Art Techniques | 10 July 2017Using Texture in Pen & Ink Drawings Share article facebook twitter google pinterest It’s important to utilize texture in your pen and ink drawings to create depth. Artistry Pen & Ink shows you how to use different techniques to create a whimsical forest scene using pen and ink. Here I use hatching, crosshatching, and drybrushing, and I make a wash. I want a focal point, which I’ll create using contrast. First I sketch out a forest, a deer, and a woman. Then I put a simple light yellow watercolor wash over the entire paper using very little pigment and a lot of water. Once the yellow has dried, I use the drybrush technique (page 19) to lightly add a brownish vignette to the edges of the paper. I’m going to layer the ink to create value, so I start by hatching the darkest values. I’m making a pen vignette to enhance the watercolor vignette around the edges so, except for the two figures, my darkest values are all toward the outside of the paper. As I start to add my second layer, I use the pen to hatch in a different direction, going diagonally instead of horizontally. I use this layer to fill in my next-darkest values. I usually start with the background when I draw. I have so much more fun drawing figures when I do the hard work first and then reward myself by saving the main figures for last! I use contrast to make the figures the obvious focal point of the piece. I continue adding layers, each time making the pen marks in a different direction. The background is finished, so it’s time to ink in the main figures. By making bold, dark lines and leaving some space white (or yellow, since we’re drawing on watercolor), the viewer’s eye will be drawn to the deer and the woman. Buy from an Online Retailer US: Pen & Ink combines practical instruction with inspirational artwork to awaken a new generation of pen-and-ink enthusiasts. Drawing with pen and ink has been a celebrated art form for centuries. In addition to ballpoint pen, today’s pen-and-ink artists use a variety of tools, including fountain pens, graphic pens, and brushes to create photorealistic drawings. Pen & Ink, the premier title in Walter Foster’s new Artistry series focusing on specialized fine-art mediums, combines practical instruction with inspirational art and photographs for a comprehensive guidebook designed to awaken a new generation of pen-and-ink enthusiasts. Professional pen-and-ink artists take readers on a creative journey through each of their distinct techniques, from learning basic pen techniques to stippling portraits and adding watercolor washes. Instructions for rendering each technique, as well as beautiful finished artwork across a variety of styles, give aspiring artists a contemporary look into working with pen and ink. Share article facebook twitter google pinterest If you have any comments on this article please contact us or get in touch via social media.
