Ink Painting...

When the term 'ink painting' is mentioned, it usually has referred to Asian ink works... when used today, it can be in a similar vein, or, as seen with Gao Xingjian, splotches of b/w decorative work... but, as also seen, it can be crisp in color, and utilizing architecture as part... there is, after all, no reason ink cannot be used with brushes as well as pens...

All Color...

Going all color can indeed be intimidating... this is "Grove Illusions", 20"x30", and other than the "Opening Ritual, Second Cup" is about the only all color rendering attempted - and as can be seen, used a limited palette of greens, yellows, browns, and the dark blue Microns... and yes, was a challenge, tho not really more than the "Reared Window" one if one counts only the colored part of that [it is 20"x30" set within the larger size]... however, I doubt it would be so easily done in b/w without a lot of careful 'light-fingered' rendering in the rear part... am saying this as there are different ideas which would work in color, and others which would best work in b/w - not everything really goes color, which might surprise some - nor does color necessarily add to a work, if it is not an essential aspect of the rendering idea...

Adding Color...

Despite the notion that b/w matches anyone's sofa color, there is a perception by some that without color in the rendering, there is less appreciation of the work... one of the ways of countering this is to combine the color with the b/w - as seen in "The Garden" [27"x40"] and "Reared Window" [32"x40"], where the foreground is textured so to allow a depth behind which is then rendered in color [bottled inks in the first, and colored pens in the second]...

Drawing and Painting in Ink...

When I, out of frustration from having many telling me of my acrylic work, how nice - but it doesn't match my sofa, turned to doing pen and ink because b/w matches anyone's sofa, it was, despite the theming as always had done with my acrylics, truly little other than drawing... "Paper Tiger" is a good example - nice theming and composing, but if were striving to paint it in ink, it would had been much more involved [and indeed, am considering to do another of this, but not only as a painting, but in color as well]... but this illustrates a difference between drawing, however theming it may be, and painting in ink... pen and ink was something I had before this only done in high school, and never had considered it further, so those earlier renderings were in effect refamiliarizings to the medium... along the way, tried my hand doing [as much as I then thought could be done with ink] trompe l'oeil - and "Hob Knob" resulted... in a way it still is a drawing, but in transition to a full painting [there could had been much more done with the wood, for instance], and am still quite pleased with it, and may try my hand again on some other knobs [glass ones?] to see how paintingly they can be done... but a time came when there was need to take this pen and ink more seriously, and "Wish Area" resulted - the first, really, of my ink paintings... not only did I go for the deep shading aspect so well done by Caravaggio, but at this time tried a painting sized rendering, 36"x24" - a monsterous size for pen and ink, to say it mildly... but it was needed if there was to be the sense of being there that such subjects required....

Yang Yutang, Modern Master...

This idea of pen and ink as fine art is also known in China - http://www.penart.cn/en/ , where Yang does landscapes in ink for the purpose in and of itself, not as means to others... an example of his rendering shows how well wrought his technique is - like a photograph - and displays the technical possibilities in b/w use of ink... for more of this person's work, see the Art Renewal Center - http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=6618

Further...

In showing, thru his/her renderings, what is considered of prime importance to consider by others in this comtemplative measure, this means that even in doing scenes, there needs be more thought to placement of the objects within - their relative sizes, detail emphasis, and so on, so as to better being out the showing of the artist's intent... after all, an artist, a painter, like a writer, is communicating with others, the showing, the visualizing - it is the means of communicating, and if it is unintelligible, then there is a failure to communicate [and if there is a claim of not wanting per se to be communicating, then there is no sense in there being a showing]...

For pen and ink artists, this almost comes with the territory, so to speak, because of the conscious attrition of the unforgiving ink, requiring forethought before depositing, and thus forethought on where and in what manner is to be depicted what is to be deposited by the ink... this, in turn, fosters the creativity, which is an offshoot of this fore-thinking in composing... even in such renderings as portraits, both human and of animals and or/ objects like vehicles or buildings, how these are depicted owes much to the creative thinking, even if heavily taken from photographic references - which, for one, is why they are superior to photographs, for all the attempts of configuring character to the photographic images themselves... for many if not most, all this is more or less intuitive - but the more one is conscious of this and deliberately composes the rendering to this, the better the work and the more a pen and ink artist can claim to be doing Fine Art...

The Idea of Theming...

It was mentioned about 'upgrading' pen and ink rendering to Fine Art... what would this mean, and why be wanting to do this? the issue has to do with theming, something which most artists are only dimly aware of, and rarely ever having had any understanding of its nature, let alone of its importance... in visualizing the universe, the world around oneself and/or especially the world within the four corners of the canvas [whether actual canvas or not, but a convenient metaphor for the support on which the rendering is done], there is, for the artist, a necessity, whether consciously seen or not, to sift and choose among all the possibilities, what is considered by the artist of primary IMPORTANCE - indeed, within that universe of creation, by the nature of this choosing, everything which is deemed of importance enough to include is as such metaphysical in importance, precisely because in the choosing, whatever is included assumes fundamental values to the artist... why? as I see it, it is because in creating a work of art, especially Fine Art, an artist is involved in 'selective re-presentation', of necessity - because not everything CAN be included, thus what is, HAS to assume prime importance, whether consciously considered or not... further, the more an artist consciously is aware of this process, the more an artist deliberately strives to arrange and compose according to this premise - the more consistent the end result will be, and the greater the work will be in consequence...


