Inklings --- a place for ink drawings

[a la bapsi]

asdfg

[krossj]

more stuff

[hellyeahpanda]

very inspirtational work! here is something i did today it is in BlueBall Point pen
took me about 30 minutes or so

[ewschott]

These keep getting more awesome with each post!

I love the fact that Ink may start receiving the respect it is due, it's a hard medium to work with in my opinion.

I was really surprised to be notified of this, which just reinforces my thoughts above.

http://www.jherbin.com/fountain_pen_inks.shtml

scroll down to "to view..."

needless to say it made me very happy! It's called - "Love is Blind".

[Line]

Hello everyone. There's some great stuff here. I thought I'd post some of my latest inks here too. I already have them in my sketchbook so sorry if you've seen them before. Any crit would help.

[Sedig]

I'm glad I found this little gem of a thread. My two cents:

all from reference.

ink underdrawing, prismacolor marker






ballpoint

[t0po.inc]

Once I get some more time, I'll have to go through every entry, but I'm a bit short for time at the moment.

Anyway, here's a testing sketch I did last night [also posted in my sketchbook].


[psst. it's an eagle preening itself.]


I do have a question though.
I'm just starting out/getting used to ink and nibs.
While I really like using nibs more than a pen, I find that nibs aren't very convent when traveling.
So.
I feel slightly dense for asking, but is there a kind of ink pen that imitates a nib? The only thing I could think of was a calligraphy pen, but I've never used one of those either.

Annnnnnnnnnd.

What's everyone's preferred ink? I'm using Winsor&Newton right now, but I wanna try other companies.

[Sudsy]

While I really like using nibs more than a pen, I find that nibs aren't very convent when traveling.
So.
I feel slightly dense for asking, but is there a kind of ink pen that imitates a nib? The only thing I could think of was a calligraphy pen, but I've never used one of those either.

Funny you should ask this, I just stumbled on this thread... I'll be posting here shortly as pen and ink is one of my favorite artistic medium... However, to the point! I picked up pen and ink when I was stationed in the Republic of Korea a few years ago, and took my pen and nibs everywhere! While its not too easy and set up and draw at a coffee shop due to chance of spilling your bottle of ink, its possible to carry them in a small package.

On my last deployment to Iraq, I packed my Higgins ink bottles in zip lock (snack size) bags, and loaded up about three of them in wide mouth Nalgene 1qt. bottle (or something equivalent) and none of the inks so much as spilled a drop due to the sturdy plastic bottle holding the air pressure of home all the way to Iraq. From 30 degrees on the ground in Alaska to -50 in the air to 135 degrees on the ground in Iraq, ink made it.

As far as pens go, I use an Altoids or similar metal can with some foam (in my case it came from some packaging that contained pewter game figures) to hold the nibs while the pen goes into the pencil case (made by Tran I believe...) with all my other pencils. Add in some little round plastic ketchup trays to the Nalgene bottle containing the ink and you have a completely mobile pen and ink setup!

Edit: adding picture of travel kit!

[Sudsy]

I drew this picture while I was Iraq (the last time and very last time thank God!) using a .35 technical pen, black, and neutral grey ink on illustration board (which unfortunately I only had so much of... and this was the only piece that turned out well!). Photo reference used from www.af.mil/photos

You can fit ink anywhere, whether or not you can draw with it just depends on if you can find enough of a hard surface and a place where the bottles won't spill... Or just stick to technical pens for travel!

[krossj]

.....

[~KJK~]

Heres little something i drew a while ago, any opinions of my style, technique etc?

[Anid Maro]

I'm just starting out/getting used to ink and nibs.
While I really like using nibs more than a pen, I find that nibs aren't very convent when traveling.
So.
I feel slightly dense for asking, but is there a kind of ink pen that imitates a nib? The only thing I could think of was a calligraphy pen, but I've never used one of those either.

