since I remember, drawing is my passion but there is something more than it .Every time that I find a pen or a pencil I want to keep it with me . So, for my whole life collecting pen ,pencils,markers.....everything that can draw a line expresses me ,but a few months ago , I watched one of your videos and it inspired me to draw.It took me an hour to do it ;when I finished it,I show it to my family and they loved it .Today I have more than 50 drawings and I just want to say thank you. You are one of my favorite artists. Sincerely,Alejandro Hernandez,40 years old. From CA.
Actually, the main characteristic if "indian ink" is that is is not water based, usually it is lacquer based. It is important to know this, because it will destroy a lot of pens. Pigment inks are not great in many pens, but it won't destroy a pen if you keep up maintenance. Pigment inks often don't run well in fountain pens, because the particles are larger.
I've played with and taught historical calligraphic scripts for over 40 years, and it is so amazing to see someone talk about quill and reed and dip pens as useful tools for drawing. And I have to admit, I never thought a ball point pen would be in any way useful for drawing, except for capturing something quickly, and now I know better. Thank you! I'm experimenting with pen and ink drawing (and watercolor) and find that your book and videos really work for me right now. I wish I'd found you years ago.
The manga artist Takehiko Inoue who created the manga “Vagabond” switched to using brushes about halfway through the manga. There are videos on UA-cam of him using them while illustrating the chapters. I remember watching an interview with him where he said that it was a steep learning curve even for him, and he said that his art suffered for it in the first few chapters after he first started using the brush, until he became accustomed to them. But I have to say, the art that brushes allow you to produce is absolutely beautiful, especially if you work with only black ink, like in the manga. Just look at his work in Vagabond. He is an amazing artist
Incredible amount of ink drawing tools, and useful advice using them. I was always a fan of pen and ink drawings growing up reading The Savage Sword of Conan, the cross hatching and efficiency of lines created a world of depth, design and Destruction!! (Conan is probably my favorite comic book character). Thanks for sharing your tools with us. Cheers!!
I'm new to your videos and really enjoying them. I just received my first set of fineline/technical ink pens today and have been testing them out with doodles to see the different tips sizes while watching this video. It helped me not to feel so intimidated. Thanks so much.
Thanks for this video. This is great because. I've been drawing for 35+ years, and have worked as a graphic designer for 15 years. Now I have a freelance client that wants poster art done in pen and ink, & watercolor, for that authentic look. So this is helpful in getting me re-acquainted with these mediums.
I like your videos a lot. I have to say you sparked something in side me again to pull out some of my old pens and inks to just have fun with it thank you so much my friend would love to see more vids like this it was an easy going video Keep it up. 👌
Thanks Alfonso for the trip down memory lane. Some stuff there people will have forgotten about, good to recap on all those writing instruments. Have got ur books, clearing a space to work on, thanks.
Excellent information, as usual, Alphonso. Thank-you! Just this year, I used different sized twigs dipped in ink, in a Water Media course, that I took. They provided a variety of really fun-looking, thick and thin lines.
Amazing! Multiple times I had to research some topics and when I find out you cover it I look no further. Well structured, calmly explained, objective point of views, extensive... excellent!. Thanks a lot, see you in another video ( I have watched 2 before, forgot to comment but liked! Gesture Drawing Pt1-2).
Most of the more expensive fountain pens are only expensive because they are very ornate and made with pricey materials rather than because they are very high quality, they will probably be of a good quality, too but if you need it to to draw or write rather than to impress your friends you really don't need to look in that price range, just try to go somewhere you can test the pens before buying one. Except if we are talking steno fountainpens (the very flexible ones) because no one writes steno anymore they can get very very expensive since they are not/rarely produced anymore.
I just discovered your channel. You have an excellent narration voice, I can't tell if I am really excited about pens right now or if you're just good at making them interesting!!! :-)
We are all spolied for choice now when it comes to buying pens. There so many different pens on sale, lots of amazing ones to choose from. Ball points are fantastic , they can be used for very light shading..great video, big thumbs up : )
Very good. I especially love the idea of using the water brush. I have created art in watercolor and acrylics but have not tried pen and ink yet. I do love writing with the Bic Velocity. Such a good pen.
Along with great art tips and wisdom I always like the music you put in the videos. I've been waiting for a nice reggae beat. Good job, by far the best way to spend my time on the Tube.
I just drove across Dallas in 100-degree weather to buy a Ruling Pen. It's great for the purpose they're named for - making variable fine or bold lines using a ruler. You can load it up with watercolor or other types of paints, inks, masking fluid with very fine lines, also calligraphy with over a dozen types of shapes. I'm kinda surprised it wasn't in your collection. Great review though. It's always a pleasure to learn from you Dunn.
really interesting video. i can actually feel your passion for drawing only from your words, every instrument is for you "fantastic" and i feel the same when i draw. art is fun! it's not important what you do, but HOW you do. good work bro :D
good video - thanks for putting it together fountain pens CAN be pricey but they don't have to be - for me, the platinum preppy is one of the best drawing pens I've used and it's less than $10; good ink flow and you can even turn the pen over and use the 'back' of the nib for a finer line
8:34 I was obsessed with these dip pens, mainly because one of my tutors said that "real artists" use them and because black India ink is supposedly better for reproduction. But I hate dipping the whole time. Plus, black India ink doesn't seem to work well with Promarkers. So I switched to fineliners and I'll probably never go back to using pen nibs. Fineliners are so much easier to use and when they're waterbased they work perfectly with Promarkers. Great video (again).
I'm about to venture into the world of brush pens and fineliners. I'm thinking of getting that Faber Castell PITT set of 8 seems like a good budget option.
Alphonso, please tell me you have worked out a deal with these pen manufacturers! You just sold me on Sakuras, Copics, Koh-I-noor, Faber Castell, Bamboo, Bic, Pentel, India Ink (from China LOL) even TD Bank and the ever-lasting feather pen!!! OMG This Tutorial was sooo informative and done with your consistently educational flair!! Well done, Sir!! Thank You!!
