I am continuing practicing my inking using ink and a brush. Years ago, I started cartooning using dip pens and ink. Most of the nib pens were steel and inking was like scratching against the paper. I got reasonably good at it , but I never really liked the feel. I have always wanted to learn to ink with a watercolor brush. Walt Kelly was a master at cartooning with a brush. It takes a lot of practice to develop the touch, feel and control. At the moment,  I am working with a “Kuretake No 8 brush pen” with “Blick Black Cat India Ink” and more and more, I am using a No#3 K20R-3 Kolinsky Sable Round brush. I am also trying to add tone to these cartoon inking drawings with a 10 – 20 % ink with water mix. I don’t know where I’m going but I’m having fun. I just need to get up my courage to try. I may succeed and I my not. Adding tone values are tricky for me. I love these inked drawings, and like most people, the next step it scary. But here we go…

Adding some tone

I really love these Walt Kelly characters. He didn’t use these characters in his regular Pogo newspaper strips, but occasionally he did comic magazine stories using this style of critters.

Adding some tone

The frog and the mouse were great cartoon art, and I am sorry that they weren’t used more. They were very Disney like.

Adding some tone

These pair are so much fun

Adding some tone

They had tons of attitude.  I just have to keep practicing with them.