Traditional sstufff: Ink.

[sierng]

My question relates to Ink, and the dipping pen ( with the changable metal point. Nib?)

I can't seem to get a nice flowing line. It draws - stops; draws - stops, and sometimes I can't even get a mark on the paper. I've tried using it from different angles but still no help. I'm using winsor & newtown black indian ink btw.

Is there something that would produce the same inky vibrancy, but is easier to use?

Cheers.

[hewligan]

I always had the same problem. Never could get the hang of those pens. So I switched to a brush. You can get a line every bit as fine as a pen with a good quality number 3 brush. Plus, once you get the hang of it, you can also get a far greater variation in line weight.

[emucru]

Have you ever tried using a ruling pen with guache? Very vibrant colours and once you get the viscosity of the paint right it works well, but it can get messy.

[Tea]

What kind of line width are you trying to get? Sometimes the pen tips won't draw up ink if they are slightly bent or nicked. They will wear out. The don't hold a line for very long, so you have to really practice and begin your line again starting slightly over where you ended. Some people use droppers. Check out this site (http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1192152)and do a google search for "How to use a dip pen." You'll find lots of info.

[Broacher]

A great steel pen nib is a precious, and sometimes, long-lasting joy.

What kind of paper are you drawing on?

Also, you can often 'cure' a difficult to draw ink with a very light sanding (extra fine emery) which scratches the surface of the nib enough to make it hold pen better on the tip.

There's also gold plated nibs. Does Rapidograph still make the 'Art Pen'? For an off the shelf product, of moderate cost, it had a FANTASTIC ability to really lay down a quick line and stand up to a lot of pressure variation. Now you're making me wish I still had one!

Coincidentally-- I just got back from vacation today to discover that the Wacom ArtPen that I had ordered has arrived. Whee! Now to try and get it to work with Painter.

[sierng]

Yeh I think your right Tea , it may be because of the pen tip wearing out because i tend to press pretty hard when I draw. Thanks for the lead.

Broacher : I'm using "drawing 220 - canson". The Rapidograph sounds really good. The ability to lay a line down like would be fantastic.

I heard the Wacom pen by itself is pretty expensive? I have a graphire, but want to change to intuos.

[DesignVHL]

You can't press hard when working with the ink and pen....its a gentle art. :)

i have an intuos - one at home, one at work - can't live w/out it....honestly that 6x8 is more than enough space to work with...i have the larger one at home and it is almost TOO big sometimes! Get what you can afford, you won't be dissapointed....

Also though i've never used the graphire, does it work for your needs? Or are you feeling like it just isn't natural enough? Upgrade if you must, but you already have a tablet at least! :)

[Broacher]

>>You can't press hard when working with the ink and pen....its a gentle art.<<

The Rotring (sorry, I had the wrong brand) ArtPen has a terrific capacity to handle a wide pressure range. You have to try one. Fine tipped sketch is my fave. Here's another review:

http://www.wildyorkshire.co.uk/naturediary/docs/2004/9/19.html

[sierng]

what was your pic, and what were your 2 narratives about
Vhl: Mine has about an A5 work space. I haven't used it that much, but you can set it to pen pressure, and tilt etc. What features does the intuos have, that the graphire doesn't? From what i've read on the net, the intuos is much better for illustrative work? I'll probably upgrade when I have the money. At the end of the day - they are both just tools aren't they?

Thanks Broacher Ill check to see if they have em at the Art store! Gotta do a linear still life study, so ill see how it pans out.

[Broacher]

By the way, I finally got to try out the Wacom Art Pen yesterday with Adobe Illustrator CS3. Just came in. I have an old version of Painter but unfortunately, the rotation data doesn't seem to work in that version. I'm hoping to upgrade-- that and with Photoshop.

But the rotation works fine with AI CS3. The only thing I don't like is that the actual tip is too wide for me to 'think' it's a steel tip pen. But I might just whiddle down one of the extra nibs and see if it would still work (it should, the sensors are two coils inside the pen barrel).

I also like AI's new 'fill in the space' tool, whatever it's called. I can see this as a great boost for vector illustration.

Gripe? Like InDesign CS3, AI CS3 seems to take way too long to load-- and it doesn't even give you any sign that it's doing so for the longest time.

Ah well, back to the boring ad revision work.

[sierng]

I'm interested in knowing what tools you would use in Illy with a Wacom pen?
I mainly only touch the pen tool. Never really used the brush tool and stuff like that.

[Danger_Mouse]

Ahhhh pen and ink, once my artistic weapon of choice. Many a scribbles I have doodled. You can't treat those babies like a pencil...reminds me of quote a good friend of mine who is a painter once said .... I immediately wrote it down as one of my favorite quotes.

" To properly understand the flesh of a woman, one must caress its entire surface gentley with the hard-sharp tip of a pen, or the tiny soft bristles of a loaded brush."

As far as IllyCS3 I been hearing nothing but good things on it. I think when I get to work today I will put that on the top of my WANTS list. Generally I dont run out to get new versions right away until I hear how they fair up amongst my more eager peers.

[sierng]

Yes - many scribbles have been made with le simple biro pen on long train journeys.
I'm using IllyCS3 at Uni - so far it seems to work fine. But I haven't really touched any of the other features.

Nice Quote btw.

Bought a lovely no.3 Taklon brush today, and a C-4 Speedball Nib.

[hewligan]

Seriously, for a good many yars, I have not touched anything other than a pncil or the compter. But if I were going to pick up something else today, it would be a brush.

Nothing else can compare.

(Posted while drunk - make of that what you will ;) )

[Broacher]

I have an amazing 'brush pen' that I bought at an art store a few years ago. I don't remember the brand-- it was Japanese. But it comes with ink cartridges and it works wonderfully for sketching. It's as smooth as a sable and flows amazingly from a single hair width to a big fat line. And it's the first kind I've ever had that can survive months of non-use and still work right away.