I'm sure anyone who has seen it noticed that this week's splicky mission is the first to be almost completely drawn using pencil and paper. I've posted images before whose elements are only pencil drawings, but this one is a new kind. You see, I've recently worked out a new drawing method for myself.

You know how whenever someone draws something, they usually draw lines where the edges of the object would be? Well, this creates a fundamental visual difference between real life and pencil drawings. That means there's a barrier for the realism of drawings, unless you can draw without the lines.

Yes, that's right. This new technique doesn't include lines (at least, not in the final product).* That means that there's nothing theoretically stopping you, if you had the patience and the skill, from making your drawings photorealistic!** I've seen a few drawings like this before, but I think they may have been inked. Like many of M. C. Escher's famous optical illusion pictures, for example.

I'm so happy with the new drawing style! It's incredibly fun to do, too.

* With this week's splicky mission, I made exception for the splics themselves in the picture, in order to retain character, and keep things clear.

** As realistic as a black and white photo, at least - for the most part different color channels are impossible with pencil drawings.