Create with Alex

Let's get you exploring what you can do with your flex nib fountain pen. With a selection of carefully crafted tutorials. Learn the basics of flex nib sketching. And flourishes. Explore Alex's creative ideas and use them as a starter to find your unique style. Or just to practice your pen and nib control.

THE BASICS

Flex Strokes

Explore basic flex strokes. And balancing flex swells with hairlines. Six beginner tips to elevate your basic strokes

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TUTORIAL ONE

Be My Valentine

Simple valentine's themed strokes, flourishes and doodles to elevate your lettering and artwork

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Spring Flowers

Celebrate spring. Longer days, sunshine and hope. With these simple floral themed line drawings

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About This Series

The Good Blue is proud to be partnering with Alex to bring you this tutorial series. An opportunity to learn alongside Alex and use his ideas as a starting point to practice basic skills and develop your own style. Share your exploration on Instagram with the tag #thegoodblue for a chance to be featured here!

ABOUT ALEX

Alex MacDonald (@Alexmacart1) is a visual artist specialising in watercolour painting, pen and ink and mixed media artwork. Since 2014, Alex followed a self-taught pathway, studying classical drawing methods including sight-size and Bargue drawings leading to developing observational drawing and painting techniques. His development also included botanical and natural history studies from life.
Currently, the main focus of Alex’s work is botanical painting, natural history illustration and figurative painting

Alex began his exploration of flex nib fountain pens and calligraphy in late 2023. This series of tutorials is a great chance to create with Alex. Explore, learn and develop your own style from these starting points.

You can also follow Alex's adventures on Instagram @alexmacart1