Why I Still Use Traditional Pen and Ink

Absolutely terrifying. That first time in my college drawing class where I was required to draw with traditional pen and ink was an experience I’ll never forget.

I sat in a studio surrounded by twenty other students with a pen in my hand staring at a naked, blank, white sheet of paper. In my mind, I was cursing my drawing professor and myself for it. Suddenly the ten years of experience I had drawing went straight out of the window. Why would anyone enjoy this? It’s messy. It’s permanent. It’s risky. Why use ink when you can use a far more easily managed medium? It took me over twenty-five years to figure it out.

We artists have so many mediums, particularly digital drawing that easily can be erased, deleted, and adjusted, why do I sometimes choose traditional pen and ink? I love the ritual of the process. Drawing with traditional pen and ink is like a sacred ceremony; a connection to the old world while drawing on the modern subject matter.

I first start off by choosing the best pen nib. Pen nibs come in a large assortment of sizes. There are different sized pen holders for the different sized nibs. If it’s a new pen nib, I first burn off the coating. Some pen nib companies coat the steel nibs with oil or other materials to prevent the pen nibs from rusting. I use a lighter to do this; it only takes a few seconds. Let the pen nib cool off naturally for a couple of minutes. Remember to put to pen nib in the pen before doing this. This needs to be done before using the pen with ink because the ink will bead off of the pen nib.

Then I chose the best papers for my ink drawing. I favor Koh-I-Noor Bristol Vellum and Strathmore 500 Series Smooth Bristol board. They're archival, absorbent, bright white, heavy paper. Finding the perfect paper for an ink drawing can be as blissful as creating the drawing.

For my most used ink, black, I use Higgins Black Magic and Higgins India Ink. It is the black hole of black inks; truly the darkest, velvet black ink that is easily acquired. I purchase the large 16 fl. oz. bottle. I don’t recommend purchasing a large bottle of ink unless you really intend on drawing or painting with ink a lot. If the ink isn’t used within a year, once opened, it will dry up over time. For white ink, yes, there’s white ink, I love Higgins white ink. It’s a luscious ink that never clogs. For other colored inks, I also prefer Higgins inks.

Drawing with inks can be a tight wire without a safety net method of creating. It isn’t for everyone. A good half of the people in the world seem to prefer filtered, fake, and unreal imagery, ink drawing can be a rude awakening to that way of life. If a mistake is made with traditional pen and ink, like an unexpected drip, it cannot be erased. The payoff is a more natural and fresh creation. The sticky, sloppy, viscous, permanence of the inks feeds my need for tactile, chancy surfaces. It’s natural and soulful. I dip my pen nib in the ink well and tap off the excess; I draw a series of cross-hatching lines until the ink has been used up from the pen nib. I do this over and over; from the ink well to the paper. The ritual is repeated in immeasurable stretches.

I sometimes use one line, flecks, stippling, or countless cross-hatching strokes to create a drawing. I prefer the measured cross-hatching buildup of textures because I find it more meditative. It’s visual chanting. In a time when smartphones, laptops, televisions, and other devices are constantly pinging, ringing, and, intruding it’s good to have a peaceful way to create; a connection to the old world while drawing on modern subject matter.∞

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