A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro, ball pen, or dot pen, is a pen that dispenses ink over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". The metal commonly used is steel, brass, or tungsten carbide. The design was conceived and developed as a cleaner and more reliable alternative to dip pens and fountain pens, and it is now the world's most-used writing instrument; millions are manufactured and sold daily. It has influenced art and graphic design and spawned an artwork genre.
László József Bíró, Hispanicized as Ladislao José Biro, was a Hungarian-Argentine inventor who patented the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen. The first ballpoint pen had been invented roughly 50 years earlier by John J. Loud, but it was not a commercial success.
Soul to Soul is a 1971 documentary film about the Independence Day concert held in Accra, Ghana ,on 6 March 1971. It features an array of mostly American R&B, soul, rock, and jazz musicians.
Marcel Louis Michel Antoine Bich, Baron Bich was an Italian-born French manufacturer and co-founder of Bic, the world's leading producer of ballpoint pens, lighters and razors.
The BIC Cristal is an inexpensive, disposable ballpoint pen mass-produced and sold by Société Bic of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It was introduced in 1950 and is the best-selling pen in the world, with the 100 billionth sold in September 2006. It has become the archetypal ballpoint pen and is considered ubiquitous, to the extent that the Museum of Modern Art has made it a permanent part of its collection. Its hexagonal form and design mimics a standard pencil and it is sold in six types of point and 18 colours around the world.
Société Bic S.A., commonly called Bic and stylized as BiC, is a French manufacturing corporation based in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine. A world leader in stationery, lighters, and shavers for more than 75 years, BIC has become one of the world’s most recognized brands and is a trademark registered worldwide. It was founded in 1945 by Marcel Bich.
Il Lee is a Korean-born American contemporary artist. He was born in South Korea and has been living in America since the mid-1970s. Il Lee is best known for his ballpoint pen artwork; large-scale abstract imagery on paper and canvas. He also creates artwork in a similar vein utilizing acrylic and oil paint on canvas. Exhibitions of Il Lee's artwork have been held in Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, New Delhi, Mexico City, and numerous cities across the United States. The New York Times has described Lee's ballpoint artwork as "deceptively casual; sweeping, rhythmical abstractions in blue."
Samuel Bazawule, known professionally as Blitz Bazawule and Blitz the Ambassador, is a Ghanaian filmmaker, author, visual artist, rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer.
Since their invention and subsequent proliferation in the mid-20th century, ballpoint pens have proven to be a versatile art medium for professional artists as well as amateur doodlers. Ballpoint pen artwork created over the years have been favorably compared to art created using traditional art mediums. Low cost, availability, and portability are cited by practitioners as qualities which make this common writing tool a convenient, alternative art supply.
Lennie Mace is an American contemporary artist, born in New York City. Mace is predominantly known for his drawings in ballpoint pen, using them to create fine artwork. He is considered a pioneer of the medium. His imagination has also served commercial purposes, appearing in print as illustrations and comic art. Art reviewers have referred to Mace as the da Vinci of doodlers and the ballpoint Picasso.
James Mylne is a British contemporary artist known for his drawings in ballpoint pen. His technical abilities with the unorthodox art medium have earned Mylne recognition in Europe and the UK. The Ballpointer online journal called Mylne "Britain's premier ballpoint pen artist" in a 2015 feature article. The artist's photorealist likenesses of iconic celebrities attracted early media attention and continues to be one aspect of his output. Mylne also creates mixed-media works adding spray paint, magic markers and more to his ballpoint originals. Artwork expressing personal views and broader interests flourished throughout 2014.
Michael Owusu Addo known professionally as Sarkodie, is a Ghanaian rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur from Tema. He started rapping at a young age and has since become a household name in the Ghanaian and Global music industry. His contributions to the Ghanaian music industry have earned him numerous accolades, including the Vodafone Ghana Music Award (VGMA) for "Artiste of the Decade". He was announced the first winner of BET's Best International Flow Artist at the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards. He is also considered one of the major proponents of the Azonto genre and dance and one of the most successful African rappers of all time. Due to the variety of musical genres he can perform in, Sarkodie is referred to as a "multifaceted rapper" and frequently raps in his native language, Twi.
Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., is a Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artist. He is known by his stage name Shatta Wale, formerly Bandana. His best-known singles are "Dancehall King", "My level" and "We taking over". He is also known for "Already" from Beyoncé's Black Is King which also featured Major Lazer. His song "Dancehall King" earned him the Artiste of the Year at the 2014 edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. Wale is also an actor who appeared in the films Never Say Never, The trial of Shatta Wale and Shattered Lives. Wale's 2004 recording "Moko Hoo" was nominated for a Ghana Music Award.
Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade, better known by his stage name Mr Eazi, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record executive. He is the pioneer of Banku music, a fusion of sound he describes as a mixture of Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian chord progressions and patterns. Mr Eazi relocated to Kumasi in 2008 and enrolled at KNUST, where he began booking artists to perform at college parties. He showed interest in music after recording a guest verse on "My Life", a song that gained traction and became a popular record at KNUST. Mr Eazi released his debut mixtape About to Blow in 2013. He gained an international audience following the release of the Efya-assisted single "Skin Tight". His second mixtape, titled Life Is Eazi, Vol. 1 – Accra To Lagos, was released in 2017.
Emmanuel Kwesi Danso Arthur Junior, known professionally as Kwesi Arthur, is a Ghanaian rapper, singer and songwriter from Tema, his old friend xjiga. He rose to fame in 2017 with the hit single "Grind day" which received widespread acclaim and a co-sign from rap heavyweights Sarkodie and Medikal. In 2019, his second EP Live from Nkrumah Krom Vol II garnered more than 2 million streams in the first week of its release.
Prince Gyasi Nyantakyi also known by the artist name Prince Gyasi is a Ghanaian international visual artist. He is the co-founder of Boxedkids, a non-profit organization helping kids from Accra get an education.
Ibrahim Mahama is a Ghanaian author and an artist of monumental installations. He lives and works in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, Ghana. He is the founder of Red Clay Studio, Savannah Centre for Contemporary Arts and Nkrumah Volini.
Mohammed Ismail Sherif , professionally known as Black Sherif, formerly Blacko, is a Ghanaian singer and rapper. He initially gained popularity in 2021 with his song "First Sermon," which he released that May. This was followed up with the "Second Sermon" in July.
Esther Griffith is a Trinidadian painter. She mainly paints portraits.
Oscar Ukonu is a Nigerian ballpoint pen artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is known for his hyperrealist portraits.
