2026-07-11
|- - - replicating a BIC pen in krita - - -|
I learned how to draw because I was bored in class. I had pencils at hand, but for some reason I insisted on learning using cheap pens. From all the pens I've ever used, the BIC pens are the ones that allow me to do the most. From outlines or sketches, to full shadows, I just love the feel of them.
Ever since I started drawing digitally, I have serched for a brush that allowed me to draw like with a BIC pen. I started by just using the default brush on Krita and hoping the preassure setting would help. I managed to get good results out of it, but it never felt quite there. I was missing control.
I later found a "cheap pen" brush and modified the sensibility curve. It worked well for some stuff, but it looked weird when combining colors and layers. Also drawing over the same lines caused them to turn black, regardles of the color I chose.
After many months not really trying out new stuff, I decided to experiment again, and found out I could link the preassure when drawing to the opacity of the brush instead of the size. So I selected the Ink-7 brush on Krita, pressed F5 to modify it, and started messing around with values. After some trial and error I ended up with a brush that I really like, and combined with a watercolor brush I have most things covered.
So I guess the moral of the story is to make your own stuff when you don't find something you like, but you don't really need to start from scratch. I'm sure there's an analogy for open source programs somewhere along this.
