All About Trading - ArtTrader Magazine

Art TRADER
m a g a z i n e
In Search of the Even Black Line: Pen Possibilities
By Bonnie Driscoll and Dana Driscoll
Any mail artist working with ink extensively knows how difficult
it is to find a consistently producing and economically priced
pen. After many years of experience and numerous purchases,
we provide you with reviews of some of the best types of pens
for your needs. This article introduces four primary possibilities
for artistic pens. It does not consider markers, like sharpies,
nor does it consider standard writing pens, like BIC pens. The
article covers technical pens, dip pens, artist felt-tip pens, and
finally other options like gel pens.
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All About Inks
The following are some common
qualities of ink:
Waterproof Ink: Once dry, a
waterproof ink will not smear or
smudge if it encounters water. This
is perfect for individuals who want
to sketch in pen and use watercolor
washes over it. Additionally, if you
plan on sealing your artwork with
any kind of gloss or matte finish/
medium, you will need to use
waterproof ink.
Archival Ink: Archival inks have
several main qualities—they are
fade resistant to time, they will
adhere to the page and not flake off
and have a pH neutral composition
to prevent decay of the underlying
paper.
Acrylic Ink: A polymer, pigmented
ink that often has bold colors and
opaque features. Acrylic ink is
supposed to be used with dip pens
and technical pens, although the
inks we’ve tried have all clogged
the pens due to their thickness.
Instead, we use a brush or dip
pen.
India Ink: A simple black ink made
of carbon. India ink is an ancient
formula, used by the Romans and
Chinese. It can be found in cakes,
sticks, or liquid form. Its commonly
used in artistic work as it is often
archival and waterproof.
Inks come in all colors and
thicknesses. Your choice of inks is
largely dependent on the types of
pens you want to use and the types
of art you wish to create.