***** oh, thank you :) I would also like to learn more about quill pens and would appreciate such a video. i'd like to know the kinds to use, ways to sharpen them, and whether they eventually get spoiled when stored - for instance become dry and brittle and not suitable for use. somewhere in a drawer i have several of crow and pheasant ones and hope they can be played with as well?
Kinda distracted by how smooth his hands are... but on a more serious note, thank you for this video! I've been drawing for years, but I've always avoided inking or using pens as I never seem to get the right one for my works. They all end up messy and just trash. Thanks to this, I know which ones to use and which ones to experiment with!
Thank you for taking your time and come up with these very informative videos. We'll begging our drawing journey using your videos. I Just found your channel. I would love to see part 2 video about paper, pencil etc. I don't find it. Did you made it?
things I like to add: the fountainpen, I am most comfortable with because as a "lefty" I have a hard time drawing with feathers and dipping pens. it is my understanding that you use india ink by Windsor&Newton and as far as its my experience goes, if you use india ink in a fountain pen, it dries up pretty quick and renders the pen useless also the original ink inside these cartridges is usually not waterproof. however and this took me a while to find out there is another ink by W&N plainly called "drawing ink", that is also waterproof not as black as india but perfect for fountain pens. I say this specially for people living outside the states because in america you can get a much easier a greater variety of inks that work with fountainpens that also are waterproof like Noodlers for example.
What I really wish for is a tool that combines a brush with a technical pen. You could use it to create fine lines by pressing normally and thicker lines by pressing extra hard. I love technical pens for being fine, but hate them for the same line every time. I love the brush for how flexible and elegant and varied it is, but hate it for giving me a hard time with more thick lines than I asked for.
Thank you for this intro to drawing tools video, Alphonso. I always get confused which ink to use for dip pen and which for fountain pen. Could you help with this please?!
Mind of Watercolor recommended your book. I will buy it and am happy that you have videos that will help me learn better the book by watching your videos. Just getting started in pen and ink, so it's nice to see it as well as having the book. Thank you!
Good video. There is one pen you missed and it is one of my favorites and that is the gell pen. I have a problem with ball points in that my fingers secret an oil on the paper making it difficult for ball points to go over. I have less or no problem with gell pens. I also like crow quills (a dip pen). I discovered that crow quills come in two varieties ridged and flexible. I favored the flexible.
It's really interesting, because in french we actually call Indian ink: Chinese ink. Because of this, for the longest time I thought they were two different types of inks.
Thanks for the videos as always! Many people say that the Copic multiliner SP are better than Microns overall.. I've used only Microns to that point so I am looking for an experienced opinion, thanks!
Thanks for the vid', be it a reminder for some people or a new perspective for others. I would have possibly added a toothbrush, as the effect you get from it( when doing splashes) is very special and cannot be reproduce with any other tool (well... as far as I know ^^). Having worked in a design office for years, I can say that technical pens ( your Rapidograph pen) are a bit dodgy to refill or even use on the long term. Refilling them can be messy, splashing ink around (and fingers ...) and the flow may not become consistent overtime. Even with brands like Rotring or Steadler which used to be the main brands before the coming of computers and CAD softwares. That said, I'm still using my bamboo pen and feather pen for calligraphy purposes, along with various inks. Definitely a special feeling, almost sexy :P Just for information, water brushes seem to be widely used here in Florence Italy. Of course, italians are breathing, eating and drinking art every day but they seem anyways to have found ink and water brushes very useful for leaving their inspiration and imagination go wild ^^
To line basically all of my drawings I use the Micron pens, but I tend to take supplies with me everywhere and having pens with various line widths takes up more space than I'd like. would you say it's possible to eliminate the need for as many pens by using a fountain pen instead, while still getting a good about of line variability?
It would be great to insert at the end a final short summary by drawing the same lines styles in the same sequence of their appearance ? As well it would help to list them 1...10 with names and the minute they are shown in the video for later repetition, thx for taking the time to show them all. ;) My personal view is, you just need 5x flexible pens with diff. styles and practice different power to create small to big lines. But this is of course up to each of us to test at hime ;)
What you forgot to mention is that with a nib it is next to impossible to draw up and to the sides. When you are actually drawing and not just demonstrating line width to students, that sucks a lot.
NotOrdinaryInGames It happens and what I do though is rotate the nib and adjust my arm a bit so its like I'm drawing upside down or sometimes just rotate the drawing altogether, but youre right it can be an inconvenience
hi, Alphonso! Have you tried pentel brush sign pen? I haven't. Just askin your opinion whether you've done it or not. Sakura brush pen is too soft in my opinion and seemingly I bought a bit wrong one cause it doubles at the end of the tip and everything drawn looks quite terrible. I tried to cut it a bit, didn't really help. Really useless pen =/ only for covering some areas. Speaking of the harshness, I think that Faber-Castell brush pen gives more control here. I haven't found prismacolor in my area(only on amazon) and haven't tried copic due to the price tag which is a bit too high. Nonetheless, the initial question was about pentel :D Did you like it? what's the feeling? And are prismacolor and colic harder than sakura?
Thank you so much!! This video was really really helpful. Can't find your Part 2. Look VERY forward to watching it. :D Also, does it matter what width the tips are? Fine VS Medium?
In french "indian ink" is called Encre de Chine aka ink from China. It got me confused when i first watched art videos because i couldnt find indian ink anywhere here xD
Very interesting video!!! With your experience of drawing and toold using, what would you recommand to have a bit of line thickness variation, just like G-pen but without having to dip the tool. I don't really like brushes neither, becaus I like to feel paper feedback/contact. I heard some microns and other can have similar effect. But not sure wich pen to use. any suggestion? Thanks
Great video. Great way to get an idea of different instruments without them in the hand. Regarding the nib pens, is there a particular kit you can recommend? I have a Sakura pigma brush pen but the tip frayed very quickly. Can you let me know if you find the copic brush pens more durable? A part of me thinks that all felt tip pens would share the same fate...
