LESSON 2. BLACK INK AND DRY OR OIL PASTELS

Introduction

Mixed media becomes particularly effective when two contrasting materials are combined so that each medium contributes something the other cannot achieve alone. Black ink and pastel are an excellent example. Ink provides structure, line, contrast, movement and graphic definition, while pastel introduces colour, softness, texture and expressive mark-making.

The strong black of the ink can act almost like a drawing framework, allowing the pastel colour to sit within, overlap or extend beyond the ink. This creates a balance between controlled linear drawing and spontaneous colour application.

For this lesson, the subject will be birds, making it possible to explore both accurate observation and expressive interpretation. The bird’s structure can be established with ink, while pastel can be used to describe plumage, light, atmosphere and colour. The technique is particularly effective when the artist does not attempt to make every part of the image equally detailed. Strong ink passages can be balanced by areas where pastel is allowed to remain loose and suggestive.

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Art Principle Focus – Harmony

Harmony is created when the different elements within an artwork work together to produce a sense of unity and visual coherence. In a mixed-media artwork using black ink and pastels, harmony can be achieved by ensuring that the two contrasting materials appear to belong to the same visual language. The strong, graphic quality of black ink can be balanced by the softer, more colourful qualities of pastel through repetition of colour, line, texture and shape. For example, pastel strokes can follow the direction of the ink marks, while selected areas of black can be repeated throughout the composition to connect the different parts of the artwork.

Harmony does not mean that everything must look the same. In fact, contrast between the materials can strengthen harmony when it is carefully controlled. Limiting the pastel palette to a few related colours, repeating particular marks or textures, and allowing areas of the paper to remain visible can help unify the composition. The goal is to create a deliberate relationship between the bold black ink and the pastel colour so that neither appears visually disconnected from the other.

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Understanding the Materials

Black Ink are highly concentrated mediums that can be used for line, tonal areas, washes, texture and expressive marks.

Indian Ink, also known as India ink or Chinese ink, traditionally consists primarily of finely ground carbon pigment, usually lampblack, suspended in a liquid binder. Modern formulations may use shellac or other resinous binders. Once dry, many traditional formulations are highly water-resistant or waterproof.

Indian ink produces a deep, intense black and is particularly useful for:

• Strong outlines
• Hatching and cross-hatching
• Dry-brush effects
• Ink washes
• Splattering
• Broad tonal passages
• Expressive mark-making

Because the black is so strong, it can create dramatic contrast against bright pastel colours.

Acrylic Ink contains pigment suspended in an acrylic binder. It is generally waterproof once dry and can be applied with a pen, dip nib or brush. Compared with traditional Indian ink, acrylic ink tends to be particularly versatile when an artist wants to combine ink with other water-based media.

Drawing Ink are available in a variety of formulations. Some are pigment-based and lightfast, while others are dye-based and may be less permanent. For archival finished artwork, pigment-based, lightfast ink is preferable.

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Understanding Dry Pastels

Dry pastel is essentially finely ground pigment held together with a relatively small quantity of binder. Soft pastels contain very little binder, producing an intensely coloured, powdery material that can be blended and layered.

Dry pastels include:

• Soft pastels – highly pigmented and soft, ideal for broad areas and expressive marks.
• Hard pastels – firmer and better suited to sharper lines and smaller details.
• Pastel pencils – useful for fine feathers, eyes, claws and other precise details.

Dry pastel produces a matte, velvety surface and can be blended with a finger, tissue, cotton bud or blending tool. The disadvantage is that loose pastel pigment can easily transfer from the surface.

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Understanding Oil Pastels

Oil pastels contain pigment combined with a non-drying oil and wax binder. Unlike dry pastels, they are creamy and relatively resistant to smudging once applied, although they remain workable and do not dry in the same manner as oil paint.

Oil pastels are particularly effective for:

• Strong, saturated colour
• Broad expressive marks
• Layering
• Scraping and texture
• Colour mixing directly on the surface
• Bold graphic effects

Dry Pastel vs Oil Pastel

Dry Pastel	Oil Pastel
Powdery and soft	Creamy and waxy
Matte appearance	Usually richer and slightly more lustrous
Easy to blend	More resistant to blending
Produces dust	Does not produce pastel dust
Can create delicate transitions	Produces strong, expressive marks
Usually requires protection	Does not normally require a conventional pastel fixative
Works especially well on textured pastel surfaces	Works on many surfaces with sufficient tooth

The two mediums therefore produce very different visual languages. Dry pastel tends towards softness and atmosphere, while oil pastel tends towards solidity, saturation and expressive mark-making.

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Ink Before the Pastel?

For this particular technique, ink is generally applied first and pastel afterwards. The reason is primarily one of layering and control.

Ink establishes:

• The drawing
• The major contours
• The darkest darks
• Directional marks
• Texture
• Shadows and structural information

Pastel can then be placed over and around the ink to introduce colour. This creates an interesting relationship between the two mediums. In some areas, the black ink remains dominant; in others, pastel partially covers it; elsewhere, the pastel can extend beyond the ink drawing.

