Did you know that the pen and ink technique became widespread during the Chinese Tang (618-906) and Song Dynasties (960-1279)? Back then, people used animal hair brushes dipped in colored or black ink. The Western World didn’t stay behind and kept up with the easily accessible art medium. Michelangelo, Leonardo, Dürer, and Filipino Lippi, the mentor of Sandro Botticelli, excessively practiced ink art and created a myriad of drawings, mostly sketches, that are hardly as popular as their masterpieces. By the way, Da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” is a good example of applying ink on paper.

Nowadays, the pen and ink technique hasn’t lost its relevance, and many students and professional artists still use it to hone their skills or create full-fledged artworks. If you have ever wanted to try drawing, the following several tips will help you start making art right away.

Pen and Ink Techniques to Start Making Art Right Away

Get some tools

You probably know that there is a whole variety of pens for ink drawing, but you shouldn’t focus on all of them at once. Don’t invest all your money in it; instead, buy the one that you find comfortable the most. Once you develop your skills, you will be able to buy more pens with different nibs.

Choose your type of strokes

It takes time to learn how to keep control of your pen stroke. Besides, you will want to find out more about the nature of strokes in pen and ink techniques. Whether we talk about circular or cross-hatched strokes, make sure you have spent enough time practicing it by drawing sketches. Only then can you start making your first real drawings.

Learn how to add tones to your drawings

The tone is an essential aesthetic power that makes shadows more natural and thus makes your drawing more realistic overall. Rubbing a tiny bit of water is actually a dirty-cheap and easy trick to take tones to the next level. That’s how you create softer shapes!

Start small and try to enjoy it

Don’t forget that you are only at the beginning of your journey, so your work might not look as professional as expected. Make your mind as flexible as ink and let all your ideas pour onto the paper.

The pen and ink technique is a time-tested introduction to visual arts that every beginner can benefit from a lot. With those tips in your mind, you can open a new door to the world of aesthetics where you might want to stay for good.