almost scratch the surface, such as fine
branches of winter trees.
For more abstract work, sticks produce a
very interesting line. Quills are another
fascinating option as the lines created are
quite scratchy and offer another
dimension to your drawing.Drawing inks
China ink is a superior form of the popular
India ink. Sennelier China ink is the
richest, deepest black available on the
market, in my opinion. When dry it is
totally waterproof and lightfast and has
a satin finish. When used with a matt
drying ink within the same work, it can
offer very interesting and visually
stimulating contrasts in your sketches,
drawings and paintings.The ink can be
mixed with water or applied undiluted
with a brush or dip pen.
India ink has been used for writing and
drawing for more than 2,000 years, and is
still used prolifically by today’s artists,
especially for pen and ink and wash
techniques. The original carbon pigment
content was made from blackened soot,
burnt bones, tar, pitch or other black
material. The finest ink came from the
very finest soot called ‘lampblack’. Today it
is made from burnt wood and resin
before further processing with water and
binding agent such as varnish, gelatin,
glue and shellac, which prevents the ink
bleeding. Bistre (made from the burnt oil
extracted from the soot of beech wood,
amongst others) is popular with artists
because it has the same semi-permanenthttp://www.painters-online.co.uk artistApril 2016 31
PRACTICAL
‘Quills are another fascinating option as
the lines created are quite scratchy and
offer another dimension to your drawing’
John Dyson and Sons, Leeds,India ink on Bristol board, 12 16in (30.5 40.5cm).
I made this graphic line drawing on site whilst at Leeds College of Art and Design in the
late 1980s. I used India ink on Bristol board with dip pen to create a graphic drawing of
this lovely historic Victorian building, to celebrate an old worldly charm amongst the
modern metropolis in the cityIngleborough and Ribblesdale Limestone –
The Yorkshire Dales,India ink, gouache and
pastel on Arches 300lb (640gsm) watercolour
paper, 10 14in (25.5 36.5cm).
I applied liberal washes of India ink neatly
over the surface of the paper to create a loose
underpainting on which to base the rest of
the mixed-media working drawing. I’m glad I
created this working drawing – when I come
to do the mixed-media painting it will not be
as tight and will be even more expressive!Bright Morning Light Through Malham
Cove,mixed media on Canson Moulin du Roy
Not 140lb (300gsm) paper, 21 30in
(53 76cm).
Here I used Daler-Rowney FW Artists’ Acrylic
Inks like watercolours. The resonance of these
inks is superb! As the painting developed the
inks became less transparent and more
intense in colour saturation