Thank you for stopping by the John McCoy Art Blog. Welcome to a concise and helpful list of drawing tips for people interested in pen & ink drawing, from the beginner to the more advanced. What are some of the most important tips to consider when embarking on the wonderful adventure of pen & ink drawing? Cincinnati based Illustrator John McCoy offers you these 7 helpful tips:

Pen and Ink Drawings by John McCoy — Selection of pen & ink drawings by John McCoy created for Inktober 2023 and 2024.

1.) Patience is key throughout the whole process. The process of pen and ink drawing won’t be difficult, but it will take time. Rushing through the drawing process can lower the quality of a drawing, reduce confidence, and lead to frustration. The path to success requires patience.

2.) Start with a pencil sketch. It’s not just for beginners. Starting with a pencil sketch first allows you to plan out the composition, proportions, and values. Be aware from a materials & techniques standpoint that thick application of graphite from a pencil may interrupt the application of ink. You can utilize an eraser to partially erase the pencil sketch (preserving sketch recognition, but avoiding undesired materials & techniques conflicts between pencil and ink).

3.) Understand your pen. There are many different types. They all produce marks, but in different ways. A Bic pen will behave the most like a pencil in terms of the ability to gradate value via the adjustment of pressure. Regardless of line-weight, Microns, Sharpie fine tips, and crow quill pens are for the most part going to come on straight black (provided you’re dipping into black and not blue ink with the crow quill). It is best to know how the pen you choose behaves in mark-making before you commit to “inking” your pencil sketch.

4.) Check back on tip #1. It’s common to want results fast but with drawing this is only relatively possible. You have to commit to being patient. Exercising patience in drawing gets easier with time, and the drawing process becomes more immersive and rewarding when you take your time.

5.) Consider the paper surface texture. The interaction of the pen with the paper’s texture is what brings much interest to a drawing. On a microscale the tip of your pen will be physically moved by the undulating surface of the paper which, depending on your control of the medium, will influence the look of your drawing. As a general rule: smoother paper = cleaner lines and less grip, and textured paper=more texture and more grip.

6.) Experiment with cross-hatching. Cross-hatching and contour cross hatching are classic drawing techniques when it comes to pen and ink drawing, and for good reason. They harbor quintessential properties which describe form and are the perfect solution for the unique challenges presented by a medium which, for the most part, marks the paper with one value. There are exceptions to the rule (as one example above with Bic pens), but ink carries the challenge of representing light and dark by the coordination of markings on the page rather than the application of pressure (as with pencils).

7.) Practice, practice, practice, and have fun! The two go hand in hand. Practice will increase the value you get from drawing, and the more fun you have the more you’ll enjoy practicing. Remember: Practice makes progress! Draw with interest, and drawing will bring value for you and for others.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you found it helpful please share it with your friends and family via your favorite platform(s). Thank you and blessings!