Ink Washes with Andrea Deng
In this demo session, architect and artist Andrea Deng demonstrates how to bring drawings to life with ink and ink wash.
By The Art Toolkit Team
This is a recording from our live demo, Ink Washes with Andrea Deng, on September 30th, 2026.
In this demo, learn how to observe, compose, and bring your drawings to life with ink and ink wash!
Andrea begins by introducing essential tools and how to use them effectively. He then demonstrates how to use simple two-point perspective, shows how to build depth with key details, and bring your drawings to life through shadows, contrast, and atmospheric effects.
By the end of the demo, you will have the tools and techniques to create dynamic ink illustrations with greater confidence and visual impact.
Highlights from the Demo
Map out the essential structure, then add expressive details.
Set up drawings with reference lines, starting with key horizontal and vertical lines.
“Observing and simplifying your subject is as important as drawing,” says Andrea.
Start with basic cubic forms for architecture, then add detail and texture with small, expressive ink marks and hatching.
Follow Along and Sketch
Andrea sketched the Imperial Palace in Tokyo below, and you can also download the reference photo here. We loved hearing Andrea’s approaches to sketching the various subjects in the photo, from the building to the trees, the rock foundation wall, and the water. See our founder Maria Coryell-Martin’s sketch, which she completed while following along with the demo!
Recommended Supplies
For this demo, Andrea recommends having:
Pen & Pencil: A fine-nib fountain pen with waterproof black ink (note: some fountain pens will need a converter), or a fineliner with 0.2 or 0.4 nib, and a pencil.
Brushes: A water brush loaded with gray ink (3-5% ink, with the remainder filled with water). A gray marker will also work!
Paper: A5 sketchbook with paper that is 120gsm or above, preferably hot-press, and a few sheets of A4 printer paper.
About Andrea
Andrea Deng believes that every building tells a story, and every street view has a personality to be portrayed. His drawings explore the intricate nature of urban life with ink and watercolor.
As a professional architect, Andrea expresses his ideas through pen and ink drawings whose scenes are enriched with liveliness and a unique narrative. By sketching on-location, he aims to capture more than just a view: the sound of the traffic, the people, and the fleeting energy of the moment.
Based between London and Milan, Andrea is usually found with a fountain pen in one hand and a sketchbook in the other.
Andrea Deng
Website | Social Media
Thank you to those who joined us live, and we encourage you to explore past demos on our Demos page!
