PEN & INK – DRAWING WITH CONVICTION (AND WITHOUT AN ERASER)
Hickey, Michael. 1994. Drawing Plants in Pen and Ink: A Practical Guide for Botanical Artists. Cedar Publications. ISBN:0-948640-20-0
This 32-page book guides artists through the steps involved in drawing plants in pen and ink. Hickey explains how to create preliminary drawings in graphite and how to turn these drawings into informative pen and ink illustrations. Information about ink pens, correction techniques, measuring techniques, as well as marks and their placement are also covered.
Nice, Claudia. 1993. Sketching Your Favorite Subjects in Pen & Ink. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-472-1
Nice shows artists how to make a variety of different marks and then shows them how to apply what they’ve learned in the drawing of trees, water, buildings, animals, plants, and faces. While only one chapter is dedicated to drawing plants, botanical artists will find the other eleven chapters very practical because many of the topics Nice discusses may just find its way into a botanical artist’s sketchbook or nature journal.
Nice, Claudia. 1995. Creating Textures in Pen & Ink with Watercolor. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-595-7
Add color to your sketchbook! Nice discusses how to incorporate colored inks, watercolor, and acrylics into your pen & ink work. She then instructs artists on how to create a variety of textures and surfaces. Of particular interest to botanical artists are Nice’s tips on how to draw and paint driftwood, bark, roots, branches, foliage, trees in the background, flowers, textured leaves, weeds, grasses, mosses, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, fruit, eggs, and onions.
Simmons, Gary. 1992. The Technical Pen. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-5227-3
Simmons shows artists how to create different types of marks and patterns. Throughout this book, Simmons emphasizes the process behind the creation of pen & ink artwork. He addresses frustrations and behaviors typically expressed by pen & ink artists. Simmons’ objective throughout this entire book is to help artists control “the cumulative effects of (their) strokes,” which is the biggest problem faced by pen & ink artists.