I feel like you sold the round nib short. The round nib dip pen’s strength is in creating a bold and uniform line quality. The size you are using here is better for doing a large drawing, poster size. The smallest sized round nibs are great for doing a “clair ligne” style, similar to Mucha and Hergé. Using it to do fill ins with ink is not as good as using a brush. A good brush has much more control for that.
Cheers Alfonso Dun, an Scholar who values historical knowledge . Informative also , QALAM “reed pen.” Qalam (قلم) is a common name for a reed (nay/ney, نی), a perennial plant of the grass family (Gramineae), after its hollow stem is cut and a nib is formed on the tip for calligraphy purposes. In Persian poetry, kelk and ḵāma are used too. Qalam comes from various natural habitats. Master caligrapher Jaʿfar Tabrizi (fl. 9th/15th cent.), quoted by Ḥabib-Allāh Fażāʾeli , named wāṣeṭi reeds of Wasit in eastern Iraq and āmuyi reeds of the Āmu Daryā (Oxus River) as the best reeds for calligraphy and considered baṣri (of Basra in southern Iraq) and māzandarāni reeds (of Māzandarān in northern Iran) to be of little value. Širāziand aṣqar-e Ahvāz reeds, both of southern Iran, were later added to the list of reeds . The strong yet flexible reed from Dezful in southwest Iran is considered the best for calligraphy. The reed growers in the Dezful area, often farming in marshlands and damp habitats, are called qalambor, literally, the one who cuts ney to make qalam . Superior Dezfuli reeds are limited in growth of diameter, not exceeding the size of an index finger, which makes them unsuitable for larger size calligraphy. In contrast, ḵeyzarān reeds from Caspian Sea shores, practically unlimited in growth, are popular for larger size calligraphy. They are hard and inflexible, not quite rounded, and have a flat area suitable for making the nib . Reeds with short joints from Gonbad-e Kāvus and Lāhijān are also suitable for larger size calligraphy. Length, thickness, diameter, and dryness are the key factors in selecting a reed for qalam. A reed for calligraphy should be 12 to 16 fingers long. Longer qalams may interfere with the calligrapher’s shoulder, while shorter ones are often inconvenient to hold. Reeds should be round, not oval, in cross-section. The thickness of a reed should be comparable to fingers. The preferred reed has a bigger diameter at the bottom, shifting smoothly to smaller diameter toward the top. The reed should be clean and fresh with a straight grain. Desirable is a contrast of colour between the bright white inside and the spotless red outside. Dryer reeds make a sound with sharper pitch when dropped from a height of 30 cm onto a hard surface, indicating that they are free of cracks and suitable for making the nib. Heavier reeds with smaller inner space have more area for forming a nib. In general, reeds that are round, straight, dry, and strong with fuller body have potential to be made into qalams . The reparation of reeds for calligraphy, most applicable to dezfuli reeds. Reeds are cut off plants approximately 25 cm long, after the leaves have turned yellow and joints are fully grown. They are cut down further to the individual joints and bundled together to avoid warps during the drying process. Dried reeds are buried in bull’s excrement to get hardened by its methanol content, before they are washed and further prepared for use as ney qalams. Jean Chardin, the 17th-century French traveler, recalls that reeds in Mesopotamia “are cut in March, tied in bundles, laid six months in a manure heap, where they assume a beautiful colour, mottled yellow and black. Not all reeds prepared as such will necessarily turn into very good qalams. To cut a reed and form a nib, one must proceed through several stages of preparation . A reed pen is cut off obliquely. The soft inside part is shaved away by means of a knife laid flat against it, leaving the hard outer shell. The sides are trimmed and the nib is laid, back up, on the slab, and the tip is cut off at a slant into a nib. A short longitudinal slit (fāq-e qalam) is made in the middle of the tip. A pencil or a brush-handle, held under the nib, is gently twitched upwards to lengthen the slit. This encourages better flow of ink, when the tip is pressed on the surface. A right-handed person presses the left thumbnail against the back of the pen, about 2 cm from the tip, to prevent it from splitting too far up . The nib is laid, back up, on the slab, and the tip is cut off vertically at an angle of about 70° to the shaft, removing the first rough slit . A thin strip of tin or clock spring, as wide as the nib and about 5 cm in length, is folded into a “spring” . The spring is inserted into the pen, and the loop is “sprung” into place . The flat loop holds the ink in the pen, while the point should be about 3 mm from the end of the nib. The reed pen produces very powerful, stubby strokes. It leaves intense lines of ink when full, but a speckled linear trace when dry. Qalams may be categorized by tip size, comparable to modern font sizes: qalam-e ḡobār (dust), up to 0.5 mm; qalam-e ḵafi (small), 0.5 to 0.75 mm; qalam-e ketābat (book writing), 0.75 to 1.5 mm; qalam-e sar-faṣli (headings), 1.5 to 2 mm; qalam-e mašqi (practice, most common), 2 to 6 mm; qalam-e jali ṣafḥa (large), 6 mm to 20 mm; and qalam-e katiba (inscription), more than 20 mm defines some terms related to the reed pen: a dong is one-sixth of the tip width and šeš (six) dong refers to the full nib; meydān(field) or ʿarż (width) is the length of the cut area to the tip; and waḥši (wild, savage) and ensi (human) refer to the right and left corners of the tip, respectively, while meydān is facing down. For descriptions of qalamtarāš (penknife), qaṭṭ (the tip of the nib), qaṭṭzan (nib cutter), qaṭṭzani (nib cutting) and qalamdān (pen case), see CALLIGRAPHY. Reeds are periodically dipped back into the inkwell (dawāt) containing ink (morakkab) and wadding (liqa, porz). After writing, the nib should be cleaned with a cloth of wool or silk to prevent ink from drying on it. Qalams from animal sources, quills, are often made from the primary wing-feathers of large birds such as geese, swans, or turkeys. The left wing is favored by right-handed users, because the feathers curve out to the right, away from the pen-holding hand, and vice versa for left-handed users ). They have some sort of hair on the tip and are often used by painters and illustrators . The quill is also used for small writing with ink as a dip pen, after it is cut down to 20-25 cm and the barbs are stripped off. The nib already has a slit about 5 mm, which is usually sufficient. The tip of quill is cut off obliquely to the slit, like a reed pen, forming an angle of about 70o with the line of the shift . The hollow shaft of the feather acts as an ink reservoir, and ink flows to the tip by capillary action. Dear readers below link contains valuable knowledge of Antiquities Calligraphy Tools, photos and List of Persian (Iranian)Calligraphy Tools as below : persiancalligraphy.org/History-of-Calligraphy.html - Persian Calligraphy Pen (Qalam Ney) - Pen Sharpener (Qalam-Taraash) - Nib-Finishing Pad (Qat-Zan) - Ink (Morakkab) - Ink Container (Davaat) - Silky Ink-Controller (Liqeh) - Paper (Kaaqaz) - Writing Pad (Zir-Dasti) Cheers
