KATHERINE BRANNOCK

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. X

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:30:03 +0000

At this point, the best thing I might do, would be to write a vaguely detailed story, documenting the decisions and actions I’ve taken to willingly place myself in this predicament. Then pray that my awkward bumblings will potentially translate into enlightening efforts to inspire those of us that are less inclined to blindly dive into our passionate interests. Maybe even I will learn something in the process…

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. IX

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:30:40 +0000

Recently, I’ve heard more and more voices asking me how I manage to persist in this brutally self-sustaining career, given the circumstances of our current economy. Once again, I wish I had a good, rational answer to explain maybe a formula of sorts, with a step-by-step plan of action. But the truth of the matter is that I’m figuring out how to maintain this artistic path with the advent of each coming day.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. VIII

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:30:44 +0000

In terms of my longevity, I was at a point in my life where financial freedom, a healthy life-style and a consistent stream of new work to show weren’t exactly lining up in the way I had originally imagined. A number of serendipitous factors had opened some very fortunate doorways for myself and my work. But I quickly learned that every new turn came with a set of unforeseen obstacles bent on destruction or unparalleled development in the wake of this chaotic field.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. VII

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:30:45 +0000

People started inquiring about the work, its process, its meaning. How long does it take you to finish a piece? (A fair amount of time.) Why are you using only a ballpoint pen? (It was available at the moment.) Are you on any illegal or prescription drugs while you’re drawing? (Absolutely not.) What are your plans for the future concerning your artwork? (To keep going.) I had responses for most of these questions, but some answers were not as straightforward as others…

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. VI

admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:30:04 +0000

My first Comic Con experience as an exhibitor was pretty magical. I never anticipated such an overwhelmingly positive welcome from the crowd I once migrated with between the aisles. And I certainly never expected such respect and enthusiasm for a sketchbook made up entirely of ballpoint pen sketches. One of the boxes on my “childhood dreams” list was finally checked off for satisfactory completion.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. V

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:30:17 +0000

A few months after my show at the Tin Can Alehouse, I was invited by Randall Christopher to share a table at the San Diego International Comic Convention. From the age of ten I had religiously attended the Comic Con as a spectator with my father, and now I was given the chance to finally play a part in the convention experience as an exhibitor.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. IV

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:30:14 +0000

I was pleased with the result of my dedication to ballpoint pen, and felt inclined to share my work with the public. In 2010 I was introduced to Kelsey, manager of the Tin Can Ale House, who offered me the opportunity to show in the bar Valentine’s Day weekend. This turned out to be the debue show for the illustrations featured in my first play, SKETCH.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. III

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:30:44 +0000

As I continued to explore the limits of ballpoint pen, a bit of an internal dialogue seemed to bubble up in the process of executing more complex images in my sketchbook. After some careful editing, I found that I had written a short, three-act play featuring a stream of consciousness conversation between two characters in one very confused mind.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. II

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:30:43 +0000

Over time, I became more confident with sketching an image from start to finish with ballpoint pen. The more I worked directly with ink, the more I realized there was “no such thing” as a mistake when it came to expressing an idea on a page. I found that my most successful pieces, were the illustrations I originally deemed as failures.

BiC Ballpoint Pen Sketches Pt. I

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:53:50 +0000

Back in 2009, while working for the Miramar Marine Base as a graphic designer, I started keeping a sketchbook to pass the time during my lunch breaks. It was a way for me to let out some other ideas as I worked on branding, banquet fliers, business cards, brochures, or what have you. Here are some of the very first illustrations that came from using only a black, BIC round stic… a very unassuming ballpoint pen.