contour lines Archives

Knocking Out Inktober: A Boxer’s Swing in Ink Wash

A Boxer’s Swing Ink Illustration by Ralph Contreras

The Power of Grey: Enhancing Swing with Ink Wash for Inktober

Every day working on an Inktober drawing is both fun and a challenge. For this day’s prompt of Swing, I knew I wanted to do something with movement. Then it hit me, comics can have action, which is usually a fight. In fights, characters take swings at each other. So I decided to draw a boxer throwing a punch in mid-swing.

For this ink drawing, I approached it very loosely. No sketch, just inks. I’ve drawn so many figure characters that I felt confident I would be able to draw an action pose without the sketch.

I used a pentel brush pen to give the illustration thick ink lines. I really like the energy I was able to get from this. I wanted to give the boxer a determined face caught in the moment. I added action lines off the glove to show the swing.

I’ve been trying to ink with an ink wash this year. So I added a gray ink wash to the boxing figure to try to bring out highlights and show shadows. I also used the ink wash in the background. I think it helps to show the movement of the swing jumping right out to us the views.

I’m pleased with the way this ink illustration of Swing came out. And I feel like I’m getting much better at using ink washes.

Enchanted Inktober: The Lady of the Lake and Excalibur Illustration

Enchanted Excalibur and The Lady of the Lake Ink Illustration by Ralph Contreras

Exploring Legends with Ink: The Enchanted Sword of Excalibur

I got a little behind on my inktober illustrations this year. Here’s the illustration for the prompt Enchanted. There are so many great ideas that come to mind with this prompt. I was inspired to draw the famous enchanted sword of Excalibur.

Growing up one of my favorite movies was the 1981 film Excalibur. I always remember the scene where the lady of the lake both gives and takes back Excalibur. So for this ink illustration, I wanted to draw that: Excalibur and a magical enchanted scene with the lady of the lake.

This year I’ve been both drawing a sketch first or going straight to inks. For this one, I did draw a sketch first. Then I went over the illustration with an ink pen. I wanted the illustration to be simple and clear. So I didn’t draw that much in the way of background or foreground. I added ripples to show her hand reaching through the water. I also put a spark of enchanted energy as the center point of the ink drawing.

Video of Ralph Contreras inking Illustration

I’m pleased with the way my ink illustration of Enchanted came out. I’ve also added a video of my inking it with a drawing pen.

Capturing the Delicacy of a Frail Dry Leaf in an Ink Illustration

Dry Leaf Ink Illustration by Ralph Contreras

Inktober Frail Beauty: Inking a Delicate Dry Leaf

For the Inktober prompt of Frail, I decided to ink draw a dry leaf. A dry leaf is very delicate and frail. It can scrumble very easily underfoot or in hand. I just imagined the crunching sound of dry leaves during autumn while I drew it.

I enjoyed drawing all the veins in the dry leaf. Like a glass mosaic or a spider web, the veining of the dry leaf can have both a pattern and great randomness.

I used a micron pen for this ink drawing. No cketch just straight to inking. Working on this took me back to my drawing classes in college when we did contour ink drawings of everyday items.

Inking the Spirit: Exploring the Energetic Husky in Ink

Hungry Husky, Husky Ink Illustration by Ralph Contreras

Embracing Inktober: Capturing the Energy of a Hungry Husky

For the Inktober prompt of Husky, I decided to illustrate a husky dog. This might be the first dog I’ve drawn in years. The funny thing is I actually drew a husky, husky. He’s even eagerly waiting for food with his bowl. I had fun with this illustration.

I went straight to inking with this one too, with no sketching whatsoever. I used my new LePen Technical Drawing Pen. I’m really enjoying inking with this new pen. The LePen pen gave me contour lines that are all the same thickness. I tried to ink this husky, husky with a lot of hatching to give the appearance of thick fur.

This was a quick ink drawing, I wanted to capture the energy of a hungry husky, husky.

Robot Revolution: Unplugged and Unleashed for Inktober’s Mindless

Mindless Android Ink Illustration by Ralph Contreras

Mindless and Mighty: Inking an Android to Life for Inktober Day 2

Here’s my second inking for this year’s Inktober. The prompt was “Mindless”. I had a few ideas of what I could draw. A crazy person or maybe someone lobotomized. But I liked the idea of illustrating a robot or android with the top of its head coming off. Showing that there’s no traditional brain, just tubes, and wires.

Unlike my previous Inktober illustration, I did start with a pencil drawing instead of going straight to inks. Just to get a general idea of what I wanted the android to look like, I drew a quick sketch of the head. I inked over the pencil sketch with my new LePen Technical Drawing Pen I picked up at Blicks art store for this year’s Inktober. The pen gave nice control that let me ink with steady contour lines. I also tried to add some hatching and solid black areas to give the illustration some depth.

Video of Ralph Contreras inking Illustration

I had fun with this illustration and who doesn’t enjoy drawing robots? I also embedded a video of me doing the final inks of my “Mindless” Android.