Why not pastel first?

Dry pastel creates a loose layer of pigment on the surface. Drawing or painting ink over it can cause the ink to behave unpredictably, while the pastel can also contaminate the nib or brush. More importantly, putting the ink down first allows the artist to use it as a structural drawing, rather than simply adding black outlines at the end.

A useful principle for this lesson is: Ink describes the structure; pastel describes the colour and atmosphere.

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Do You Need Fixative?

This depends largely on the pastel used.

Dry pastel generally benefits from a fixative, because the pigment remains loose on the surface. A workable fixative can also be used between layers when additional pastel needs to be applied. However, fixative can alter the appearance of pastel, sometimes darkening colours or reducing their luminosity. It should therefore be tested on a sample first. For finished work, framing behind glass with an appropriate spacer or mount is often preferable to relying entirely on fixative.

Oil pastel does not require conventional dry-pastel fixative, because the pigment is bound into the oil-and-wax medium. However, it remains a relatively soft surface and does not completely cure like oil paint.

For finished work, appropriate oil-pastel protection or framing behind glass should be considered rather than assuming a standard dry-pastel fixative will solve the problem.

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Dissolving Oil Pastels

Both genuine turpentine and mineral spirits/white spirit can be used to dissolve and blend oil pastels.

This is a legitimate oil-pastel technique. Caran d’Ache specifically recommends white spirit or turpentine for diluting oil pastel and working it almost like paint.

However, the solvent can affect the paper, so the choice of surface is important. On ordinary drawing paper or thin watercolour paper, applying too much solvent can cause the paper to become saturated, produce a greasy or translucent stain, weaken the surface, or cause buckling. The solvent can also carry the pastel pigment into the paper fibres, making the colour appear more deeply embedded. This isn’t necessarily undesirable—it can produce beautiful washes—but it is much harder to control.

I would recommend mineral spirits/artist’s white spirit rather than genuine turpentine for this lesson. It is generally more pleasant to work with, and you can use it very sparingly with a brush to dissolve the oil pastel. For example:

1. Apply oil pastel fairly heavily to the paper.
2. Dip a clean brush lightly into the white spirit.
3. Work the brush over the pastel to dissolve and spread it.
4. Allow the solvent to evaporate.
5. Apply further oil pastel over the dried layer.
6. Repeat to build up colour and texture.

For a finished artwork, I would use good-quality, fairly heavy mixed-media, oil-painting or pastel paper, preferably with some tooth. It is also worth making a small test first, because different papers and oil-pastel brands behave quite differently. Sennelier, for example, specifically states that its oil pastel can be diluted with petroleum essence or turpentine and used on prepared painting papers and other suitable supports.

One important distinction: if you are using the black ink first, make absolutely sure it is completely dry before introducing the solvent. I would also test the particular ink, because solvent can potentially soften or disturb some ink formulations. If you are using this specifically for your bird lesson, black Indian ink + oil pastel + selective white-spirit blending could actually produce a very effective mixed-media technique.

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Contemporary Mixed-Media Artists

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Creating a Simple Bird Painting Using Black Ink and Pastels

For the demonstration, choose a bird with a recognisable silhouette and interesting colour pattern.

Step 1 – Select the Reference

Choose a clear photograph showing:

• The entire bird
• A clear silhouette
• Good lighting
• Visible feather structure
• Interesting colour relationships

Avoid photographs where the bird is heavily obscured by branches or vegetation.

Step 2 – Establish the Composition

Decide where the bird will sit on the page.

Consider:

• Direction the bird is facing
• Amount of negative space
• Position of the eye
• Relationship between the bird and its surroundings
• Whether the bird will be central or slightly off-centre

Avoid automatically placing the bird directly in the middle.

Step 3 – Make a Light Drawing

Using a hard pencil, lightly establish:

1. Head
2. Beak
3. Eye
4. Neck
5. Back
6. Breast
7. Wing
8. Tail
9. Feet and branch

Concentrate on proportion and silhouette rather than feather detail.

Step 4 – Introduce the Black Ink

Using a fine brush, dip pen or suitable drawing tool, begin developing the drawing with black ink.

Start with the major structural lines.

Use different marks for different purposes:

• Fine lines for delicate feathers
• Thick lines for important contours
• Hatching for shadows
• Cross-hatching for deeper areas
• Dry brush for broken feather texture
• Diluted ink for transparent tonal areas
• Splattering for atmospheric texture

Do not outline every feather.

Step 5 – Establish the Darkest Areas

Identify the deepest blacks in the reference.

These might include:

• Eye
• Pupil
• Beak
• Deep shadow beneath the wing
• Feet
• Strong cast shadows

Allow these areas to become the visual anchors of the painting.

Step 6 – Allow the Ink to Dry Completely

This is important before introducing dry pastel.

The ink must be completely dry so that the pastel can be applied without disturbing the ink layer.

