Chapter One: Inventory
LESSON FOUR
Ink and pen are one of the oldest forms of writing dating as far back as ancient Egypt. Back then, they would cut reeds down into a nib shape and use them to write with ink on papyrus. There were various changes over the centuries including quills which were made from the flight feathers of birds, as well as the lesser known glass dip pen.
Pens, as we know them today however, are a little less ancient. The fountain pen and nib pen weren’t commonly used until the Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s. This allowed for the production of quick and cheap machine made products that could easily be shipped and sold across the world. The next jump being the ball point pen which wasn’t perfected until the 1930’s, and remains to be the primary writing tool almost 100 years later.
Ink remains to be a reliable and versatile medium afforded to the masses, and artists alike. Ink is commonly used as a strategic learning or sketching tool which requires the artists to be meticulous with their mark making, having to think through each stroke before putting them down on paper. With this, one has no opportunity to erase or change those marks.
Ball Point
As mentioned, ball point pens remain to be our primary writing tool, and a unique drawing implement. It can be tricky to draw with, but there are many artists out there who are able to utilize them as a fine art material.
Fine Liners
Fine liners are considered to be an “artist” tool, which sport either a felt or plastic fiber tip. These disposable pens come in a variety of sizes, similar to mechanical pencils, and include fine, medium, large, bullet, and brush tip nibs. They are also available in a wide range of colors giving the artist a colorful and precise drawing tool. Typically, one requires multiple pens, to meet various inking needs.
Brush Pen
Brush pens are a wonderful alternative to just using a brush for inking. Regular brushes need constant re-loading to replace the ink while brush pens hold the ink in the body of the pen. The added benefits of a brush is the control and speed you will have versus a fine liner or nib. Brush pens can create the thinnest of lines, or cover large areas in a single brush stroke, and you can transition between the two in a split second. Regular pens don’t have the same capacity or control, and, if you have the skill, you can completely replace all other inking tools with a single brush pen.
Nibs or Fountain Pens
Nibs and fountain pens are a special drawing tool, typically made of steel that provides a more dynamic option to artists. This type of pen gives you much more control over the size of your lines by simply applying or releasing pressure meaning you can get really thin, or really thick lines from one tool. These are also extremely customizable as you can choose from a wide selection of finely crafted nibs, nib holders, and inks. They do require practice and fine control to fully utilize this tool, but are well worth the time and effort.
Types of Ink
Acrylic
Acrylic provides a highly pigmented, permanent, and waterproof ink that works similarly to watercolors until they are completely dry. Acrylic inks are made with pigments rather than a dye, which makes them lightfast as well. Acrylic inks can be transparent or opaque to fit your needs.
India
India ink, also known as Chinese Ink, is traditionally a black ink made of pigment derived by charring organic material and combining that with a medium. Such mediums include varnish or shellac which creates a lightfast and waterproof finish when dry. Brands have since expanded to include various colors other than just black.
Alcohol
Alcohol inks are fundamentally different from most other inks used in the art industry, primarily because Alcohol inks are made with a dye based ink instead of some sort of pigment. This means that alcohol inks are not lightfast and will ultimately fade with time. Alcohol markers are used to create artwork that is intended to be made into prints, not to sell.