An ink drawing is a work on paper, vellum or another support made principally with ink applied by pen, brush or reed. Inks may be carbon-based, such as Indian ink, or made from iron gall, bistre or sepia, and they can be used in crisp lines, cross-hatching or diluted washes to create tone.
Ink has been used for drawing for many centuries, from medieval manuscripts to the studies of Renaissance and Baroque masters such as Rembrandt, whose rapid pen and wash sketches are among the most admired in the medium. In Britain, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists used pen and ink for topographical studies, caricatures, book illustrations and preparatory designs, and many architects' and designers' drawings survive in ink. Collectors look at the quality and confidence of line, the subject, any signature, inscription or collector's mark, and the condition of the paper. Iron gall ink can become acidic over time, causing the paper to brown or even break along the lines, while foxing, light staining and fading are common. Ink drawings should be framed with acid-free mounts and protected from strong light to preserve them.
