Alright, start na, here are my buddies:
1) Technical Pens: They're different from sign and gel pens. Ink flow from sign pens is pretty impressive, but it bleeds on paper most of the time. I used to ink with gel pens, but always end to unsatisfying results.
I'm using 0.1mm to 0.8mm. (Yoken or Uni)
-For fine details ( face details, background elements, etc.), use smaller nibs.
-For broad areas (outlines), use higher values.
2) Marker: What I have for now is a Sharpie. There are times that I bought some markers from surplus shops but I noticed the ink coming out is so thick, and the pen dries out quickly. So I swear I'll never buy supplies from them again, except their scented erasers. (yung nakakahilo na masarap kagatin.)
3) Brush pen: I think this one's kinda hard to find. Already visited Deovir art supplies website and it's currently unavailable. For alternatives, we can use best buy brush no.2.
4) Ink: Higgins black india ink, Staedtler, or Rotring it's up to you. Inks are so concentrated, so I always dissolve it in a small amount of water in a palette.
5) Music.
6) Biscuit.
How does an inker affect the beauty of an artwork? Hmm...I'll do explain the best way I can.
(I'm talking about the pencil details in this case, not the anatomy. )
Bad pencils + good inking = You saved the penciller!
Good pencils + Bad inking = You ruined the piece!
Bad pencils + Bad inking = Nice try.
Good pencils + Good inking = Ikaw na.
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The best way to successful inking is to practice your strokes.
a) Cross-hatching - This is the very common shading style in inking. No problem in overusing this as long as you're placing the lines at the right spot.
1) The pressure should always start from darker areas.
2) Create a stroke quickly, releasing the pen pressure.
3) After doing the first set of lines, create the second set starting from the opposite direction.
4) If necessary, you can also add another set of lines vertically, horizontally, or both. The important thing here is we're applying the proper value of shades.
b) Feathering - It's just like doing the first set in cross-hatching. This style works best when using a brush. It takes a lot of practice to control the brush perfectly.
And now we proceed to inking my supermen piece. Using brush adds more style to my work. It also saves time and more efficient in filling up dark areas, with a single stroke. I must be sure that the brush hairs are holding the right amount of ink.
While at work, try listening to music for a relaxing feel. If you desire, drum your pens on the table.
Sweat coming from your palm might be your greatest enemy after a long time of work. So I usually rest my hand over a clean sheet of paper to protect my work from smudges.
Sa wakas. Eto yung scanned image:
After photoshop adjustments: (For this topic, click here.)
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I believe "practicing" isn't enough because you might find yourself doing the wrong stuff for a long time afterwards. Practice it right.
Be sure to wipe off dirt at the nibs with a tissue paper or cloth. Clean your brush in running water and dry it out with a piece of cloth. Never leave them soaked in water or the hairs won't be compact anymore!
Hope everything helped. Til next time guys, love your mom.
