What are The Tools and Materials Used for Pen and Ink Art?
Though it may seem obvious that the tools and materials needed for pen and ink are simply a pen and a piece of paper, it is important to understand the options that are available to you. Their are several types of ink tools that each carry it's own distinct quality and advantages that can play a crucial role in determining the outcome of your artwork. Each tool's distinct qaulity is the type of line it produces that can vary in size, shape, weight, and value. Although there are many types, we'll focus on the the most practical and popular tools that grant the greatest versatility for the user.
| Pen Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Quill Pen | An ink pen made from a large bird's feathers that is dipped into an inkwell for its source of ink. It has a fine point that creates an extermely sharp and accurate line stroke. |
| Dip Pen | An ink pen that uses nibs which come in a variety of shapes and sizes in order to create various types of line markings at a great level of control. This kind of pen can use waterproof pigmented inks such as india and acrylic inks. |
| Fountain Pen | This ink pen utilizes refillable ink cartridges containing water-based ink. It is considered to be the modernized but less versatile version of the Dip Pen. |
| Ballpoint Pen | This ink pen has ink thst dries up almost instaneously and can be used as a substitute for pencils. Ball point pens are increibly easy to handle and can provide smooth line stokes. |
| Rollerball Pen | This Ink pen which is also known as a gel pen comes in a variety of colors and are essentially a hybrid of the Fountain Pen and Ballpoint Pen. |
| Felt-tip pen | This Ink pen sometimes considered a marker can come in a variety of sizes and have fibrous and porous tips. They are typically used for bold/graphic style art. |
| Brush Pen | This Ink pen creates a traditional brush style without the mess of a real brush. A wide variety of line styles and widths can be created using the Brush pen. |
| Techincal Pen | This Ink Pen is sold in a variety of designs and shapes. Technical pens were orginally created for use by engineers and are great for pattern work, small details, and straight lines. |
Ink
As far as ink itslef is concered, any ink sold at art-supply stores will work quite well for a dip pen. India ink is a heavily reccomended type of ink because it is versatile, dries quite quickly, and leaves a deep black pigment. For ink pens like the felt-tip or rollerball buying ink is unnecessary as they are already built with an interal ink source. Now Ink and Pen can be applied to any surface but the most effective is paper particulary bristol board that has a smooth surface which is great for details and Technical drawing as well as fine art paper and watercolor paper. All of the materials discussed are relatively inexpensive and can be easily accessed in an art-supply store near you which is one of the reasons why this medium is so great.