How to Use Ink With Brushes
Ink drawing makes most of us think of pens, but there are many other options. Inking with a brush is more difficult than inking with a pen, and requires more concentration. The results are much more expressive, though. Brush inking allows for fluid lines of varying weight, and is responsible for many of the effects we associate with good comic art. Inking your drawings with a brush may be difficult at first, but it'll become second nature with a little practice.
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Things You'll Need
- Small round watercolor brush
- Liquid ink
- Pencil drawing
- Water
- Eraser
- Paper towels (optional)
Instructions
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Prepare for inking. Place a pencil drawing on a smooth, flat surface, like a table or drawing board. Choose drawings on relatively thick paper, as ink can wrinkle thin papers. Illustration board is a classic inking support. Lay out one or more small round brushes. Keep water close by for cleaning your brush.
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Shake the bottle of ink well to mix in the solids. Open it carefully, over a sink, trash can or paper towel, in case of spills. Wet your brush with water and blot excess moisture on a paper towel, a spare piece of paper or your fingers.
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Dip the tip of the brush in the ink. Don't dip the entire brush or allow ink to reach the ferrule (the metal part of the brush), as this will damage the brush over time. Apply ink to the paper along the lines of your pencil sketch. Go slowly and use long strokes to create an elegant line. The graphite will help guide your brush along the paper. Use less pressure on the brush for fine lines, and more pressure for thick ones.
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Re-dip your brush into the ink when the line begins to falter. A brush that's out of ink will feel like it's dragging over the paper, and may produce a ragged looking line. You can use this effect to create texture in drawings, but you shouldn't ink main lines this way.
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Mark an "X" on areas to be filled with black. This allows you to keep track of your darks and lights. Fill dark areas after the main lines have dried.
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Erase pencil lines. Use a kneaded eraser or vinyl eraser to remove visible graphite lines. For best results, wait until all the ink is completely dry before erasing. You may now display your inked image as-is, or color it using markers, colored pencils or paint.
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Tips & Warnings
Clean your brush regularly to maintain clean lines.
Use waterproof ink on pictures you wish to paint later.
Use high quality brushes, such as sables, to prevent lost hairs and misshapen lines.
Remove errors with white ink.
Paint on a level surface where ink won't spill.
Inking with a brush takes time.
Ink stains are difficult to remove.
