pen drawing

Artwork executed wholly or in part with pen and ink, usually on paper. It is fundamentally a linear method of making images. Artists who wish to suggest three-dimensional forms use hatching and cross-hatching or washes of colour laid onto the drawing with a brush. The three most common types of ink are black carbon ink, the finest type being Chinese ink or the modern India ink; brown ink, which was popular with the Old Masters; and iron gall, a chemical ink. The three pen types are quill, reed, and metal. Quill pens were most popular for their flexibility and ability to be sharpened to extreme fineness. Steel became the predominant pen type by the 20th century.

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