Inking Pens

Chibiartstudios · Post by **Chibiartstudios** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:18 am

1) I am shocked by how good that is. Ballpoints are pretty bad at getting anything resembling a change in line width so the art I tend to see done with them tends to look pretty... well... bad. Also they scan pretty badly. You are a true master to make such efficient use of them!

2) Regardless I must now send my stealth ninjas to do you in. Nothing personal.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 1:27 am

chibiartstudios wrote:1) I am shocked by how good that is. Ballpoints are pretty bad at getting anything resembling a change in line width so the art I tend to see done with them tends to look pretty... well... bad. Also they scan pretty badly. You are a true master to make such efficient use of them!

I'm no master. Just a journeyman learning the tricks of the trade.

Actually, ballpoints do have a subtle range of line thickness. it's easier to achieve with thicker pointed pen though. But I find they can give very fine wispy lines, or an intense thicker line with more pressure.

And on really good thing about ballpoints is that they're ridiculously fast. The above sketch was done in about 5 minutes, tops. I still can't acheive the same speed with a marker or pencil.

To make it clear, I wasn't really fishing for praise. I just wanted to prove a point: regardless your own experience with an instrument, don't write it off for others, because different things suit different people.

I know I gave the impression that I don't like microns much, but it's not that they're not capable of producing line variation and stuff like that... They are. They just took too bloody long to produce them for me.

ChaosBurnFlame · Post by **ChaosBurnFlame** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:06 pm

Heh, I must be the biggest converter for the Brush inking style

If I must give recommendations, I recommend you try getting a copy of Wally Wood's sketchbook. By looking at Wood's doodles, you can really learn alot about the rhyme and reason to how a professional inks. It should be available in any comic book store. You can also get it from a bookstore by special order. Wally Wood was the mentor of my mentor.

His ink work was considered the best in the industry. In fact Jack Kirby said Wood was the best inker he ever knew.

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:38 pm

I wish I saw this topic earlier.

I really like to use dip pens and crow quill nibs. I ink with a hunt 108, and do shading and hatching with a hunt 102. The 108 is incredibly flexible and responsive, allowing you to get a huge range in line width in one stroke. The 102 is stiffer, so it's good for hatching. Higgins Black Magic is good ink too.
I use brushes sometimes, but I'm still learning how to use those well.

You have to be careful with dip pens if you have a heavy hand. It's pretty easy to break a nib if you're not careful.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 3:42 am

ChaosBurnFlame wrote:Heh, I must be the biggest converter for the Brush inking style

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back, Mr. Carver.

For the record, just because I'm open-minded in trying out new things does not mean I've been 'converted'.

Conversion implies that I dumped graphite for inks and went the way of the disciples of the Jack Kirby. Since graphite is pretty much my hallmark it's not going to happen anytime soon. Or ever.

Little known fact: this wasn't the first time I tried out brushes either. I've been experimenting relentlessly since I started. In one of my earlier (un-posted) comics I was using poster colours to make the comic. It lasted a grand total of 1 page and the covers. I didn't like it. What I didn't realise then was that a good brush made all the difference.

You re-introduced brush-inking, for which I have thanked you, but you did not 'convert'. There's a difference.

So yeah, I do take offense at the 'convert' remark.

Out of curiousity, what are crowquills? I've heard of them everywhere but I never seem to find them in art stores.

ChaosBurnFlame · Post by **ChaosBurnFlame** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:07 am

Phalanx wrote:
ChaosBurnFlame wrote:Heh, I must be the biggest converter for the Brush inking style
Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back, Mr. Carver.

For the record, just because I'm open-minded in trying out new things does not mean I've been 'converted'.

Conversion implies that I dumped graphite for inks and went the way of the disciples of the Jack Kirby. Since graphite is pretty much my hallmark it's not going to happen anytime soon. Or ever.

Little known fact: this wasn't the first time I tried out brushes either. I've been experimenting relentlessly since I started. In one of my earlier (un-posted) comics I was using poster colours to make the comic. It lasted a grand total of 1 page and the covers. I didn't like it. What I didn't realise then was that a good brush made all the difference.

You re-introduced brush-inking, for which I have thanked you, but you did not 'convert'. There's a difference.

So yeah, I do take offense at the 'convert' remark.

Out of curiousity, what are crowquills? I've heard of them everywhere but I never seem to find them in art stores.

You should know I said conversion with the tongue firmly in cheek

But my suggestion to look at Wood's sketchbook is genuine.

