Please also visit my other website at:
Art For Sale - Saint Michael Miniature Pen and Ink Drawings
including:
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Our Lady of Guadalupe, stippled ink on genuine sheep skin, a (finished) Work In Progress |
As war escalates around the world, please remember each day to pray for Peace.
including:
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Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Inc.
The Society of Tempera Painters
Marians Of The Immaculate Conception
Basic Pen and Ink Supplies
Nasturtium 'Empress of India'
copyright laeom
Pen
and ink is a wonderful way to depict detail and
texture. Depending on the lines, dots, squiggles, etc., a drawing can look
either like a truly graphic rendering or it can look like velvet.
When I first started working seriously in pen and ink, I lived in an area on Martha's Vineyard where there was not an art supply store. At the time, we had no plans of having a computer for on-line ordering. I had to buy my supplies at a hardware store that not only carried fishing waders, but notebooks, pens, and household products. This exact store can be seen in the movie Jaws, as the filming of this movie was on the Vineyard. In the movie, Sheriff Brody goes into the store to grab supplies for making signs and knocks over the paintbrushes :). I loved that store :) I bought my simple supplies and two books to focus on drawing in pen and ink.
Hunt # 102 crowquill nib and holder- this is the basic metal nib that fits into a pencil type holder. It has to be dipped into ink, the excess blotted off on a linen rag, and will splatter and make spots if it is dragged too hard across the surface of paper. The "crowquill" is a little stiffer than other dip pens and it is best, I think to begin with. I still prefer mine over the others, unless I am trying for a special effect. It is a wonderful thing to have. It costs very little, but more importantly, it teaches you the gentleness that is required in using a dip type pen. Even when making bold lines, you must do it with thought.
Another type of nib and holder is the calligraphy nibs - they are used for consistent lettering. Practice is needed for holding the pen at the right angle, but these are a great tool to try new effects in lettering.
Higgins Waterproof Black India Ink- There are many other brands, Higgins is what I started with. It was the only one the hardware store carried. In the picture, Higgins is on the left, hand-made sepia ink from Germany is is the middle, and ink for technical pens is on the right. The technical pen ink can be used in both dip and technical pens, but the "dip" inks on the left and middle are too coarsely pigmented for use in technical pens. I recommend "waterproof" as opposed to "water resistant" because you may want to add a watercolor wash after the ink is done. Water resistant types will bleed no matter how dry they are, while waterproof is pretty much that. Black is the best to start with. It shows the contrast best and therefore the mistakes best. Seeing your mistakes is the only way to improve.
Bristol Board - for those of you who don't know, this isn't actually a board, but a smooth surface paper that is coated, usually on both sides. The two sides do have differences in their surfaces, so check to see which side you prefer. I preferred the smoothest side. It is economical, sturdy and will not discolor too easily. There are all grades and expense categories of bristol, student grade is good for beginning so that you are not concerned with making mistakes on expensive paper. The highest quality bristol can be 3.00 a sheet (22 x 30"), the student grades can be purchased in pads for around 5.00 (prices in New England 2001)
You will also want to have a good set of pencils, and eraser. For cleaning the pens, you may buy pen cleaning fluid to soak your nibs in before use. For technical pens, a syringe/ball attachment will draw the cleaning fluid through the nib. A couple of cotton rags, and a brush to keep the drawing clean as you work, and that's all you need to begin. That and subject matter.
The two books that I used at the time are listed below. They, again, were the only ones I could get at the time, but even now, when I have access to any book I need, these are the first I go to when refreshing myself with pen and ink techniques.
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Pen and Ink Techniques by Frank Lohan (use this one first) |
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Pen and Ink Sketching Step by Step by Frank Lohan ( a follow-up book to the first) |
Keep in mind that these are tutorials. I do not draw like he does. But I was able to use the information and adapt it to my own style, and that is what my goal was, to create my own style.
A note on technical pens. I love them. They are frustrating at times because they can clog and need to be cleaned periodically. They are the best for mathematically straight and consistent lines, and many of the graphic expressions used today. They are a totally different pen from dip pens and are not covered here except to recommend that the following book be browsed through before purchasing a technical pen. The pens currently are approximately 14.00 each ( 2001), (The set in the picture is seven pens at a price much higher than that.) The book will show you excellent examples of technical penwork, allowing you to see if it will fit your style prior to buying a technical pen.
The Technical Pen, Techniques for Artists
by Gary Simmons
And if you really like pen and ink work, you might end up treating yourself to an imported bottle of ink like the one shown below.
Enjoy!