Breaking Rules

I broke a rule. Well, several rules.

They were self-imposed rules, but still rules.


When I draw using traditional media, I have unspoken rule to always work in graphite and always sketch out something first. Usually, I should have an idea of what I'm going to draw.
Afterwards, if I like the drawing, I may go over it using my inking pens (Always use the XS, S, and F ones. NEVER use the Brush pen.).

So I picked up my sketchbook. Didn't know what I was going to draw.
I reached for my tools and passed right over my pencil. instead grabbing an inking pen. I grabbed the Brush pen.

I looked at my paper--so white and clean--and set the pen to it.

I started with a long vertical curving line.
Decided to make that line a bit thicker.
Then I draw more lines branching off of it, all of them also curved. I smoothed the transitions between the lines and drew more branching off those.
Can you guess what I was drawing now?
Beth spoke of how her vision of "God" was a tree. I was drawing a tree.
Leaves came in and I told myself I'd fill everything in, so it was all silhouettes. I changed my mind on that and gave the tree a mixture of black leaves and white leaves.
The tree was lonely, so I draw in some birds.
I drew some grass and regretted it, but left it alone.

Looking at the finished product, I can't say I'm completely happy with it, but I am satisfied and somewhat surprised. I lost patience a few times and screw up the lines, but the imperfections seem to work.

Rule 1: Have an idea of what you're going to draw--
happy accidents don't happen to you.
Rule 2: Always start with a pencil sketch.
Rule 3: If you decide to use inking pens over the sketch, NEVER use the Brush pen (Because you don't know how to use it properly).