Pencil to Paint Tutorial
Artwork-Uniball Signo White Broad pen and Zebra Pen Sarasa Metallic Clip Pens in Hahnemühle black book
I don’t have any black-paper postcards, but I’ve been cutting some out of my Hahnemühle Black Book. I hate to do that, but drawing on black is so quick and I love the paper so much. When time gets critical I grab the scissors and start cutting! Maybe I’ll be lucky and Hahnemühle will start making black paper postcards. One can hope.
Pencil
(This scan is darkened so you can see the pencil lines. You should pencil lines in lightly)
Even though the paper is black, pencil shows up well enough. I just drew the overall shape and facial detail.
I didn’t pencil in the stripes, because I find that without a contrast of color the lines are just confusing. I suspect this differs for people, so try it one way, and if it doesn’t work, try it the other next time.
When you do start working on the stripes – either drawing or coloring them in – it helps if you have one hand over your reference, and run a finger along the stripe you are drawing. That helps you see where you are, and helps the brain to hand communication.
Not sure if you’re up to drawing this? Art Tutor has a great grid program that will help by applying a grid to your uploaded photo. You can also crop and adjust color and value.
Pen
I used a Uniball Signo White pen to draw the stripes.
My pencil lines are only a guide. It may not show up on your screen, but I changed the shape of the mane, so there are pencil marks left. Sometimes I erase marks like these, and sometimes I don’t.
I used purple and blue gel pens for shading.
This was my first time using the Sarasa Clip Metallic pens. In essence, they are metallic gel pens. I prefer the Metallic brush pens because of the flow and larger nib size. But some times you want a smaller size, and a rougher looking coverage.
This took about 10 minutes from start to finish!
Tools
(and where you can buy them)
Life Imitates Doodles 
very cool!
well that ‘very cool’ comment was mine. it just decided to post as I was filling in the information. sorry. love the zebra!
Thank you, Alice!
I was wondering if you create a sketch and how you do this on black paper. Thanks for the photo showing your sketch. You certainly have a sure hand, Sandra. Your lines are perfect. The finished picture is really attractive.
Thank you, Sharon! Pencil shows up pretty well on most black papers and I find I do need a sketch more than I do on white paper. I think it’s because you have to visualize dark to light instead of light to dark. Makes your brain work harder, lol.
Oh, my goodness, Sandra, you are phenomenal! I just love your drawings! This zebra is a definite “WOW!”
Thank you, Pam!