Pen and ink sketch of Old Wolpi Pueblo ruins in Arizona

[lunatica]

This was taken from The National Geographic. It’s a great place to get subjects to draw and paint.

[Newest Reality]

1. Excellent!

I like it. Very nice hatching and shading. It conveys a feeling for the place.

[lunatica]

6. Thank you!

[brush]

2. Excellent use of perspective, gives a great sense of depth to the piece.

What papers do you use?

I sent you a DU, mail, btw.

[lunatica]

4. I usually use regular drawing paper

This is a sketch I did 20 years ago, so the yellowing of the paper is just age.

Thanks!

[fierywoman]

3. I love the textures you make with the lines -- such a beautiful rhythm!

[lunatica]

5. That's what attracted me about the picture.

It was a natural for pen and ink sketching.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Wow! I have a friend would love this. He may have done something similar, in fact.

[lunatica]

8. I've had people who actually went there look at it

and they immediately recognized it. One told me where he walked around on the ruins. He told me a story about doing something behind the buildings. It was cool.

[procon]

9. I've always loved pen and ink illustrations.

You're body to a good start. Don't be afraid to go dark and let the intensity of the ink work for you.

Ink drawings can be so incredibly detailed it would be hard to separate the artist's work from a photo. The best illustrations offer a stark contrast between mysterious dark and light, and invite the viewer to examine the different styles and the successive layers of ink patterns used to create the blackest depths, midtone shadowing and highlights that lead the eye. Ideally the darker, more detailed foreground inking attracts enough curiosity to draw the viewer to the lesser background.

[lunatica]

10. Very good advice on the use of the medium

You are inspiring me to try my hand at this again. Pen and ink is a wonderful medium with it’s own unique qualities. Artwork done in this way has always attracted me because of the great effect it has. Thanks!

This sketch is pretty old so I’ll leave it as is, but from now on I’ll proceed with your very excellent advice.

[procon]

11. If you have time browse through some pen and ink

art and study the different types of cross hatching and patterns the artist's used to create the different effects on darks, midtones and highlights.

A teacher had us create a curated reference sheet of as many different ink patterns as we could. It was a good project and I used it for years.

[lunatica]

13. Are you an artist?

If you are please show us some of your work!

If not then keep giving us your critiques and advice!

[MLAA]

12. This Arizonan thinks you really captured the Pueblo. 🙂

I like how the path draws you in, yet the overwhelming emotion is isolation. I also really like the rock face in the bottom right hand corner.

[lunatica]

14. Drawing the cliffs was a real challenge

and the rocks too. But even though I could have developed it more I think it still works. The DUer in comment #9 gives some excellent advice about developing it further. It makes me want to try pen and ink drawings again.

[MLAA]

15. Pen and ink seems very unforgiving. You can't cover anything up with a few new brush strokes 🙂