Apparently Bernie Wrightson spent seven years on the approximately 50 detailed pen-and-ink illustrations which would accompany Mary Shelley’s classic novel. I’m sure he had other projects in the mix, but it gives you some insight into how much time is needed for a detailed pen-and-ink illustration. To fund this labor of love, Wrightson released three portfolios of his Frankenstein illustrations between 1977 and 1980, each containing six 11x16 inch plates.
The Zoning In technique is a wonderful way to study the masters without feeling overwhelmed. I wasn't aware of all the various hatching techniques used by so many. Thanks for the tips!
I worried the crosshatching fans would roast me for my choice of wording there lol. Truthfully, the skill required to make crosshatching effective as a shading technique is underrated.
Hi Chloe. Jim from Madrid, Spain (a fellow artist and a New Yorker expat living abroad). Good video showing the difference in cross hatching between different masters... Real Good! I started a bit more like Gibson, but with practice I'm refining it a bit more and into a personal style... Like in your examples, I'm learning to hatch a bit more like Bilal and Booth (only when darks a really needed), so what I'm trying to say is that I apply different techniques where needed. But... I'm still learning and I don't ever think I'll ever stop learning.... When I use watercolor and Ink, it also depends what is my objective... for the watercolor to predominate or the ink and, therefore, the hatching will be done accordingly (lighter or heavier). I don't usually do practice runs like you showed (though for heavier cross hatching I think it's a cool way to practice). I usually draw sketches (easy or more complex) for practicing. One thing I found out that might help others... When I don't have the time to practice with my dip pens, I use my Sailor FUDE de Mannen Fountain Pens (I usually use the 40° FUDE nibs) and they work amazingly well when inking for quick sketching, since you can use hatching with a wide range of line variations using one single tool (it's a time saver!). Anyways, great video as always and very good examples! Cheers from Sunny Spain! 😁👍😎✌
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and glad to hear that your hatching practice is coming along well. I love the idea of sketching with a fountain pen. I'll often do studies with fine liners when in a hurry, but fountain pens would be a closer feel to dip pens and a better simulation for the final art. Good tip!
Glad you liked the video. If you don't mind navigating down to the video description, there's listed most supplies and links to more. That there is an Adjustable Tabletop Easel and really handy.
Yes, I think it’s a good idea to lean that in practice one doesn’t have to be creating something grand. I draw, but mainly in pencil. The issues I have encountered with ink are, once the ink is down on the paper, that’s it, very little room for mistakes. Secondly, hatching tends to not look as nice as pencil shading, or using a brush with ink. I can remember many years ago drawing something with hatching, and my grandfather saying it didn’t look as good as pencil shading. One other problem I have with in is it take way more time to finish a piece, oh yes, not as travel friendly as drawing with pencils. I am not against ink drawing, but it has a lot of drawbacks. I wonder if any graphic novels have ever been printed where the artist used pencil in the original drawings? So much more subtle shading.
It's true, ink is kinda final. That's why I focus the exploratory phase in the steps leading up to the final artwork. One of those steps is doing a Values Chart. It’s a practical means to: - practice techniques and effects - test ideas towards a final artwork - weed out issues early in the process - and gauge progress over time I think of pencil as a means to map out the underdrawing, and the more knowledge we have of drawing (and shading), the better the inks will turn out. As your grandfather demonstrated, art is subjective and different mediums will have different appeal for each individual viewer.
Charles Dana Gibson's work is wonderfully misleading; it can almost seem casual, as if "tossed off," which is a testament to his masterful control (or lack thereof, when so he chose). I'd strongly recommend Arthur Guptill's classic DRAWING WITH PEN & INK for an entire book filled with "zoned" examples of the sort described in this video, with the added bonus that it's a volume easily found at countless used book stores for pennies on the dollar compared to New editions of the book (& older editions more easily lay flat compared to current squarebound trade paperbacks).
Great vid. It crystalizes some of my practice ideas, not just for ink. PS: Dip pens are my favorite but I usually default to graphite and watercolor because they are more forgiving. PPS: Your work is awesome!
I love you videos! did you had previous experience in drawing (previous to last 2 years mastering inking?) I love how insightfull your videos are, and the best thing is that everytime im stuck with some thought related to inking, answer is most likely in one of your videos! You are golden nugget of youtube :) Have you ever considered mentoring?
That's very kind to say. I did publish a couple of comic books in my teens and pursued illustration but it never went anywhere, I got work as a graphic designer initially then changed career altogether. I started doodling again in 2019 (after a 20+ year gap), then got into inking more deliberately in 2021. I'm glad to hear that the videos are helping. I'm sort of thinking out loud and publishing it. Funny you should ask about mentoring, I've got a dip pen course coming out in the next couple of weeks (likely on Skillshare), and might consider coaching sometime in the Fall.
Thank you for your reply! Actually I was thinking of the really shallow one you had in a different video-of the things you wished you’d known before starting with dip pens.
You'll get different effects using different inking tools. There's pros/cons to each. It is possible to reach a similar look using fine liners. In my course, I show different techniques for building line weights with fine liners, here's the class trailer for more info: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YJpcUNe2PGg.html
The key takeaway from this video is to find creative ways to continue practicing, even when we're short on time. In this particular demonstration, cross-hatching is a mark making technique to build values, values create the illusion of form by adding volume to shapes. More in this blog: longstrideillustration.com/2-pen-and-ink-exercise-ideas/
