FINDING FREEDOM in Pen and Ink #5 of 9 (cont’d)

§ February 10th, 2010 § Filed under Art, Pen and Ink, Pen and Ink / Watercolor, Tips and Techniques § 19 Comments

 

TRY A NEW APPROACH TO THIS EASY-TO-USE MEDIUM THAT ALLOWS YOU TO CHANGE YOUR COMPOSITIONS AS YOU WORK.

By Ron Colgrove

Beginning to ink

I use only one pen—a Hunt Crow Quill No. 102 flexible dip pen—and India ink to create the final pen and ink drawing. I prefer to start in the approximate center of the image, working on the foreground objects first and moving progressively outward to the background objects.

When you’re drawing, hold the pen at the far end (away from the point) for a freer feel. This type of pen can be an expressive instrument, like a brush, so vary your marks and line widths for interest. To make wide, dark strokes, press down with your pen. To leave a fine line, hold the pen almost vertically so it doesn’t catch on the surface as much. Try dotting, dabbing and hatching for texture, but don’t use a straightedge to draw straight lines—they’ll stand out like a sore thumb. Instead, do them freehand so that the “wiggles” are compatible with the rest of the lines in your drawing. If you need a long straight line in ink, turn your paper so that the line is vertical and “pull” the dip pen toward you with a steady pressure and pace. Every 10-15 minutes, use an X-Acto knife to scrape the dried ink from the inner and outer edges of your pen nib.


A Simple Approach Demonstration Item #3 of 5

INKING IN THE FIRST LINES. After tracing my sketch onto 100 percent rag illustration board, I started drawing in India ink using a Hunt Crow Quill No. 102 dip pen. I pressed the pen down firmly to create bold strokes, and I lightened the pressure to make thin lines. I even turned the pen sideways. I’ll do anything to create an interesting line. I started with the large tree and the small branches that overlap the house so I could adjust how much of the building would show through.

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