Home Forums Explore Media Pen and Ink I found a "New Pen"…..

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  • #465258

    Actually, I was looking for bonsai tools in the Chinatown part of Philly. There are many stores labeled “Arts and Crafts” but they usually appeal to children’s crafts however, I am quite in love with Totoro. I have absolutely NO idea why! I have only seen the merchandise but never the show or cartoon or whatever it may be.

    I saw a simple child’s pen for a few bucks and figured I liked the head on the top of the pen. It was sealed so I had no idea what kind of pen it was. With inks I love very fine dip nibs, fountain pens and Copics. But when I got home I was using my newest find for some paperwork and I love its flow and dark black ink. But the writing on the pen is in Japanese and, though I studied Japanese in college, I never learned the alphabet well. But I am now in love with another part of this pen!

    The illustration was just started and the much finer lines are with my Copic pens. The colors (eyes) are Faber-Castell and the paper is Borden & Riley Paris Paper for Pens- Bleedproof.

    It’s only just begun. The reference photo is very blurry allowing me to be looser. Suggestions are appreciated but I can be thin skinned! And the dog is my baby so he’s above reproach!

    Thanks,
    Sheila

    The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
    -Helen Keller
    The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
    -Henry David Thoreau

    #733143
    Pthalo White
    Default

        Finding the right pen is like finding a swimsuit that fits. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

        #733131

        Love to ‘hear’ the excitement of your new find Sheila!

        Look forward to the completion – or update- of your baby …. just make sure his eye on the right is the correct size!:lol:

        Cheers, Maureen


        Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

        #733132

        Love to ‘hear’ the excitement of your new find Sheila!

        Look forward to the completion – or update- of your baby …. just make sure his eye on the right is the correct size!:lol:

        His right eye is only a mere suggestion of an eye in the reference. It will be less visible as the layers go in but thank you! Feels good to just sit and draw (despite the mess in the apartment!)

        Sheila

        The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
        -Helen Keller
        The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
        -Henry David Thoreau

        #733133

        Still plugging away. I’ve found it’s impossible to work on this until after the cats and dog have gone to bed! I have NO idea when I’d accomplish anything if I had kids!

        I find it very comforting just making the lines and filling them in and then looking through stronger and stronger magnifying glasses to fill in the tiniest marks.

        I also took a picture of the reference photo. I had pulled it out a few weeks ago when I was trying my hand at soft pastels again. (I like the look but I cannot deal with the mess!) I just adore the clean lines of fine tips and nibs.

        Sheila

        The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
        -Helen Keller
        The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
        -Henry David Thoreau

        #733139
        Joel L
        Default

            I love hearing about new pen finds as well! This is a cool find! Looking forward to seeing the progress of this!

            #733134

            I’m still moving forward on this. (Winter is horrible on muscle/bone diseases!) I’ve done billions of dog images but I always stop there. With this one I want to add the bedding he’s lying on. I’ve never before done the draping and folds of cloth- well, never successfully. I can definitely “see” the shapes and color variations in the cloth but I’ve very unsure how to make the transitions appear “natural”. Any suggestions are appreciated!

            (Reference photo in above post.)

            I’d like to keep this drawing as much black ink as possible but I do have bullet proof black inks and inks that make nice washes.

            Sheila aka RoadLessTaken

            The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
            -Helen Keller
            The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
            -Henry David Thoreau

            #733140
            Anonymous

                I’m still moving forward on this. (Winter is horrible on muscle/bone diseases!) I’ve done billions of dog images but I always stop there. With this one I want to add the bedding he’s lying on. I’ve never before done the draping and folds of cloth- well, never successfully. I can definitely “see” the shapes and color variations in the cloth but I’ve very unsure how to make the transitions appear “natural”. Any suggestions are appreciated!

                I’d like to keep this drawing as much black ink as possible but I do have bullet proof black inks and inks that make nice washes.

