Ink drawings - Process

 Trust the process:)

Creating these portraits with only ink and water was definitely a challenging process. At first, I was frustrated because the tones and textures didn’t look the same once the ink settled. I also had to figure out how to blend the ink, and I remembered from my artist research, specifically Victor Hugo, that he used unconventional tools like his fingers to blend. That inspired me to try using my own finger slightly wet with water, which worked really well to diffuse the lines and create softer transitions.

At first, I was really hesitant about using strong tones because I thought they’d stay too dark, but I realized they actually lightened up as they dried, which was such a relief. On the flip side, I also really liked the parts I didn’t blend much. Seeing the visible brushstrokes and ink marks gave the pieces a raw, textured feel that I found super cool. Overall, I learned a lot about how the medium behaves and how to control it better while still appreciating its natural unpredictability.