I’ve been reading a lot about sketchers using fountain pens and I decided to see what all the fuss is about. I went to a local shop and purchased a Lamy Vista, medium nib and a bottle of Pelikan 4001 brown ink to start.
The pen is a joy to write with, but sketching with it is another story. I have the habit of rotating the pencil from when I started architecture school and drafted by hand. This is terrible for a fountain pen, it simply stops writing. This had never been a problem, as I always sketched with pencils or felt-tip pens.
Probably it just takes time to get used to, but anyway I simply don’t enjoy sketching with fine lines. I prefer the looser strokes with broader nibs like those of markers or pen brush.
Yesterday at lunch I tried to sketch with the pen and the drawing was feeling so tight I stopped, got out some Pitt art brush pens and tried to salvage it. I’ll give the pen a few more days, just because it looks so much nicer than a Sharpie, but if I can’t loosen up with it I’ll leave it at my desk. Here is the 15-minute sketch, done at Centro de Bellas Artes.
May 10th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Apa, tienes que ser paciente! Jajaja!
Saludos!
May 10th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Tengo que probar en otro papel. Me puse a jugar con una servilleta y me encanta como se ve.
May 10th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Anyways, el dibujo te quedó súper!
May 10th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Thanks buddy!
May 11th, 2012 at 4:32 am
I got a Lamy Safari about a year or more ago. I’m also a bit so-so about it.
May 11th, 2012 at 10:42 am
I wasn’t aware of how much difference the paper does. I tried sketching on a napkin and I get beautiful, juicy, blotted lines. Now i need to find a paper that let’s me use both the pen as I like it and wet media, such as markers or watercolors. Also I figured a grip that doesn’t let me rotate the pen, so I’ll see how it goes.
May 12th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
You misht like this cartoon from yesterday’s Sydney Morning Herald.
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/opinion/cartoons/michael-leunig-20090711-dgl6.html
May 12th, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Hehe… I guess I’m unrefined then.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:26 am
I would NEVER say that.