Why I Draw in Pen (No Erasing Allowed)
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People ask why I draw in pen instead of pencil. Why I don't sketch first. Why I don't allow myself to erase.
The answer is simple: life doesn't have an eraser.
The First Line
When you put pen to paper, the first line is permanent. You can't take it back. You can't pretend it didn't happen. You can only build from where you are.
This is terrifying. It's also liberating.
Mistakes Become Features
In pen, there are no mistakes — only decisions. A line that goes wrong becomes a shadow. A proportion that's off becomes a stylistic choice. You learn to incorporate everything.
The drawing becomes a record of the process, not just the result. Every hesitation, every correction, every moment of courage is visible in the final work.
Life Works the Same Way
You can't erase the things that happened to you. You can't go back and sketch a different outline. You can only work with what you have.
The people who hurt you become part of your story. The mistakes you made become lessons. The detours become the journey.
The Illustrations in the Book
Every illustration in The Scapegoat That Grew Wings was drawn this way. No sketches. No planning. Just pen to paper and whatever happens, happens.
They're not perfect. They're not supposed to be. They're honest — which is harder.
— Patrick