This is, actually, a logical extension to the illustrating [which, of course, also dealt with theming, but from the standpoint of the story and not the rendering itself]... here, tho, it is raised to the work itself, for the work itself, so that one can contemplate the work and grasp that there are layers to it [like the proverbial onion], which in essence is what elevates it beyond mere fancy sketching, or even crafted drawing, to Fine Art - just as is the same with the better works in other mediums...

The Next to First...

Next to Vierge, the most influential of the early pen and ink illustrators was Joseph Clement Coll - a self-taught wonder who had the ability to imagine much of his 'world' while adhering to researched period costumes and animals and the like... he took the issue of drama to fantastic heights of rendering, extending the possibilities of what ink could do... in doing his renderings, he would often cloak himself and his board, shutting himself off for hours from the real world, so he could 'see' his own and then draft the rendering with all the imaginative angles as if a cameraman at filming, being a god bestowing the drama of his creations...

Why Pen and Ink...

I can only speak for myself, but the appeal of the ink is its finality - one has to, in general, know what one is doing when applying the ink, for ink is rather unforgiving - if you make a mistake, it has consequences... secondly, there is an appeal to the 'either/or' of the black and white - and the fun of seeing how much variety one can render out of those extremes [am speaking here, of course, with the basic black ink on white surface - colored paper and/or colored inks merely add more dimension to this]... in no ways am suggesting that stippling is the only, let alone the preferred, way of rendering - far better, actually, to combine as needs require whatever techniques fulfill the requisite need, as long as all fits in harmonious relationship [something sometimes overlooked in the quest for diversity]... too, there is an element yet in this day and age where pen and ink, especially if dramatically rendered, and even more so if rendered large, gives an elegance and grace to a wall, especially if framed in simplicity, that often is lacking in 'regular' paintings...

From Illustration to Fine Art...

One has to realize that before the 'golden age' of pen and ink illustration, ink renderings were in general considered as sketches for further or finished works in oils... it wasn't until the advent of being able to illustrate in the manner first shown by Vierge that the possibility of pen and ink as Fine Art could arise - principally because only then could the value of inducing all the shades and drama of other's paintings [when first was considered], then quickly one's own in terms of value work, was seen as something most suited to the black and white of ink...

However, progress in technology was so fast that as far as pen and ink was concerned, it was eclipsed for other means, including color processes - and those who engaged in the artistry never then sought to 'upgrade' to renderings considered on their own, as Fine Art.... true, individual renderings were eventually sold as works on their own, but they were still considered as drawings and not ink painting since they were illustrations - moreover, their size was usually little different from the printed copy in the books or magazines illustrated... when photocopying came along, then it was paintings and photos which were used, so the original size could be cropped and reduced or enlarged at will, another reason not to 'upgrade'....

Until now...

More on Vierge...

Note his mannerism of extending emphasis, details setting emotions, and high drama - all made possible by the advancement of technology to allow the printing of such intricateness...

Vierge. The Spanish master whose work has influenced most illustrators.

The Spanish genius Daniel Vierge, born in 1851, is known for his "style" in pen drawing. He illustrated his first book, "Madrid by Night" in 1867.His staccato use of line was used to convey an impression of actuality. His work has been a delight and inspiration to artists and connoisseurs for all time. The hard fact that achievement is built upon effort is clear in all his superlative work. (Quoted in part from "The Art and Technique of Pen Drawing" by G. Montague Ellwood)

The First One...

http://www.bpib.com/illustrat/vierge.htm

While pen and ink, of course, has been around for untold centuries, it wasn't until the late nineteenth century that modern developments brought forth possibilities in printing illustrations which allowed full range of the modern pen's possibilities... the first one who was able to utilize this was Vierge, who brought, as consequence, an elevation to the art of being a pen and ink artist far beyond what had been done previously...

Vision thoughts...

I had thought, if it is not too cryptic, that the following might be considered as an opening slogan of sorts - from Tennyson's "Ulysses" -

Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.

Heron

Here is another example of pen and ink. It is 16 X 20.

Color Too...

Just so there is no mistaking, here is an example of colored ink fine art - "Opening Ritual, Second Cup", 20"x30" ["Opening Ritual" is the same only in b/w]

First Thoughts...

One of the things which I hope to see here is taking an old art form, ink, and elevating it to more than mere sketches and even drawings, which in general are means to ends - and instead have the ink works be as ends in themselves, Fine Art in other words, finished works that stand on their own... to a degree, this was accomplished near the end of the 19th century as illustrators began flourishing and works by such artists as Howard Pyle, Franklin Booth and Joseph Clement Coll plied their expertise and imagination - but there is a difference between illustration and fine art, similar as they may be, namely that illustrating is a means to the end of showing visualizations of particular tales in such as books or magazines, not, as Fine Art per se... however, by the same score, many of what passes as Fine Art also in effect illustrated - myths, portraits, visual recordings of areas, animals, objects and so forth... so the line is blurred, in part because little attention had been paid to seeking to understand the nature of Fine Art and why it differs from pre-photographic recordings, or propaganda posters, or decorative art - especially this latter... hopefully, in time, a collection of these Fine Art renderings can be gathered and exhibited and in their viewing help establish the high quality of composition, inventiveness, and skill that goes into their creations - and as such be seen for the Fine Art works they really are...

In the Beginning...

This is an opening declaration of fellow ink artists to elevating pen and ink works to the appreciation of fine art... to begin, here is an example - "Mother Lode", 32"x40" -