Portraiture has long been a way for artists to capture the essence of a person, distilling their likeness and spirit onto a one dimensional surface. While traditional media like oil paint or charcoal offer their own expressive qualities, multicolored ballpoint pen portraits stand apart in their layered complexity, predictable unpredictability, and fusion of imperfections—qualities that make them an apt metaphor for humanity itself.
Just as human nature is composed of intertwining emotions, identities, and experiences wrapped in abstraction, so too are these portraits built from overlapping lines, blending colors, and moments of both control and spontaneity.
Lines are abstract because they do not exist as physical objects in reality but rather as conceptual representations. In nature, there are no true lines—only edges, plains, boundaries, and transitions between different surfaces or colors. A line is a human-made construct used to describe direction, division, and form. Even when drawn, a line is simply an abstraction of movement or separation rather than a tangible entity. It represents an idea rather than an actual object, making it inherently abstract despite its common use in defining concrete shapes.
A single ballpoint pen can only offer one color expressed in a line, much like how a single experience or perspective cannot define a person. But when an artist uses multicolored pens, layering blues, reds, blacks, and greens, the portrait gains a richness that a single hue cannot provide. This is akin to how human identity is not singular but multifaceted—shaped by culture, history, experience, perception, emotions, and personal growth over time. Each stroke in a multicolored ballpoint portrait represents a fragment of the whole, just as every decision, relationship, or hardship contributes to the formation of a person's character.
Multicolored ballpoint pens, particularly the iconic four-color versions, gained significant popularity during the 1980s, becoming a staple in schools, offices, and homes. These pens allowed users to switch between different ink colors—commonly black, blue, red, and green—within a single writing instrument, offering both convenience and versatility.
The concept of multicolored pens dates back to the late 1960s. Marcel Bich, co-founder of Société Bic, introduced the first four-color pen in 1969. This innovative design enabled users to select different ink colors by pressing corresponding buttons at the top of the pen. The design has remained largely unchanged since its inception, reflecting its enduring appeal.
By the 1980s, these multicolored pens had become emblematic of the era's stationery trends. Many school-aged students used them for note-taking and organizing information by color-coding, while professionals appreciated the ability to differentiate notes and edits without needing multiple pens. The pens' distinctive clicking mechanism and colorful design also contributed to their widespread appeal.
Nostalgia Intertwined with Legacy
The enduring popularity of multicolored ballpoint pens from the 1980s highlights their practical design and the convenience. Their influence persists today, with modern versions available in various color combinations and styles, catering to both nostalgic users and new generations seeking functional writing tools.
I enjoy drawing and doodling with these pens. I recall feeling hopelessly bored and frustrated while at school and filling pages of notebooks and brown paper bag book covers with sketches and funny comic strips made in this multicolor ballpoint pens from the 80’s and early 90’s.
This is undoubtedly part of the reason I feel drawn to create with the fun tools but there is much more to the story.
Imperfection as Beauty
Ballpoint pens do not allow for erasure. Albeit we can use whiteout or opaque paints in multimedia creations using pens, each mark remains, whether intentional or accidental, forcing the artist to adapt, improvise, and incorporate "mistakes" into the final composition. In this way, these portraits mirror human life: we cannot undo the past, but we can build upon it, transforming flaws into something meaningful. Smudges, uneven lines, or unintended color blends often add depth and authenticity to the artwork—just as imperfections and struggles make people more resilient, interesting, and real.
The Interplay of Control and Chaos
Unlike digital tools or more predictable mediums, ballpoint pens have an inherent unpredictability. Ink flow varies, pressure alters the intensity, and unexpected streaks or skips can emerge. Similarly, human existence is a balance between control and chaos. No life unfolds exactly as planned, and the true artistry of living lies in navigating the unexpected. In a ballpoint portrait, an artist must embrace spontaneity while still guiding the outcome, much like how people strive for direction in a world full of uncertainties.
Blending and Coexistence
When different ink colors overlap, they do not simply cover each other; they interact, creating new shades and depths that could not exist in isolation. This reflects the human condition, where individual lives intersect, influencing and shaping one another. Just as societies thrive on diversity and the merging of perspectives, a multicolored ballpoint portrait achieves its fullest expression when colors are allowed to coexist, each contributing to the greater image.
Conclusion
Multicolored ballpoint pen portraits are more than just technical exercises; they are symbolic of what it means to be human. They are emblematic of how we all are composed of the same basic elements and are bound by our limitations as much as we are by our greatest strengths. They also harken to our need to embrace imperfection, complexity, and unpredictability while demonstrating how disparate elements can come together to form something greater than the sum of their parts.
Just as an artist uses intersecting lines and blended hues to create depth and life in a portrait, humanity, too, is a masterpiece of interconnected stories, emotions, and experiences.
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