photography, Crafts & Hobbies for the first time. I have to admit it has not disappointed me.

Before, I begin my review lets have a look at the book’s description:

“Curious about the world of brush pens but aren’t sure where to start? Brush Pen Illustration​ shows how to draw pretty much anything in 2 – 4 steps.

Brush pens have taken the illustrating world by storm! This unique medium comes in hundreds of colors and produces a beautiful, soft, watercolor effect which has had lettering artists buzzing. Now, though, illustrators in all walks of art are incorporating brush pens’ into their repertoire as a simple way to include color and motion into their art.

Brush pens’ style is reminiscent of Chinese brush painting and drawing. They offer a gentle, paint-like quality that replicate watercolor paints without having use paint and brushes. Brush Pen Illustration is a comprehensive guide which shows you how to draw pretty much everything in 2-4 easy steps; apples, zebras, penguins, flowers, this book shows you how to draw everything under the sun with fun and colorful brush pens.”

And here comes……………….my review:

Firstly, the book is Brush Pen Illustration so you might have guessed it would be illustrated. I like the illustrations in this book. Secondly, it holds your interest till the end.

The book gives details about brush pens and papers. Basic brush techniques are also given.

Brush Pen Illustration​ shows how to draw pretty much anything in 2 – 4 steps. It teaches to draw fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. One thing I find difficult to draw (that will also look good) is food. Most of you would agree that drawing fruits or flowers is one thing but drawing food is another. Especially, when you want to draw rice but DON’T WORRY, Brush Pen Illustration​ is here to help!

Drawing animals with brush pens is taught in the book. First few pages, where how to draw animals with brush pens is taught, are filled with illustrations of cats and different dogs with so many different poses. I thought they were the models for this book. Just kidding!

And yeah there are others animals too. No need to get sad!

If you are anything like me who enjoys a book but in the end gets sad because you think you cannot implement those things. Reason: you don’t know where to get those things and materials. Brush Pen Illustration More Than 200 Ideas for Drawing with Brush Pens has got it covered in its Resources section in the end of the book.

This book was worth reading.

Happy Reading!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book to me in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I was not sure if I would find this book enjoyable or not. Often with art books it is ll about the art and not how to make the art. This book was so much fun to see, I just bought a set of brush pens and this was a great way to start using them. Such easy, cute little doodles to add to so many of my crafting projects.

As with other drawing books, I'm skeptical of the possibility of improving my chicken scratch drawing ability simply via the written word. This book makes it seem much more attainable, however. Why? Because the instructions are really specific.

Often books like this will say, "Draw a leaf and then do X," without first teaching you to draw a leaf. I'm seriously unskilled at drawing, so an author can't make assumptions about previous skill and still have it work out. Ito's instructions seem like something I could work with, though. For example, "Apply firm pressure at the beginning of your brushstroke, and then loosen your grip as you reach the end" (p.96 of the proof in a section about how to draw an acorn).

I haven't tried the instructions out yet, since my hands are still recovering from carpal tunnel surgery and I can't yet hold a pen or brush like normal. I do want to give it a try once I'm all healed up, though. Also an excuse to buy more art supplies!

Brush Pen Illustration is the perfect art book for anybody that has ever found themselves fascinated by this style of artwork. It’s perfect for any level, but especially for beginners, as it gives a wonderful understanding of the style itself and many details of the intricacy in how it works.
Included in this book is a basic overview of the style itself, the techniques involved, and a variety of different themes that are commonly used. There’s a whole chapter dedicated to foods, which may or may not have made me a bit hungry, a chapter for cats and other animals (my personal favorite for this style), water brush techniques, plants, Asian art, and finally black & white illustrations.
What I especially loved about this guide was that they took the time to not only explain, but show the effects on different paper types. This is something that’s so frequently overlooked, but can be really frustrating for a beginner. There’s nothing more frustrating than following a guide and not understanding why everything keeps coming out differently than intended. It’s understandable that many wouldn’t even consider the paper being a culprit, but in this style in particular it can’t be overlooked.
On the whole I was very happy with this book, and impressed with the precision and attention to detail shown. Going into this I didn’t feel like I had a firm grasp on the subject or how it was rendered, but now I certainly have a better idea, not to mention increased respect for the style.

“Brush Pen Illustration” offers 200+ ideas for drawing with brush pens by accomplished illustrator Sho Ito. You learn how to draw all manner of things in only two to four steps. The book has a stunningly beautiful soft watercolor quality that reminds you of the paint-like patina of Chinese brush art work. Highly recommended for artists young and old!

