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Ink Drawing

With the use of pictographs dating back as early as Prehistoric times, drawing is undoubtedly one of the oldest forms of human expression. While drawing has existed through all ages (especially in Asia, where it was a preeminent artistic medium), its forms and uses truly started to diversify in the 19th century. Following the industrial revolution of the 1800s, technical drawing began to take off and to differentiate itself from artistic drawings. As a result, it became highly codified and aimed to communicate precise information about how something should be manufactured or used. Similarly, architecture  and design drawings, as well as fashion illustration became more developed.

There are a number of drawing techniques available to artists who can choose to alternate between charcoal drawing, pencil drawing, dry pastels, chalk, coloured pencils, or ink. This selection focuses on the latter, the ancestral drawing technique of ink on paper. Exclusively used for writing for a long time, ink gradually established itself within the visual arts. Diluted, mixed, or pure, ink offers an infinite range of nuances. Artists can use various types of ink but the mark of a good quality ink its ability to flow and and instantly attach to paper.

The most famous type of ink is Indian ink. Invented 5,000 years ago, this quality black ink brings a shiny effect to the drawing. Ink was first used in Asia but became popular in Europe in the Middle Ages, where it was first used to decorate the manuscripts. Its use became more widespread with the dissemination of printing techniques in the Renaissance. Dürer, Cranach and Titian were some of the first artists to use ink for strictly artistic purposes, and the great masters of the 19th and 20th centuries continued to develop the technique further.

Iron gall ink, quite popular because it could be manufactured in mass quantities, it was resistant and was the most compatible ink for writing with quills. Coloured inks, although more vulnerable to light, were popular within the decorative arts and illustration. They are composed of specific pigments, similar to those of watercolour.

One of the world's most famous ink artworks is perhaps The Great Wave off Kanagawa by the great Japanese master Hokusai: first of the series “The Thirty-Six views of the Mount Fuji." Often imitated by other artists, the Wave (as it is often referred to) is an woodblock print influenced by both Western and Eastern artistic practices. Other famous ink artworks include many of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings.

Many museums exhibit numerous ink drawings. For example, the Centre Pompidou owns Henri Michaux's “Dessin Mescalien," and Jean-Olivier Hucleux's “Dessin de Déprogrammation."

So, whether you are a lover of Hokusai's poetic prints, or merely curious about this lesser known art, you'll be able to find a rare gem in Artsper's selection of contemporary ink drawings.

Collector’s Guide: Collecting Drawings

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Philippe Pasqua, Sans titre, Fine Art Drawings

Philippe Pasqua

Sans titre, 2010
39.4 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$6,058

Lucio Forte, Fortezza Firmafede, Fine Art Drawings

Lucio Forte

Fortezza Firmafede, 2021
11.8 x 11.8 x 0.7 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$133

Noël Granger, L'oiseau qui vole, Fine Art Drawings

Noël Granger

L'oiseau qui vole, 2021
11 x 8.7 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$109

Gwendoline Hausermann, Lutteuses #1, Fine Art Drawings

Gwendoline Hausermann

Lutteuses #1, 2020
8.3 x 11.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$909

Stanislav Bojankov, Abstract landscape-V, Fine Art Drawings

Stanislav Bojankov

Abstract landscape-V, 2005
27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$654 $727

Zwy Milshtein, Sans titre, Fine Art Drawings

Zwy Milshtein

Sans titre, 1986
10.6 x 7.9 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$606

Ning Luo, Ping Feng Zhi Zhi, Fine Art Drawings

Ning Luo

Ping Feng Zhi Zhi, 2018
9.6 x 13.6 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$100

Reinaldo Chavez, Ensemble of life, Fine Art Drawings

Reinaldo Chavez

Ensemble of life, 2021
59.1 x 59.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,181

Changlong Chen, Spring Nest Autumn Water Couplet, Fine Art Drawings

Changlong Chen

Spring Nest Autumn Water Couplet, 2018
27.4 x 10.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$200

LN Le Cheviller, Anatomie - Petite - 7, Fine Art Drawings

LN Le Cheviller

Anatomie - Petite - 7, 2020
19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$400

Philippe Buil, Ombre Clochette, Fine Art Drawings

Philippe Buil

Ombre Clochette, 2018
19.7 x 25.6 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$424

