Alan's Challenge / penwork before the wash

I think it's great already, and will get greater when you add the washes. You'll have noticed that Alan is cunningly making his challenges slightly more difficult with each subsequent image!

Really beautiful as it is, Mia, and am looking forward to seeing it with the washes added. Isn't it interesting how everyone puts their own individual mark on Alan's originals, with so many wonderful outcomes.

Wonderful work Mia, can't wait to see the end product, knowing you its going to be a cracker.---- THANKS for all your wonderful comments on my work ---- They work wonders on an old mans ego

lovely one Mia I love the way you have changed the cottages ,they are much more intersting.I may have to try the pen and wash again I bought a rigger brush the other day .actualy it is a signwriters no six but ,with more spring than a rigger ,a lot of artists use them ,,.at the same time I bought an artist sketching pen ,(alcohol based permanent ink called a ZIG) I have quite a few types of pens and knib sizes but this seems ideal..what makes do you use?

Thanks very much Robert, Jane, Charles and Alan. I am very pleased with your comments. They gave me the boost to get started with the wash. Alan, I used to have an ordinary dip pen with waterproof Indian or Calligraphy ink in a bottle. Now I more and more use waterproof markers Staedler, Artline, Faber-Castell Pitt, etc... I often used a Rotring ArtPen with non-lightfast, watersoluble ink, so I could add the wash immediately with the ink from the drawing. But this is not fit for framing because the colours are fading in the daylight. In the meantime, I posted the finished pen and wash in my gallery. Thank for also having a look there. :) Mia

Superb Mia....look forward to seeing the end result.

Thanks Fiona, I always appreciate your comments.

You can do no wrong in my eyes. there's something about penwork, especially when a wash is added, that makes a painting come alive :)

Absolutely love this, Mia! Pristine and so atmospheric. I can't wait to see the end result!