Sketches & Drawings by Mark Williams
I remember my first Rotring drawing pens with fondness. Pristine German Engineering, familiar rosewood coloured pen body and a simple but effective ‘red – ring’ (rot ring Ger.) in a variety of sizes, 0.18, 0.25, 0.35 and 0.5mm. There were larger variations but rarely necessary. Every Monday morning the drawing office staff would spend the first half hour trying to get the pens to work as they had dried out over the weekend. Much shaking, tapping, licking and wiping, black tongues were common in the office, before that faint awakening of the ink flow that allowed the working day to get going. The days of back breaking mis-posture bent over the drawing board and RSI from holding tee-square and adjustable set-square are a distant memory.
Because then came the computers. The attention to precision line drawing was replaced by clicks, keystrokes and a new form of RSI. The brief infuriation of a pen that was reluctant to work was replaced by hours of frustration of computers doing unexpected things; maybe it’s just me. So it was refreshing to return to the old ways in one of those rare moments when spare time, opportunity and inspiration collided like some obscure venn diagram. I bought some Faber Castell fibre tips and picked up a sketch-pad once more.
I find jet-black ink on pure white paper to be quite harsh, but my wife bought me a sketch pad made from recycled cotton paper which has a textural quality with a natural off-white colour that seems perfect for hand sketches and drawings. The hand worked leather binding is crude but simple and a joy in the hand.
And so I began to rediscover the pleasure of detailed hand sketches. The close synergy of eye, brain, hand, to determine an image made up of simple pen strokes, building up, layer upon layer to define the objects, or imply them by use of shadow. Allowing the pen to be influenced by the texture of the cotton paper adds to the quality of the work and the experience. Whimsically, I call myself ‘The Scottish Monochromist’.
Sadly, the coalescence of time, opportunity and inspiration does not happen often enough, but when it does I enjoy picking up the pen and creating a sketch that reminds me of those early days. I will share some of my work with you.
Some of the illustrations are based upon photographs, others simply sitting and sketching what I see. The simplicity but complexity of a fence with ivy growing over is fascinating once you look closely. Landforms in silhouette with calm waters in the foreground look bland but the subtlety of ripples and shadows draws you in.
I have a love of Japanese vernacular architecture. The simple use of wood and stone, crafted connections, utilitarian, honest, uncomplicated have a charm all of their own. These are celebrated by focussing on a small vista and examining the texture and the shadows.
Mark Williams (2024)
