Drawing with PENS, INKS, BRUSHES and PAPER

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INTRODUCTION

If you are an artist of the first kind, one who wants too much control over the processes, you will find this section of the guide challenging. Ink in its most fluid form and used in conjunction with non-traditional applicators will expose you to the experience of letting the processes and the nature of the medium be your guide. This approach may bring you unwittingly to satisfactory visual conclusions that you would never have entertained in your work previously. You may find, however, that your natural sense of control will always act as a safety net and stop the processes getting completely out of control. This is exactly the type of balance we should be striving for as artists. ' I don’t seek; I find', said Picasso.

Fiber tip, ballpoint, dip pen, Rotring, fountain pens.

Inks, traditional brushes, Oriental and flat head. Paper.

If, on the other hand, you are a more emotional kind of artist who sometimes becomes frustrated because one has a propensity to allow the process to “run away”, and the results usually end in a mess, one will find exercises to curb your excesses. Ink will offer you the tight, controlled effect that you may sometimes feel is lacking in your drawing. If you are in this category our advice is to start your drawing with the freedom you feel is necessary to your style - one cannot deny the instinctive flow, it comes naturally. W e would do a wash drawing - a landscape would be a good choice of subject - with ink and a flat headed brush. This combination will allow your instinctive creative energy to be released into the drawing. It’s now time to bring that element of control or detail into the drawing that gives it that much needed sense of balance that we’ve talked about previously. To do this take a rotring pen or a dip pen and put in the fine detail over the freer wash drawing to give it the contrasting sense of tension. We call this approach working from the general to the specific.

DRAWING WITH INK

Drawing with ink is the most exciting drawing material in our view. Although pencil and charcoal have certain attributes and characteristics, drawing with ink is so much more demanding and at the same time versatile. The very nature of the ink as a substance and the multiple ways that it can be applied as a medium gives it a wider spectrum of use both in traditional and experimental ways. Personally, we’ve found that working with ink can help correct our weaknesses and enhance our strengths.

Artists tend to develop traits and these tend to fall into two types. We can be artists who are very much controlled by our intellect or thinking processes, and use our materials accordingly. Alternatively, we can function by allowing the processes to take us to a visual conclusion that is furnished by a more emotional, expressive approach. Each one of these ways of working has to have a bit of the other in it to bring about some form of aesthetic order. Ink is a medium that allows these innate qualities to flourish.

This section should not only introduce you to the medium of ink drawing with its traditional uses and its more experimental approaches, but it should also give you the opportunity to adjust your attitude towards your work. This in turn will broaden your visual acumen.

INK & OTHER MATERIALS

Chinese or Indian ink are the most widely used inks for drawing purposes, including technical drawing, brush drawing, calligraphy, washes, and other ceremonial uses.

Formulas for making ink may be found in specific web sites and books, but basically it’s the soot of burnt resin or cherry pits mixed with an aqueous binder (a solution of gum water).

This is ground together on a marble slab and made into a paste, which is then shaped into sticks and allowed to dry. To make the ink, the stick is then rubbed onto an ink stone or ground glass. This is a stone or a piece of glass that has a fine textured surface, and when the ink stick is rubbed against it, it leaves a residue. The residue is placed in a shallow bowl and slowly mixed with distilled water until the right amount of liquid ink is made to the right strength.

However, bottled Indian ink can be brought from any art suppliers and needs no preparation. It’s pure black and permanent when dry. The ink can also be diluted with water to produce washes.

Bistre ink, which was commonly used in Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries, comes in different colors that range from pale yellowish browns to dark blackish browns. Bistre is made from soot containing wood tar. Other tones of colour can be obtained by using different woods. By taking the soot from different levels of the charring one can vary the intensity of the tone.

Because of its strength, this type of ink is most appropriate for use in washes.

Rembrandt was possibly the best-known artist for using bistre.

Sepia is obtained by mixing bistre with the ink obtained from the sacs of squid. This was what Professor Seydelmann of Dresden did in 1778, and in the process invented a drawing medium that is stronger and darker than bistre.

FIBER-TIPED PENS

There is a vast array of pens that can be used for many different reasons by artists. Fiber tip pens come in many different thickness' and different tip shapes. The fiber tip pen is a very direct medium and they are designed to make very general quick but accurate drawings that are free flowing. It’s difficult to correct fiber tipped drawings so mistakes should be taken as a part of the process with this type of drawing. The tip of this type of pen can become worn quite quickly and the sharpness of the mark can be lost. These pens are best used on strong coated papers i.e. Bristol board. See the example of an artist's impression drawing done with a fiber tip pen. These drawings are usually produced to give an impression to a client of a proposed site, and are usually completed with a hint of colour. One can get fiber tip pens in many colors.

