My Blood Rose Ink Sketch

I mentioned in my previous post that my fave pink ink is Robert Oster Blood Rose. That bottle of ink resides in my favorite ink stand along with a few other Robert Oster ink colors like Schwarz Rose, Thunderstorm, Melon Tea, Great Southern Ocean, Dragon’s Night, Green at Night, Sydney Lavender, and Eucalyptus Leaf.

My friend “J” mentioned she recently received her bottle of Blood Rose. I had this beautiful ink waiting for me to place it back into my current ink rotation. That timing coincided with the upcoming Valentine’s weekend.

I started with a quick pencil sketch. I decided not to use my Platinum Carbon ink to create the outlines of the rose. It would have been too harsh looking plus I wanted to go for a softer looking rose. Glad I trusted my gut instinct on this one.

Applying the first layer of color to my pencil sketch.

In my mind, the thought of using this ink color came first. Second, came the pen and nib size. I knew it would be a TWSBI, but which one? My 580 in Rose was available, but it had a Fine nib. I dug deep in my “nibs & nib units” box and found a spare Stub 1.1. nib unit. Yes, you can unscrew the section from the body and swap your 580 nib units around.

Why did I choose a stub nib? I knew I was going to use my 580 for sketching. I needed a wide nib to cover the larger areas of the rose as well as a narrow line for the details.

Unfortunately, I do not have any “in process” pictures of my artwork. Once I start sketching, it’s hard for me to stop. My mind is in create mode and my happy thoughts just keep on going. Hahaha!

Adding and blending layers of color and water.

I slowly added more layers of color to the rose. I worked on the rose in sections or petals. This allowed the ink to dry completely before I start the next layer of color. At some point I took my kneaded eraser and gently dabbed at the pencil lines to remove them.

I applied the last layer of color without water and you can see how well my rose shows off the shimmering particles along the edges.

In the future, you might see more of my artwork with this particular rose using different mediums. It’s from my favorite flower photo collection that I took several years ago. I think this would look lovely as a loose watercolor painting or in a colorful pastel piece of art. I can’t wait!

Special Note: I want to dedicate this rose sketch to “J” and for her tenacity, her wonderful & witty personality, and for being a special friend.

Pen: TWSBI Diamond 580AL Rose with Stub 1.1 nib

Ink: Robert Oster Shake ‘n Shimmy Blood Rose

Journal: Stillman & Birn Beta