Pen and Ink Drawings

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Pen and Ink Drawings
Dennis L. Law, ASLA Kansas State University
Pen and Ink by Dennis Law
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Introduction

• Equipment
• Exercises
• Tone Building
• Value Studies

Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Equipment

• Paper
• Pens
• Ink
• Other Equipment

Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Equipment

• Paper

Pen and ink drawings can be made on a
wide-variety of papers or boards. The list of
paper commonly used for Pen and Ink includes the
following Bond Paper (Hammermill)Bristol Pad
(plate finish)Frosted AcetateLayout Bond
(Bee)Print paperSketch Pad (Artworthy)vellum
or mylar
Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Equipment

• Pens

• Rapidograph pen set (000 -- 4) These pens are
  difficult to keep clean, especially the finer
  points.
• Sharpies by Sanford (more likely to smear and
  slow to dry)
• Felt-tip pens by Flair or Pilot (more likely to
  smear and slow to dry)
• Rotring (extra fine) This is the pen
  recommended.

Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Equipment

• Ink

• India ink is best used in all pens.
• Felt tips or Sharpies use an alcohol based ink
  which tends to be weak and fades over time
• Rapidograph and Rotring are best used with
  cartridges which already contain India Ink.

Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Equipment

• Other Equipment

There is a lot of equipment that could be used in
the craft of pen and ink art. Things like
pencils and erasures help the novice get started
but eventually, youll want to just use you pen
and a pad of good paper.
Pen and Ink drawing by Dennis Law
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Exercises to Get Started
Straight Freehand lines
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Exercises to Get Started
Controlled dashes and dots
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Exercises to Get Started
Controlled curved lines
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Exercises to Get Started
Toning for shade (first exercise)
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Exercises to Get Started
Toning for shade (second exercise)
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Exercises to Get Started
Toning for roundness
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Getting Started
1. Begin by drawing in pencil a sketch of the
European street scene shown below as a simple
line drawing. Set up the perspective showing
vanishing points and horizon lines, etc. Do this
drawing on a sheet of yellow tracing paper.
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Getting Started
2. Add elements and adjust the composition on
the tracing paper. Do not worry at this point
about shades and shadows. This should be a
simple line drawing at this point.
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Getting Started
3. Transfer the drawing to the white bond paper
using graphite paper. It is still a line drawing
at this point.
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Getting Started
4. Add textures, elements, shades and shadows.
Do not over render the drawing. Use the white
of the paper to give value and contrast to the
drawing. This will add a 3-dimensional quality
to your work.