As an industrial drawing major in high school 50 years ago, we used dip pens with droppers like you do. However, most of them, especially quill nibs, have a varnish coat that tends to resist ink causing them to suddenly unload a big blob. We were taught to use a match and gently burn off the varnish and clean the nib with water before loading them. The ink stays in the reservoir much better.
I learned something already - using the dropper to load the nib instead of dipping! I'd been cursing the dropper bottles because I always seemed to get ink everywhere trying to rest the dropper on something while I dipped - when I could have been using it instead! Doh!
Another thank you. Over the months of watching these videos I finally got the courage to get myself some dip pens and ink, sure I’d make a mess everywhere. To my surprise, thanks mostly to the instruction here and in past videos, I got the technique pretty quickly and really enjoy the pens. Of course I did tip over a bottle of Dr. Martins and lost half of it, but I see that as just the initiation phase!
i also appreciate that nib. a lot of artists seem to use hunt 102 and g pen and stuff and ive been using a bowl #357 nib from i beleive the deleter comic starter kit and its my favorite longest lasting nib. it gets thin lines and widens out nicely
I really loved this. I hope I am able one day to do something even minimally as good as this. I also have some Liquitex acrylic inks that I bought months ago and haven’t had the confidence to use. 🥰
You are one of my most favorite artists) I love your landscapes and style!) thanks for the video! (Sorry if there are errors, translated with the help of a translator)
Wow! Thanks so much. This is an awesome video and lovely finished ink and wash. Loving the humor cuts. It’s time for me to use my hoarded inks as well!
1957 in Poland , I was learning to write with dip pen. Thank you for my memories and I need to buy this kind a pen. Thank you for sharing your art, truly enjoyed
Really hit home about the art supplies that get pushed to the back of the cupboard. Your demo inspired me to get my nibs out and draw with them. However I guess I never learned to put them away properly and the nibs had old India ink dried on them. Soaked them in water and used a toothbrush to clean them. I ruined one of the layered nibs while cleaning it with the toothbrush. I will for now on dip them in water to clean them before putting them away. Will use the eyedropper technique from now on too, it works so much better than dipping. To avoid the blob effect when dipping the nib, I discovered this doesn’t happen when using the eyedropper.
Steve, today was serendipitous. After watching your latest Patreon post(which i enjoyed), at the end of the vid a new post came up about acrylic inks. I've just started play with them primarily for line work. I was happy to learn that they can also be used as wash. As we discussed in the conversation we had, I went overboard and bought a number of colors, another rookie mistake. But, I will use them all now that I have a better understand of how to use them. Thanks again for all the useful info you out!
BEAUTIFUL!!!! FABULOUS!! so many things to think about and try. And thanks for the lesson in correcting an unwanted ink drop. I’m sure I’ll have some of my own.
I’m a huge hoarder and make no excuses! Your 10 from M Graham are my latest but by no means my last! I accept that I have the problem and I like it😱🥰🥳🤪😜
Another great video. I have to confess that I am one of those people who will go into an art supply store and buy something I do not have just to see what can be done with it. I was visiting family in Florida a couple weeks ago and came home with some FW Pearlescent acrylic inks in 2 colors. There was an art store near their house..... :) Now, I might want to get some of this ink too!
Thank you thank you thank you! I truly appreciate your ink blop, I had a promising pen and ink last week... And of course suddenly I had a big ink blop! Was heart broken and I've found it doesn't seem to matter how careful I am . Disappointed but I moved on with other projects. I will now re visit a ink drawing. I was impressed that you left it in the video and the recovery was great! Thank you
Inspired by your usage of "Hauded" art supplies (I am one of those as well), I decided NOT to buy any new art supplies for ALL OF 2022, except white gouache because...you know. I am experimenting with all my various mediums and using up some of the copious amounts of Sketchbooks I have bought.....and not used! An incredibly helpful skill-building experience. So thank you, once again, for your inspiration.
