Learning To Draw With Pen & Ink

[kmart_security]

Well I did it. This topic convinced me to buy the book so as soon as I get it in I'll make sure to give you all a peep into my works. I'm excited.

[candidvn]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/9767171561_cf2604f5d1_z.jpg

 

Yesterday, I took my girl to her ballet class. She's just attended in a new class with a Russian teacher so she very exciting. I wait for my girl in a cafe next door. While seating under the shade of a starfruit tree I saw an empty bird cage so I did a quick sketch.

 

Unfornatately, I carried an unknown Chinese sketchbook not my Moleskine. The papers are not good for watercolor and made me really annoying.

[Dennis W]

 

Well I thought I would share this one that I finished just the other day. This is done with Hastings Eternal and an Esterbrook 905 nib (frequently up side down).

Regards,

Dennis

[candidvn]

amazing work, Dennis W!

[cybaea]

Lovely work, @candidvn; doubly so given the problems with the materials, but I really like the warm colours. Wish it was warm here!

 

Wow, amazing detail @Dennis W. You have a great eye and much patience. Stunning result.

[Dennis W]

Candidvn, Cybaea - Thank you very much.

[daniellem]

kmart -- excellent news, we are looking forward to having you join in the fun!

 

candidvn -- it's always such a bummer when a sketchbook paper does not perform as well as you hope it will. Your sketch turned out nicely, though; I like the ornamentation on the birdcage.

 

Dennis, your drawing is wonderful -- I am in awe of how well you are able to keep every element of the drawing separate and clear while making everything blend together so well in the scene. Would love to see a higher resolution scan of this one!

[Dennis W]

daniellem, thank you for your kind comment. This was drawn on Georgia-Pacific 8 1/2 x 11" 110 pound card stock and is from a picture I took at a butterfly house in Victoria Island, Canada.

 

Here is a link to a higher resolution copy - https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Hcep9W7EDJSWxYeDhjRDJlMWM/edit?usp=sharing

 

Regards,

 

Dennis

[Paddler]

I finally got a little time to work with pen and ink sketching. I can't seem to get the perspective right for the porch in this one. It is a copy of a drawing I found on a piece of paper birch log.

 

[Dennis W]

Paddler,

Try using vanishing points. From looking at your drawing I would guess there would be two off page which is ok. Then use a ruler or straight edge to help with drawing the logs, roof line, etc. Sticking a piece of tape with a dot for the vanishing point on the drawing table works well when the points are off page. Here is an online source that explains it well - http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/twopers1.htm

 

 

Regards,

 

Dennis

[Paddler]

Paddler,

Try using vanishing points. From looking at your drawing I would guess there would be two off page which is ok. Then use a ruler or straight edge to help with drawing the logs, roof line, etc. Sticking a piece of tape with a dot for the vanishing point on the drawing table works well when the points are off page. Here is an online source that explains it well - http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/twopers1.htm

 

 

Regards,

 

Dennis

Thanks, Dennis

That is interesting. I will give it a try.

[daniellem]

Paddler, I have a real problem with perspective, too. I find it sometimes takes me multiple versions of the same sketch to get it right. That sort of thing used to drive me crazy, but now I find I enjoy doing multiple versions as I learn from my mistakes on each one yet the growing familiarity with the subject matter gives me a sense of confidence in moving forward.

 

Nice job for your first go with the medium -- I especially like the birch trees in the foreground.

 

Dennis -- thanks for the link to the high res image. Looks even more fantastic close up, and it's nice to get a better view on how you handled the different textures in the drawing.

[daniellem]

One thing I forgot to mention with the whole "doing multiple versions of a sketch" thing. I used to be very impatient with drawing, and as such I think my ability to truly "see" the subject suffered quite a bit. I'm much more patient these days, and find that in doing multiple versions of a sketch, it is teaching me how to be a better observer -- to really look at the details that I missed on the first try or that I didn't understand how to render right away. Anyone else ever experience this?

[notbob]

.....find that in doing multiple versions of a sketch, it is teaching me how to be a better observer -- to really look at the details that I missed on the first try or that I didn't understand how to render right away. Anyone else ever experience this?

 

Absolutely. I find myself to be an impossibly impatient artist. I want to render what I imagine, quickly and effortlessly. The sad truth is, I'm far too much of an amateur to possess the necessary skills. But, I find that if I slow down and focus, jes like calligraphy and handwriting, I can actually do a decent job. How well it turns out is directly proportional to how much effort I'm willing to put into it.

 

Hopefully, the desired abilities will come with practice and doing multiple versions is definitely practice. How many times does one do the same thing? Until one is satisfied with the results or grows weary of doing it. That's a question only you can answer.