                Sheila aka RoadLessTaken

                Hi Sheila, this is the way I see it – although you could use hatching or crosshatching , I don’t see that as the best way to go here.
                I would use an ink wash as it would contrast nicely with the line work, but I’d definitely not use a bullet proof (waterproof) ink,
                Instead I would use a decidedly un-waterproof ink -say Higgins Eternal type of thing maybe.
                I would 1. brush undiluted ink in the centres of the darkest shadows in their abstract shapes then let it dry for 5 minutes.
                2.Then lightly loading your brush with water alone I would draw around (but not touching the thick ink yet) the dark shadow shapes dampening the paper & let it dry until it is just damp -say 30 secs or so.
                3. Now leaving highlights untouched, using a slightly wetter brush join the only just damp patches (which will be the weakened fading shadow) to the darkest shadow.
                Use some tissue to blot out some dampness or re-wet it here & there BUT try NOT to fiddle at all with it.
                The dried result should give you the transitions in tone that you require.
                Really the transitions you want aren’t very subtle , many a face structure has been done in this way to excellent effect.
                If you know water colour you already know all this anyway & a whole lot more than me about this technique !
                Mike

                #733135

                Mike!
                You have NO idea how long I have searched for these “cheats”! I’ve done washes before but always sought the mysterious power others had on how to direct the ink in the directions they wanted! And now I know!!!!

                In the inking I’m working on, the dog is in the new ink pen and copic pen…. these don’t wash well and I didn’t want to wash them. But for the bedding I was going to use my RoTring Art Pen which has ink that is excellent for these sorts of washes. Now, he’s the other issue I face. When I started this I decided to use Borden and Riley Ink paper. That’s not conducive to ink washes. It’s a sturdy paper for ink but it will warp and wiggle when wet.

                This is such a common conundrum for me. I start with one type of paper intending on using one kind of media, and then realize I wanted to sneak in another type of media. I do have pads and pads of Mixed Media paper but ….. a day late!

                Thank you for the advice!
                Sheila

                The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
                -Helen Keller
                The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
                -Henry David Thoreau

                #733141
                Anonymous

                    Oh good I’m pleased that was of some interest & yes I’ve found that the Rotring fountain pen ink is very good for this technique.
                    I know well your conundrum about paper choice too , there always seems to be a compromise to be made on one medium or another & the paper choice!
                    For ink & wash work I use this paper – https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1435791 it is hard & really works very well with a pen & of course being watercolour paper it handles wash well too :clap:
                    You can get it with a little texture too so that might work well with pen & coloured pencil or other dry media ?
                    Cheers Mike

                    #733136

                    Yay! More paper I “need”!!! Like pens, I love finding new papers too!

                    I have large pads of Arches (so I can trim down or use whole.) but buying that stuff stretches my budget!

                    I have a commitment this weekend- dog sitting which means I can NOT do housework and can sit with my pens and papers and draw all day long while watching dogs sleep!

                    Going too seek out your paper recommendations now!

                    Thank you!

                    Sheila

                    The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
                    -Helen Keller
                    The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
                    -Henry David Thoreau

                    #733137

                    Oh good I’m pleased that was of some interest & yes I’ve found that the Rotring fountain pen ink is very good for this technique.
                    I know well your conundrum about paper choice too , there always seems to be a compromise to be made on one medium or another & the paper choice!
                    For ink & wash work I use this paper – [URL]https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1435791[/URL] it is hard & really works very well with a pen & of course being watercolour paper it handles wash well too :clap:
                    You can get it with a little texture too so that might work well with pen & coloured pencil or other dry media ?
                    Cheers Mike

                    Mike, some time ago someone suggested I not use watercolor paper with inks since it absorbs too much of the ink. I tried other papers and went back to water color. It just “feels” right to me. Is this also they way you feel about papers? I have loads of Bristol board and I actually dislike it because it feels too “slick” to me. But that is my own opinion.

