The Technical Pen

Here, for the first time, is a book devoted to a medium that has gained popularity among artists who work in pen and ink. Originally designed for architects and engineers, the technical pen moves smoothly and easily over the paper's surface and offers a precise and predictable line quality that can't be matched by any other type of pen. It permits both loose, gestural sketching and tighter, more deliberate renderings that make it an ideal tool for fine artists, illustrators and graphic artists alike. Gary Simmons covers every aspect of working with the technical pen, beginning with a thorough explanation of its anatomy, operation, and care and including troubleshooting tips as well as advice on choosing appropriate nib widths, inks and drawing surfaces. He shows in detail how to achieve the wide variety of strokes and stroke patterns that technical pens make possible-continuous parallel line, crosshatching, stippling and more-and explores, with copious illustration, the different effects each of these can create alone and in combination.