Geek

There is something about black ink that has always tugged at my heart. In High School art classes, I discovered it as I dipped my pen in a bottle of India Ink and tried my hand at Calligraphy. Once dried, there is a richness and sheen to it. In Art School, I loved taking black ink out and warming it up with a putty knife on a board to prepare it for my etching plate. As much as I loved printing or writing with it, I did not like drawing with it. It is not forgiving and difficult to work with.  I could not get the lines to work and made plenty of blotches with my trusty Rapidograph. 

That was about 30 years ago.

Now there are wonderful pens that don't dry out in an hour or so. The nibs don't wear so fast  and the ink doesn't bleed. Ahhhh... technology! As much as I am always yearning to be pulled into the days of olde, this is where I really love today's technology! You still have to commit to the line you draw. It takes lots of practice to get the feel of the pens in order to pull off the delicate line work.  After hours of practice and learning the dance, I have been off and running with ink. Now with a show just a couple weeks away, I am drawing and creating like a mad woman.  I have loved the aged look papers that I have seen over the years and now I am in the heart of it. Whoda thunk? The dying brings a rich color to the paper and gives the ink that wonderful sheen that I'm smitten with. I think that would make me....an Art Geek.