Review - Book - The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons

I like technical pens and encourage others to use them. In support of others using them, I provided tips on cleaning them. Now, thanks to a question someone asked about his Staedtler MarsMatic 700 technical pen (my favorite kind), here are two images of a technical pen dismantled into its various parts. Though the images show a Staedtler MarsMatic 700 0.50 mm technical pen, most other technical pens share these same parts.

This first picture shows how far I would recommend taking the pen apart for cleaning and refill.


This second picture shows a nib further split into its three parts. Unless you are very confident about your handling of the parts and/or are willing to risk damaging the nib, I would recommend leaving the nib intact.

The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons is a remarkable book for those interested in technical pens. Whether a beginner who just got your first technical pen or an experienced user looking for additional tips, this book will provide remarkable insight and help. Gary Simmons provides information on the pen, inks, and papers, including detailed instructions on pen care and resolutions to common usage problems. He includes many samples (mostly his own, which are amazing, but also those of others) of the different techniques he discusses, including hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, loose drawing, and tight drawing.

Along with samples, the book includes many exercises that range from just getting a feel for the pen to seeing how different shading techniques, patterns, and textures affect the same image. He includes discussion on the differences between "color" (using strictly shades of grey) and texture discusses how to achieve one versus the other. Speaking of color, he devotes a section to working with color ink, which is useful for those wanting more than just black and white.

BUY AGAIN? Yes.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. (Anonymous) said:
Jan. 26th, 2008, 9:24 PM
Re: The Technical Pen

I completely agree, this is one of the best books in my library.

I like how the books focuses on pen technique and texture rather than form and subject, which I find many other books tend to focus on.

The only thing that I don't like about the book is that almost all of the examples in the book are reduced in size, many so much that individual pen strokes are completely obscured.

If anyone knows of a good art book (doesn't have to be instructional) that is filled with non-reduced realism drawing with tech pens I would really like to hear about it.