I just finished reading the book “The Organic Artist” by Nick Neddo. It is a book that encourages you to return to those days when art was made with all natural materials, like charcoal, wood, inks, dyes and clay. So, as I was walking my dogs, I kept my eyes out for pieces of sticks that I could make into pens for inking. I then took an exacto knife and whittled the sticks to various thicknesses. I also wrapped the smaller and thinner sticks to make brushes. The tips of the sticks were soaked in water for half an hour so that when the ink was used, it would not suck up the ink. I have to admit I was skeptical to try this- how could something as barbaric as this, actually give me a clean line? As you can see from some of my doodles, my wood pens actually work better than a store bought pen! “Of course,” my husband said, “ What do you think the Egyptians used?” My students have also made some for themselves and we now plan on making our our inks with coffee, berries and beets!
