Hello Splinterlands community!
My name is Tamai, and I’m a traditional artist with a deep passion for storytelling through ballpoint pen illustrations. For this week’s Splinterlands Art Contest, I created a fan art piece titled “Green Goblin the Menace”, inspired by a goblin character I found on Splinterlands’ official Twitter page.
Though I couldn’t find the official name of the character, I was instantly drawn to its fierce expression and energetic stance, which I knew would challenge me artistically. I chose to bring this creature to life using only ballpoint pens, embracing both the risk and the depth this medium brings — especially when you can’t erase any marks.
Here’s a breakdown of my creative process:
Stage 1: Sketching with Black Ballpoint Pen
Since I work traditionally, I began by lightly sketching out the goblin's form using a black ballpoint pen. I used light strokes to block in the shapes and guide the proportions, keeping in mind that any wrong lines couldn’t be undone. This step demanded a lot of focus and patience because unlike pencil, I couldn’t go back to correct mistakes — which is what makes pen art raw and honest.
My goal was to capture the character's posture, symmetry, and facial energy without losing the essence of what makes Splinterlands’ monsters so visually appealing.
Stage 2: Outlining the Goblin
Once the structure felt solid, I moved on to boldening the lines using the same black pen. This step brought the goblin's form to life and gave it the solid definition it needed. I carefully traced over the sketch lines with more pressure, refining the outline and cleaning up the forms where necessary.
Every line mattered here, as the silhouette needed to be strong and expressive — reflecting the goblin’s rough and chaotic personality.
Stage 3: Cross-Shading the Character
After outlining, I added depth and texture using a technique called cross-shading. With the black pen, I used layered strokes to darken areas like the goblin’s muscles, armor folds, and shadowed features. Cross-shading helped me create volume and realism using only a pen, especially for areas where light would naturally fall off.
This stage was intense and meditative — a slow build of tones that gave the goblin a three-dimensional presence, while also making the art feel gritty and hand-done.
Stage 4: Coloring with Colored Ballpoint Pens
When the shading was complete, I introduced color using blue, orange, green, and pink ballpoint pens. The color decisions were deliberate and meant to enhance the goblin’s fantasy look while sticking to the rugged Splinterlands aesthetic.
Pink was used for the tongue, to add a playful and vivid detail to the mouth.
Orange added intensity to the goblin’s eyes — by pressing harder with the pen, I made them pop.
I also used orange for the belt and hammer handle, but applied it lightly to create a brownish effect — using pressure as a way to control shade.
Green was used generously for the goblin’s skin — it felt fitting and vibrant for a goblin, bringing the whole character to life as “Green Goblin the Menace.”
Finally, blue was used for the helmet and hammer, giving a cold, metallic contrast that enhanced the weapon’s sharpness and battle-readiness.
I chose this method of coloring because ballpoint pens give a raw, textural look that’s different from digital or marker-based work. Every shade is earned through careful pressure and layering.
Images
The Pens
The Reference
Final Thoughts
This drawing took time, care, and patience. I made mistakes along the way, especially during the sketching phase, but that’s the beauty of pen work — every flaw becomes part of the piece. I hope those who view it can feel the effort, love, and focus I poured into every stage.
I titled the piece "Green Goblin the Menace" to reflect both the chaotic spirit of the creature and the personal battle of bringing it to life using nothing but pens and passion.
Thank you, 
—
Tamai 🎨