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 12:31 pm

Phalanx wrote: Out of curiousity, what are crowquills? I've heard of them everywhere but I never seem to find them in art stores.

http://www.dickblick.com/zz209/01/produ ... ig_id=1441
Quill pens are amazing and I highly recommend them. They're pretty inexpensive too.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:24 pm

ChaosBurnFlame wrote:But my suggestion to look at Wood's sketchbook is genuine.

Too little tongue in too much cheek, sometimes

But yeah. Someday... when I have more time to sit down and look at other people's work instead of rushing with my own.

PeppermintAfterlife wrote:
Phalanx wrote: Out of curiousity, what are crowquills? I've heard of them everywhere but I never seem to find them in art stores.
http://www.dickblick.com/zz209/01/produ ... ig_id=1441
Quill pens are amazing and I highly recommend them. They're pretty inexpensive too.

Hmm... sounds interesting. I can't imagine how a steel-nib can be flexible, but I'm all for trying new things.

Do you need special paper for the quills? Ink?

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:59 pm

Phalanx wrote: Hmm... sounds interesting. I can't imagine how a steel-nib can be flexible, but I'm all for trying new things.

Do you need special paper for the quills? Ink?

The 108 nibs are made of bronze I think, so those are super-flexible. Not as flexible as a brush, but flexible nonetheless.

A smooth surface works best with quills, and the Strathmore smooth Bristol board is heavy duty stuff.
I myself use the Higgins Black Magic india ink, but I'm assuming the Winsor Newton stuff you have is remarkably similar, so that should be fine.

hope that helps.
Your drawing is awesome by the way.

Koolbob777 · Post by **Koolbob777** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:52 am

For some reasons,I couldn't get anything in Kelantan,let's see,All I can get is some of those normal inking pens which is quite cheap around here.

anyone here want artline,pilot,faber-castell or anyother known brand,I could get them like 1.5$USD and lower.
Sorry to barge in like this and hog the whole thread ,but let's say if you have a wacom,which will you prefer,drawing with wacom or good ol' pen and pencils,
Cause I thought of getting a wacom........

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:28 pm

PeppermintAfterlife wrote:The 108 nibs are made of bronze I think, so those are super-flexible. Not as flexible as a brush, but flexible nonetheless.

A smooth surface works best with quills, and the Strathmore smooth Bristol board is heavy duty stuff.
I myself use the Higgins Black Magic india ink, but I'm assuming the Winsor Newton stuff you have is remarkably similar, so that should be fine.

hope that helps.
Your drawing is awesome by the way.

Thanks! It does. A lot!

And thanks for the compliment about the drawing

ps: BTW, your art style reminds me a bit of Joe Englands of the Zebra Girl fame.

koolbob: There's already been several threads about wacoms. Do a search for it. Button's on top of the forum.

TheSuburbanLetdown · Post by **TheSuburbanLetdown** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:33 am

Phalanx wrote:Thanks! It does. A lot!

Glad I could help.

Phalanx wrote:ps: BTW, your art style reminds me a bit of Joe Englands of the Zebra Girl fame.

I've never actually read Zebra Girl, but I've heard good things about it, so I'll definitley check that out, especially if you say my drawing style reminds you of it.

Koolbob777 · Post by **Koolbob777** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 7:31 am

Wacom,Smacom ,I think I'll stick to pencils much better.But paper on the other hand does affect the work,right?
I'd experiment on printer ink,i try adding printer ink to a inking pen.Well
,good thing is,it sticks to the paper real good,bad thing is it takes a helluva lot of time to dry,futhermore,if not careful,it will smear a lot.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 9:53 am

PeppermintAfterlife wrote:I've never actually read Zebra Girl, but I've heard good things about it, so I'll definitley check that out, especially if you say my drawing style reminds you of it.

Joe is the King of crosshatching, IMHO! Amazing stuff, he does. I jsut wish ZG updated more often.

koolbob777 wrote:Wacom,Smacom ,I think I'll stick to pencils much better.But paper on the other hand does affect the work,right?
I'd experiment on printer ink,i try adding printer ink to a inking pen.Well
,good thing is,it sticks to the paper real good,bad thing is it takes a helluva lot of time to dry,futhermore,if not careful,it will smear a lot.

I think you're worrying for too much about materials. At your stage I'd worry about how much practice you're getting.

If you can't draw well with a pencil I highly doubt you'll find any improvement with a wacom. They're even harder to draw with.

Why would you want to add printer ink to a pen again?