For illustrator Ayano Usamura, her first time drawing in fountain pen was a revelation; the ink flowed so easily that it inspired her creativity, helping give character to every line she drew. Even the simplest of letters and doodles came to life! After falling in love with fountain pens, Usamura decided to take her passion and share it with the world—in her book How to Draw and Write in Fountain Pen, available now!

How to Draw and Write in Fountain Pen covers everything you need to know, from choosing the perfect pen (and taking care of it), to sketching adorable foods, clothing, and household objects, and even writing stylishly in block, cursive, and serif letters.

Want to learn all the secrets to becoming a fountain pen extraordinaire? Check out the tips and tricks below on sketching simple objects!

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How to Draw Lines

Direction matters when drawing with a fountain pen: first, to maintain the angle of the nib, and second, so you don’t smudge one line while drawing the next.

Straight Line
This is the most basic component of simple sketching. Be sure to apply less pressure than you would with a ballpoint pen. Make sure the breather hole is facing up, and your hand and wrist are relaxed. Always avoid running the pen from right to left. This can cause the nib to catch on the paper’s fibrous surface, and easily damage the nib. Conversely, if you are left-handed, avoid drawing from left to right. You’ll never want to “push” the nib.

Curvy Lines
Soft, curved lines are often helpful in simple sketching. Certain nibs will create a curved line with varying width. Move your wrist gently, with the breather hole always facing up.

How to Draw Shapes

The basic shapes are the circle, triangle, and square. Once you get the hang of them, you’ll be able to draw almost anything!

Circle
Rather than aiming to draw a perfect circle, find a circle you can draw comfortably. Don’t forget that uniqueness brings out personality! Don’t forget these important tips:

• If the pen is too upright, curved lines will become difficult to draw. So, make sure to hold your pen at a steady angle while drawing.
• Relax your hand and wrist, and apply less pressure than you usually do when writing.

Triangle
Triangles are drawn with basic straight lines, and they are some of the most common shapes used in simple sketching. Some helpful tips:

• Draw the first two sides of your triangle in the shape of an angle bracket (<). Then, connect the two ends in order to create a neat triangle.

If the nib moves smoothly across your paper, you can draw small triangles in one stroke.

• You can often find triangle shapes inside of familiar objects that surround you. Lining up different-sized triangles makes for very stylish designs.

How to Draw!

Now that you’ve learned the basics, it’s time to try out some sketching!

Clock

 
 
 

Pizza

 
 
 

Hat

 
 
 

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Now that you’ve mastered some of the basics, don’t forget to grab your copy of How to Draw and Write in Fountain Pen available now, to learn even more!