Hrm, I'm not too familiar with nibs (never used 'em myself, all my inkings are either brush or disposable tech pen) but if carrying the ink is a problem I'd presume there are cartridge based nib pens.

Though really if you use containers that seal well and pack smartly it shouldn't be too much trouble to carry your pen, nibs, and ink bottle. It could be worse... you could be an alla prima painter who has to carry canvas, frames, brushes, paints, medium, solvent, rags, and so on...

Annnnnnnnnnd.

What's everyone's preferred ink? I'm using Winsor&Newton right now, but I wanna try other companies.

I'm pretty happy with my Speedball brand ink. Originally I'd started with Higgin's brand ink, which is pretty cheap and too watery for my tastes. For a little while I used the Windsor & Newton brand, which is a good ink but I didn't like the glossy effect it got when dried. Finally I settled on Speedball, it's smooth and dark like the W&N brand but it doesn't have that gloss once dried.

[t0po.inc]

It could be worse... you could be an alla prima painter who has to carry canvas, frames, brushes, paints, medium, solvent, rags, and so on...

Haha, this is true...I'll probably get brave some day. Or just try out ballpoint pens.
I just like nibs because the lines can be so varied and expressive.

I really need to do some searching though...to find the ultimate pen! D:


P.S. - *convenient. my apologies. D:

[Sudsy]

...Diaper pail.

Having no burst of inspiration, but an itch to draw, I drew the diaper pail. Then I turned it into a cartoon. The end, logic doesn't exist here. Haven't wandered over to check out what the next daily sketch group subject will be yet!

pen and ink on pen sketch paper

[Line]

Hello again everyone. Here are some images I made last week. I'm not too happy
with them it's been a lousy week and I haven't had much time for my art. I made
these real quick for an rpg company, they said they wanted to see what kind of style I fit
in best and to see the rate at which I draw (suuuure). I sent them on the date
they had asked me to but I haven't heard from them since. It makes you
wonder, these idiots want you to send them your portfolio, then it's not good
enough for them so they want you to spend time making images for them so
they can 'test' you. I don't get it, then why bother with a portfolio? And after
all this trouble they put one through one figures that they would at least have
the courtesy to tell you they can't use you just as fast and easy they had you
do the work! But no why bother letting you know? And only to imagine that they initially offered $5 for a 1/4 page
image, the standard is around $15! And it's a pretty well known company too!
If anyone knows, is it OK for me to state which company this was so other
artists interested in creating art for them can be more cautious?
Anyway...crits and pointers are welcomed, mutilate these!

[mette]

Hi!I am new....
I just want to show you some of my drawings...they are penn and ink, mostly colord with watercolor, and some color pencil.

[krossj]

some silly brush and pen ink stuff

[Sudsy]

Just some doodles. The over the top military exaggerations began when I noticed the Commandos M-4 carbine had grown to heroic proportions... So I added more gizmos to it (a PAQ-4, Harris Bi-pod, silencer...) to bring it truly over the top. Then everything else in the sketch fell into place. All the ridiculous Cold War Era Hollywoodisms.

Mechanical Pencil, Pilot Precise V5, Sharpie marker...

[Sudsy]

...so I've done these with Windsor Newton ink for the black, and you can see how the gloss just doesn't really come out well in the scans. Any recommendations on scanning? Or even editing a bit? Any filters I should I know about?

That or my inking technique on large areas of black. I used an 80# or so paper with a smooth surface for report covers and the like. Decent quality paper, maybe not along the lines of Bristol though... Feedback welcome!

[phoenicorn]

Well as the title suggests I drew the cover from the first evanescence album. Recently I have been having a load of fun with pens. I am how ever a cheep skate and used bic biros to do all my pen stuffs. There is more inky goodness in my sketch pad.