Thanks for the video I was planning to buy a fountain pen or a nib pen but after watching the video I think I should start with brushes they’re kinda my thing and I’m used to use them with watercolors and gouache I think it would be a nice transition. The funny think is that I totally forgot using brushes was an option when drawing with ink even though I’ve already used them before with the mentality of doing a black and white watercolor but instead using black ink XD. Also wanted to ask if you had usen bleach with ink I’ve seen people using them and looks awesome
I'm told, with dip pen nibs.. when they are new, you have to flame them with a match to remove some kind of coating placed on during manufacture. If you don't you won't be satisfied with their performance. Any comments?
Love your work!...is there paper used for pen and ink, like there is for watercolor?, or is ink added to what ever paper one is working on?...I laughed also at the Illuminati comment also!LOL
+char deplate watercolor paper is fine but any paper is fine. However, if you wish to do mixed media or combine it with wet media then you may want to get something heavy weight and somewhat smooth
Truth monger Too many to count..I admire many things about many artists, sometimes an approach, other times an attitude, and sometimes little to actually do with their work, but the person
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
since I remember, drawing is my passion but there is something more than it .Every time that I find a pen or a pencil I want to keep it with me . So, for my whole life collecting pen ,pencils,markers.....everything that can draw a line expresses me ,but a few months ago , I watched one of your videos and it inspired me to draw.It took me an hour to do it ;when I finished it,I show it to my family and they loved it .Today I have more than 50 drawings and I just want to say thank you. You are one of my favorite artists. Sincerely,Alejandro Hernandez,40 years old. From CA.
Nice testimonial man!
Been a few years, hows it going now buddy?
Actually, the main characteristic if "indian ink" is that is is not water based, usually it is lacquer based. It is important to know this, because it will destroy a lot of pens. Pigment inks are not great in many pens, but it won't destroy a pen if you keep up maintenance. Pigment inks often don't run well in fountain pens, because the particles are larger.
I've played with and taught historical calligraphic scripts for over 40 years, and it is so amazing to see someone talk about quill and reed and dip pens as useful tools for drawing. And I have to admit, I never thought a ball point pen would be in any way useful for drawing, except for capturing something quickly, and now I know better. Thank you! I'm experimenting with pen and ink drawing (and watercolor) and find that your book and videos really work for me right now. I wish I'd found you years ago.
The manga artist Takehiko Inoue who created the manga “Vagabond” switched to using brushes about halfway through the manga. There are videos on UA-cam of him using them while illustrating the chapters. I remember watching an interview with him where he said that it was a steep learning curve even for him, and he said that his art suffered for it in the first few chapters after he first started using the brush, until he became accustomed to them. But I have to say, the art that brushes allow you to produce is absolutely beautiful, especially if you work with only black ink, like in the manga. Just look at his work in Vagabond. He is an amazing artist
brush work can be truly beautiful
Very informative! Thank you. I'm going to attempt making my own bamboo quill pen since I have bamboo trees in the yard :)
wow! Lucky you!
India Ink is called so, because the materials used to make the black pigment were sourced from India, despite its invention in China
+Josh Araujo yes
Incredible amount of ink drawing tools, and useful advice using them. I was always a fan of pen and ink drawings growing up reading The Savage Sword of Conan, the cross hatching and efficiency of lines created a world of depth, design and Destruction!! (Conan is probably my favorite comic book character). Thanks for sharing your tools with us. Cheers!!
A hand drawing video would be greatly appreciated!! Or maybe you have one I haven't seen?
I may have one
I'm new to your videos and really enjoying them. I just received my first set of fineline/technical ink pens today and have been testing them out with doodles to see the different tips sizes while watching this video. It helped me not to feel so intimidated. Thanks so much.
This is really cool. Thank you for going over all of these ink drawing instruments.
+Caleb Martinez youre welcome. I will continue
Thanks for this video. This is great because. I've been drawing for 35+ years, and have worked as a graphic designer for 15 years. Now I have a freelance client that wants poster art done in pen and ink, & watercolor, for that authentic look. So this is helpful in getting me re-acquainted with these mediums.
I like your videos a lot. I have to say you sparked something in side me again to pull out some of my old pens and inks to just have fun with it thank you so much my friend would love to see more vids like this it was an easy going video
Keep it up. 👌
Thanks Alfonso for the trip down memory lane. Some stuff there people will have forgotten about, good to recap on all those writing instruments. Have got ur books, clearing a space to work on, thanks.
