Step by Step

A finished sketch or drawing is pleasing. The color’s in, the pencil lines are gone, and, if you’re lucky, the ink lines haven’t smudged. But here’s a secret…up until the very end these sketches usually look like a kindergartener’s best work.

For this reason, many artists don’t show the early stages. But I thought that non-artists might find it interesting to see what a couple of drawing sequences look like.

Here are two small paintings that I did today, both scenes from my neighborhood. They begin the same way, with loose pencil drawings. I add brown ink (Noodler’s Polar Brown ink, if you’re curious) and after the ink’s dried, erase the pencil lines and add color.

"Red House" is painted with watercolor and "Tool Yard" is colored with water-soluable markers. Each color treatment gives a different look.

Watercolor is expressive and delightful for fast sketches. But I like markers too. They’re easy to carry, you can use them anywhere, and they don’t freeze in cold weather.

Do any of my friends from Centralia recognize the locations?

"Red House," pencil sketch

"Red House," brown ink

"Red House," brown ink and watercolor in a Moleskin sketchbook
Copyright Sara Light-Waller, 2017

"Tool Yard," pencil sketch

"Tool Yard," brown ink

"Tool Yard," brown ink and marker in a Moleskin Sketchbook
Copyright Sara Light-Waller, 2017

The tools of a pen and ink artist

I thought it might be fun to share my go-to pens for pen and ink work and writing. I do have other fountain pens, but these are the pens I keep beside my desk, ready to use at any time. The inks are my favorite drawing inks — Noodler’s Black and Diamine Sepia. Although the Diamine is not waterproof, it is such a perfect sepia color (and I am VERY picky about my brown inks) that I tend to use it more than any other brown ink in my collection.

Pens from left to right — Zebra Disposable Brush Pen, Pilot Custom 74 with medium nib (blue demonstrator), Noodler's Konrad Flex Pen (red), Namiki Falcon SF (black), Noodler's Konrad Ebonite Flex Pen with a Goulet #6 medium two-tone steel nib (mottled brown), Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex (black), Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex (clear demonstrator), Pilot Pocket Brush Pen – Hard (blue), Micron pen.

Inks – Noodler’s Black, Diamine Sepia

Pen case - Saki P-661 Roll Pen Case with Traditional Japanese Fabric - Dark Red (from Jet Pens)

Carousel Camels and Other Things

Here a few drawings from the day. Both pen and ink, created in a Banditapple unruled notebook with a Noodler’s Konrad flex pen and Noodler’s black ink, as well as Pitt brush pens for the solid blacks.

"Carousel Camel on the Loose" Copyright, Sara Light-Waller

This first drawing shows a Bactrian camel, decked out in carousel regalia, galloping through the desert. I’ve never drawn a camel before and thought it might be fun to dress him (or her) up for the occasion.

"Horse and Rider collage" Copyright, Sara Light-Waller

The next piece started out as a simple pen and ink drawing of a horse and rider, but after some happy accidents in my photo manipulation program — voila! I now have something much more interesting that looks collaged. I so love happy accidents!

Getting in touch with my inner Robinson

As I mentioned in my last post, the current book illustration has been a tricky one. As I wrestle with my starship décor, I took some time out to freshen my mind with some pen and ink practice. William Heath Robinson (1872 –1944) is one of my favorite Golden Age illustrators and a master of pen & ink. Copying his work, sometimes using a magnifying glass to study the marks he made, is quite useful. Here are some of my sample pages. All were drawn freehand and many without any pencil, just picking up the pen and going for it. All were done with Noodler’s flex pens and Pitt brush pens in a Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook.

Daily Report: No “artistas” here

One of my Snow Wolf doll proxies, used to check
lighting and clothing when drawing

Editing has been going gang-busters for me this week, with six chapters edited so far. I’m not quite sure how I managed to pull off the editing I did this morning. I was not in the right mood to edit when I got up, but wanted to try and push ahead before leaving for a Seattle appointment this afternoon. My old illustration professor used to say that professionals can’t be “artistas,” waiting until they feel in the "right mood” to work. Even though I’ve always embraced this philosophy, being able to pull out another chapter's worth of edits this morning was still a real surprise to me. Though the chapter will still need another re-read before bed tonight, I think it's in pretty good shape now, including the more complete description of an interior of a soviet-style apartment which I neglected in earlier drafts. 

Inking is proceeding well on the next book illustration. I’ve just gotten out one of my Barbie doll clothing proxies to check the lighting for the clothing in the drawing. (I may have to dig into my doll stores in the garage to find the girl in the shiny leather coat, though. I hope she’s easy to find.) 

So, all proceeds here as the hail comes down outside.

PS. Still groovin' with the Noodler's Konrad flex pen. I'm finding that its wider nib creates a nice line width for the heavier ink lines in the drawings. 

Ink pens I'm using in my illustrations
Micron (initial lines over pencil)

Namiki Falcon EF

Noodler's nib creaper flex

Noodler's Konrad flex

Fountain pen ink of choice

Noodler's Black