[ShroudStar]

I just recently got into some serious ink work for my personal study - love it - and I'm running into some issues with some of my nibs. I'm using the Speedball 102 and 107 nibs and Winsor & Newton Black India Ink. Initially, it was okay and the flow was good and my lines clean and sharp. Now, on my third ink illustration, the nibs aren't as responsive. They all have this texture on the front that looks like it was scratched and the ink goes, clogs, and the nib digs into the paper.

I bought some new ones to replace the old ones and dropped them into hot water for a while to remove the factory oils but now, they're also acting weird. Hopefully, after soaking them overnight in some pen cleaner normally reserved for technical pens, the nibs should be okay. If not, what should I do and is there a way to fix the problem?

I also use paper towel or toilet paper to clean and dry my nibs after a good scrubbing with a toothbrush. Does that have anything to do with it? Or is it the shellac affecting the performance?

[Kman.]

Hey ShroudStar, I cant really answer your question about whats wrong with your nibs, but using a lighter on the nibs when you get them brand new is a little easier than boiling them i think. Just wave the nib over the flame a few times and the oil will be gone.

I guess just try to take it easier on your nibs, i havent been inking long so i havent had lots of mileage on mine, and i prefer brushes.

[ShroudStar]

Hey ShroudStar, I cant really answer your question about whats wrong with your nibs, but using a lighter on the nibs when you get them brand new is a little easier than boiling them i think. Just wave the nib over the flame a few times and the oil will be gone.

I guess just try to take it easier on your nibs, i havent been inking long so i havent had lots of mileage on mine, and i prefer brushes.

Thanks. =) Looks like investing in one lighter for that purpose will be in order. I'll hate to ruin my nibs just trying to remove the oil. I'm just constantly dipping them in the pen cleaner now when they clog and it seems to work in cleaning them out for the next pass. I've also resorted to using a brush for some filling of areas and bolder line art. Seems to work well.

[Equality72521]

gotta love ink drawings, here are some of mine, though, thinking about it, they are all over a year old. ive been outta practice


self portrait that has been exaggerated

some party pics






thought i would share this little gem, it involves ink, it is a print made from linoleum cuts, it was the biggest pain in the ass to make

[CCThrom]

ShroudStar - keep practicing with a good brush... you may well find you prefer it for lots of things. As for the nibs, I can't tell exactly what's wrong in your case, but I find that I do have to replace them fairly often. One more trick you can try is to clean the nib tips with very fine-grit sandpaper.

[ewschott]

I just recently got into some serious ink work for my personal study - love it - and I'm running into some issues with some of my nibs. I'm using the Speedball 102 and 107 nibs and Winsor & Newton Black India Ink. Initially, it was okay and the flow was good and my lines clean and sharp. Now, on my third ink illustration, the nibs aren't as responsive. They all have this texture on the front that looks like it was scratched and the ink goes, clogs, and the nib digs into the paper.

I bought some new ones to replace the old ones and dropped them into hot water for a while to remove the factory oils but now, they're also acting weird. Hopefully, after soaking them overnight in some pen cleaner normally reserved for technical pens, the nibs should be okay. If not, what should I do and is there a way to fix the problem?

I also use paper towel or toilet paper to clean and dry my nibs after a good scrubbing with a toothbrush. Does that have anything to do with it? Or is it the shellac affecting the performance?

ShroudStar,

You've really had some good advise, but I think there are different reasons for different things.

First, I don't believe new nibs aren't always shipped with an oil coating, some have a lacquer. Soaking them in water (especially overnight ) will just rust the nib and make it rough. Some suggest you just clean them with your saliva and wipe with a paper towel, I personally do a quick soak in vinegar.

If you are having issues with the nib clogging this could be caused by so many different things.

I have heard of the flame but have not tried it, and the sand paper is a great idea especially when the pen points have become separated.

