June 10th, 2026

Sketching and Painting with Ink Outdoors

Art Toolkit Ambassador Thainlin Tay shares how a fountain pen and water can capture light and shadow quickly on location by focusing on values over color.

By Thainlin Tay

A line drawing depicting a street scene with various shopfronts and signs, featuring a mix of traditional and modern architecture. Trees line the street, and people are walking about. The drawing captures a lively urban atmosphere.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with many sketching tools, but I keep coming back to a simple combination: a fountain pen, pigmented pigmented ink, and water. When sketching outdoors, this pared-down approach helps me work quickly and decisively.

Using just ink and water may sound limiting, but it’s surprisingly freeing. With a permanent ink and a regular brush, I can create a sketch that feels complete, atmospheric, and grounded, even with no or minimal color.

A watercolor sketch of an urban street scene featuring buildings with a modern design. Trees line the sidewalk, and a few cars are parked nearby. The artwork has a light, textured appearance with splashes of color emphasizing the architectural details. — Pen and ink sketch with red watercolor accents by Thainlin Tay.

Why Tonal Values Matter

By using just black ink and water, you train yourself to see a scene as a pattern of light and shadow. This skill is invaluable. When you later add color, you’ll find your paintings have a stronger backbone because you’ve learned to simplify and capture the crucial value relationships first.

When I sketch outdoors, lighting conditions change quickly: clouds move, the sun sets, and shadows shift. Without the complexity of color mixing, I can zero in on the contrast between sunlit areas and deep shadows. For beginners, this approach builds a strong foundation in seeing and simplifying. For more experienced sketchers, it’s a return to fundamentals that sharpens observation and decision-making.

A pen sketch of Borough Market in London, featuring the market entrance with the name prominently displayed. The illustration showcases the architecture of the historic food market, with vendors and visitors depicted beneath the arched structures. There is text describing the market's history and location. — Borough Market in London, pen and ink by Thainlin Tay.

Tools of the Trade: Pen, Ink, and a Splash of Water

My setup is minimal: a fountain pen filled with permanent, pigmented ink, a sketchbook with watercolor paper, and a water brush or a regular brush with a small cup of water. The ink can be any color, but I typically use black, grey, or blue. I like brown or sepia too, but I tend not to use lighter shades of ink, as they lack sufficient tonal range for strong light-and-dark contrast.

A hand holding a palette with red, yellow, and blue watercolor paints, two water brushes, a fountain pen, and a bottle of black ink. — Thainlin’s sketching supplies, including a water brush filled with ink.

A blue zippered art case laid open, containing various art supplies including pens, watercolor tubes, a pencil, and a small watercolor palette. A bottle of ink and a sharpener are placed beside the case on a wooden surface. — Thainlin’s Blue Pocket Art Toolkit with sketching supplies.

My Silver Demi Palette is filled with Daniel Smith Hansa Yellow Deep, Daniel Smith Quinacridone Rose, Daniel Smith Cobalt Blue, and Holbien Grey. I use a regular Double Pan for mixing ink to avoid staining the white surface of the palette lid or a Small Mixing Pan.

A sketchbook open to a drawing of a castle, accompanied by watercolor paints, a black ink bottle labeled "Pigmentis," and two watercolor brush pens. The background is a wooden surface. — Thainlin’s supplies and a pen and ink sketch.

A bottle of black document ink sits on a wooden surface beside a water brush filled with water and a fine tip for drawing or lettering. A white cap is placed next to the bottle. — A water brush filled with ink.

I usually work in two stages.

First, I sketch the scene with the pen—blocking in major shapes, structure, and a few essential details. I don’t try to draw everything. Instead, I think in terms of value planning: which areas will stay light, which will become mid-tones, and where the darkest accents will go.

Next, I shade with the same ink diluted with water using two main methods.

Direct dilution on the go: I drop a little ink into a mixing tray, add water, and apply washes onto the sketch wherever I want shadows or darker areas. Darker areas get a more concentrated mix (less water), resulting in near-black swaths for deep shadows. Lighter shadow areas receive more water, creating a pale gray wash. If I want a gradient, I might start with a light gray wash and then add a touch of pure ink while it’s still wet, letting it diffuse for a darker center. This approach feels fluid and intuitive—almost like working with watercolor, except I only have one color to worry about.
Pre-loaded ink wash: Sometimes, to save time or simplify further, I fill a water brush with diluted ink (for example, a mid-tone gray mix). With this ready-to-go “ink wash pen,” I can swiftly lay down broad strokes of shading without pausing to dip into water. To deepen a shadow, I simply layer additional strokes once the first wash dries, with each pass adding another degree of darkness. This layering method gives me fine control over values: more layers equal a darker tone. It’s a bit like working with watercolor glazes, but the ink’s boldness means even a single layer provides a satisfying hint of shadow.

