Getting started with ink? *help*

[Scratch N' Brain]

Hey guys. I posted this here (sorry no pics) because more people come in here and i think someonecould really help me out. I really want to get into drawing with pen and inking. The sin city comic books have inspired me o much with this. Can someone please give me a few tips on how to get started. What pens/nibs i should buy and if theres a good book out there? I still need to work on my drawing skills as well, but i also would like to get started on this.

Thank you so much in adnavce. When i get started and have anythingworthwhile to post ill post my progrss in here with the inks.

[Skulldog]

There is no right or wrong nibs, only the ones you like.
Nibs are cheap, so why not go grab a range of sizes and styles, and see what ones you like more. The base for nibs are only a few dollars, and nibs run from a few cents to a dollar. You'll be breaking these pretty quickly, so once you find a size you like, buy a few dozen more for backup.

A lot of comics are also done with a brush, not nibs, so maybe give that a try too.

Paper is going to be the only thing you need to watch for. Get heavy pressed bristol or illustration board, avoid pretty much anything else. Tearing and bleeding will paper on cheaper papers.

[nafa]

These are links to instructional sites on pen drawing:

http://drawsketch.about.com/od/penandink/#more

[AdamBlack]

Personally, I prefer a brush to a pen. You can put a lot more "life" into a drawing with a brush. And they're a hell of a lot of fun to use.

The brush size will depend on how big or small you draw. I draw (usually) 9" x 12", and use a #2 brush for the details and a #3 for the big fills. Synthetic sable hair seems to do the trick; it has a nice spring to it, and the brushes last forever. They're pretty cheap, too: less than five bucks a brush.

As for ink: try the Winsor & Newton black, as it's the blackest ink you can buy. Or at least it's the blackest ink *I've* found.

Brush & ink is a lot like watercolor; once you stop fighting the brush and let it do its own thing, you'll be a lot happier, and your work will really stand out. Take a look at Will Eisner's work for the best example of an artist who has become "one with the brush".

[edit: take a look at "Rendering in Pen & Ink", an old book that's full of useful tidbits for drawing in pen--tips that also work for brush & ink]

Adam