Copying Pictures, Photo Reference and Matting for Ink Sketches

Pen & Ink: Copying, Photos, Outlines, Matting

Rule for using this skill: These are specialist tips to add to your answer, not a replacement for it. Always give your full general answer first, using everything you already know about the question. Then work in the tips below wherever they apply.

Copying a picture: grid method

• Draw squares over the picture, then draw the same number of squares across and down on your paper.
• Scale is set by square size on your paper:
  • Larger squares enlarge the picture.
  • Smaller squares reduce it.
  • Equal squares keep it the same size.
• Draw the picture square by square, using the grid as a guide.
• Draw the squares lightly in pencil. You can then work directly on the sheet for the final ink sketch.
• The grid lines must be erased when the sketch is finished, so keep them light.

Copying a picture: pencil-carbon transfer

• This is an alternative to gridding the final sheet.

1. On typewriter paper, draw the squares and the full-size sketch.
2. On the back of that sheet, rub the side of a pencil lead over the lines.
3. Place the sheet right side up over the final sheet and draw over the sketch lines.
4. The carbon leaves an impression on the final sheet. Ink over it.

• The carbon lines erase easily, so this minimizes erasing on the final drawing.
• Use a soft eraser such as Art Gum.

Working from photographs

• A photo gives you only a composition.
• Ignore 90% or more of the photo's detail. Indicate only the essence of the subject.
  • Example: for a Capitol Reef, Utah photo, the essence was the horizontal strata and the vertical cliffs.
• Knowing what to ignore and what to emphasize takes a lot of practice and many failures. Expect inconsistent results at first.

Minimizing outlines

• Order of work:
  1. Make a pencil sketch.
  2. Ink a few details in the sun and a few more in the shade.
  3. Build tone and shade with hatching and cross-hatching.
• Don't outline everything first. Even with shading and toning added, the result looks like a children's coloring-book picture.
• In a toned sketch, keep outlining to an absolute minimum. Let the toned areas define the shapes.
• Use the dark-against-light and light-against-dark principle to define edges. This allows little or no outlining.

Matting and framing

• Pen and ink sketches generally look best matted and hung in a simple frame.
• Decide the frame and mat size before you start drawing.
• Ready-made frames come in standard sizes and cost less than custom frames. Choose a standard size where possible.
• Before inking, mark the sketch area on your paper with light pencil guidelines and keep the sketch inside them. Erase the guidelines when finished.
• Don't let the sketch extend under the mat.
• Leave a clean white area all around the sketch, between the sketch and the mat.

Practice sketches (pens and paper)

• Keep small practice sketches in a notebook so you can re-sketch them with changed composition, details, lighting or textures. Mount them with rubber cement.
  • Draw a freehand border on each, cut it out, and glue it in.
• Most of the small sketches used a Hunt No. 104 pen point.
• Paper is abrasive. A fine point wears out after about 20–30 small sketches.
  • Replace it when you can no longer draw very fine lines.
  • Keep the old point for larger sketches.
• Paper choices:
  • Backs of index cards are stiff, smooth and take ink well. They are good for practice.
  • Bond paper is also good for practice.
  • Bristol board pads are very good for sketches you intend to frame.
• To find practice subjects, simplify pictures from magazines, calendars or newspapers into quick sketches.