Both approaches let me work fluidly without stopping to manage a palette. One ink, many values.

Various ink wash techniques displayed on textured paper. The top three sections show gradients created with a brush and diluted ink, a water brush with diluted ink, and a brush with 100% ink. The right side features a "wet on wet" technique with soft gray tones and layered shapes.

Working with Light and Shadow on Location

When I arrive at a sketching spot, I take a moment to observe the lighting. I ask myself: Where is the light coming from? Where are the darkest shadows? I often squint to simplify the scene into just a few value shapes.

A sketch of the entrance to the British Museum, featuring a grand façade with columns and a decorative gate. A few people walk by, surrounded by trees and a clear blue sky. The text reads, "Just passing by..." above the museum's name. — The British Museum by Thainlin Tay.

I usually start with lighter washes and gradually build toward darker tones. Cast shadows, shaded walls, or foliage masses get broader washes, while deep recesses like doorways, windows, or undersides of roofs, get richer, darker ink. The contrast between these areas brings the sketch to life.

Why Tonal Sketching Is a Game-Changer

Focusing on tonal values has quietly improved my art in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve found that a strong value structure holds a sketch together; this kind of value-first thinking is something many professional artists practice—some do quick grayscale thumbnails before every painting. By sketching directly in black and diluted ink, you’re effectively creating a value study and a finished sketch at the same time.

For beginners, this approach is a fantastic teacher. Instead of getting overwhelmed by mixing perfect sky blues or tree greens, you ask: Where is it darkest? Where is it lightest?

A detailed ink sketch of a bustling street scene featuring various shopfronts with distinctive signage. The architecture reflects a mix of styles, showcasing traditional and modern buildings. People are depicted walking along the sidewalks, surrounded by trees and urban elements. — Jalan Sultan by Thainlin Tay.

It builds a foundation for understanding form and lighting—skills that translate to any medium. Plus, monochrome sketching lowers the pressure; with only one color, you’re free to experiment and make mistakes without worrying if you’ve “ruined” a color scheme. The result is often more confident, cohesive artwork.

Practical Tips

Use waterproof ink if you want crisp lines under washes. (One reliable choice is De Atramentis Document Ink in black, known for its deep matte tone and waterproof quality.)
Think in three values to start: light, mid, and dark.
Work from light to dark, adding layers gradually.
Choose a suitable paper that can handle water without buckling.
Keep it simple—minimal tools encourage more frequent sketching.

Quick Field Exercises for Tonal Sketching

Try these simple exercises to build confidence with ink and tonal values.

Exercise 1: Value Hunting

On your next outdoor adventure (even if it’s just your backyard or a local park), spend five minutes identifying the brightest and darkest parts of the scene. Squint until you see big shapes. Then do a tiny thumbnail sketch: draw those shapes with your pen and drop in a few quick washes to represent shadow. Don’t worry about details—just capture light and dark.

Exercise 2: One Wash Wonder

Load a water brush with a light gray ink wash in advance. During a lunch break or while on a walk, sketch a small subject (like a tree, building, or even your coffee cup) using only your pen and that one pre-diluted wash. First, sketch the line drawing, then use the brush to shade. Aim to create at least three distinct values: the white of the paper, a light gray wash, and dark lines or layered washes for shadows.

Exercise 3: Timed Tonal Sketch

Set a timer for 10 minutes and pick a simple scene. Limit yourself to your fountain pen and one brush. Sketch as much as you can, laying down lines and washes rapidly. This encourages letting go of perfection and focusing on capturing the essence of the scene through values.

Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

By embracing an ink-and-water approach, you’re learning to “see” in value. This skill is like a secret superpower for artists: no matter how colorful a subject is, if you can capture its light-and-dark structure, your artwork will stand strong. Plus, sketching with just ink is pure fun. There’s an undeniable delight in watching a scene appear on the page with each inky line and each sweep of translucent gray. It’s a bit like watching a photograph develop—from blank page to finished story, one stroke at a time.

So next time you head out with your sketchbook, consider ditching the full palette and just bringing your trusty fountain pen and a water brush. At first, it might feel like you’re leaving something behind, but you may be surprised by how little you miss color once you get into the groove of chasing light and shadow. Ink and water can capture so much—from the gentle glow of a late-afternoon sky in a pale wash to the drama of a cast shadow in near-black ink.

Thainlin Tay
Social Media | Ambassador Page

About Thainlin

Thainlin Tay is an Art Toolkit Ambassador who has led an Art Toolkit Travel Sketching live demo and instructed People in Motion, available on our workshops page. Learn more about Thainlin on his Ambassador Page and read his last blog post: Sketching with Fude: Bringing Life to Your Lines with a Bent Nib Fountain Pen.