Art Medium Study #2
Pen and Ink
Okay, no surprise that I again really know nothing about this type of medium. Oh sure I have heard of it, I mean who has never heard of a pen and ink?!? But what does it really mean? A true artist would not just pick up a Bic Ballpoint pen that is filled with ink and begin drawing, right? So what does it mean when they say that the art work was done in pen and ink? Lets do some research?
“Pen & Ink drawing is similar to pencil drawing in that the use of line and technique is closely related. It is however a little more difficult to master and should only be taught to or used by the older students. India ink is permanent ink and a mess to clean up, virtually non-erasable and not very forgiving if a spill or mistake happens.” http://www.homeschoolarts.com/penink.htm
Tools and Materials
Pens:
There are many pens on the market that you can choose from. Or if you are the adventurous type you may decide to make your own from feathers the way our forefathers did. You might also try different sticks, reeds, bamboo or other exotic materials. The crow quill dip pens and metal replacement points are still a good choice. However they will leak and splatter and require you to stop during your drawing to refill the nib. If you drop one you will have a mess that needs to be cleaned up quickly. Then there are fountain pens and felt tip markers. Each has a unique type of line. I encourage all of the above for you to try while experimenting with finding your style. However for the every day workhorse we are fortunate today to have other choices. The technical pen is a precise drawing instrument that does not have the problems inherent with the other media. Unless damaged or not taken care off the pens will not leak or clot and will allow you to draw in any direction with little effort. They come in refillable and throwaway models and range in price from inexpensive approximately $3.00 a pen to expensive $20.00 a pen. You can find these pens and other drawing instruments at you local arts supply shop.
Now we need to talk about nib size. The pens come in different sizes ranging from 6x0-.13mm (very narrow) to 7-2.0mm (very thick). The 6x0 are very fine and I use them when I want to make very subtle shading gradations while stippling (using the pointillist method). I use the 3x0/.25mm, 00/.30mm, 1/.50mm and the 3/.80mm for most of the drawing applications that I do. In the following pages you will see examples of the work and for each I will tell you what pen size I used.
Pens:
There are many pens on the market that you can choose from. Or if you are the adventurous type you may decide to make your own from feathers the way our forefathers did. You might also try different sticks, reeds, bamboo or other exotic materials. The crow quill dip pens and metal replacement points are still a good choice. However they will leak and splatter and require you to stop during your drawing to refill the nib. If you drop one you will have a mess that needs to be cleaned up quickly. Then there are fountain pens and felt tip markers. Each has a unique type of line. I encourage all of the above for you to try while experimenting with finding your style. However for the every day workhorse we are fortunate today to have other choices. The technical pen is a precise drawing instrument that does not have the problems inherent with the other media. Unless damaged or not taken care off the pens will not leak or clot and will allow you to draw in any direction with little effort. They come in refillable and throwaway models and range in price from inexpensive approximately $3.00 a pen to expensive $20.00 a pen. You can find these pens and other drawing instruments at you local arts supply shop.
Now we need to talk about nib size. The pens come in different sizes ranging from 6x0-.13mm (very narrow) to 7-2.0mm (very thick). The 6x0 are very fine and I use them when I want to make very subtle shading gradations while stippling (using the pointillist method). I use the 3x0/.25mm, 00/.30mm, 1/.50mm and the 3/.80mm for most of the drawing applications that I do. In the following pages you will see examples of the work and for each I will tell you what pen size I used.
Ink:
Many companies manufacture India Ink and the quality of each depends on the process used by each company. India Ink is a mixture of water, carbon black (lampblack) and a binder of shellac, latex and other binding materials. The finer the lampblack usually the more flowing the ink. It is also very important that use choose ink that is not water soluble unless that is a planned part of your work. I use inks that are classified as permanent and good for all surfaces. As you can read I am not suggesting any particular brand as we all have our preferences. Ask your local arts supply or an artist in your community what they use. Part of the learning process is research and making decisions upon that research based on critical thought. Most of the colored inks are not light safe and are water-soluble. They will fade over time and will have to be kept away from high humidity sources and must be framed and treated with care. I guess it would be important to tell you at this time that once you have put ink to surface it is almost impossible to remove it. If your work is for reproduction purposes you could use white out to cover a small mistake but you have to make sure it is completely dry before you try inking over it again or it could clog your pen. Also if the work will be hung white out is not an option. You will have to start your work over.
Many companies manufacture India Ink and the quality of each depends on the process used by each company. India Ink is a mixture of water, carbon black (lampblack) and a binder of shellac, latex and other binding materials. The finer the lampblack usually the more flowing the ink. It is also very important that use choose ink that is not water soluble unless that is a planned part of your work. I use inks that are classified as permanent and good for all surfaces. As you can read I am not suggesting any particular brand as we all have our preferences. Ask your local arts supply or an artist in your community what they use. Part of the learning process is research and making decisions upon that research based on critical thought. Most of the colored inks are not light safe and are water-soluble. They will fade over time and will have to be kept away from high humidity sources and must be framed and treated with care. I guess it would be important to tell you at this time that once you have put ink to surface it is almost impossible to remove it. If your work is for reproduction purposes you could use white out to cover a small mistake but you have to make sure it is completely dry before you try inking over it again or it could clog your pen. Also if the work will be hung white out is not an option. You will have to start your work over.
Okay I have learned a lot already. Have you? The first thought I have is, I am so impressed! I make accidents all the time. When I cook in the kitchen I am anything but clean, my apron seldom can be used more than once before it needs to be washed. So the thought of working with PERMANET INK!! Blows my mind! Something that will leave your mistakes forever or you do it over! Not sure this is the method for me. When I think back to some of the books I have seen that have pen and ink and the number of lines and marks that it took to create the look, I am IMPRESSED! This would take a very careful hand. I now have more respect for pen and ink illustrators!
Okay I am still wondering what India Ink is, so back to some research! Boy I love the internet!
Basic India ink is composed of a variety of fine soot known as lampblack, combined with water to form a liquid. A binding agent such as gelatin or, more commonly, shellac may also be added, to make the ink more durable once dried. India ink is occasionally sold not as a liquid, but in solid form (most commonly, a stick), which must be moistened before use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_ink
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