Excellent information, as usual, Alphonso. Thank-you!
Just this year, I used different sized twigs dipped in ink, in a Water Media course, that I took. They provided a variety of really fun-looking, thick and thin lines.
Sounds like fun! :-)
Thx for the effort in this video..
Helped me to appreciate and be ok with what I already have and that it's ok to explore other tools as I go!
exactly! Glad you got what I intended
Amazing! Multiple times I had to research some topics and when I find out you cover it I look no further. Well structured, calmly explained, objective point of views, extensive... excellent!. Thanks a lot, see you in another video ( I have watched 2 before, forgot to comment but liked! Gesture Drawing Pt1-2).
+Sail Boat Thanks much! :-)
Most of the more expensive fountain pens are only expensive because they are very ornate and made with pricey materials rather than because they are very high quality, they will probably be of a good quality, too but if you need it to to draw or write rather than to impress your friends you really don't need to look in that price range, just try to go somewhere you can test the pens before buying one.
Except if we are talking steno fountainpens (the very flexible ones) because no one writes steno anymore they can get very very expensive since they are not/rarely produced anymore.
👍
I agree. There's lots of cheap fountain pens, at least here where I live. They're quite good and cost even 5 euros.
I just discovered your channel. You have an excellent narration voice, I can't tell if I am really excited about pens right now or if you're just good at making them interesting!!! :-)
***** lol they are cool! Give them a shot
***** i have a question. how do i highlight the eyes, i mean how you add the white light in eyes
.
I use a white jelly roll pen from Sakura but several other brands offer alternatives you can try out
can it correct your mistakes?
Thank you for the amazing presentation of
pen and ink art materials of the primitive age to the present.
Glad you found it useful
We are all spolied for choice now when it comes to buying pens. There so many different pens on sale, lots of amazing ones to choose from. Ball points are fantastic , they can be used for very light shading..great video, big thumbs up : )
The dip pens look fun and skilful
They are
Thanks for the insights! I love using dip pens and never tried a fountain pen. It looks like I should be in for a treat.
In germany I had to use a fountain pen for regular tasks lol, love them. If your looking for more styles check out German companies
Very good. I especially love the idea of using the water brush. I have created art in watercolor and acrylics but have not tried pen and ink yet. I do love writing with the Bic Velocity. Such a good pen.
+Judith Hamilton I like that pen too : )
It is. I let a lady borrow mine once and she loved the smoothness of it.
Along with great art tips and wisdom I always like the music you put in the videos. I've been waiting for a nice reggae beat. Good job, by far the best way to spend my time on the Tube.
Thank you : )
being so new to this art I found this to be fascinating, Thank you and I love the bamboo pen that was cool!
Thanks much...I hope you'll be able to explore all of them eventually
I just drove across Dallas in 100-degree weather to buy a Ruling Pen. It's great for the purpose they're named for - making variable fine or bold lines using a ruler. You can load it up with watercolor or other types of paints, inks, masking fluid with very fine lines, also calligraphy with over a dozen types of shapes. I'm kinda surprised it wasn't in your collection. Great review though. It's always a pleasure to learn from you Dunn.
I’ll have to grab one
really interesting video. i can actually feel your passion for drawing only from your words, every instrument is for you "fantastic" and i feel the same when i draw. art is fun! it's not important what you do, but HOW you do. good work bro :D
Fabio Casaccia thanks much...:-)
Brilliant Video plus excellent wisdom and advice. Thank you sir!
Thanks
good video - thanks for putting it together
fountain pens CAN be pricey but they don't have to be - for me, the platinum preppy is one of the best drawing pens I've used and it's less than $10; good ink flow and you can even turn the pen over and use the 'back' of the nib for a finer line
thank you very much one of the most informative videos i have ever seen
Ayman AE no worries
your voice is so soothing...
Thank you Dunno. primitive manuscript pens are great.
+m. divakara babu very welcome
8:34 I was obsessed with these dip pens, mainly because one of my tutors said that "real artists" use them and because black India ink is supposedly better for reproduction. But I hate dipping the whole time. Plus, black India ink doesn't seem to work well with Promarkers. So I switched to fineliners and I'll probably never go back to using pen nibs. Fineliners are so much easier to use and when they're waterbased they work perfectly with Promarkers.
Great video (again).
I have watched a lot of your, videos, everyone excellent, including your tutorials, which you explain well and obviously you are a fantastic artist 🎨
I'm about to venture into the world of brush pens and fineliners. I'm thinking of getting that Faber Castell PITT set of 8 seems like a good budget option.
I draw a man with reed pen recently. It is first try for me. Thank you for your info.
Alphonso, please tell me you have worked out a deal with these pen manufacturers! You just sold me on Sakuras, Copics, Koh-I-noor, Faber Castell, Bamboo, Bic, Pentel, India Ink (from China LOL) even TD Bank and the ever-lasting feather pen!!! OMG This Tutorial was sooo informative and done with your consistently educational flair!! Well done, Sir!! Thank You!!
Leo Felco Thanks. Glad you could take much from it :-)
please make a quill pen tutorial!! that's something my husband and i would both love to learn.
:-) Thats definitely on the list
*****
oh, thank you :) I would also like to learn more about quill pens and would appreciate such a video. i'd like to know the kinds to use, ways to sharpen them, and whether they eventually get spoiled when stored - for instance become dry and brittle and not suitable for use. somewhere in a drawer i have several of crow and pheasant ones and hope they can be played with as well?
Kinda distracted by how smooth his hands are... but on a more serious note, thank you for this video! I've been drawing for years, but I've always avoided inking or using pens as I never seem to get the right one for my works. They all end up messy and just trash. Thanks to this, I know which ones to use and which ones to experiment with!
