Magnified excerpt from "Lily and Mirror," ink on bristol

 

technique

Stippling is an illustrative method in which the image is created with individual dots. In the case of works by kmcdart, each individual dot is drawn by hand onto the surface of the creation. The media used are archival quality and consist of india ink and heavy weight bristol paper. The tools consist of mechanical technical pens and illustrator's (dip) pen nibs. The blackest permanent ink that the tools can accommodate is applied to the surface of a suitable archival bristol surface. The selected surface must have the right combination of visual brightness and absorbency of ink so that each individual application of ink is optimally sharp and clear. Media and tools are combined to create the highest contrast between the individual points of ink and the surface of the artwork. The artwork is protected from dermal oils (which could cause stains to appear in the future) throughout creation by the artist wearing cotton gloves. The result is a representational work with archival properties that hints at the invisible qualities of the subject.