Have you thought about your ink? I am not sure about the black indian ink, actually unless you are a cartoonist, I don't even know why you would use it - does it contain shellac? Shellac is one of the major reasons for clogging nibs - it's very hard to find ink with out it - if you like that deep of a black with no varied values - try Iron Gull, no shellac. Bullock at Kremer (sp?) pigments in NYC makes a great one (I can't remember Mr. Bullock's first name, but he does this on his own so just speak to him), it goes on smooth and thin but dries solid.

If you do use a shellac ink, remember to only use distilled water if you need to thin and also keep a bit of denatured alcohol for dipping your nib when clogged.

If you want some great ink, like the old masters used to sketch with, try the Bistre from Studio Products (if they still have some left). They use an oak gull, no shellac and age it like a fine wine! http://www.studioproducts.com

Or get a sumi stone and ink block. There is also French company called Hebrin who makes a really nice non shellac ink that is used by calligraphers, but I like it for my work - they do have a color range and it does a lovely wash.

Another big issue that you did not mention in the above post is the kind of paper you are using? Remember, if it isn't a hot press (plate pressed) or vellum (no washes), you are dealing with the rag issues of the paper and it's such a pain, although the results can be awesome for people that ink like myself.

Watch how you treat the nibs, don't just throw them in a box, I use one of the plastic cottonell boxes with styrofoam in the bottom and keep the points up.

Last but not least... pay major attention to your pen holder, if it is all plastic with a circle type indention in the tip, that's the spring you are going to get. I go on ebay and try and by the "lots" of holders because you get at least a few out of a bunch that are wonderful. The best are Gillotts but impossible to find, but it's the type that has a handle then a metal end with curled tip to slide the nib in, but you need to be careful because they are made for certain nib sizes.

Good luck,
Beth

Sorry for the novel, ink is my passion , and if I am just repeating another's advise since I didn't read to the end of the thread.



http://www.ewschott-fineart.com
http://www.esartcenter.net

[arttorney]

Here's something I just did for Panels of the Week.

[ShroudStar]

ShroudStar - keep practicing with a good brush... you may well find you prefer it for lots of things. As for the nibs, I can't tell exactly what's wrong in your case, but I find that I do have to replace them fairly often. One more trick you can try is to clean the nib tips with very fine-grit sandpaper.

Thanks for the suggestions, CCThrom. I do have two new brushes in preparation for more inking practice down the line and I'm already using one to uniformly fill in spaces. It's very flexible and great for line correction, too. =) As for the sandpaper, looks like a trip to Home Depot will be coming in the future.

First, I don't believe new nibs aren't always shipped with an oil coating, some have a lacquer. Soaking them in water (especially overnight ) will just rust the nib and make it rough. Some suggest you just clean them with your saliva and wipe with a paper towel, I personally do a quick soak in vinegar.

I have heard of the flame but have not tried it, and the sand paper is a great idea especially when the pen points have become separated.

Shellac is one of the major reasons for clogging nibs - it's very hard to find ink with out it - if you like that deep of a black with no varied values - try Iron Gull, no shellac. Bullock at Kremer (sp?) pigments in NYC makes a great one (I can't remember Mr. Bullock's first name, but he does this on his own so just speak to him), it goes on smooth and thin but dries solid.

If you do use a shellac ink, remember to only use distilled water if you need to thin and also keep a bit of denatured alcohol for dipping your nib when clogged.

If you want some great ink, like the old masters used to sketch with, try the Bistre from Studio Products (if they still have some left). They use an oak gull, no shellac and age it like a fine wine! http://www.studioproducts.com

Another big issue that you did not mention in the above post is the kind of paper you are using? Remember, if it isn't a hot press (plate pressed) or vellum (no washes), you are dealing with the rag issues of the paper and it's such a pain, although the results can be awesome for people that ink like myself.

Watch how you treat the nibs, don't just throw them in a box, I use one of the plastic cottonell boxes with styrofoam in the bottom and keep the points up.