Step 7 – Introduce the Pastel

Begin with the larger areas of colour.

Do not immediately draw individual feathers.

Instead, identify the major colour masses:

• Warm areas
• Cool areas
• Light areas
• Mid-tones
• Dark colour areas

Apply the pastel using directional strokes that follow the structure of the bird.

Step 8 – Build the Feather Texture

Once the larger colour areas are established, introduce shorter marks.

Use the direction of the feather growth to determine the direction of the pastel strokes.

For example:

Breast feathers: generally follow the rounded form of the chest.

Wing feathers: follow the direction and overlapping structure of the wing.

Tail feathers: use longer directional strokes.

Step 9 – Allow Ink and Pastel to Interact

Do not completely cover the ink.

Allow some areas of black to remain exposed while allowing pastel to overlap other areas.

This creates the characteristic mixed-media effect.

Step 10 – Add the Final Details

Return to the ink for a few carefully selected final accents.

Reinforce:

• Eye
• Beak
• Feet
• Important contour lines
• Deep shadows
• Selected feather details

Then add the final pastel highlights.

The final artwork should contain a deliberate balance between black line, colour, texture and untouched paper.

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Useful Tips

• Do not over-outline – Black ink is powerful. Too much outlining can make the bird look like a colouring-book illustration.
• Think in shapes before details – Establish the bird’s major light, middle and dark shapes before drawing individual feathers.
• Use the direction of the mark – Pastel strokes should generally follow the anatomical structure of the bird.
• Preserve the white of the paper – The white paper can become your brightest highlight. Do not cover every area with pastel.
• Use black sparingly – Black ink is much stronger than most colours. Reserve the darkest black for important focal areas.
• Experiment with line weight – A uniform line produces a mechanical result. Vary the pressure, tool and speed to create expressive line variation.
• Avoid excessive blending – Especially with dry pastel, some visible marks should remain. These marks provide energy and surface character.
• Use colour to describe form – Instead of simply copying local colour, look for warm and cool shifts within the bird.
• Keep the background simple – The bird should remain the primary subject. A few ink marks, pastel passages or suggested vegetation can be enough.
• Test the materials first – This allows the artist to understand how the specific materials behave together. Before beginning the final artwork, make a small test sheet showing:
  • Ink line
  • Ink wash
  • Dry pastel over ink
  • Oil pastel over ink
  • Blending
  • Layering
  • Fixative, if using dry pastel

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Practical Exercise – Birds of the Western Cape

For this exercise, you will create a mixed-media bird artwork using black ink and either dry pastel or oil pastel.

Choose a bird naturally occurring in the Western Cape from the references provided.

Exercise Requirements

Create a finished artwork on good-quality mixed-media or pastel paper.

The artwork should demonstrate:

1. Accurate observation of the bird
2. A clear and considered composition
3. Black ink used as the structural drawing
4. Dry pastel or oil pastel used to introduce colour
5. Variation in line weight
6. Variation in pastel mark-making
7. A clear focal point
8. Deliberate use of negative space
9. At least three distinct values – light, middle and dark
10. A balance between controlled detail and expressive marks

You should not attempt photographic realism. The objective is to explore how the two mediums can work together to create a convincing but expressive interpretation of the bird.

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Critique and Review Questions

After completing the artwork, consider the following questions:

Composition

• Is the bird positioned effectively within the picture?
• Does the negative space contribute to the composition?
• Is there a clear focal point?

Ink

• Have I used different line weights?
• Are the darkest blacks placed deliberately?
• Have I avoided outlining everything?
• Does the ink communicate the structure of the bird?

Pastel

• Have I created a convincing range of colour?
• Are the pastel marks following the form of the bird?
• Have I allowed some pastel marks to remain visible rather than blending everything?

Mixed Media

• Do the ink and pastel appear to belong to the same artwork?
• Does one medium dominate unnecessarily?
• Have I allowed the ink to remain visible in some areas?
• Have I allowed pastel to overlap or soften some of the ink?

Artistic Decisions

• What is the strongest area of the artwork?
• Where could I simplify?
• Where could I increase contrast?
• In the finished artwork, have I achieved a sense of harmony?
• Is there an area that has become too detailed?
• What would I change if I made the artwork again?

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Conclusion

Black ink and pastel provide an excellent introduction to the possibilities of mixed media because they possess very different physical and visual qualities. Ink is fluid, linear, decisive and permanent, while pastel is tactile, colourful, soft and expressive.

The success of the technique depends on understanding that the two mediums do not need to perform the same function. Ink can establish structure, rhythm and contrast, while pastel can introduce colour, atmosphere, texture and emotion.

The most successful results often occur when the artist allows the two mediums to remain visibly different rather than blending them into a uniform surface. The black ink becomes part of the visual language of the painting, while the pastel adds colour and physical presence.

For students, the important lesson is therefore not simply how to draw a bird with ink and colour it with pastel. It is learning how two fundamentally different materials can cooperate, contrast and interact to produce something that neither medium could achieve as effectively on its own.

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