Experiments with line

                         Size: 12 x 32 cms
                         Media: Indian Ink & Paper
                         Pen : Dip Pen (Vintage Nib)

                          Size: 12 x 32 cms
                          Media : Noodler's Ink and Paper
                          Pen: Sailor Calligraphy Fountain Pen


My new fountain pens arrived yesterday and I was eager to try them out. I sat on the roadside to sketch in the next valley by a small village called Benisiva. I took my Sailor calligraphy pen with me and used it nib upside down to give me a fine line as I wasn't practised with its variation (this pen is designed to give different line widths whilst writing in Chinese). The result was a lot different from the flexible nib used in the dip pen drawing (top). I will post some work done using the Sailor's full potential soon. The following drawing of an old man (below) was done using home-made bamboo and reed pens for the lines and Copic sketch markers for the shades of grey. I cut the bamboo and reeds locally and carved the nibs into different shapes to give me varied tonal effects.

                                       
                                            Size: 145 x 210 mm
                                            Media: Indian Ink, Marker Ink and Paper
                                            Pens: Reed and Bamboo (Homemade)
                                            and Copic Sketch Markers.

                     Home-made reed and bamboo pens used for the lines in the old man sketch.

                            Dip pens with vintage nibs: John Cameron shoulder pen #13 and
                            D. Leonardt & Co # 526

                         A close-up of the upturned nib (above) on my new Sailor
                         Calligraphy pen  (shown below)

Quick Inks!

                           Size: 105 x 145 mm
                           Media: Indian Ink on Paper
                           Pen: Dip pen (Bellman & Sons #435 Vintage Nib)

 
                          Size: 105 x 145 mm
                          Media: Indian Ink and Watercolour on Paper

                          Tools: Dip Pen (Vintage Nib), Pentel brushpen, Pentel water brushes.

 
                          Size: 145 x 210  mm
                          Media: Indian Ink on Paper
                          Pens: Dip pen (Vintage Nib), Copic Multiliner


The line work in these four sketches was done in probably less that 10 minutes each. I am finding that using ink as a medium is making me think differently whilst I draw. I know when a mark is made, it is going to stay there..there is no erasing with a rubber or photoshop. I have used photo references for this work..I know its not necessarily the best method, as opposed to real life, but it served its purpose in this experiment.