Eduardo Arroyo, Sans-titre, Fine Art Drawings

Eduardo Arroyo

Sans-titre, 1959
10.6 x 6.9 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,393

Valerio Adami, The chain, Fine Art Drawings

Valerio Adami

The chain, 2008
8.5 x 7.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,030

Pauline Di Valentin, Storm, Fine Art Drawings

Pauline Di Valentin

Storm, 2020
27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$848

Philippe Hiquily, Composition, Fine Art Drawings

Philippe Hiquily

Composition, 1961
21.7 x 17.3 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$10,904

Pierre Alechinsky, Sans-titre, Fine Art Drawings

Pierre Alechinsky

Sans-titre, 2016
10.8 x 7.3 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$4,241

Sergio Moscona, Arbol genial - Logico, Fine Art Drawings

Sergio Moscona

Arbol genial - Logico, 2016
22 x 15 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$3,635

Our recommendations Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Véronique et son voile, Fine Art Drawings

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Véronique et son voile, 1990
9.8 x 18.9 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$7,270

Hildegarde Handsaeme, Fleur de Caractère, Fine Art Drawings

Hildegarde Handsaeme

Fleur de Caractère, 2016
29.9 x 21.7 x 0.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$460

Jean Cocteau, Le Malade, Fine Art Drawings

Jean Cocteau

Le Malade, 1934
19.3 x 13.4 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$21,809

Raphaël Federici (ParisSketchCulture), Dessin, Fine Art Drawings

Raphaël Federici (ParisSketchCulture)

Dessin, 2019
14.6 x 10.6 x 0.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$414 $460

John Matos Crash, Art in America, Fine Art Drawings

John Matos Crash

Art in America, 1986
20 x 16 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$10,299

Vladimir Velickovic, Sans-titre, Fine Art Drawings

Vladimir Velickovic

Sans-titre, 2011
15 x 9.8 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$848

Quik (Lin Felton), Quik/Haze 1987, Fine Art Drawings

Quik (Lin Felton)

Quik/Haze 1987, 1987
10.25 x 8 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,302

Mimmo Rotella, The Waiter, Fine Art Drawings

Mimmo Rotella

The Waiter, 1987
11.4 x 8.3 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,454

Wifredo Lam, Untitled, Fine Art Drawings

Wifredo Lam

Untitled, 1941
8.6 x 6.7 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$38,771

Bze Bzeland, Équilibré, Fine Art Drawings

Bze Bzeland

Équilibré, 2017
19 x 13 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$242

Jiao Jia Ou Yang, Bonheur, Fine Art Drawings

Jiao Jia Ou Yang

Bonheur, 2020
7.9 x 7.9 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$400

André Bielen, Synopsie 0561, Fine Art Drawings

André Bielen

Synopsie 0561, 2015
28.7 x 22 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$909

Philippe Ramette, Rupture de pesanteur, Fine Art Drawings

Philippe Ramette

Rupture de pesanteur, 2015
9.4 x 12.6 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,787

Tracey Adams, Balancing Act 2, Fine Art Drawings

Tracey Adams

Balancing Act 2, 2016
26 x 20 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,843

Benoît Mauduech, Sans titre, Fine Art Drawings

Benoît Mauduech

Sans titre, 2019
25.2 x 19.7 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$994

Jean-Luc Lopez, Rugby de placage, Fine Art Drawings

Jean-Luc Lopez

Rugby de placage, 2021
16.5 x 22 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$509

Maurice Douard, Street n-3, Fine Art Drawings

Maurice Douard

Street n-3, 2019
43.3 x 29.5 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,817

ARySQUE, Ceci est une conversation sérieuse et raisonnable, Fine Art Drawings

ARySQUE

Ceci est une conversation sérieuse et raisonnable, 2016
9.1 x 12.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$424

Aurélie Lafourcade, Oiseau Pariétal II, Fine Art Drawings

Aurélie Lafourcade

Oiseau Pariétal II, 2019
31.5 x 23.6 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$848

Arman, Watch Gears, Fine Art Drawings

Arman

Watch Gears, 1979
34 x 27 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$25,000

Chrystèle Saint-Amaux, Saynète 32 - Se Souvenir du temps qui passe, Fine Art Drawings

Chrystèle Saint-Amaux

Saynète 32 - Se Souvenir du temps qui passe, 2016
16.1 x 24 x 0.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$727

