Spot Pens

I've had a set for 12 years and they're still going strong. It's the only thing I've ever used so have nothing to compare them to, but I'm satisfied with them.

Suzanne

Why don't you give ink sticks a try? Simple and lasts forever.

I don't know those, Ralph. Can you point me to a link?

I believe Ralph is referring to sumi-e ink as described here:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink_and_wash_painting

suppliers search:
http://www.google.com/products?q=sumi+ink+stick&aq=f

I'm sure others here have preferred suppliers.

Thanks, Lee and Ralph. A lot of good options!

SuzanneR said:

I don't know those, Ralph. Can you point me to a link?

Click to expand...

Suzanne

Look at Lee's last link. The process is described in Ansel's 3rd book 'The Print'. Get an ink stick, a bit of gum arabicum and something to mix it in, and you're set for life.

So, I decided to try out the pens, and I love them!! I think my frustration with small brushes is the bristles sometimes go every which way, or split ever so slightly. These apply the dye in a similar way as spot tone with a 000 brush, but having a pen tip has been very helpful for me!! And I'm not guessing at how deep the tone is... in other words, I don't really need an extra paper towel to assess how dark the dye is. It's pretty clearly marked on each pen.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on these. YMMV, of course, but I think I'm going to turn to these pens more frequently than the brush from now on!!!

I'd just like to add to the topic that the amount of frustration in using traditional methods of spotting not only depends on the use of the appropriate dye but on the use of excellent brushes too. I always wonder that most brushes of the 10/0 size (used by me), that are offered by artists supply stores, are of such inferior quality considering the incredibly low price for excellent brushes. Excellent brushes of that certain size are hard to find and are often enough special order items
The brands I use are daVinci-Maestro Tobolsky-Kolinsky and daVinci-Nova. The first is made from hair of marten originating in the Tobolsky-Kolinsky area (somewhere in Siberia I suppose) the second is made from a synthetic fiber. Though the marten hair kind is always considered best, to my experience the daVinci-Nova holds a better tip. As I don't know what happens to the marten delivering their hair for brushes I would not buy marten hair brushes again.

Ulrich