Sketch Book for the Artist

METAL PENS

Metal pens give long, sharp,

clean strokes, withstanding

great pressure without

sticking, breaking, or being

ruined as fountain pens

would be under the same

pressure. Loaded with ink

and pressed hard, they splay

to make thick or double

lines. When the nib is pressed

upside down, marks become

fine and needle-sharp.

DRAWING

WITH

INK

Ink layers The wings of this beetle were

drawn in layers using black and white ink on

pale gray paper. Each layer of the drawing

was left to dry before adding more. White

markings were drawn last

Tones Here we see subtle tones of diluted

ink beneath the undiluted black rim of a

beetle's wing. When using dip pens, it is

important to feel for when the ink will run

out and to know how much ink you pick

up when dipping the nib.

Filled outlines Each segment of wing was
outlined, then filled with a droplet of ink.
The dome of the drying droplet encourages
particles of pigment to fall to the edges
of the shape, giving a graded, tonal effect