Paul Riley
Pen and wash is a powerfully illustrative medium and it’s no wonder that it has been used by numerous illustrators. I liken pen and wash to the Oriental form of flesh-and-bone painting, where the pen acts as the skeleton for the image and the washes provide the flesh.
There are two basic approaches to the method depending on the look you are after. One is where the drawing and ink work is done first, then the washes added. The other is where a pencil drawing is done first with the washes added either loosely or in a detailed manner. Then, when the wash is dry, the penwork is added. With the first method you need to use waterproof ink using a dip pen. The second method is possible with either waterproof or nonwaterproof ink. The pencil drawing can be either very detailed or just a light indication depending on the complexity of the subject matter. For a highly complex image you may need to do an in-depth drawing on tracing paper first, then transfer that to your paper.