Boris Pramatarov, The Life Of The Artist, Fine Art Drawings

Boris Pramatarov

The Life Of The Artist, 2020
11.8 x 8.3 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,423

Mathilde de Bellecombe, Beaucoup de choses à faire, Fine Art Drawings

Mathilde de Bellecombe

Beaucoup de choses à faire, 2013
4.7 x 4.7 x 0.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$158

Caroline Veith, Des fôrets et des hommes, Fine Art Drawings

Caroline Veith

Des fôrets et des hommes, 2013
15.7 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,302

Frédéric Dégranges, Trame 51, Fine Art Drawings

Frédéric Dégranges

Trame 51, 2014
10.6 x 19.7 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,060

Mehdi Mirbagheri, Jack Danieel, Fine Art Drawings

Mehdi Mirbagheri

Jack Danieel, 2016
19.7 x 39.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,423

EMPHI, Pattern, Fine Art Drawings

EMPHI

Pattern, 2020
13.8 x 13.8 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$727

Haude Bernabé, Les sentinelles, Fine Art Drawings

Haude Bernabé

Les sentinelles, 2020
12.6 x 15.7 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,423

Ermanno Pavarino, Landscape, Fine Art Drawings

Ermanno Pavarino

Landscape, 1969
12.8 x 19.9 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$485

Jérôme Bouscarat, L'Hydre de Lerne, Fine Art Drawings

Jérôme Bouscarat

L'Hydre de Lerne, 2019
15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$523

Jorge Castillo, Little Theater, Fine Art Drawings

Jorge Castillo

Little Theater, 1960
8 x 9.8 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,454

Arancha Tejedor, Personnages en mouvement 2, Fine Art Drawings

Arancha Tejedor

Personnages en mouvement 2, 2019
15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$194

Christophe Faso, La dernière séance, Fine Art Drawings

Christophe Faso

La dernière séance, 2014
25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$813

Kosta Kulundzic, Saint Sébastien, Fine Art Drawings

Kosta Kulundzic

Saint Sébastien, 2008
39.4 x 27.6 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$2,181

Piotr Kamieniarz, Karnawal III, Fine Art Drawings

Piotr Kamieniarz

Karnawal III, 2020
20.5 x 27.6 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,333

Christelle Link, Amabie, Fine Art Drawings

Christelle Link

Amabie, 2020
16.5 x 10.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$424

Our recommendations Lucio Fontana, Untitled, Fine Art Drawings

Lucio Fontana

Untitled, 1959
14.2 x 9.3 x 0.2 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$18,780

Alain Boullet, L'eau et l'huile, Fine Art Drawings

Alain Boullet

L'eau et l'huile, 2015
13 x 19.7 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$606

Renzo Vespignani, The Woman under a Full Moon, Fine Art Drawings

Renzo Vespignani

The Woman under a Full Moon, 1953
7.9 x 5.9 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,030

Pablo Picasso, Profil d'homme (recto); Deux hommes de profil (verso), Fine Art Drawings

Pablo Picasso

Profil d'homme (recto); Deux hommes de profil (verso), 1900
11.25 x 9 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$125,000

Flor David, A Theater Character, Fine Art Drawings

Flor David

A Theater Character, 1950
7.1 x 10 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$424

Maurizio Gracceva, Ma questa volta… aspetto (But This Time I'll be waiting), Fine Art Drawings

Maurizio Gracceva

Ma questa volta… aspetto (But This Time I'll be waiting), 2017
40.6 x 28.3 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$1,817

Han Qi, Espace fiction no. 1, Fine Art Drawings

Han Qi

Espace fiction no. 1, 2018
16.3 x 20.1 x 0.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$727

David Shrigley, Why do you weap, Fine Art Drawings

David Shrigley

Why do you weap, 2006
15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$3,938 $6,058

James McEwen, Bird, Fine Art Drawings

James McEwen

Bird, 1960
10.8 x 7.7 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$703

Gergana Tabakova, Growing space VII, Fine Art Drawings

Gergana Tabakova

Growing space VII, 2017
9.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$606

Luigi Bompard, Bourgeoisie, Fine Art Drawings

Luigi Bompard

Bourgeoisie, 1905
11.2 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch
Fine Art Drawings

$909

60 Artworks on 2855

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