How can I make my lines more dynamic?

[Alex1]

I love artwork whose lines vary in thickness, but I don't know how to do this with my pens (Sakura, Staedtler). I know you can use those old dip pens, but does anyone still use them? Any other way to get great lines?

Any tips appreciated.

[blackink]

Generally speaking Microns and Staetlers are designed to give dead line weights. That is to say lines whose weight does not very much, if at all. Rapidographs also fall in this category.
Live line weight can be created using dip pens - such as the Hunt 102 or brushes.
Yes, pros still use these.

[faroukbaaaaa]

the 'pentel sign pen' is pretty good and reasonably controlable
for the real dynamic line I would say use a brush, however it
does throw you directly into the flames so far as control goes
but no worries, that is what white out was invented for.

I do mine in flash with the wacom tablet which does a pseudo ink line pretty good
but obviously it isn't 'doing it proper' what with the undo button and all

[heydrude]

i gave up on brushes and crow quill pens a long time ago. i just try and imitate brush strokes with a pen. i create a single line over everything, and then i go back and add weight where needed. the bottom side of objects get a heavier weight than the tops which contain less shadow.

[Jacosta]

I'd suggest trying a couple brush pens to start. Pentel, Copic, Prismacolor, and Fabercastell PITT all make various brush pens. Its an easy transition from pen. Then Id suggest stepping into the dip pen and brush realm once you feel comfortable. It is a lot of work to get used to it, but the effort is worth it. It's much harder to try to go over a line six or seven times to beef it up to give it varying line weight.

[Mike Mattesi]

it is not about what tool you are using for the line but what you are trying to say with it...is it about force, is it about weight, shadow etc. This can be accomplished with many different tools. It is all up to what you are trying to say that matters most.

[Quake]

Though dip pens and especially brushes are best if you want to vary your line weight, it can be done just fine with microns as well.

If you go over your lines again you add additional weight. If you want to make a single stroke look as though its done using a brush (as in small tail, thick center) simply draw that shape and color it in. It doesn't compare to a brush stroke, but if you have nothing else to work with it'll do fine I think.

[GEORGE]

Calligraphy (marker pens) do it for me...

Edding 1255....2.0