Dip pens and ink can create a beautiful effect when combined with layers of markers and white gesso.
- 1 min. video (cleaning dip pens)
- 1 min. video (securing ink well)
- 1 min. short (water based vs. alcohol)
- 2 min. video (dip pen supplies)
- 35 min. video (tutorial)
- Pen & ink area
- Pen & ink playlist
This video demos a unique technique with these art supplies that produce a drawing with delicate line work and subtle colors.
Tips for how to draw with a dip pen using cross-hatching techniques are explained, as well as how to use these drawing materials together in a mixed media drawing.
Demo led by Guest Teaching Artist Song Kang and Art Prof Clara Lieu.
Video Walkthrough
- Searching for reference objects from the dollar store.
- Finding objects that show texture and form at the dollar store.
- Spray painting reference objects white to see the form better
- Discovering unexpected reference objects at the dollar store.
- Mixed media techniques which were a result of mistakes .
- Watercolor Blocks to prevent the paper from buckling.
- H pencils to prevent smudging
- Using markers to block out fields of saturated colors.
- Tinting gesso to paint a layer over the marker drawing.
- What colors to mix to create a neutral tone in the tinted gesso.
- Saving the mixture of tinted gesso for later use in the drawing.
- Dip pen techniques: pen angle, physical pressure, line width.
- When to use a dip pen vs. When to use a Fineliner Fine Tip Pens.
- Cross-hatching techniques: when to do parallel lines vs. crossed ones
- How do you know the drawing is done?
- Tip for how to deal with aches and pains when doing pen drawing
- What to do when you get an ink blot on your drawing
- Adding extra tinted gesso to paint over ink blots.
- Adding tinted gesso on several areas so the area with the ink blot doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
![Song Kang, dip pen & marker drawing](jpg/song3.jpg)
Featured Artist
Song Kang
Song Kang is a Korean-American freelance illustrator based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kang creates intricately rendered environments in pen and ink, drawing the commonplace flora, grass, mushrooms, leaves and weaving them into new, fantastical worlds.
![Song Kang, dip pen & marker drawing](jpg/song-pen-ink-marker_005.jpg)
While the majority of her illustrations are drawn in ink, Kang also incorporates a wide range of painting mediums and drawing tools in her practice, stretching the limits to how ink can be utilized as a traditional medium.
Art Supplies
- Quill nib
- Tombow Drafting Pencil
- W&N Professional Acrylic Brushes
- Mars Staedtler White Plastic Eraser
- Cold Pressed Watercolor Block
- W&N Watercolor Brushes
- Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks
- Winsor & Newton Black Indian Ink
- W&N White Acrylic Gesso
- W&N Fineliner Fine Tip Pens
- Metal Palette Knife
- Speedball Pen Holder
- Tombow ABT PRO brush pens
Materials provided by
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