BALLPOINT PENS

Ballpoint pens make a consistent and permanent mark. One can create a dark line or a light line depending on the pressure.

Ballpoint pens can be used for both very mechanical or very fluid drawings. They can also be used for making very quick sketches and notes and can be very useful for working in sketchbooks. The ballpoint can also be used on thinner papers, and like the fiber tip pen, it’s hard to remedy mistakes.

Remember that drawing with this type of pen is usually exploratory in nature so you should accept your mistakes as a part and parcel of the learning process that exposes your thinking procedure.

FELT TIP PENS

Felt tip pens come in all different sizes and shaped tips like the fiber tip pens. These pens are best used for quick drawings and sketches and as with the other pens mentioned so far it’s difficult to correct your mistakes. They also come in many different colors, and are often used as calligraphy pens for signs. There is an example of a felt tip drawing here. Here we have a drawing that reflects the use of the different thickness of felt tip pens, and notice the openness and the freedom of mark used to create this drawing.

FOUNTAIN PENS

These are more personalized instruments than the pens previously mentioned, and if you use a fountain pen you should not allow any one else to use it as it wears to your style of writing or drawing with that instrument.

These pens should only be used with non waterproof ink. Otherwise they will clog up.

Non-waterproof ink is also useful for using with bleach to draw. We’ve not given any illustrations of marks made with fountain pens because they are usually associated with writing rather than drawing.

RAPIDOGRAPH OR ROTRING PENS

The flow of the ink in Rapidograph pens and Rotring pens is controlled through a needle type tube to create a fine definite line. The line produced is even and consistent and nibs of different thickness and grades can be obtained. These pens are used for very accurate drawings and are generally used by professionals such as Architects and Designers. Drawings are usually done to scale and are precise working drawings.

PEN PROJECT: KITCHEN PLAN

This is just the kind of project that, traditionally, the rotring pen has been used for. There are now software packages available that enable you to produce computer-generated plans, but the point of this exercise is to get you to understand the characteristics of a pen that gives a controlled flow of ink through a needle point.

Key:

1. Fridge/freezer

2. Cooking hob

3. Eye level oven

4. Sink and drainer

5. Breakfast table/work top

6. Washing machine

7. Man-hole cover

8. Storage and work tops

9. Dustbin

DIP PENS

Dip pens are so called because unlike the other pens mentioned these pens don’t supply their own flow of ink - they have to be dipped into a pot of ink before they are able to make a mark.

Mapping pens or nibs are used for very fine detail only and fine cross-hatching.

The different Gillot nibs are designed to give you a more varied line according to the angle that you hold the pen, and the pressure you apply. The flow of ink to the nib from the dip pen is very different to the flow of other pens. It’s less consistent and therefore has to be continuously dipped into the ink to replenish your supply. Dip pens can be used very openly and expressively in the nature of mark making or they can be used very finely.

NATURAL PENS AND ALTERNATIVE MARK MAKERS

This type of pen is usually made from natural material, as opposed to manufactured pens.

They can be cut and fashioned to produce a more personalized mark. They are usually made from reed quill or bamboo, and are produced to make a broader mark.

However, you can make nibs for your own needs with a sharp knife, razor blade or a quill cutter. One can also make marks with other materials cut into nibs. Here are a few suggestions. A plastic straw can be cut and used as a quill, or a sharpened matchstick or a piece of twig. Almost anything can be of use to dip into the ink to draw with. So don’t be afraid to experiment with your drawing implements. Dip pen. Natural pen.

BRUSHES

To put washes down on the paper when working with ink usually means the use of brushes. On the other hand, we can use the brush for what we call brush drawings.

The Chinese and the Japanese still use brushes as drawing and writing implements. The brush is also still used in these cultures for ceremonial purposes. Brushes are very versatile, and they are usually made of sable. Sable hair is very consistent and doesn't lose its tension in the mark making process, springing back to its shape and form and remaining very firm when pressure is exerted. It’s essentially a brush that keeps its body and can be relied upon for consistency when you are working with it. Sable brushes are expensive to buy, so it’s wise to look after them. Never leave them standing in ink or water for any length of time and always clean them after use in the appropriate solution; for the inks we are using that solution would be water. Make sure you dry them and that you store them carefully so as not to damage the bristles. If you cannot afford sable brushes there are other less expensive alternatives. These brushes are usually made from ox hair, squirrel hair or some form of synthetic material. W e would also suggest that you try any brushes you already have, just to see what effects you can create with them.

