Out of everything we've covered so far in the course, ink is what I'm most familiar with. However, as I'll explain, that doesn't mean I've been using it properly or confidently - I have a lot to learn about it, and was keen to develop my skills in this project.
FINELINER
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For years, fineliner has been my go-to medium. I typically favour microns and unipins. Though it's the form of ink I'm most confident with, I was surprised to learn there were so many ways to use them. Inspired by various fineliner pieces I found online, I was ready to look at my old pens from a new perspective. I began by looking up markmaking techniques and examples of their usage. Once I felt comfortable, I tried a few for myself; I focused heavily on capturing texture with appropriate markmaking, and found I need to practice tone and shading. |
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DIP PEN
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Since working with this medium for the first time in first year for the Mervyn Peake study, I've been keen to improve my dip pen skills. I find it a satisfying and versatile medium, and I enjoy the stark contrast of the ink on paper. The main issue I encountered was smudging; I made quite a few mistakes, and kept having to remind myself to work from left to right. |
Another weak point I identified in myself is steadiness. I'm not sure whether my shaky hands are more a physical issue, or a lack of markmaking confidence. After all, ink is permanent; once you've made a mark, you can't erase it. Either way, I plan to practise working more with precarious mediums like ink to improve my steadiness.
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BRUSHWORK
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I have never used a brush to ink before, and this task was especially challenging for me. I struggled even more with the steadiness of my hand than I did using the dip pen. I also had to research brush types and techniques to use with ink; I found oriental ink paintings particularly inspiring. |
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Out of everything I inked for the brush task, what I enjoyed most was the loose study of a grey heron below. I live not ten minutes from the river, and the weir is frequented by otters and all sorts of birds and waterfowl. This young heron was putting on quite a show; I sketched the poses by the weir in the afternoon, and inked them later at home.
ARTIST STUDIES
MERVYN PEAKE
works by Mervyn Peake
I'm greatly fond of Mervyn Peake's work, and was excited to see he was an option for the artist studies. His markmaking is largely done in fine strokes of dip pen; it manages to be both incredibly intricate and delightfully scribbly at the same time. During research, I was particularly surprised and interested to see some of his looser figure drawing sketches; a world away from pieces like 'The Ancient Mariner'.
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Peake has a tendency to exaggerate the eeriest, least attractive features of his subjects, giving his work that dark and brooding look. I tried to replicate this in a rather grim self portrait, and a quick mock of a storybook page about street rats.
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W. HEATH ROBINSON
works by W. Heath Robinson
I'd never looked into the work of W. Heath Robinson before, and was pleasantly surprised to discover his fantastical world. His surreal dreamscapes and recurring theme of mythology were right up my street, and I find his precise use of hatching and linear contour pleasing to the eye. I was most fascinated by how fascinated he seemed to be with fauns and satyrs - these are two of my favourite mythological creatures, also. Below is my attempt at the pagan forest god Cernunnos, inspired by Robinson's style.
LUCINDA ROGERS
works by Lucinda Rogers
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Lucinda Rogers' work is particularly interesting. Her seemingly random fluctuation in line weight seems like it shouldn't work, but somehow does. I especially like her market scenes with fruit, plants and splashes of colour. I have a lot of herbs and houseplants at home, so I decided to try inking something with a similar vibe. On the left is my attempt at some kitchen herbs; I tried to vary my line weight. |
By the end of this task, I felt far more confident with ink than when I started. The technique research and artist studies in particular really opened my eyes to the medium's potential, and gave me a chance to identify my strengths and weaknesses. I now have a better idea of how to move forward and improve my inkwork.