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DRAWING WITH INK
Drawing with ink is the most exciting
drawing material in my 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, I have 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 chapter 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 AND 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 books, but basically it is 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 is 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 colours 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.Part Three – PENS, INK, BRUSHES and PAPER