Ink & Wash: The Perfect Minamilst Art Kit
I have to admit something: I was feeling pretty rough and unmotivated not too long ago. Those feelings, as they usually do, carried over to my art and my overall approach. The simple act of observing and putting pen to paper felt daunting, like a chore. And it sounds silly to say, but even getting ready and going out seemed liked too much. I needed to kickstart my creativity somehow. Then it hit me: make it simple! So, I did just that and stripped my travel art kit down to three essentials. Thus, began my inextricable love affair with ink, line, and wash — my forever simple-moody trio.
Fremont Brewery, Columbia City, Seattle
I already owned what I needed to make this happen: a Lamy fountain pen with a medium nib, a Pentel Pocket Brush pen, and a Pentel water brush with diluted ink and water in the reservoir. Just three things! I took my slimmed down, astonishingly uncomplicated kit, out on the town and began sketching. I tried to keep things loose and observe only the big shapes, not getting too caught up with detail. The Lamy pen was perfect for capturing those shapes. Quick aside: A few months ago, I let a random kid try out my pen. Only to find him a few seconds later bashing the nib into the paper. The ink hasn’t flowed right since — and honestly, I kind of like it. It bleeds more and creates unpredictable line widths that, I think, add an imperfect dash of charm to the sketch.
Olympia Coffee, Columbia City, Seattle
The ink wash is also fairly unpredictable, as sometimes it bleeds with the line work. Again, I kind of like the imperfection of it. In addition to the pen and wash, I used a Pentel Pocket Brush pen to bring out the darkest darks. With just these three tools, I was able to capture scenes quickly and effectively. As I mentioned before, these tools already acted somewhat unpredictably, which I tried to use in my favor. By them being inherently loose, I was able to branch out of my “everything needs to be perfect” mindset and just let the drawing reveal itself naturally.
Peloton Cafe, Capital Hill, Seattle
Now, weeks later, it’s all I’ve been using. It goes to show, sometimes you’ve already got everything you need to hit that mental reset button.
Ferry ride to San Juan Island
