Most of my drawings are a weave format design, drawn, by hand, on white paper with black, blue, red, or green ink pens, or with pencil. I like to share with others and that is why I have posted them publicly. I know my limitations and I also understand that my style of art does not hold up to the talents of artists who create beautiful pieces. In short, I do what I do because it gives me peace, e
njoyment, and satisfaction. Are my drawings real? ----
The number one question always seems to be: "Are your drawings done by hand?" Yes they are. I did, and do, draw them. I drew all of them with ink or pencil, on white paper. I have tried other colors, but find the black/white combo more attractive. How long have I been drawing these? ----
I have been drawing these type of designs since about 1989. I started out doing it just to doodle around. I may have drawn 15 to 20 different drawings between 1989 and 1993. I did not save any of the first drawings, and I really was not looking at it as a hobby or anything. Around 1995, I began to save drawings, and it actually became more of a serious hobby between 1997 and 2000. From the first part of 2000, up to current time, I have made fewer drawings. I would say that many of my drawings, about 40%, have been drawn while I traveled for my job. In more recent years, they have been done at home. I have currently drawn, and saved about 165 drawings. What paper sizes do I use? ----
The majority of my drawings are on 8.5" x 11" paper. I have, however, done some on 11" x 14" paper and some others on 28" x 33" paper. Most of the larger ones are drawings that I put extra effort into. I have not done very many of the larger ones because they are difficult and time consuming. It takes me between 8 to 12 hours to draw a design on 8.5" x 11" paper. If I do a fairly complex drawing on larger paper, it takes me as much as 40 to 50+ hours to do one. What kind of pens do I use? ----
Finding the right kind of pen took me a little while. I tried many different kinds of pens. Of the different pens, I used a black, ultra fine, sharpie for a lot of drawings. As I got more serious about this as a lasting hobby, I began thinking about how long I may want to save my drawings. It was then that I started using acid free pens. There are different acid free pens available, but I personally like using Micron brand. I use assorted tip sizes while doing a drawing. I have used as small as .005, and as big as.08. Do I draw any pieces using pencil? ----
Yes, I have a few drawings that are done in pencil. There are some things easier about drawing with pencil, but there are also some things more difficult when drawing with pencil. When drawing with pencil, I can erase if I have to and some shading is easier as well. Using pencil makes the drawing more difficult to make it look detailed and sharp, where pens help out. Using pens is easy, but you cannot erase, and you have a more difficult time trying to show proper shading perspective. What kind of pencils do I use? ----
I use a variation of pencils and the main thing is the different number and thickness of the lead. I use mostly #2 lead and I use .07 or 1.2 thickness of lead. Mechanical pencils work great, but so do wooden pencils. It just depends on how often I want to sharpen the lead. What kind of paper do I use? ----
Picking the right kind of paper was also a learning lesson. I had to find paper that kept the ink from spreading out if the tip stayed in contact with the paper. About the time I switched to acid free pens, I also switched to acid free paper. You can get all of that stuff at art stores and some craft stores. Are my drawings done all free-hand? ----
My drawings are done free-hand with a few exceptions. I use a ruler and a straight edge to plot multiple points on the paper before I start. I use the ruler to measure accurately where to place plot dots that are needed. I use a straight edge to make sure I keep things lined up, especially on large drawings. Not always, but most of the time, I start my art in the center of the paper. This is true mostly with the symmetric style of drawings. On non-symmetric drawings, I start anywhere that I visualize the easiest place to begin. What if I make mistakes? ----
A lot of my drawings suffered from my mistakes. By using pens to draw, it makes it so I have to be extra careful in what I am doing. I have had some pretty frustrating times, usually just seconds after I make a mistake. Some mistakes are minor, and I am able to re-work my plan. Because of this, I rarely end up with a drawing that I initially saw in my mind. By the way, that is one major key to making these drawings. It takes clear thoughts and concentration. I have also made mistakes that are more major. When that happens, I go nuts for a while and then either adjust my plan, or sometimes, I rip it up and start over. After putting 7 or 8 hours into a design, it really tests my resolve to rip and start over. It has happened to me on a number of occasions. On one of my favorite designs, I must have spent 4 or 5 hours in the first three "start-overs" before I was successful. I must confess, I have some of my drawings with small amounts of white-out on them. I usually only use white-out to fix a very minor slip of the pen.
12/29/2016
Artist - Max Johnson
Drawn on 8.5 x 11 paper.
"Weave Art Variations"
12/29/2016
