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 Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:57 am
I have been drawing all in pencil, and now I feel that it's time to give my drawing(s) a little more life.
I think the concept is that the nearer something is, the bolder and darker and the farther, the thinner and lighter.
Well, I have sakura inking pens from points .1,.3,.5. However, would I have to keep switching from pen to pen just to attain the thicknes of the ink?
I figured that perhaps a sufficient tip brush pen might help since I can control the thickness and thinness (which I cant do with the pens).
Any tips for a first time inker?
Thanks
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Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:39 pm
You are correct- if it's nearer, it's bolder, if it's farther away, it's thinner.
The main thing about inking is line weight variation. That's what adds dept and volume to your lines.
Now, different artists ink drawings in different ways, but take a look at this pic
Notice how it does have what you were talking about; the hand and sword have bolder lines, since it is closer to the viewer, whereas all the rest of the lines aren't quite as bold.
When inking, it's also important to figure out where your shadows are. It adds more volume when you add thicker lines around areas where shadows are present. I've seen artist do this in different ways; they'll either block in the shadow shapes and fill the area with black, or just use thicker lines (in this pic, the artist used both ways). Also take note on how the lines thin out as they approach lighter areas again. The way you deal with shadows when inking will often change the appearance or mood of the picture.
Take Frank Millers work, for example:
Frank Miller is an artist know for his LARGE use of black. He blocks out all shadows with black in his comics, and it works to convey the mood he wants. The pictures look more dramatic and sinister because of the way he inks. Another thing about Millers work is that he doesn't only make his lines and shapes with black, but he also makes his lines/shapes with white, which is something a lot of artists seem to forget.
Since this is the digital age and all, it's very easy to make white lines on pictures while inking (whereas in real life you need special ink n' supplies), so take this to your full advantage. This is really useful when you're working with a large amount of shadows. White lines can be used for black lighting, fixing mistakes, adding an extra flare to your pics, ect.
When it comes to the pens, I personally switch around the pens when I want different thicknesses. The brush tips are convenient, but most of them lay down rather thick, and sometimes they come out with inconsistent lines unless you have a very steady hand. I would suggest working with the hard tips pens (you'll eventually get used to switching around pens when you need to and develop a quicker work-flow). But, that's just my opinion; Every artist has their own unique way of inking to achieve the look/feeling they want to convey, so it's up to you to use whatever techniques work for you.
I'm always making mental notes on different inking techniques that artists use when I'm reading comics, and it's quite useful.
Practice, experiment, and mess around until you find the inking style that suits you.
I realize I talk a lot, but I hope you found it helpful.
Good luck and happy inking.
whee
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:24 pm
Thank you so much for reassuring me. Dont worry about talking to much, I enjoyed and learned a lot from your reply.
Indeed, switching ink pens is something I will have to get used to. I have a brush pen, but I really dont like how it works (it's stiff and not flexible).
Thanks again!
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