Inking — Part 2 of 3

Paolo Rivera lays out the tools he uses for inking and why he prefers them. He focuses on how each material affects control, durability, and the kind of marks he can make, from waterproof ink and cotton-based bristol board to brush size and brush loading.

Reading notes

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• He uses Holbein Special Black ink because it is waterproof and can be painted over with watercolor after it dries.
• He pours ink into a lidded palette cup, lets it sit a bit, and keeps a spritzer nearby to thin it or create wash effects.
• He uses Holbein Titanium White Acryla Gouache for special effects and for painting negative shapes such as stars, wires, and leaves.
• He inks, draws, and paints on Strathmore 500 Series bristol board, 2-ply, semi-smooth, in 11 × 17 inches, because it is cotton-based and holds up to water.
• He uses a Winsor & Newton Series 7 #6 brush for most work because it holds more ink, stays consistent longer, and smooths out small hand movements.
• He keeps smaller #2 or #3 brushes for lettering, special effects, and lines with little variation in width.
• He keeps one worn #2 brush with splayed hairs to make a small rake that produces four parallel lines for scruffy beards.
• At conventions, he uses Pentel brush pens for commissions because they are convenient and have a self-contained ink reservoir.
• He fills the empty Pentel brush with Holbein ink and says it works like the other pens without needing washing.
• He uses a brush washer, a steel wire for removing excess water, paper towels, and scrap paper to control brush moisture and test the brush before inking.