How to draw black lines on Canvas
Kim Yiau
I'm new to painting and is trying to figure out, how do I draw black
lines on canvas? The width of the lines are probably as thick as
those in the Keith Haring's drawings.
Any tips is greatly appreciated.
Thanks alot!!
ky
Nikolaus Maack
I use a big, black marker. This, people tell me, is a very bad idea.
Markers don't preserve well, and slowly turn green over the years.
Personally, I look forward to my paintings turning green, but that's
because I'm weird. Markers can be very shiny as well, which can be
distracting -- I get around this by covering them with a thin wash of
acrylic paint or watercolour paint, which dulls the lines down.
You could also try paint pens. I've never found a paint pen I like --
they all stink like hell, get clogged up all the time, and the flow can
never match that of a really nice marker. Still, there's probably one
out there somewhere that actually works well.
Last but not least, you could paint the black lines on to the canvas
with a brush. I've found that the trick with acrylics is to use a very
watered black, so the paint comes off the brush very smoothly. Go slow,
and it'll look great. When I get impatient with my paintbrush, I reach
for the markers.
Anecdotal Warning:
Someone showed an interest in this painting of mine...
http://www.nikart.ca/five/66.html
"How much do you want for it?" he asked in email. "I'm just a public
school teacher, so I'm not rich, and I don't know a lot about art, but I
really like that painting."
"I'd like US$80 for it," I said.
"Wow! That's far too reasonable," they replied. "By the by, is it
acrylic or oil paint?"
"It's marker and watercolour paints on paper," I replied.
I haven't heard a word from this person since.
Moral of the story: even people who know nothing about art find the idea
of paying money for a drawing done in marker on a piece of paper
distasteful. Everyone knows a "real artist" uses acrylic or oils on canvas.
Or, to state the irrational bias of the world bluntly:
Artists paint on canvas; children draw on paper. It's unfortunate for
my wallet that -- if this is true -- I'd rather be called "childish"
than "artistic".