                    Thanks again!
                    Sheila

                    The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
                    -Helen Keller
                    The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
                    -Henry David Thoreau

                    #733142
                    Anonymous

                        Mike, some time ago someone suggested I not use watercolor paper with inks since it absorbs too much of the ink. I tried other papers and went back to water color. It just “feels” right to me. Is this also they way you feel about papers? I have loads of Bristol board and I actually dislike it because it feels too “slick” to me. But that is my own opinion.

                        Thanks again!
                        Sheila

                        Hi Sheila, Hmmm…… It depends on where you are coming from as to how this question might be answered.
                        I mean by that – whether you are a purist pen & ink person like me who holds P&I as the highest ideal & seeks to perfect it in every way as far as they are able – a one medium artist OR a person who likes to dabble in various mediums & finds their personal way in art doing that.

                        For myself I do not like drawing on water colour paper, YES it does absorb too much ink , with a dip or a fountain pen (much beloved by the purists) you do not so much draw on W/C paper you draw in it ! the line becomes part of the paper it has no relief ,no presence or a much diminished one.
                        If you draw on bristol board with a dip pen , you can actually feel the line with your fingernail it has a very real & unique presence.

                        BUT there is another characteristic about using dip or fountain pens which is perhaps even more important , that is the sense of touch or feedback, this is a real holy grail of pen drawing. When using a dip pen on the hard surface of Bristol board the feedback from the nib is exquisitely sensitive ! It takes a bit of practice but when the same nib will leave a really fine line, a really bold one & everything in between in chosen degree it is quite marvelous !
                        Great interest , subtlety & nuance can be injected into a drawing.

                        So the hard surfaced, non bleeding Bristol board & well chosen dip pens are considered to be the ideal marriage in a pen drawing specialists world.
                        Lacking feedback & having a weak insipid line fine liners whilst convenient have little to offer me.
                        I know you asked about paper but pen & ink are a marriage & if it is to work both partners have to have equal consideration.

                        Watercolour paper & P&I ? no not for me thanks unless I want to use a wash then I choose the one mentioned earlier on precisely because it is hard & gives feedback.
                        Don’t think lightly of feedback through touch ,one reason it is valued so much is that it allows a artist to constantly really look hard at the subject matter & have less visual attention on the marks he is actually making rather than being distracted by technique. It is a more direct approach.

                        So that is me & my opinion.
                        As my grandfather always used to point out-“There’s more than one way to skin a cat ” & doesn’t art always go through a really lifeless & boring period when there is only one way to do it & everyone conforms to that way.
                        If though your experience you find that you are happy with the pen & paper you use,I would advise you not to change either.
                        Mike

                        #733138

                        Wow that is quite illustrative…. I have admired the “beads” of ink seeming to float on paper instead of soaking into paper and I LOVE that look. But I’m always told I see things others don’t so I’ve never mentioned that image to anyone! (I’m the one museums hang those signs for, “Do Not Touch”! I love to feel the paint, paper, canvas, pastel….. I love the appearance of soft pastel but I can only work with them for a few minutes before the feel overcomes me. I dislike the feeling of chalks, gessos, plasters….. I’m also the person who MUST buy things online because otherwise my decision is tied up in needing to touch everything and never selecting anything!

                        So this work is on a fine ink paper (Borden & Riley) BUT the pens have been that Japanese Totoro pen and my fine Copic liners. I’m going to have to break out my jar of india ink and my dip pens! I never knew how artists got the ink to remain on top of the paper!

                        I’m so happy I got back into this site. I’ve been asking more questions and really enjoying new info! I also, begrudgingly subscribed to Artists Network magazine. I hate even more clutter but I’m gaining so much insight into the actual techniques instead of just “this is a Monet….”.

                        Cheers!
                        Sheila

                        The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
                        -Helen Keller
                        The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
                        -Henry David Thoreau

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