Wednesday 25 July 2012

Pen & Ink

These week's theme for Artists' Play Room is Ink, pens and paper. And I'm rather proud of myself for having done this quick little drawing already on Monday night, rather than in the last minute (or being too late). Although, admittedly, it is neither very original nor "out of the box" thinking. And there isn't any paper in it either, apart from the paper it is drawn on (which is, of course, my favourite Moleskine sketchbook).


I have a whole collection of inks and calligraphy supplies (but never enough time to actually use them), but I love this Indian ink, which I recently discovered, because it is waterproof. I still prefer to use pen and ink to add details and outlines in my paintings and art journals, rather than pens. I know that there's now a whole range of high quality, high pigmented pens available (and I have quite a few of them), but I somehow I still have this deep rooted fear (implanted many years ago by my painting teacher), that pens will eventually fade away. So I used to use diluted acryl paint, instead of the watersoluble inks, but this waterproof Indian ink is so much more convenient. And they come in a whole range of gorgeous colours.


The ones I have at the moment are black, white, and a beautiful deep indigo, which, unfortunately, due to the terrible quality of my photography (late evening with no good natural light) is completely lost. I got a new scanner at work, and hope to be able to get some better results with scanning my sketchbooks with this one (the old one was hopeless). I'm just waiting for our IT support to give me the temporary rights to install the software on my computer. It might take a while...


I used a lovely, warm walnut ink to give the bottles their brown colour.


So while the subject might not be very original - just the tools I used to do this little sketch - I kept to the theme by using (almost) only the theme's materials - pen and inks on paper (and a small brush for some of the details).


I'm very pleased that I actually managed to do this little drawing without making a total mess. I love pen and ink, but I usually can't help to smudge and smear the ink all over the page and myself, no matter how hard I try not to. But this time, I (almost) managed. Yay :).

Make sure to visit Jenn's blog on Saturday, to see what the others have created. So inspiring, and  always so beautifully presented by Jenn.

16 comments:

  1. I love this. And surely the paper you drew it on counts as the paper part. The pens and ink are really nice.

    xoxo

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  2. Your sketches are so lively! I really love your style and so enjoy these sketchy posts :0)

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  3. This is way cool. I love your drawing and so neat the way you spelled out the ink color in front of each pen. Isn't it amazing how just that little added feature can make a painting/drawing beyond the expected and so interesting.

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  4. This is wonderful and the tongue in cheek humor of doing a drawing of pen and ink using pen and ink is terrific. Thanks so much for joining.
    Best,
    Jenn

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  5. I love drawing my supplies... and think this is just gorgeous... your wonderful line work shines through and you have an innate sense of composition...xx

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  6. I love the way you created a messy feel in your drawing.
    Rinda

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  7. haha! pretty awesome! they look ready to use :)

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  8. Awesome sketch, Katja, and I love how you spattered the page...kinda ties it all together. :)

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  9. I think this is brilliant. It looks like a sketch found in an old library. I love the ink coming from the nibs and the bottle spillage looks so real. :0)

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  10. What a fabulous piece. I love the lines and splatters. Love those bottles.
    I use micron pens, that way the ink makes it to the paper and not all over me, I'm impressed that you made it (almost) without wearing it.
    Von

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  11. Such great posts here, I love your art and presentation, always feels so good here!

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  12. I think your drawing is beautiful!

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  13. What a fantastic drawing Nordijus,
    I love everything about it. You've done a brilliant job for the challenge.
    I've definitely got to give myself more time for the APR entry.
    I'm also wanting a Moleskine sketchbook now too ;D

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  14. This is awesome! I love the way you had the ink spill down out of each bottle and the splatters and each pen writing a different color. Really, really cool! :)

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  15. This is beautiful! I love the splatters and spills. Some of us have to think outside of the box because we are entering territory we normally don't play in. :) Love it! Warmly, Tracy

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  16. Ahhhh das ist wunderbar!!! So pure und genial :)

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