The purpose of this Pen & Ink series is to encourage you, yes you, to draw (and believe me, everyone can), but primarily to get you also to think about how drawing is beneficial to children; for communication, memory, and learning - and how they express themselves creatively.

A few more illustrators I hold dear, some gone, others still at their desks, getting on with it, line by line.  In an age saturated with pixels, the scratch of pen on paper feels almost radical.

Draw with your children, if you can. It stretches the imagination in ways screens never will. Drawing is thought made visible, a universal language, and one of the simplest, richest tools we possess.

A handful more of the illustrators I hold dear, some no longer here, others still quietly drawing, line by line, at their desks.

In an age of endless pixels, the scratch of pen on paper feels almost radical. Draw with your children if you can. It feeds the imagination in ways nothing else quite does. Drawing is thought made tangible, a universal language, and one of the simplest, richest tools we carry through life.

Drawing is a universal form of communication, a way of thinking from head to hand, and a wonderful lifelong asset.  Everyone can do it, and drawing with very young children is absolute joy and expand their imaginations.

More of my favourite handcrafted illustrators, some no longer with us, others still quietly working away at their desks, unplugged, with nothing more than a pen, black ink and a sheet of paper.

In a world increasingly dominated by screens and ever advancing digital shortcuts, the simple act of drawing feels more precious than ever. If you have children, drawing for them will expand their imaginations and encourage them to do it. Drawing is a universal form of communication, a way of thinking from head to hand, and a wonderful lifelong asset.

With the exception of newspaper cartoonists, it’s becoming increasingly rare to see a truly hand-drawn black-and-white illustration on paper. Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing the work of many of my favourite handcrafted illustrators, some no longer with us, others still quietly working away, unplugged, with nothing more than a pen, black ink and a sheet of paper. In a world increasingly dominated by screens and digital shortcuts, this simple act of drawing feels more precious than ever. It’s something every child should be encouraged to do. Drawing is a universal form of communication, a way of thinking through the hand, and an extraordinary lifelong asset.