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A unique, unconventional choice.
Nguyen Van Luan, born in 1998, is a young artist from Thai Binh province. He developed a passion for painting while still in elementary school, and that passion has never faded. Notably, the artist chooses the ballpoint pen as his primary medium, a simple tool that has become a unique and creative path in his artistic journey.
While many artists choose materials like oil paint, lacquer, or acrylic to express their work, Nguyen Van Luan chose ballpoint pens. He shared that the main reason he sticks with ballpoint pens is their cleanliness and convenience. With its small nib, Luan can depict even the smallest details in each artwork clearly and accurately. Previously, the artist had tried pencils and colored pencils, but because of the sharpening process and the messiness, he decided to turn to ballpoint pens as a new creative solution. Since then, ballpoint pens have become his tool for expressing his passion, and Luan has gradually developed a unique and distinctive style.
The young artist with unique and unusual paintings of Hanoi.
“Ballpoint pens have a major limitation because they only come in about 10 basic colors, and mixing colors to create rich shades requires subtlety and patience,” Luận shared. Initially, he faced many difficulties in creating the colors he desired. However, over time, his color perception gradually honed and became more proficient, giving him more confidence in the process of working on each painting. In addition, ballpoint pen artworks often take a lot of time to complete. To finish a large painting with intricate details, Luận sometimes has to spend hundreds of hours covering the entire sheet of paper, meticulously attending to each brushstroke.
The unique beauty of the capital city through familiar ink marks.
Looking at the paintings of artist Nguyen Van Luan, one sees an ancient, peaceful Hanoi steeped in cultural identity. Street corners, ordinary people, and flower vendors – all are endless sources of inspiration for him. He shares that he is passionate about painting Hanoi because the city is not only beautiful but also holds a quiet, profound quality amidst its glamorous and bustling life. His love for the old, simple things of Hanoi has led him to want to recreate them through each brushstroke, each detail on paper, so that viewers can feel a sense of closeness and familiarity.
In his journey of recreating Hanoi through his paintings, certain locations have left a deep impression on him. These include the old houses on Nguyen Sieu Street, the old apartment complexes in Thanh Cong, and the flower vendors on Thuy Khue Street. These buildings and street corners are not only the backdrops of his paintings but also the soul of the city – places that hold the memories and feelings of many generations. Through each painting, Luận not only captures images but also conveys emotions and affection for the thousand-year-old capital city.
The creative process and sophisticated techniques
To complete a detailed pen-and-ink painting, Mr. Luan usually starts by taking photographs for documentation. He typically sketches and develops ideas from these photos, then arranges the composition and adds creative touches depending on the subject. He always begins with the main subjects, such as a wedding car or an old house, before adding secondary details. This process helps him better control each detail, ensuring that everything is exactly as he intends.
The process of drawing with a ballpoint pen allows Mr. Luan to 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 for depicting exquisite detail. With meticulousness and care, he creates paintings rich in depth and nuance. A characteristic of Luan's paintings is the high level of detail; each brushstroke is careful and precise down to the smallest detail. Color blending is also a special technique that Luan has mastered over many years of painting. The harmonious combination of basic colors allows him to create vibrant tones, giving viewers a realistic feel.
To avoid mistakes, Mr. Luan often draws grids on paper, comparing each detail to the photograph to ensure accuracy. This method requires patience and meticulousness, as ballpoint pens don't allow for corrections. He also emphasizes that his mood greatly influences the creative process. For him, when sitting down to draw, it's essential to maintain a relaxed and calm state of mind so that each stroke is natural and full of emotion. Thanks to this, he can maintain consistency in his work, even when sitting for hours in front of his artwork.
Future plans
In the near future, artist Nguyen Van Luan harbors the desire to hold a landscape painting exhibition in Hanoi using ballpoint pens, where the works will tell the story of the city through his perspective. He hopes this will be a unique and novel event, with ballpoint pens becoming the main medium of the exhibition. This is something he believes no one has done before and will be a personal milestone in his career.
Regarding the subject matter, he still wants to continue painting about Hanoi, to explore more new perspectives and untold stories of this familiar city. He believes 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 his memory, a part of Hanoi's soul. 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, an expression of his personal love for this land.
Besides landscape paintings, artist Nguyen Luan also sketches portraits.
Scenes of Hanoi as depicted with a ballpoint pen.
