Which pen for drawing?

Which pen for drawing?   I like to use Mitsubishi uni-ball eye pens for my style of drawing.  I will comment on the reasons later in this post.

 'Her new hairstyle', pen with ink wash, A4, mixed media paper.

'Big red bird', pen and pan pastels, A3, cartridge paper.

Which pen for drawing?

I use Mitsubishi uni-ball pens which come in a variety of tip sizes.  

I like these pens because :

1. they are readily available from stationers and your corner shop.  No need to go to a specialist art store which makes them very handy to purchase.

2. the ink is pigment-based, waterproof and fade-proof.  Very useful when you wish to combine your drawing with washes.

3. the roller ball tip makes drawing like gliding over paper.  You can work quickly and the pen does not stick on the fibres of the papers.  Its rather like figure-skating in a rink!

You can, of course,  use them for any style of work.  In the first drawing above, I have shown a fairly realistic style (inspired by a photo reference in one of my Facebook groups).  In the second, I have shown a more whimsical-abstract style. ( I tend to switch back and forth between imaginative and representational styles.)

In the future, I may try out some more expensive pens designed specifically for art - such as those made by Staedtler, Copic, Sakura and Kuretake, but for now I am pleased with my Mitsubishi roller ball.

Which pen do you recommend for art work, if you use pens?  I'd be interested to know the reasons for your choices.

Bye for now....

Small portrait from imagination.

Portrait.

 'Flower picker', ink and pan pastels, A4 paper.

Sleepy cat.

Not much to show this week as I couldn't quite get 'in-the-mood'.  

In 'The flower picker ', I decided for a change to use a thin, pale, wash of ink over my scribbles and cross-hatching before applying my pan pastel colour to see the effect.  ( I usually use dark washes or multiple washes of black ink over my scribbles before I add colour.  This helps with tonal values in the art.)

I found that the pan pastel colours I have, don't give good darks, and if you try to apply them in thick layers, trying to get rich darks, the chalk  obliterates the pen lines, which I don't really want for this approach.

Having said that, I have sent for 5 extra-dark earth shades, so when they arrive,  I'll see if they are useful for dark areas....e.g., do they allow the pen lines to show through? 

I could always switch to another medium for colouring....I think inktense blocks or alcohol markers might be good for adding colour to a pen and wash drawing.  The problem with inktense blocks is - they are not light fast.   However, I do like them!

I am enjoying experimenting, and to keep experimenting,   I have enrolled for a collage class online,  and I am eager to try it out.  Its called 'Collaged reflections' with Lauren Rudolph on the Kara Bullock art site.   It started on the 9th August.

Link:    https://karabullockart.com/

I feel like a long nap ....like Susie.  Have a great weekend.

Bye for now.

Pan pastels again

Two more paintings in ink with pan pastels.

 'Anemone,' ink and pan pastels, A3, paper.

 'Party time,' ink and pan pastels, A4, paper.

Drawing table set up.

Susie  on the dressing table.

I did two ink drawings with pan pastel colour this week. ( I find it difficult to take photos of the pan pastel work.  I think its because I don't have enough light on my drawing desk for photos.  Maybe I'll try taking photos of my art outdoors next time.)

You could use powdered eye-shadows as make-shift pan pastels in your journal if you didn't want to invest in the artist's pigments but wanted to see if you'd like to use them.  You could use the little make-up sponge applicators too.    The results wouldn't be archival but worth a try.

Linking to

paintpartyfriday

Have a great weekend!!

A visit to an art display of Wolves.

Public art display in Wolverhampton, city of wolves.

 Visitor loves colourful wolf in the art gallery.

 A display group in the gallery.

 Wolverhampton art gallery.

 A wolf outdoors.

A wolf in the shopping centre.

I enjoyed a visit to the Wolverhampton art gallery, looking at the displays of wolves and the display of animal puppets on there this month.  

The wolf is the totem animal for the city.  The football team has a wolf logo.  The nickname for the city is Wolves.   In keeping with the wolf totem, artists and children have decorated lots of wolf statues which are displayed both in the art gallery and in selected places around the town for the summer holidays.  The children certainly love them judging by the cuddles they give them.

A lovely quirky art display for summer.

More information: link.

wolvesinwolves.

Makes me feel like drawing a wolf!!

Bye for now.

Trying pan pastels over ink.

Pan pastels over ink drawings.

  'Marigold,' ink and pan pastels., 12 by 12 ins., paper.

 'Stripey cat with girl', A4, paper.

Susie eating grass.

June's art:

I tried using pan pastels over a couple of ink drawings.  I like the effect and think I will experiment more with this combination, using different combinations of ink cross-hatching, ink washes, and applications of pan pastels.

Susie's week:

I planted some grass seeds in a pot on the window ledge and here is Susie eating her 'salad' delicately with her paw.  I thought she'd stick her nose into the pot and munch...

(N.B. Special cat's grass from Amazon.  But I suspect cats will eat any grass.)

Its been a mixed week for weather but mainly wettish.

Have a lovely weekend.

Bye for now!

Link to:

paintpartyfriday

Mirror blue.

Ink and collage.

'Mirror blue,' ink and collage, A4 paper.

Mirror blue:- a scribbley ink doodle that turned into a drawing. 

Kids art week:- I am attending the online kids art event by Carla Sonheim.  For kids of all ages!!

Here's my funny blobimals from lesson 1.

Link to kids art week.

kids_art_week 2017

Susie on top of the laundry.

BYE!!

Doodle to fanciful portrait.

Mixed media.

 On my drawing desk.

 'Helen', mixed media, A4, Paper.

Susie on the drawing desk.  Draw me!!

I was scribbling with pen on a piece of pale lilac paper and the head of 'Helen' appeared, so I turned her into a mixed media portrait with the addition of some starry tissue paper over blue ink in the background, and some Washi tape for a border.

I gave her this name because she reminded me of a special school friend from years ago called Helen.

Susie is patiently waiting for her portrait to be done!  She may have to wait a while yet!

Have a lovely creative week.

Bye for now.