This wound up mummy-goblin, hanging from a fish-hook, is drooling a bit. The sketch (approx. 8" x 3") is pen and ink on a scrap of ivory paper. There is nothing quite like the sound of a crow quill nib scratching away on good thick drawing paper in a quiet studio--peaceful, rhythmic, and comforting. The variation of line instantly achieved with slight pressure changes is wonderful as well. Just can't get that with a marker.
Learned my pen technique by studying and copying the works of great illustrators--the pen drawings of W. Heath Robinson (and his brothers) especially. Nobody in history used pen and ink like Heath Robinson (Born 1872--Died 1944).
If you are interested in seeing more of Robinson's art, there is a book by Geoffrey Beare that gives a decent overview, although I've had to research exhibition catalogs and old bookshops to find the drawings that I like best. Check out Robinson's book, The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, for excellent examples of his technique as well. A good overview on the web is at
I love him :)
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