More Inktober - the second half

As I write this, on 24th October, the end of the month is in sight. I have been able to maintain the discipline of doing an ink drawing every day. I must confess that I am now starting to get a little bored and I’m looking forward to November! 

All drawings, with the exception of the collaged portrait, were done in a Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook A5. It’s a favourite for ink because of the smooth plate finish. At 270 gsm the paper is tough and even where there is crazy, heavy cross hatching there is no show through on the  back of the page. 

Amellie from Sktchy - Black BIC ballpoint pen

Amellie II. Using the same Sktchy muse as the previous portrait - this time with watercolour, collage and ink.

Rick N from Sktchy - Pilot Metropolitan F nib, Faber Castell brush pens on gesso. 

Jul Zus  from Sktchy - Pilot Metropolitan F nib with water brush for the wash. 

Pink Roses - Pilot Metropolitan F nib with Daimine Hope Pink and water brush with coloured ballpoint pens.

Mike A from Sktchy - Back to the trusty Black BIC ballpoint pen

Chris Mathews from Sktchy - Black BIC ballpoint pen

Umgeni Reeds I - Lamy Safari 1.5 mm nib with Pelikan Smokey Quartz 


Umgeni Reeds II


Umgeni Reeds 

Gary Dadd from Sktchy - Black BIC ballpoint pen

Spot from Sktchy - Sailor Fude with Sailor red-brown ink.

For the last four days of Inktober I have decided to do a larger drawing, posting as I completed a corner.

Pink Roses - Top LH corner of the last Inktober drawing. 

Bottom LH  corner 

Top RH corner 

Bottom RH corner
And here’s the completed drawing:

Pink Roses - Pilot Metropolitan with Daimine Hope Pink and Waterman Inspired Blue. Water brush for the washes and assorted coloured ball point pens.

I have to admit that last few days have been a struggle. What I have found, though, from the discipline of regular daily drawing, is that I really do enjoy losing myself in an image. The meditative state induced by cross hatching is addictive. Portraits using a simple ballpoint are the most satisfying since the marks have a subtlety not easily achieved with a fountain pen or felt tip pen for that matter.

I think I have found the solution to keeping my interest high and completing some worthwhile drawings. 

I would still plan to draw every day but to do fewer drawings with a more holistic theme. I could perhaps take a few days or a whole week to complete each drawing. At the end of the month I would have a coherent body of work with a meaningful theme instead of 31 disparate drawings. 

Keeping up with Inktober - the first half

So far, so good. It’s twenty three days into October and I have been able to keep to the challenge of drawing in ink each day. Some days it has been a struggle. I knew ahead of time that being true to the offical prompts would be problematic so I decided to draw whatever I felt like if the prompt was not inspiring.

Here is a selection of the drawings. I’ve used a variety of pens and inks, ranging from the humble ballpoint pen to the calligraphic Sailor Fude or brush pen. 

#Poison - ballpoint pen 

Bike at my local cafe - Pilot Metropolitan 

Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens - Sailor Fude pen

Sailor Fude pen with Sailor red/brown ink 

Pilot Metropolitan M nib with De Artramentis Fog Grey #Drool - none here...

Pilot Metropolitan F nib with Daimine Hope Pink #exhausted

Lamy Safari 1.5 mm nib with Pelikan Smokey Quartz #Precious

A series of a biker leaving my local cafe. Sailor Fude, black ink and water brush. 

Pilot Metropolitan F nib De Artramentis Document Black and a water brush for the wash 

 Lamy Safari 1.5 mm nib with Pelikan Smokey Quartz and Pelikan Smokey Quartz #Guarded

A mixture of cheap coloured ballpoint pens. 

Sailor Fude De Artramentis Document Black

BIC ballpoint pen, Pilot Metropolitan with a water brush for the wash. #angular

Please note: all photos taken quickly with a phone - saves time for drawing!

Inktober 2018

October means Inktober, the annual drawing challenge that has been going for a number of years. Jake Parker started this in 2009 to improve his inking and drawing skills. The challenge comes with daily prompts to help keep you on track. 

Perhaps it’s because I have trouble following rules, but I’ve usually lost interest when the given prompts didn’t strike a chord with me. 

This year Sktchy has joined the challenge, using the ‘official’ prompts. Theses are emailed daily to all taking part. Today is always earlier in Australia than everywhere else - except for New Zealand - so the prompts come at the end of the day. I like to get my drawing completed early, or even start a new one the day before, so getting a late prompt has given me a good excuse to do my own thing!
(Yes, I know, I could download the list...)

My challenge is simply to do a portrait in ink every day in October and to date it’s been working well. 

Ink in Hero Bent nib calligraphy pen 

De Artramentis Fog Grey - Pilot Metropolitan Medium nib and water Brush

Digital ink using Procreate - this was drawn on the way from a weekend away. The ride was quite bumpy which added to the scribble effect!

Noodlers Black ink in Pilot Metropolitan fine nib in a Midori notebook. The paper, while quite light, is beautiful to use with a fountain pen - silky and smooth with no feathering or bleed-through. This notebook is available at a wonderful stationery shop, Bookbinders in Brisbane. They stock all kinds of notebooks, pens, ink and writing accessories. 

Ink and water brush in Midori notebook

Black and brown ink with water brush in Midori notebook.

Bic Crystal ballpoint in Alpha softcover sketchbook - using a ballpoint with a light touch mimics the appearance of graphite.

Sam the Sphynx with his special "look" - Fine nib Pilot Metroploitan in Midori notebook - the ears are pink Tombow brush pen, the eyes Inktense green.

Noodlers #41 Brown on Viking drawing paper A6 size

De Artramentis Fog Grey - Pilot Metropolitan Medium nib and water Brush

on Viking drawing paper A6 size

De Artramentis Fog Grey - Pilot Metropolitan Medium nib and water Brush

on Viking drawing paper A6 size.

Aleksandar's portrait

If you're a regular reader you will know that I have been painting and drawing portraits using the Sktchy app for some time. It's quite addictive and the community of artists is encouraging and supportive. And it's really inspiring because there is so much excellent work so there's always a new technique to learn. 

Recently a sale button has been added where artists were able to make their work for sale. I was invited to add some of my work there as well. And then, yesterday, I opened up the app and discovered that my portrait of Aleksander Prokic had a 'Sold' button. 

                           

Aleksander Prokic - ink 8.25" x 10"

The portrait is in ink - for #Inktober* on 170gsm  Hahnemule paper. I used my Platinum Carbon pen which has the finest nib - essential to create the fine lines for that impressive beard. 

#Inktober* is a drawing initiative started by Jake Parker. 

This is what he says on his website:

"Every October, artists all over the world take on the InkTober drawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day the entire month.

I created InkTober in 2009 as a challenge to improve my inking skills and         develop positive drawing habits. It has since grown into a worldwide endeavor with thousands of artists taking on the challenge every year."

Please note: The paper is more off-white/cream rather than this slightly pink shade...