Welcome to another edition of ‘The Write Tools’: a blog series featuring authors, artists and their favourite tools.Today's guest is US children's author and illustrator Steve Light. Steve's most recent work is Trucks Go, and he is now working on his seventh book.
There is nothing like a fountain pen to draw with. The wet ink glides across the paper, creating a world that was never there before. It is magic.
With every project I start, I first pick the fountain pen that will best suit the graphics of the story. Do I want a thin line, thick line or something in-between? Do I want a wet or dry line, does the pen “feel” like the story I want to tell? Will it create the right emotion in the artwork?
Once I have the pen that fits the story I can start drawing the characters….the story. This might sound odd, but the story is in that fountain pen just waiting to get out. The pen I sketch with will be the pen I create the finished artwork with. Sometimes it is 2-3 pens, but one is the leader. He knows where we are going and we follow.
After the endless sketchbook sketching, and the pencil sketches are approved, they are placed on my light box table and inked on a fresh piece of paper. Usually a piece of Strathmore 400 drawing paper—slight tooth, off-white, reasonably-priced and takes fountain pen, pastel and colored pencil well.
I almost exclusively only use black ink. Usually Aurora black and recently Aurora black and Noodler's ‘Heart of Darkness’ mixed. I have used Platinum carbon black when I wanted to watercolor over the line drawing, and needed a waterproof ink. And I’ve tried browns and other colors, but usually I get one or two drawings done before I flush it and replace it with black! I can not explain it, black ink just helps me think better. Perhaps I’m distracted by the colored inks?
My favorite drawing fountain pen is the Mont Blanc 149. Why? Several reasons. First, it fits my hand. And I need to feel the pen in my hand so weight is very important. With the thinner/smaller pens, I don’t feel like I have a good grip - as if the pen weren't there.
Second, there are no steps in the barrel for my hand to get caught on. This is important, because drawing is not like writing, with one simple pen grip through all the words and sentences. When drawing with a pen I am constantly changing the pen in my hand to create different lines and graphics – I need a simple, cleanly-shaped barrel to move along.
Third, the 149 also holds a large amount of ink and has an ink-view window. It’s very annoying to fill a pen several times during a drawing—with the 149 this simply does not happen.
And finally, the 149 has a large nib that feels great against the paper. I feel connected to the paper. Some fountain pen nibs are too smooth and skate over the paper making me lose control of the line. With the 149 I am in control – even if I don’t know the conclusion of my journey.
Of course I’ve used other pens. I used Sheaffer school pens to write and draw in high school – I couldn’t afford the high end pens. But with my first paycheck for illustration work I bought a 149. It cost about the same as two months rent for me at the time. People thought I was crazy but I just ate very little for a few months and drew like crazy. I still have that 149 and it has drawn a million miles. It's a dream to use.
And I did work in collage and other media for a while. But the line drawings I am using in my illustration seem the most like me. It comes very naturally and is very enjoyable—with the fountain pen, I feel like I’ve found my art.
Because of this, my fountain pens and sketchbook are my constant companions. They transport me to the worlds in my head. I might not understand these worlds – what they mean, and why they appear. But pen on paper? I understand this and love it.
There is nothing like a fountain pen to draw with. The wet ink glides across the paper, creating a world that was never there before. It is magic.
With every project I start, I first pick the fountain pen that will best suit the graphics of the story. Do I want a thin line, thick line or something in-between? Do I want a wet or dry line, does the pen “feel” like the story I want to tell? Will it create the right emotion in the artwork?
Once I have the pen that fits the story I can start drawing the characters….the story. This might sound odd, but the story is in that fountain pen just waiting to get out. The pen I sketch with will be the pen I create the finished artwork with. Sometimes it is 2-3 pens, but one is the leader. He knows where we are going and we follow.
After the endless sketchbook sketching, and the pencil sketches are approved, they are placed on my light box table and inked on a fresh piece of paper. Usually a piece of Strathmore 400 drawing paper—slight tooth, off-white, reasonably-priced and takes fountain pen, pastel and colored pencil well.
I almost exclusively only use black ink. Usually Aurora black and recently Aurora black and Noodler's ‘Heart of Darkness’ mixed. I have used Platinum carbon black when I wanted to watercolor over the line drawing, and needed a waterproof ink. And I’ve tried browns and other colors, but usually I get one or two drawings done before I flush it and replace it with black! I can not explain it, black ink just helps me think better. Perhaps I’m distracted by the colored inks?
My favorite drawing fountain pen is the Mont Blanc 149. Why? Several reasons. First, it fits my hand. And I need to feel the pen in my hand so weight is very important. With the thinner/smaller pens, I don’t feel like I have a good grip - as if the pen weren't there.
Second, there are no steps in the barrel for my hand to get caught on. This is important, because drawing is not like writing, with one simple pen grip through all the words and sentences. When drawing with a pen I am constantly changing the pen in my hand to create different lines and graphics – I need a simple, cleanly-shaped barrel to move along.
Third, the 149 also holds a large amount of ink and has an ink-view window. It’s very annoying to fill a pen several times during a drawing—with the 149 this simply does not happen.
And finally, the 149 has a large nib that feels great against the paper. I feel connected to the paper. Some fountain pen nibs are too smooth and skate over the paper making me lose control of the line. With the 149 I am in control – even if I don’t know the conclusion of my journey.
Of course I’ve used other pens. I used Sheaffer school pens to write and draw in high school – I couldn’t afford the high end pens. But with my first paycheck for illustration work I bought a 149. It cost about the same as two months rent for me at the time. People thought I was crazy but I just ate very little for a few months and drew like crazy. I still have that 149 and it has drawn a million miles. It's a dream to use.
And I did work in collage and other media for a while. But the line drawings I am using in my illustration seem the most like me. It comes very naturally and is very enjoyable—with the fountain pen, I feel like I’ve found my art.
Because of this, my fountain pens and sketchbook are my constant companions. They transport me to the worlds in my head. I might not understand these worlds – what they mean, and why they appear. But pen on paper? I understand this and love it.
6 comments:
I think it is so wonderful that Steve has such a bond with his Mont Blanc and uses it to draw such enchanting children's books.
Each of us has a talent and it is delight to see Steve use his pen and his talent to create. I can't wait for his newest book to come out "The Christmas Giant" it should be out in September--Steve did you use the Mont Blanc for that one?
Steve has lectured in my classes at Pratt and Parsons talking about his stories, his process of story telling and visualization. Steve is a dedicated, no, an "in love" artist. He lives for his art. There is nothing that gives him more pleasure than to create an image on paper, or create a world from his head and put it on paper. I have always admired Steve's passion for his stories, his art, his worlds, his pens!
Great article on art, story telling and mediums!
nolivierio---YES "The Christmas Giant" was drawn with a Mont Blanc 149 and a Pelikan 805. The book will be out in September from Candlewick Press.
I LOVE that you said the story is IN the pen. Sometimes it just takes the right tool to allow us to express fully. On a side note my 14 month old LOVES Trucks Go. She is now making the sounds with me and laughs so much when I read that book to her. Thanks Steve! YOU are a gem!
Thanks everyone for your comments - it's nice to see artistic passion recognised.
Wow Steve you can really see your passion in this blog!! Your love for art and fountain pens are very evident and admirable. Keep drawing and keep the fountain flowing
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