Brushes that we’ve tired of and put to one side can often be very useful for mark making.

We look at examples of mark making with three different types of brush: an Oriental brush, a flat head brush; and a round head brush, which is a Western version of the Oriental brush.

PAPER

The paper you choose to work upon should be brought with the type of work and materials you are going to use it for in mind.

Inexpensive papers can be used for quick sketches, working on them with manufactured pens such as the ballpoint,

fiber tip, felt tip, and rotring pens. However, if one has something specific in mind then one needs to choose your paper carefully.

BRISTOL BOARD

This is a hard white board that is smooth and is used by designers for fine pen work.

Because there is no texture and the board is like that of a laminated surface it enables the type of pens used by designers such as rotring pens to glide across the surface of the paper and give an accurate line that is needed in some of these drawings.

CARTRIDGE PAPER OR LEDGER BOND PAPER

This is the commonest form of paper for pen and ink drawing and is available in a variety of surfaces from smooth, semi rough, to rough, and it can be used for pen, brush, and wash work. For brush and wash work it’s advisable to stretch the paper (see stretching paper).

WATERCOLOR PAPER

These papers are very useful to use, particularly for brush and washes. They do come in a variety of thickness' and weights of paper and different textured finishes. They should also be stretched before working on them.

SKETCHBOOKS

When working with manufactured pens sketchbooks are necessary. They act as visual diaries, where you can put down and record your first thoughts, visual jottings, and notes for the future. They are designed to be carried around with you to record your observations, and to gather information.

They come in various sizes from A5 to A1, and you can get various types of paper, from cartridge paper or ledger bond paper to watercolor paper.

STRETCHING PAPER

If you intend to work on paper using washes or a watery solution you need to stretch your paper first in order to stop it buckling.

The fibers of the paper will expand when they come into contact with water making the surface of the paper very difficult to work on.

The process is very simple but allow plenty of drying time for your preparation.

Step 1) Place your paper in a tray of water for at least five minutes or longer. This allows the fibers of the paper to expand.

Step 2) Place the wet paper on your drawing board but dampen the surface of the board

first.

Step 3) Fix the paper down using gum strip.

Wet the gum strip and place it round the four edges of the paper so the biggest proportion of the tape grips on the paper.

Don’t worry if you see bubbles on the paper at this point as the paper will shrink when it dries to a smooth tight finish.

Step 4) Leave a small pool of water in the middle of the paper. This enables the outer edge of the paper (where the tape is) to dry first, allowing the tape to fix the paper firmly before its starts to shrink. Allow a good half a day for the paper to completely dry and then you will have a smooth surface to work on that will take water without it buckling. Step 1, Step 2, Step 4, Step 3

CORRECTION

Before correction fluids and pen became widely available on the market it was very difficult to correct a pen, brush, and ink drawing. One used a Chinese white, which was zinc white prepared paint that was painted over the offending area. However, the stain from the ink would often keep showing through. You could also remove the mistake from the paper by using a razor blade or a pumice stone. One could only use this method if the paper was durable enough. However we thankfully have modern correction fluids and pens that will cover the strongest of marks without any problems, and they are permanent. The pen can be used to cover very intricate work and as a drawing instrument in its own right. The applicator can be used to cover very large areas where radical changes are needed in a drawing.

THREE TYPES OF DRAWING WITH INK

Bleach wash drawings Some very interesting results can be achieved by using fountain pen ink. You must first stretch the paper on which you are about to do the drawing, then cover the whole surface with a liberal coating of ink. Allow this to dry. You can now paint different solutions of bleach onto this surface. An important point to remember is that the stronger the bleach the lighter the areas will become. Before embarking on this technique, you should make some practice drawings to experience the unusual effect first-hand. For examples of this type of drawing.

WARNING: Please remember the health and safety aspects when using chemicals: always read and follow the guidelines for use. Pen, brush and ink drawings For this type of drawing you should first draw the composition out very lightly with pencil.

Make the appropriate marks to describe the scene and then correct any mistakes. If you are happy with this initial drawing, go over these marks using your dip pen. Always try to recreate the varied use of mark already there, then proceed to go over the drawing with washes to give it its tonal base.

Pen, ink, brush and correction materials

As in the previous section we are going to use correction materials as a positive element alongside the other materials.

Cont. to: MAKING MARKS WITH INK



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