Mapping Pen Sketches

hand sketch

A mapping pen, as the name suggests, is designed to produce regular lines and the Clip Studio Paint version does a good job of emulating that, but without the danger of twisting and splaying its long, flexible nib, something I had to be careful to avoid when I used the real thing in my student days. I soon discovered that a dip pen with a Gillot 303 or 1950 nib was a better option for me.

feet sketch

The Clip Studio mapping pen tool gives a more consistent line than the G-pen which I’ve mainly used so far. The G-pen is designed to give the kind of varied, expressive line that is such of feature of comic strip art.

For once, as a change from drawing my hand, the subject I often revert to when I’m sitting in a waiting room, I drew my feet instead, resting on the arm of the sofa.

I wouldn’t try that in the waiting room.

 

 

leg sketch
Drawn in Clip Studio Paint with an Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro, using the  Mapping Pen tool and a Size 13 Transparent Watercolour Brush.

And having sorted out a pen that I like, here’s a final sketch in colour.

Watercolour brushes, Clip Art Studio

I tried all the watercolour brushes available in Clip Studio Paint and decided that ‘Transparent’ was the nearest to the watercolour washes I use in my sketchbooks.

2 comments

  1. These tech tools are beyond my understanding, let alone my use, LOL. The lines look wonderful to me, and I wouldn’t know them from the real pens to look at them. I use to Use a Gillot nib, too, years ago, but I don’t remember the #. It drew a very fine line. And it din’t spurt and scratch.

    1. I’ve still got some 303s and I might have the odd 1950, which was even finer. What I used as a mapping pen, I think could be described as a crow quill; a narrow nib which needed a special cylindrical holder.

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