Framed Drawing Techniques: Mastering Ballpoint Pen, Graphite Pencil, and Digital Tools for Visual Storytelling

No matter what stage artists are in their careers, “it’s necessary to look toward the future eager to learn and to be better every day,” writes artist and best-selling author Marcos Mateu-Mestre (Framed Ink, Framed Perspective Vol. 1 & 2) in his latest book, Framed Drawing Techniques, which is packed with opportunities to do just that. In exquisite and thoughtful detail, Mateu-Mestre lays out distinct approaches to drawing in the book’s chapters — The Ballpoint Pen, Graphite Pencil, The Digital Way, and The Gray Scale —outlining the benefits and challenges of each, and specific techniques that can be applied to one’s work in all the mediums to achieve the greatest results.

Alongside his important technical lessons, on everything from depicting reflected light on a character’s hair to how to add rain to dramatize a scene, is Mateu-Mestre’s awe-inspiring artwork, which serves to educate and motivate artists of all levels to discover what incredible storytelling is possible with a single pen or pencil (or tablet).

About the Author:

Born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Marcos Mateu-Mestre is a lead animation designer and graphic novel artist with three decades of experience in feature animation. Some of his film credits include Balto, The Prince of Egypt, Asterix and The Vikings, Surf's Up, and How to Train Your Dragon 2. His work in film, primarily for DreamWorks Animation, Netflix Animation and Sony Pictures Animation, has focused on the design and cinematic aspects of frame composition, lighting, and visual continuity, experience he shared in his international best-sellers, Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers, Framed Ink Vol 2: Frame Format, Energy, and Composition for Visual Storytellers, Framed Perspective Vol.1, Framed Perspective Vol. 2, and Framed Drawing Techniques. In addition to his work in film, he has taught drawing, illustration, and visual storytelling techniques for more than a decade. Mateu-Mestre currently lives in Los Angeles and is a production designer at Netflix.