Glad I could help : )
Thank you SO MUCH for presenting this information, I am first starting out with art and pen and ink drawing and this was immensely helpful!
3126 Brooklyn just take your time and be patient with yourself
This is awesome information, definitely going to get a Sakura set soon then possibly upgrade to a rapidograph they look nice.
you'll enjoy them
thank you this video is really informing it really helps that you draw and explaing each one
Thank you for taking your time and come up with these very informative videos. We'll begging our drawing journey using your videos. I Just found your channel. I would love to see part 2 video about paper, pencil etc. I don't find it. Did you made it?
This is day number 3 enjoying your UA-cam channel. I am recently retired and learning to draw, you are a treasure !
Great Video! Very informative and rare to youtube.
Thanks for the tips on drawing materials. A lot to choose from. I'm a beginner but I do like more and more drawing and your channel is great! :)
Keep exploring
Thanks man, i've been drawing a lot since i started watching your vids. and now i wanna try all of those instruments hahaha!
Alejo Suarez You definitely should
and i'll probably will, but i'll get the cheap ones first!
I would too...in case its not in your liking lol
things I like to add: the fountainpen, I am most comfortable with because as a "lefty" I have a hard time drawing with feathers and dipping pens. it is my understanding that you use india ink by Windsor&Newton and as far as its my experience goes, if you use india ink in a fountain pen, it dries up pretty quick and renders the pen useless also the original ink inside these cartridges is usually not waterproof. however and this took me a while to find out there is another ink by W&N plainly called "drawing ink", that is also waterproof not as black as india but perfect for fountain pens. I say this specially for people living outside the states because in america you can get a much easier a greater variety of inks that work with fountainpens that also are waterproof like Noodlers for example.
yup you're right :-)
Thank you fir this amazing video. It really helped me choose what I want to use.
Surprised to not see the pentel brush pen here, it's a brush with a cartridge that is excellent.
+hansendesigns I like it too :-)
Very informative. I do most of my stuff with pencil so this is kind of empowering to experiment.
Thanks for sharing!
twicebitten thasme no problem...you should definitely experiment
What I really wish for is a tool that combines a brush with a technical pen. You could use it to create fine lines by pressing normally and thicker lines by pressing extra hard. I love technical pens for being fine, but hate them for the same line every time. I love the brush for how flexible and elegant and varied it is, but hate it for giving me a hard time with more thick lines than I asked for.
NotOrdinaryInGames ditto!
Have you already done the drawing with one of those dip pens? That would be great. Wonderful channel!
Yea but more is coming up
Thank you for this intro to drawing tools video, Alphonso. I always get confused which ink to use for dip pen and which for fountain pen. Could you help with this please?!
+Iryna Boehland pigment based ink generally for dip pens and dye based inks generally for fountain pens.
It does make sense! Thank you for your quick reply.
What about crystal glass dip pens
They are great and hold a lot of ink 👌
Mind of Watercolor recommended your book. I will buy it and am happy that you have videos that will help me learn better the book by watching your videos. Just getting started in pen and ink, so it's nice to see it as well as having the book. Thank you!
Yay been waiting so long for this thanks alphonso! :D
:-)
im REALLY digging that Reed Pen :o so cool
Shukar Parkin get one...or make one lol
Lol oh I will
Good video.
There is one pen you missed and it is one of my favorites and that is the gell pen. I have a problem with ball points in that my fingers secret an oil on the paper making it difficult for ball points to go over. I have less or no problem with gell pens. I also like crow quills (a dip pen). I discovered that crow quills come in two varieties ridged and flexible. I favored the flexible.
I've been practicing with black gel pens while following your videos. Cheaper substitute for technical pens :)
lol smart idea
TD Bank pens are so rad for drawing- and they're free! LOL
GoddaM777 yupppers
27:12 and thats their main problem :)
Amazing video!!
What about gel pens?
It's really interesting, because in french we actually call Indian ink: Chinese ink. Because of this, for the longest time I thought they were two different types of inks.
+soylocaaa lol I guess you were right all along
Thanks for the videos as always!
Many people say that the Copic multiliner SP are better than Microns overall.. I've used only Microns to that point so I am looking for an experienced opinion, thanks!
Thanks for the vid', be it a reminder for some people or a new perspective for others.
I would have possibly added a toothbrush, as the effect you get from it( when doing splashes) is very special and cannot be reproduce with any other tool (well... as far as I know ^^).
Having worked in a design office for years, I can say that technical pens ( your Rapidograph pen) are a bit dodgy to refill or even use on the long term. Refilling them can be messy, splashing ink around (and fingers ...) and the flow may not become consistent overtime. Even with brands like Rotring or Steadler which used to be the main brands before the coming of computers and CAD softwares.
That said, I'm still using my bamboo pen and feather pen for calligraphy purposes, along with various inks. Definitely a special feeling, almost sexy :P
Just for information, water brushes seem to be widely used here in Florence Italy. Of course, italians are breathing, eating and drinking art every day but they seem anyways to have found ink and water brushes very useful for leaving their inspiration and imagination go wild ^^
Thanks for sharing that! Real insightful :-)
This is a great video, i wish i found this a few months ago!!
🙂
To line basically all of my drawings I use the Micron pens, but I tend to take supplies with me everywhere and having pens with various line widths takes up more space than I'd like. would you say it's possible to eliminate the need for as many pens by using a fountain pen instead, while still getting a good about of line variability?
Steno pens are supposed to be pretty flexible but hard to get your hands on without spending 100€+.
Great tutorial - really informative. Thank you!
it's really amazing video.
Great vid Alphonso!!
thanks
hey alphonso can u please make a video on how you start sketching
It would be great to insert at the end a final short summary by drawing the same lines styles in the same sequence of their appearance ?
As well it would help to list them 1...10 with names and the minute they are shown in the video for later repetition, thx for taking the time to show them all. ;)
My personal view is, you just need 5x flexible pens with diff. styles and practice different power to create small to big lines.
