Yin and Yang, Pen and Paper

Contrasts are some of my favorite things. Gears within a clock. Songs without lyrics. Milk in coffee.

That was one of the reasons I started to use ink.

It was only recently that I would even think to pick up a pen instead of pencil. Pencil was safe. Not only did it have an eraser, but could also be used lightly if you were scared. But then I noticed that a lot of my work looked quite the same. Very soft, very unsure. I wanted to make a decision. To be bolder, more confident. I needed to go black and white.

So from then on, the pen slowly crept into my toolbox. My first love was the gummy, but stable ink of an old ball point. Then, I later became acquainted with a very fine, quick-to-the-point detail pen. And I eventually came to know the free flow stylings of an unpredictable nib pen.

With ink, I only have two choices: Is it there, or is it not? The illusion of depth can come later, depending on how close you want to force "there" and "not there" together.

But the balance of contrasts has leaked into my entire work ethic. When I work on something that needs intense concentration, I prefer the work area to be a war zone. It is in the mess that I feel the need to make sense of things. But if I am working on something that needs free movement and spontaneity, everything needs to be pristine and out of my way. Like leaping into fresh fallen snow.

So at the moment, this is how I live my life. Balancing what I should and should not. Can and cannot. And just for fun, maybe, I'll run in the opposite direction to see what happens.