Aside from pencil drawings, pen and ink drawings are likely the most portable, easy, and low-cost technique of artmaking. Perhaps you’ve been doing pen and ink drawings for quite a while now, or you’re just getting started; either way, there are a few materials that are considered to be fundamental for any artist.
Drawing Ink
Whether you need a pigment-based, alcohol-based, solvent or water-based drawing ink there are a lot of options to choose from the ink art supplies category.
Alcohol-based inks dry quickly, generate brilliant colours, and are acid-free. They’re manufactured from dyes that are solid in nature. This type of ink is commonly found in permanent markers. Some people can make their own ink out of common home objects. It’s used to paint non-porous surfaces such as glass, plastic, and metal.
Pigment-based inks contain colour pigments as well as a binding ingredient. Acrylic or shellac is used to make the agent. This ink is commonly used by artists for calligraphy and as fountain pen ink. They’re sometimes referred to as India ink or China ink.
Solvent-based inks have a strong odour but are waterproof, durable, scratch-resistant, and have vivid colours. They don’t, in reality, fade. They’re used to non-absorbent materials. This ink is composed of pigment, carrier fluid, and resin. Inks based on solvents are utilized in printers. Water-based inks use light and thin dyes. They dry rapidly, are water-resistant, and don’t have a distinct odour. Because the dyes in them are chemically dissolved, they’re also known as dye-based inks.
When buying essential supplies like drawing ink, there are various factors to consider that impact its quality. Some inks dry quickly, which is great for people who don’t want smudges while working. If you want to avoid this too, use waterproof and marker-proof inks. Also, keep in mind that not all black inks are the same colour.
Some are really dark, while others are lighter. The easiest approach to assess the blackness of the ink is to test it on paper. Some inks look lighter when dried than they do when wet. The quality of the nib or tip used to make hazy lines that resemble feathers is referred to as feathering. Because the flow of ink is better regulated, some quick-dry inks don’t generate feathering.
Drawing Pens
If you just use one colour of ink on paper, you’ll be working in two colours: the colour of the ink and the colour of the paper. Each will complement the other. The vacant area in pen and art ink drawings is equally as significant as the markings you make with the pen. As a result, you must pay as much attention to what’s happening in the background as you do to what you’re doing with the pen. If you’re used to working in colour, this will take a different style of thinking and making art than you’re used to.
Dip pens and reservoir pens are the two most common varieties. It’s worth noting that the nib is referred to as the pen, while the main shaft is referred to as the penholder. There are several nib shapes available, each of which makes a unique mark.
Dip pens include reed, quill, and metal pens (metal nibs placed in metal holders). They’re loaded by dipping them into ink. Traditional bamboo or reed variants are now regarded as rather outdated, although some draughtsmen still favour them for producing powerful strokes. Mapping pens or crow-quill pens are ideal for creating ultra-fine lines.
Reservoir pens store their own ink in a specific holder or cartridge, eliminating the need for ‘dipping.’ The nib, on the other hand, is often less flexible than that of a dip pen. Fountain pens and technical pens are among them. The main advantage of the latter, which is a popular choice of ink art supplies among designers and artists, is its ability to provide a consistent flow of ink regardless of which way the pen is pushed.
The rotring rapidograph or isograph family of technical pens are popular among technical draughtsmen. Rapidographs are often used by comic book and graphic novel artists, but micron pens have grown in popularity because of their line work and portability. The ‘art pen’ or ‘sketching pen’ is the best choice for a fine artist.
Brushes
In addition to using a pen, ink may also be applied with a brush. If you’ve ever tried to fill in a huge area of colour with a pen, you know how time-consuming it can be. Applying the ink directly from the bottle with a brush is a faster and more uniform method. If you’re concerned about control, you might be amazed at how much you can do with a good brush.
When it comes to ink painting, the best brushes are usually comprised of synthetic materials. These brushes have the unusual capacity to carry a considerable quantity of ink without destroying the brush hairs, allowing painters to use gentle brush strokes while maintaining exact control.
Drawing Surface
Paper is such an important aspect of drawing, but it’s sometimes easy to overlook it. It’s tempting to take a random scrap of paper and start to work, especially with pen and ink. You may think that there are no requirements for a specific type of paper for ink drawings. But it’s absolutely critical to use the correct paper so add it to the list of crucial ink art supplies.
There are several varieties of art paper that may be used for pen and ink drawings. In addition to the many different types of drawing paper available, you may also utilize sheets meant for painting as well as drawing. Watercolour paper, for example, is ideal for pen and ink drawings, especially if you want to add watercolour washes under or over the ink work.
Printmaking materials, illustration boards, and bristol boards are other excellent choices. Bristol board has a smooth surface made up of numerous sheets of drawing paper glued together to make multi-ply sheets, and is usually considered to be the best type of paper for ink drawings.