But this is of course up to each of us to test at hime ;)
Definitely
@@alphonsodunn is it a "yes" ? ; )
The list is already there, just the video minutes needs to be added , thx for explaining
What you forgot to mention is that with a nib it is next to impossible to draw up and to the sides. When you are actually drawing and not just demonstrating line width to students, that sucks a lot.
NotOrdinaryInGames It happens and what I do though is rotate the nib and adjust my arm a bit so its like I'm drawing upside down or sometimes just rotate the
drawing altogether, but youre right it can be an inconvenience
hi, Alphonso!
Have you tried pentel brush sign pen? I haven't. Just askin your opinion whether you've done it or not. Sakura brush pen is too soft in my opinion and seemingly I bought a bit wrong one cause it doubles at the end of the tip and everything drawn looks quite terrible. I tried to cut it a bit, didn't really help. Really useless pen =/ only for covering some areas.
Speaking of the harshness, I think that Faber-Castell brush pen gives more control here.
I haven't found prismacolor in my area(only on amazon) and haven't tried copic due to the price tag which is a bit too high.
Nonetheless, the initial question was about pentel :D Did you like it? what's the feeling?
And are prismacolor and colic harder than sakura?
and the same question regarding Zig.
Thank you in advance!
+Joe Pole prisma and copic are so widely available you should be able to try them in-store
I usually use paint brushes in my drawings, but would love to see u do
a tutorial on those.
on paint brushes?
yeah, well I use DaVinci brushes with Indian ink
Thank you so much!! This video was really really helpful. Can't find your Part 2. Look VERY forward to watching it. :D Also, does it matter what width the tips are? Fine VS Medium?
Rebekah Simpson Thanks much. I think it depends on several things like, the subject, the size of the drawing, your comfort level, and so on
In french "indian ink" is called Encre de Chine aka ink from China. It got me confused when i first watched art videos because i couldnt find indian ink anywhere here xD
Lol
Very interesting video!!! With your experience of drawing and toold using, what would you recommand to have a bit of line thickness variation, just like G-pen but without having to dip the tool.
I don't really like brushes neither, becaus I like to feel paper feedback/contact. I heard some microns and other can have similar effect. But not sure wich pen to use.
any suggestion? Thanks
Great video. Great way to get an idea of different instruments without them in the hand. Regarding the nib pens, is there a particular kit you can recommend? I have a Sakura pigma brush pen but the tip frayed very quickly. Can you let me know if you find the copic brush pens more durable? A part of me thinks that all felt tip pens would share the same fate...
Juliette9876 i couldnt tell which is more durable, but of course theres nothing like a good brush, and ink
i use those nib/dip type pens ,but they take alot of practice to make work
they do
...Part 2? Coming soon-ish? :) THX for these!!!
I feel like you sold the round nib short. The round nib dip pen’s strength is in creating a bold and uniform line quality. The size you are using here is better for doing a large drawing, poster size. The smallest sized round nibs are great for doing a “clair ligne” style, similar to Mucha and Hergé. Using it to do fill ins with ink is not as good as using a brush. A good brush has much more control for that.
Interesting points
Cheers Alfonso Dun, an Scholar who values historical knowledge .
Informative also ,
QALAM “reed pen.” Qalam (قلم) is a common name for a reed (nay/ney, نی), a perennial plant of the grass family (Gramineae), after its hollow stem is cut and a nib is formed on the tip for calligraphy purposes.
In Persian poetry, kelk and ḵāma are used too.
Qalam comes from various natural habitats. Master caligrapher Jaʿfar Tabrizi (fl. 9th/15th cent.), quoted by Ḥabib-Allāh Fażāʾeli , named wāṣeṭi reeds of Wasit in eastern Iraq and āmuyi reeds of the Āmu Daryā (Oxus River) as the best reeds for calligraphy and considered baṣri (of Basra in southern Iraq) and māzandarāni reeds (of Māzandarān in northern Iran) to be of little value. Širāziand aṣqar-e Ahvāz reeds, both of southern Iran, were later added to the list of reeds .
The strong yet flexible reed from Dezful in southwest Iran is considered the best for calligraphy. The reed growers in the Dezful area, often farming in marshlands and damp habitats, are called qalambor, literally, the one who cuts ney to make qalam .
Superior Dezfuli reeds are limited in growth of diameter, not exceeding the size of an index finger, which makes them unsuitable for larger size calligraphy. In contrast, ḵeyzarān reeds from Caspian Sea shores, practically unlimited in growth, are popular for larger size calligraphy. They are hard and inflexible, not quite rounded, and have a flat area suitable for making the nib . Reeds with short joints from Gonbad-e Kāvus and Lāhijān are also suitable for larger size calligraphy.
Length, thickness, diameter, and dryness are the key factors in selecting a reed for qalam. A reed for calligraphy should be 12 to 16 fingers long. Longer qalams may interfere with the calligrapher’s shoulder, while shorter ones are often inconvenient to hold. Reeds should be round, not oval, in cross-section. The thickness of a reed should be comparable to fingers. The preferred reed has a bigger diameter at the bottom, shifting smoothly to smaller diameter toward the top. The reed should be clean and fresh with a straight grain. Desirable is a contrast of colour between the bright white inside and the spotless red outside. Dryer reeds make a sound with sharper pitch when dropped from a height of 30 cm onto a hard surface, indicating that they are free of cracks and suitable for making the nib. Heavier reeds with smaller inner space have more area for forming a nib. In general, reeds that are round, straight, dry, and strong with fuller body have potential to be made into qalams .
