TWCL

smbhax.com · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:33 pm Post subject:

Uncle Greedy wrote:

I used some Faber-Castell felt pens for the shading some time, and they are used up by now. I looked up what they do cost now, and I find them way to expensive. And, they are disposable, the same problem like the pentel-brush (or large parts of it) and many others. You could probably power a rare classic car with the oil thrown away in plastic pens over some years. I renember I had a nice Mars-pen with a flexible tip in the nineties, sadly it didn't work long and was disposable, too. I wondered if I could refill it with syringe, but that would be quite messy and unreliable. I found a better solution:

1. I still kept the pen, and had an empty glass (real glass) from a vanilla pod.
2. I cut up the pen, and fixed the tip and the felt inside to the cork, and sealed it with glue.
3. I cut the cap into size size. Openeing and filling should be no problem.
4. I mixed some cheap black drawing ink with water and filled the glass. It's not even leaking so far.

The pen worked in a first test. I can refill it any time, and mix the right amount of grey I need. I just have to build a proper holder for it next.

Pretty cool! I'm impressed you got it all put together so well. I'm also impressed by the tip on that thing; for me, with felt-tip pens I usually ruin the tip waaaaaay before the ink runs out.
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ttallan · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:54 pm Post subject:

I stuck with Rapidograph style drafting pens for so long for exactly that reason-- I got frustrated with how quickly the convenient disposable pens (didn't seem to matter which brand) failed. But in the past year I finally gave up and switched to disposables, which are, I must admit, much easier on the wrist.

I've been using the Copic Multiliners, which are pricey but you can replace the nibs and the ink cartridges. Since the replacement cartridges are practically the same size as the pen I'm not convinced that it comes out ahead in the end, environmentally speaking. But the two Multiliners that I bought for lettering purposes still seem to be in decent shape after many months of use (at least 7), without me having to replace any of the parts, and the ink quality is decent (not as good as proper ink, but not bad for a felt tip). So on that basis I definitely consider them a step up from the Pigma Microns and similar pens.
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DoctorStevehatten · Joined: 29 Nov 2012 Posts: 37

The greatest pen ever.

Uncle Greedy · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 268

I finally got myself some fresh, nice black ink after I used up my already fading ink (that was at least 20 years old). Although it improves the look of my drawings, it blocked my 1970ies graphical pen. So before I have cleaned it out, I moved back timewards in my equipment, back to the classic tip pen. I think it changes the look.

The inkstand is cutoff piston from probably a Toyota of the 70ies-80ies, by the way. Having little storage space, you have to build some custom holding devices:

1: Lamp 2: Dictionaries (All kind) 3: Compass 4: Sennheiser HD 414 (if noise distracts you) 5: Scissors 6: Different pens and tools 7: Paper glue 8: Feltpen with holding device (both DIY from recycled material) 9: Remote-control Revox A77 (If I need music while drawing) 10: Pencilholder 11: Dip-pens with DIY-safety-holder (Painful stitching tips) 12: Mechanical pencils 13: Old technical-pens 14: Helping hand 15: Favourite pens 16: Set-square (favourite old one) 17: Eraser with DIY-holder 18: Hidden Lamp (inside the steel profile)

smbhax.com · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:50 am Post subject:

Was it modern technical pen ink that you tried, or more of a standard india ink type of stuff? I would've thought current technical pen ink would still work in older pens, but I suppose the mechanisms and all that could be made for a different grade of ink these days.
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Uncle Greedy · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 268

smbhax.com wrote:

Was it modern technical pen ink that you tried, or more of a standard india ink type of stuff? I would've thought current technical pen ink would still work in older pens, but I suppose the mechanisms and all that could be made for a different grade of ink these days.

It's actually classic indian ink. It should work there, but I will not try it again, although I might get the pen clean again. Maybe I stick to the dip pens for drawing, although they are a bit uncomfortable for drawing lines with a ruler - but I'll see if I find a asolution. Among my old stuff I found those two very old, peculiar fellows below. The seem to be dip pens as well, as their is no reservoir, although the tip of one can be removed. I think they could be very useful to create large black areas. I will try them next.

ewomack · Grand prize winner! Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 337

I'm trying to use this more and more...

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Ed Womack

Zoe Robinson · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:42 pm Post subject:

What's the line quality like with one of those things?
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Uncle Greedy · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 268

Zoe Robinson wrote:

What's the line quality like with one of those things?

I guess you mean the pens and not the brain above. I must clean them properly first (they haven't been used for I don't know many decades, but certainly much more then 30 years. ) to be sure. I just made a short test with one for curiosity, and it produced a somehow irregular line of 5 mm strength with a rounded tip. I think they were made for calliography, but they should be good to create black shapes like tires, hair, holes, etc.

Zoe Robinson · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 3:12 am Post subject:

Uncle Greedy wrote:

Zoe Robinson wrote:

What's the line quality like with one of those things?

I guess you mean the pens and not the brain above.

No, I meant the brain. I was making a joke.
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dpat57 · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

It was a good joke.
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smbhax.com · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:43 am Post subject:

Those are pretty interesting; I don't think I've seen dip pen nib tips in that shape before.
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Uncle Greedy · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 268

smbhax.com wrote:

Those are pretty interesting; I don't think I've seen dip pen nib tips in that shape before.

Now I solved this puzzle, as I found a box filled with extra nibs that can be fixed on it, even some pipe-nibs similar to a rapidograph. I am not sure if it was originally meant to be used without this extra nibs as well anymore, although it works fine. But I identified it as a Pelikan Graphos, build in this shape around 1934 to 1959. I must try that different nibs if I find enough time someday.

I just saw one in eb*y, nr. 300711403647. To bad the original box of mine is missing!

Lady Tygry · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 231 Location: Buckeye State

http://tygry.deviantart.com/art/A-Quick-Sketch-the-new-process-345069271?q=gallery%3Atygry%2F41799821&qo=1

1. Sketch a picture using printer paper and a mechanical pencil.

2. Scan and do the inking on a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I use an app called LayerPaint.

3. Copy it to my desktop and do the flats in Photoshop. I need to make up a bunch of premade small palettes that I can attach to images as needed so that I don't need to do these swaps. Anyway, I toss my highlight/shading palettes on another layer then it's back to the tablet.

4. Highlights and shading in LayerPaint on the tablet.

5. Final touch-ups in Photoshop. This is also when I'd resize, add bubbles, fonts, final touches, etc.