I just knew that you were going to bust out your Indigraph Pen. I just got a Fude nib yesterday. It’s fun. I’ll look up the one you used here. Looks like it got some great fine lines! Great coloring. Thx. Messy Mendy 👍🙏🏻🖌✍🏼
I want to do more line and watercolor. You have inspired me. I just purchased a Kakamori brass nib that looked interesting. Will play and find all the art supplies I have in my closet. As you said🤣. this is beautiful
Beautiful! I love Liquitex inks. I use them in dip pens to letter cards after I've painted the cards and also to color paste paper for bookbinding. But I never thought of using my dip pen and acrylic ink for line and wash. Now of course I'll have to try it. Thank you.
I have a full set of FW… I think I have completed about 3 sets of swatches and maybe one small painting. I truly enjoyed working with them, but got sidetracked tracked… it’s been about 2 years since then… ooops😁 think I need to try another.
LOL I have a six by four metre studio lined with shelves and the shelves are FULL of gadgets and art supplies that I have purchased online as a result of watching RU-vidrs creating. But now I look at some of those items and wonder what the heck it is and what am I supposed to do with it?! HAHAHAHA Plus I spend so much time either in the garden or watching RU-vidrs that I dont actually get in the studio and get painting/creating.....time for a kick in my own backside I think :) xxx
Speedball Superblack is my all-time favorite dip pen ink. I work with EF nibs a ton and the Superblack always flows straight out of the bottle, I love it. On the opposite end of the ease of use spectrum are the Sennelier Shellac inks. They are extremely viscous, but just a drop of water makes them flow superbly. They only come in a mixing range of colors, unfortunately. But Sennelier knows how to do color so they mix very well.
Thank you very much, Steve. I love the muted colours from Liquitex and was bought some for Christmas a couple of years ago. Such a wonderful windswept picture you made! As always, greatly appreciated.
Such a great video. I've been looking for an ink that is both lightfast and waterproof and this seems to fit the bill. Loved watching this piece come together and the Taylor Swift clip was so funny and relatable. I loved it.
Thank you for this fun piece!! I have been watching tutorials for over a year now and I think I have just fallen in love with Line and Wash!! I have learned so much from watching you work. Appreciate this!!!
Thanks for the great video and ideas! I've had the great bones of a drawing on the easel for some time, with a vague idea to do something like this... but I know oils, not watercolour or inks. That being said, I definitely have in mind the atmosphere that I know I want to achieve, and this will be perfect. Cheers!
Wow, I knew about India Inks, but I never knew about Acrylic Inks or using it like watercolor. Okay so use an old watercolor brush with the acrylic ink to do the painting with, but how do you clean the brush afterwards? Use water directly after painting, or some brush cleaner/liquid soap? I really enjoy watching your video and watching how your painting looks from start to finish. This painting reminds me of the Japanese Oriental paintings from my childhood, especially with the great background music. You make this look easy to do and I will have to give it a try soon. Thanks for sharing this with us.
i have the three starter bottles wich come realy cheap in the netherlands, still no clue what to do with m lol good thing its yellow red and blue making mixing it easy hahaha
Magical! How would I go about muting the colored inks I already have. Would you mix in its complement? Or add black? Guess I will have to play around with it. Thank you for the inspiration.
Question like always. How about walnut ink. I got some daniel smith walnut ink yesterday and then read last night it really is more of a dye and not real walnut. I was looking for real walnut. I guess i could go get some walnuts i do know where a walnut tree is but it is 40 minute drive and well it is a messy process but maybe worth it. Also my father in law said the old nibs are really fun . I do not need or want to do a big hunt for nibs. So what is your advice on a nice pen and nib set. I see so many on the web its making my head spin. maybe i will just make my own. Oh guess what i at last got some mg water colors. Thanks lots
True Walnut ink from the tree would work fine if it's in a waterproof binder. Some are not. If you don't want it to reactivate then you would need to make sure it's waterproof. I like to buy the nib holder and nibs separately. That way you get the best of both for your preferences. Tachikawa makes good holders. Zebra G nibs are very good but many of the Hunt nibs are too.
I went to the Patreon site and have a question. At what level does one get videos that are more detailed than the utube ones? Thanks! and thanks for this video.
