Pick Up a Pen

A playful, quirky, doodly exploration of the humble pen, full of practical ways to make amazing art using markers, ink pens, quills and even ballpoints.A cute, quirky practical art book, Pick Up A Pen is a guide to making the most of pens, from creating perfect calligraphic script with pen and ink to making masterpieces with a Sharpie. It covers drawing techniques such as cross-hatching and scumbling that’ll help you raise your sketchbook game, and is packed with ideas for what to draw and when. It introduces the world’s greatest artists working in pen, and explores what your doodles say about you.On top of the arty bits, the book also contains nifty pen hacks and handwriting tips, and it delves into the history of the pen with some fascinating facts – did you know that an estimated 15 million biros are sold every day?Stuffed with tips, tricks and an enormous sense of fun, Pick Up A Pen will help you brandish a biro, perfect your pen and ink techniques and discover that markers really are magic! 

Frances Moffatt is an illustrator specialising in fashion and beauty, and is also a Visiting Lecturer at various colleges and universities. Her work is characterised by dynamic line work, combined with vibrant colour and bold pattern and texture. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Marketing, and worked in fashion design, before returning to education to complete an MA in Design (Illustration). Her work was selected for the Association of Illustrators IMAGES 35 annual in the ‘New Talent’ category, and for the ‘Talent’ portfolio section of the D&AD website.