Grateful to the Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry and NetGalley for the early copy, in exchange for my true review.

#BrushPenIllustration #NetGalley

Gorgeous illustrations with clear instructions

With Brush Pen Illustration: More Than 200 Ideas for Drawing with Brush Pens, Sho Ito provides a comprehensive text that will help beginners and novices alike. It feels like a private art lesson from a kind expert. First, Sho Ito takes us through the different types of pens, from different types of hard tip, soft tip, brush tip, and water brush pens with examples and recommendations. The next step is to analyze types of paper and the effect they have on the look of illustrations. The third section walks through the basic brush pen techniques, from dots of different types, lines, and coloring.

Then and only then, Sho Ito walks us through different illustrations of various types of foods and animals. Each example is detailed stroke by stroke and explained with ample illustrations and hints. In addition, there are sections dedicated to water brush and black-and-white illustration techniques.

This is just a beautiful and unique art and the example illustrations range from adorable animals, whimsical sea life, graceful birds, and colorful plants to delicate insects, and more. The pictures themselves inspire as they instruct. I was so impressed by how clear this text is that I ordered a physical copy so I could use it to help teach a young autistic woman to draw. I’m hoping she will be inspired as I am and that the numbered strokes will be enough once she has learned the different brush pen techniques to help her draw independently for her own enjoyment. While part of conquering art is innate talent, there is definitely enough information here that readers can expand and practice their pen skill set.

Overall, an enjoyable, helpful, and comprehensive instruction book. Highly recommended.

Delightful book for both adults and children. The illustrations are simple and very easy to follow by a complete beginner. The information on brush pens is very good and detailed. The book is full of fun and just flicking through it will make you smile. It is perfect for adding some life to a journal or personalising anything. A great fun book with a lovely Asian feel.

This helps with all the step of Brush Pen Illustration. It is very helpful at every stage and with whatever you need. Every tool you need is listed of pens and papers including author recommendations. Techniques and beautiful examples are presented too. It a helpful book and the illustrations are beautiful and inspirational. Maybe with the great step-by-step instructions I will be able to draw as beautifully thanks to this book.

Brush Pen Illustration: More Than 200 Ideas for Drawing with Brush Pens by Sho Ito is a book I requested and the review is voluntary. I love how the author makes it appear so easy! In a matter of just a few strokes, it is a picture, wow! The artist also has a list of all kinds of pens and examples of them, I found a couple I really want to try. I like the technique, it seems so simple...I am going to give it a try. It looks so lovely and delicate! The whole book has tips, techniques, and lots of examples and how-to's in it. Enjoyed just looking at it!

Thank you to Net Galley for an electronic advance of this title in exchange for my honest review. This book was a delight. It was not only informative and easy to follow, but the illustrations are beautiful. I'm not that creative, but honestly, I feel like anyone with some enthusiasm and desire would be able to get some brush pens, follow this guide and make something lovely.

This book is a great introduction to brush pen illustration, which is a nice change from the usual brush pen lettering that is so popular right now. I tried to do many of the illustrations in this book, and the step by step instructions were helpful. I liked that near the end the author included further instructions to take the illustrations to another level with some blending techniques n

I never know about brush illustration before I found this book. The techniques are very interesting and easy to follow. This book explains about the different kinds of brush pens that we can use for drawing. It also explains about the paper that the author recommends for this type of drawing. If you are a beginner like me, you can learn a lot from this book. You will learn how to draw vegetables, fruits, sweets, animals, and more with brush pens.

Thank you Netgalley for this book

This is a book for those who wish to try brush pen illustrations. The book provides an introduction to the equipment required, the basic techniques and then provides plenty of images to try from food, animals, everyday objects and flowers,

I found the illustrations in this book to be very childlike. They were quite simple to follow, with instructions for each step but due to their size didn't altogether look right and I think this is due also to my next point. I would have preferred the water brush techniques to have been alongside the relevant picture as before this was applied the pictures looked naff.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

Step by step guides for art are a tricky thing. On the one hand, you want clear directions. On the other hand, if the directions are too detailed it can narrow your focus, causing the reader to learn only how to draw a few particular items. The nice thing about this brush pen book is that it first teaches the reader a few key stroke styles. Each illustration, then, shows you how to combine those key strokes to create a particular image. A creative person can extend those concepts out to other images. There's also a guide to brush pen styles, but I found that to be a little narrow-focused. It addressed the disposition and options for a few sizes of pens in particular brands. Still, I look forward to trying out these techniques with my own brush pens.