[Paddler]

I have been playing with the two vanishing points idea. It seems to me that the distance between vanishing points determines the distance at which one must view the picture. It is like using different focal length lenses in a camera; the shorter the lens and the shorter the distance between vanishing points, the closer you must be to the picture without seeing distortion. Camera lenses are symmetrical. When I try to use vanishing points that are separated vertically, however, things begin to look really crazy. Why do VPs have to be separated horizontally?

[Dennis W]

The horizon in a drawing is normally equidistant from the top or bottom of the drawing along its entirety, ie. “horizontal”. This is how we normally see the world. Drawing the horizon line at a slant “looks odd” to most observers, however it can be used to give the illusion of say someone on an amusement ride or in an airplane doing a stunt where the “viewed” horizon isn’t horizontal. This is not easy to pull off in a drawing and usually one would need to employ a device to let the viewer know where he/she is and what is going on. For example, if the drawing is from the inside of a airplane cockpit looking through the window, the cockpit part of the drawing needs to display a normal horizon while the view from the window does not.

 

The same applies when using two vanishing points for a “normal” drawing. They need to be on a “normal” horizon line, ie horizontal. Their distance apart does in fact determine the apparent distance of the subject from the viewer, but to not have them on a normal horizon looks odd to the observer unless some device is used as in the airplane example above.

 

In a “normal” drawing of a landscape the horizon line is usually about one third of the way down from the top. This provides the view through the eyes of a normal observer. Raising the horizon (even off the page) raises the apparent observer and creates the illusion of being high in the air where the observer is looking down on the subject. For example, this would be used to show someone looking down at a village from high in the mountains. Lowering the horizon line reverses this effect and the observer seems to be looking up at the subject. For example, this would be used to show someone in the village looking up at the mountain top.

 

As to the question “why do VP’s need to be separated horizontally”? If you want the drawing to reflect the view from the eyes of an average standing person, the horizon line needs to be set horizontal to the bottom or top paper edge and at a proper distance from the top (usually 1/3 of the way). Once you move from this standard you introduce distortion into the drawing. This may well be the desired effect. Turn a normal drawing 90 degrees and you have vertical vanishing points, but without some device to allow the observer to know his/her position the picture just looks like it is on its side. Superimpose a cockpit with a normal horizon and the picture now looks believable.

 

Regards,

 

Dennis

[notbob]

. When I try to use vanishing points that are separated vertically, however, things begin to look really crazy. Why do VPs have to be separated horizontally?

 

Perhaps this book will help, along with the others. The book touching more on perspective is Successful Drawing, but they are all brilliant .....and free!

 

http://www.alexhays.com/loomis/

[daniellem]

More Lohan!

 

From "Step by Step Pen & Ink Sketching", exercise 6:

 

 

(Stillman & Birn Epsilon notebook, Waterman 52, Waterman Havana Brown)

 

and exercise 24:

 

 

 

(Waterman Commando with Waterman 5 nib, Scrip Blue-Black ink)

 

I'm definitely feeling rusty and am not particularly thrilled with how either of these turned out, but I did learn quite a bit and it was nice to get back into it. Exercise 6 has some nice tips on how to separate foreground elements from background elements, and exercise 24 was helpful for learning how to draw fur and create a sense of volume.

[weltyj]

I'm definitely feeling rusty and am not particularly thrilled with how either of these turned out, but I did learn quite a bit and it was nice to get back into it. Exercise 6 has some nice tips on how to separate foreground elements from background elements, and exercise 24 was helpful for learning how to draw fur and create a sense of volume.

 

I know that rusty feeling, summer was just a little too much fun ;-) I think you got the essential ideas conveyed in the drawings, and I enjoyed looking at them. I just got a bottle of Waterman's brown. Looking forward to doing some drawing with it myself. I like the shading you did with it on the wagon wheel.

[cybaea]

More Lohan!

 

From "Step by Step Pen & Ink Sketching", exercise 6:

 

 

(Stillman & Birn Epsilon notebook, Waterman 52, Waterman Havana Brown)

 

and exercise 24:

 

 

 

(Waterman Commando with Waterman 5 nib, Scrip Blue-Black ink)

 

I'm definitely feeling rusty and am not particularly thrilled with how either of these turned out, but I did learn quite a bit and it was nice to get back into it. Exercise 6 has some nice tips on how to separate foreground elements from background elements, and exercise 24 was helpful for learning how to draw fur and create a sense of volume.

 

Great! And that grey squirrel is so cute and huggable