The reparation of reeds for calligraphy, most applicable to dezfuli reeds. Reeds are cut off plants approximately 25 cm long, after the leaves have turned yellow and joints are fully grown. They are cut down further to the individual joints and bundled together to avoid warps during the drying process. Dried reeds are buried in bull’s excrement to get hardened by its methanol content, before they are washed and further prepared for use as ney qalams. Jean Chardin, the 17th-century French traveler, recalls that reeds in Mesopotamia “are cut in March, tied in bundles, laid six months in a manure heap, where they assume a beautiful colour, mottled yellow and black. Not all reeds prepared as such will necessarily turn into very good qalams.
To cut a reed and form a nib, one must proceed through several stages of preparation . A reed pen is cut off obliquely. The soft inside part is shaved away by means of a knife laid flat against it, leaving the hard outer shell. The sides are trimmed and the nib is laid, back up, on the slab, and the tip is cut off at a slant into a nib. A short longitudinal slit (fāq-e qalam) is made in the middle of the tip. A pencil or a brush-handle, held under the nib, is gently twitched upwards to lengthen the slit. This encourages better flow of ink, when the tip is pressed on the surface. A right-handed person presses the left thumbnail against the back of the pen, about 2 cm from the tip, to prevent it from splitting too far up . The nib is laid, back up, on the slab, and the tip is cut off vertically at an angle of about 70° to the shaft, removing the first rough slit . A thin strip of tin or clock spring, as wide as the nib and about 5 cm in length, is folded into a “spring” . The spring is inserted into the pen, and the loop is “sprung” into place . The flat loop holds the ink in the pen, while the point should be about 3 mm from the end of the nib. The reed pen produces very powerful, stubby strokes. It leaves intense lines of ink when full, but a speckled linear trace when dry.
Qalams may be categorized by tip size, comparable to modern font sizes: qalam-e ḡobār (dust), up to 0.5 mm; qalam-e ḵafi (small), 0.5 to 0.75 mm; qalam-e ketābat (book writing), 0.75 to 1.5 mm; qalam-e sar-faṣli (headings), 1.5 to 2 mm; qalam-e mašqi (practice, most common), 2 to 6 mm; qalam-e jali ṣafḥa (large), 6 mm to 20 mm; and qalam-e katiba (inscription), more than 20 mm defines some terms related to the reed pen: a dong is one-sixth of the tip width and šeš (six) dong refers to the full nib; meydān(field) or ʿarż (width) is the length of the cut area to the tip; and waḥši (wild, savage) and ensi (human) refer to the right and left corners of the tip, respectively, while meydān is facing down. For descriptions of qalamtarāš (penknife), qaṭṭ (the tip of the nib), qaṭṭzan (nib cutter), qaṭṭzani (nib cutting) and qalamdān (pen case), see CALLIGRAPHY. Reeds are periodically dipped back into the inkwell (dawāt) containing ink (morakkab) and wadding (liqa, porz). After writing, the nib should be cleaned with a cloth of wool or silk to prevent ink from drying on it.
Qalams from animal sources, quills, are often made from the primary wing-feathers of large birds such as geese, swans, or turkeys. The left wing is favored by right-handed users, because the feathers curve out to the right, away from the pen-holding hand, and vice versa for left-handed users ). They have some sort of hair on the tip and are often used by painters and illustrators . The quill is also used for small writing with ink as a dip pen, after it is cut down to 20-25 cm and the barbs are stripped off. The nib already has a slit about 5 mm, which is usually sufficient. The tip of quill is cut off obliquely to the slit, like a reed pen, forming an angle of about 70o with the line of the shift . The hollow shaft of the feather acts as an ink reservoir, and ink flows to the tip by capillary action.
Dear readers below link contains valuable knowledge of Antiquities Calligraphy Tools, photos and List of Persian (Iranian)Calligraphy Tools as below : persiancalligraphy.org/History-of-Calligraphy.html
- Persian Calligraphy Pen (Qalam Ney)
- Pen Sharpener (Qalam-Taraash)
- Nib-Finishing Pad (Qat-Zan)
- Ink (Morakkab)
- Ink Container (Davaat)
- Silky Ink-Controller (Liqeh)
- Paper (Kaaqaz)
- Writing Pad (Zir-Dasti)
Cheers
Thanks comrade. Now I won't stand forever in the pen section at stores.
Lol
Thanks for the video I was planning to buy a fountain pen or a nib pen but after watching the video I think I should start with brushes they’re kinda my thing and I’m used to use them with watercolors and gouache I think it would be a nice transition. The funny think is that I totally forgot using brushes was an option when drawing with ink even though I’ve already used them before with the mentality of doing a black and white watercolor but instead using black ink XD.
Also wanted to ask if you had usen bleach with ink I’ve seen people using them and looks awesome
Thanks! What about paper?
I would guess the moniker of “India ink” came from the East India Trading Company from China
I'm told, with dip pen nibs.. when they are new, you have to flame them with a match to remove some kind of coating placed on during manufacture. If you don't you won't be satisfied with their performance. Any comments?
that is true for some pens, yes
"Makes marks, will draw" should be an artist proverb.
Haha
muy bueno tu canal GRACIAS. QUE BUENO SI TAMBIEN EN ESPAÑOL!
lol Thanks
Sooooo helpful! 👍
thank you, great video
Love your work!...is there paper used for pen and ink, like there is for watercolor?, or is ink added to what ever paper one is working on?...I laughed also at the Illuminati comment also!LOL
+char deplate watercolor paper is fine but any paper is fine. However, if you wish to do mixed media or combine it with wet media then you may want to get something heavy weight and somewhat smooth
What water colour paints are you using please learn slot take care
Why is there mold growing on the surface of my water soluble ink?
Do bamboo pens need to be cleaned and I so , what is the best way to do so ?
Where is the url to Part 2 of this series, Alphonso?
So what artist floats your boat? Who's the artist that makes you say, I wish I could draw like him or her?
Truth monger Too many to count..I admire many things about many artists, sometimes an approach, other times an attitude, and sometimes little to actually do with their work, but the person