Unique, "different" choice
Nguyen Van Luan, born in 1998, is a young artist from Thai Binh. He has been involved with painting since he was a primary school student, and since then, that passion has never faded. In particular, the male artist chose ballpoint pens as his main material, a simple tool but has become his own creative and unique path in his artistic journey.
While many artists choose materials such as oil paint, lacquer, or acrylic to express their works, Nguyen Van Luan chooses ballpoint pens. He shares that the main reason why he sticks with ballpoint pens is their cleanliness and convenience. With a small tip, Luan can describe every smallest detail on each work, clearly and accurately. Previously, the male artist also tried pencils and colored pencils, but because of the process of sharpening the pens and the messiness when working, he decided to find ballpoint pens as a new creative solution. Since then, ballpoint pens have become a tool to help him express his passion, and Luan has gradually formed a unique and distinctive style.
Young artist with unique paintings about Hanoi
“Ballpoint pens have a big limitation because there are only about 10 basic colors, and mixing colors to create rich shades requires sophistication and patience,” Mr. Luan shared. At first, he encountered many difficulties when he wanted to create the color he wanted. However, over a long period of working, his color thinking gradually improved and matured, helping him become more confident in the process of processing each painting. Besides, ballpoint pen works often take a lot of time to complete. To complete a large painting with sophisticated details, sometimes Luan has to spend hundreds of hours covering the paper, taking care of each stroke.
The new beauty of the Kinh Ky land through familiar ink marks
Looking at the paintings of artist Nguyen Van Luan, we see an ancient, peaceful Hanoi imbued with cultural identity. Street corners, ordinary people, or flower carts - all are endless sources of inspiration for him. He shared that he is passionate about painting Hanoi because this city is not only beautiful but also contains quiet, profound features amidst the bustling and splendid life. His love for the old, simple things of Hanoi has made him want to recreate them through every stroke of the pen, every detail on paper, so that viewers can feel the closeness and familiarity.
In his journey to recreate Hanoi through paintings, there are places that leave deep emotions in him. These are the old houses on Nguyen Sieu Street, the old apartment buildings in Thanh Cong, or the flower carts on Thuy Khue Street. These buildings and street corners are not only the backdrop of the paintings but also the soul of the city - a place that preserves the memories and feelings of many generations. Through each painting, Mr. Luan not only records images but also conveys emotions and love for the capital of a thousand years of culture.
Creative process and sophisticated techniques
To complete a detailed ballpoint pen drawing, Mr. Luan usually starts by taking photos for documentation. He often sketches and comes up with ideas from the photos, then arranges the layout and creates more according to the theme. He always starts with the main subjects, such as the wedding car or the old house, before adding the secondary details. This process helps him better control each detail, ensuring that everything is exactly as he wants.
The process of drawing with a ballpoint pen helps Mr. Luan better control every detail in the painting.
Although the ballpoint pen is a simple tool, for artist Nguyen Van Luan, it is the ideal tool to describe exquisite details. With meticulousness and care, he creates paintings rich in depth and nuances. Luan's paintings are characterized by high detail, each stroke is careful and precise down to the smallest detail. Color coordination is also a special technique that Luan has mastered over many years of writing. The harmonious combination of primary colors helps him create vivid tones, bringing a sense of reality to the viewer.
To avoid mistakes, Mr. Luan often draws boxes on paper, comparing each detail with the photo to ensure accuracy. This is a method that requires patience and carefulness, because ballpoint pens do not allow for corrections. He also emphasizes that his mood greatly affects the creative process. For him, when sitting down to draw, he needs to keep a comfortable, relaxed mood so that each stroke is natural and full of emotion. Thanks to that, he can maintain stability in his work, even if he has to sit for hours in front of his work.
Future plans
In the near future, artist Nguyen Van Luan cherishes the desire to open a ballpoint pen landscape painting exhibition in Hanoi, where the works will tell the story of the city through his perspective. He hopes this will be a unique and novel event, when ballpoint pen becomes the main material of the exhibition. This is something he believes no one has done yet and will be a personal mark in his career.
Regarding the theme, he still wants to continue painting about Hanoi, to discover more new perspectives, many untold stories of this familiar city. He believes that it may take many years to fully recreate the beauty and identity of Hanoi. But for him, each painting is a way to preserve a part of the memory, a part of the soul of Hanoi. By depicting this place with meticulousness and sincerity, each of his ballpoint pen paintings is not only a work of art but also a voice in art, his own love for this land.
In addition to landscape paintings, painter Nguyen Luan also sketched portraits.
Hanoi scenery drawn with ballpoint pen
