Art Works > Exploring Drawing Techniques and Drawing Materials: From the Ice Age to the present.

Vincent van Gogh used the Reed Pen extensively in his preparatory studies for his paintings and as finished drawings in their own right. He had followed the example of Rembrandt who favoured it as part of his drawing method. Vincent used it to make dots, tick marks etc to give a visual vibration to his Drawings. I also think he used watered and opaque ink together to give different intensities. I pictured him in this drawing trying to work in the stormy conditions the Mistral creates in Southern France. He cut his own Reed pens from reeds near where he was working. I have used a bought one from an art shop which I was not particularly fond of, it felt like it was made from bamboo.