Last but not least... pay major attention to your pen holder, if it is all plastic with a circle type indention in the tip, that's the spring you are going to get. I go on ebay and try and by the "lots" of holders because you get at least a few out of a bunch that are wonderful. The best are Gillotts but impossible to find, but it's the type that has a handle then a metal end with curled tip to slide the nib in, but you need to be careful because they are made for certain nib sizes.

Good luck,
Beth

Sorry for the novel, ink is my passion , and if I am just repeating another's advise since I didn't read to the end of the thread.

Thanks for the detailed help, Beth. Yes, my ink has shellac in it and it does clog fast. I'm keeping a small container of diluted pen cleaner next to me now to wipe the nibs along with a lint-free cloth and tissue paper. It does seem to help quite a bit.

I love the deep, rich black. However, I did try Speedball's Super Black Ink before and that got sticky and unworkable on me fast. Winsor & Newton's at least is still fluid but I took a gander at that bistre ink and I think I'm in love. I'll look into picking up at least one. It looks really nice to work with and the bottle is pretty.

My paper is from this hardbound spiral ring sketchbook with perforations and it feels like a lightweight bristol board. It takes ink wonderfully, but if the nib gets too deep, it does rip the paper. I'm thinking about picking up actual bristol board one of these days, but I'm leery of the bleedproof super-smooth inking papers. It's like a disaster waiting to happen if it doesn't dry well enough.

My nibs are out in the open on lint-free cloth and rather well separated. I wouldn't think of tossing them nily-wily into anything. As for the holder, that's the kind Speedball provides. I took a look on Ebay for a Gillott holder and found someone in the UK selling not only a holder but a series of drawing nibs with it for an affordable price. Looks like another purchase. =)

But yeah, seriously, for everyone who helped me, thanks. I hope to post some work up in a couple of months and at least now, I won't be wrecking nibs or grumbling over shellac or hot water.

[ewschott]

I took a look on Ebay for a Gillott holder and found someone in the UK selling not only a holder but a series of drawing nibs with it for an affordable price. Looks like another purchase. =)

Ha funny you should mention this! I had a note about the very subject with one of the sellers of the Gillott kit:

Hi Beth,
Joseph Gillott were taken over by William Mitchell many years ago and we buy our product direct from the manufactures. I can tell you that this mapping pen holder and the rest of our pen holders are 'real', but they are the type of pen holder that they make these days. I do have an original JG pen holder myself but they belong to me personally and not for sale. The only other other suggestion is to contact Frank Moody [email protected] and ask him about the old pen holders yourself.
kind regards,
Jacqui

I told him I thought Gillott would roll over in his grave if he saw the plastic pen holders with his name on them. The real ones are only wood.

A good quality but not to expensive ink paper is by Borden & Riley called "#234 Paris Bleed Proof". You can get it at most online art supply stores.

Go with the denatured alcohol, much cheaper than the cleaner!

Always remember the more you sand - the sharper they get - the more torn the paper becomes - not to mention the more holes in your fingers and hands by grabbing your pen the wrong way.

[Anid Maro]

Hey, since this thread has turned into a bit of a Q&A (a good thing I think, hard to find info on inking...), I'm curious about brushes and cleaning. Recently I had to replace a brush because the bristles got all flayed out, but I presumed that was because it was a crappy brush (it really was, some synthetic round with a plastic handle, came in a package of similar brushes for like $3 or something); but I now have a decent sable and I wouldn't want to get that ruined.

So anyhow, I use Speedball ink and when I clean my brushes I let them soak in water for a couple minutes then I firmly squeeze the bristles out with a rag, soak 'em again quickly, squeeze, and repeat until I no longer see ink being diffused into the rag. I never let my brushes sit out with ink on 'em (if I'm switching brushes then the one I just used goes in the water and if it's more than a couple minutes before I get back to it I clean it with the rag).

Should I worry about weakening the glue of the brush by oversoaking? Also I've read in some places that I should be cleaning my brushes with soapy water, should I? Usually I'd just go with what I've read, but I'm having a hard time finding consistant info.