cryokineticwolfies asked: Hi! I'm absolutely in love with your black and white works! I'm currently in the learning process of inking (with brush) now and my hand is all wobbly, i can't seem to get the hang of properly inking. I know that practice is crucial but are there any other tips you could advise me on? :D Thank you for your time

I’m going to make this public in case anyone else is interested -

Everyone has a different way of holding a utensil, so it’s a bit tricky for me to give advice on how to use a brush a certain way. It is important for you to find a comfortable way of holding and using your brush, so keep these questions in mind: How do you hold your brush? At what degree are you positioning your brush along the paper? Do you brush with your fingers, hand or wrist? How much ink are your putting into your brush? Are the bristles of your brush sharp or dull?

I like to hold my brush like this:

(I’m a lefty)

I put my index and middle finger on the handle, and they are mostly the source of how I move my brush. For longer strokes I like to drag my wrist along the paper, holding my brush stationary. It produces cleaner lines than my fingers can and I hold my brush at around a 70 to 80 degree angle. This is how I like to ink, but it is not the absolute way to do it. Again, it is crucial to find your own way of handling your brush and what is more comfortable for YOU.

Now if you’re looking to have sharp lines, do not use dull brushes. Have your brush point incredibly sharp. Like, razor sharp. That means all of the brush’s bristles should gather up together in an even, nice point. I don’t recommend using synthetic brushes as they don’t provide as much bend or snap as sable brushes do. I’m not keen on using animal hairs (squirrel is another popular one), but sable brushes are the ultimate inker’s tool. Charles Burns, Bob Montana, Daniel Clowes, Craig Thompson, and Mick Gray are some of the artists that rely on sable brushes. 

It is also important to take care of your brush!!! I like to clean mine with The Master’s Brush Cleaner and Preserver:

It conditions the hairs and it makes the bristles so soft and smooth. I once had this brush that was rock hard with oil paint, but once I cleaned it with this miracle product it was like new! 

Brush brands that I like using are: Isabey, Windsor & Newton’s series 7, DaVinci and Raphael. 

That’s pretty much it! Have fun and good luck! <3