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.
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.
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
As a free educational source, Art Prof uses Amazon affiliate links (found in this page) to help pay the bills. This means, Art Prof earns from qualifying purchases.
