Pen
and Ink Drawing
A
Detailed Pen Drawing - 4
Beyond
Pen and Ink
View
our finished ink drawing in its actual size
Once
you have finished your ink drawing, you may be pleased
with the result and be happy to leave it as it is. On
the other hand, you may feel that you want to enhance
the image with the addition of some color. Pen and ink
are often combined with watercolor paint to add an extra
dimension to an ink drawing.
Applying
Color with Watercolor Paint
View
our finished ink and watercolor drawing in its actual
size
The
great advantage of drawing with Indian ink is that it
is waterproof when dry. This means that you can paint
over it with watercolor without any danger of smudging
your drawing. You can even rinse off any excess paint
under a tap without damaging the work. However, if you
are going to apply watercolor, it is advisable to use
a heavier paper (180gms or more), so that it
will not disintegrate when wet.
Watercolor
is a paint that should be mixed liberally with water
to achieve a transparent wash. Watercolors are at their
luminous best when applied in thin washes allowing the
white of the paper to shine through. The intensity of
the color can be built up with successive washes.
Our
watercolor was applied in one or two transparent washes
of flat color, thin enough to let the drawing below
shine through to establish the tone of the work. We
used some of the tertiary
colors of the original scene, but have also introduced
some secondary
hues to adjust the mood. Color
is the element that has the strongest effect on your
emotions and must be used carefully and knowledgeably
to capture an appropriate mood for your work.
