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Hang on Studio Wall
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Martin Rolfe square

Martin Rolfe

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I'm currently working on a series of still life images using Pastel and Ink. I'm loving the combination of the 2 mediums. The image below is from my sketch book and is the inking stage of my process. Have you ever tried this combination of Pastel and ink? What did you learn? I need to be more patient when rubbing out any underlying pencil lines...

Bari Marsh

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Looking good Martin will be interested to see how it turns out.

Alan Bickley

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It’s not my favourite combination if I’m honest, ink with gouache or watercolour is generally my preferred choice. One of my issues is that you can’t redraw any ink lines over pastel, should you want to... Nonetheless, let’s see how you approach the next stage, presumably some ink lines will be covered, others showing through to an extent! As for erasing initial pencil workings, it’s best if they’re left - they’re all part of the drawing and can help to show the development of a work... but this is a matter of choice!

Edited
by Alan Bickley

Alan Morris

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Hi Martin.  I have used pastel over an ink drawing.  This pastel painting of Corfe Castle in my gallery was made over a drawing made in sepia ink.  Most of the darkest areas in the castle, wall and stone cross have ink work showing through the pastel.  Some line work is also still visible in places. https://www.painters-online.co.uk/gallery/hedgehog/pastel-paintings/239712/ One problem you may encounter is getting enough pastel onto your paper as I assume your sketch book is a cartridge paper.  You can get special pastel papers that will hold a lot more pastel, choose one that is water resistant for ink work (some aren’t), alternatively use a NOT or Rough grade watercolour paper. Hope this helps. Good luck

Edited
by Alan Morris

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Might this be a bit dependent on the definition of pastel?  I don't think I've ever tried pastel in conjunction with ink, if by that one means soft pastels in the full range of colours available.  But I've certainly used ink in conjunction with  conté crayon - which are a form of pastel.  I've also used ink with carbon and charcoal pencils/sticks.  Working back into pastel with ink, though, is surely not possible?  
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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By the way Alan - don't think I saw this at the time, but it worked very well for you - it's not really a marriage of ink and pastel, though?  Could you not have produced an almost identical result had your groundwork been done in pencil (or anything else)?  What I'd like to see (greedy little pig) is pastel and ink complementing each other in a piece, rather than the former covering the latter - I'd like to see it, because I'm not so sure it's possible... To comment on the original artwork - this combination of blacks works well - broader lines, with sharper ones.  I wonder how far one could take it... I'm inclined to take a crack at it...

Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA

Alan Morris

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The ink under drawing to this painting is vital to achieve the look that I wanted, it would not have been possible without it.  It Sold for £ 250 so I guess I count it as a success!