Prove yourself as the best artist for the wee

Greetings, everyone, and I welcome you all to my blog. Trying something for the first time always comes with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. For this week’s Steemit contest, “Prove Yourself as the Best Artist,” I decided to challenge myself in a bold way—by creating my very first pen drawing. Unlike pencil, pen doesn’t forgive mistakes. Every line is final, every stroke permanent. The piece you’re seeing is a pen illustration of a human hand gently holding the head of a wild animal. Let me walk you through my process step by step.

Drawing items

• A4 paper

• pen,

Step 1

I began with very soft, controlled pen strokes to outline the major features—the eyes, nose, and shape of the head. The key here was patience. I avoided bold lines too early and focused on getting the proportions right through gentle marks.

Step 2

Next, I used line techniques like hatching and cross-hatching to create depth. Short strokes helped me mimic fur texture, while layered lines added shadows around the eyes, nose, and under the chin. I varied the pressure of the pen to create contrast.

Step 3

Here I completed drawing the head of the animal. I varied the pressure of the pen to create contrast—lighter strokes for highlights and darker ones for deeper shadows.

Step 4

In this step, I added the hand beneath the animal’s head. This part required attention to structure and proportion. I made sure the fingers looked natural, gently supporting the head rather than gripping it too tightly.

Step 5

One of the biggest lessons I learned was to accept mistakes. With pen, there’s no going back. Instead of worrying, I adapted. Some unexpected lines actually added character to the drawing, making it feel more raw and expressive. Below is my final result.

My selfie with my drawing

In the end, this piece became more than just a drawing—it became proof of growth. Trying pen art for the first time pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me to trust my instincts. For this contest, I believe being the best artist isn’t about perfection, but about courage, creativity, and the willingness to try something new. Thank you for your time and stopping by.

I'd like to invite @caringmanasseh, @us-andrew, @urmilanath650, and @tammanna.

CC @dequeen

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY