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The ink is less important than the brush, or pen, depending on what you use. I've learned that it doesn't pay, in the long run, to go cheap on brushes and pens. You don't have to get the $30 brush, but the $3 brush is not going to give you what you want. As far as the ink goes, you have to try them out to see what you like. I would avoid the Windsor & Newton India Ink, it's very, very black, but it gums up brushes like crazy. A handy gadget would be a model paint shaker, to keep your ink mixed well. It's also good to use a smaller container to dip from, and keep the main ink bottle sealed as much as possible. Air is your enemy. Best books on inking are the two from Dark Horse "The Art of Comic Book Inking" 1 & 2, by Gary Martin. If you're a penciller, they will help you make your work more "inker friendly". Joe
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Singularity is dead right. Do not cheap out on brushes. I used to know a lot of guys that would buy those $2-3 brushes, they though it was great they were so cheap. But those brushes were synthetic and had a VERY short life span. I honestly do not think a cheap brush will last more than a few pages before it starts to develop a twist or curl that cannot be straightened.
However, a good $15-20 brush, say a Raphael 8404 sable hair, when taken care of, will last a LONG time. I have brushes here that are YEARS old. They do not easily lose their point or develop any "deformities". They tend to just lose their snap over time, but they still remain useful for filling in blacks etc... Your dollar really does go a LONG way if you maintain them well.
As for ink, yes, it's mostly what you become comfortable with, however I will state that it's best to steer clear of inks that contain laquers or varnish, as they will really take a toll on your brushes and severely decrease there life span.
I currently use FW Brand ink and have recently become fond of Sennelier as well.
If your having trouble with ink, always remember that the paper you use counts for a lot too. Not everything out there is inker friendly. Even a lot of the comic art boards sold by Blue Line Pro take ink badly.
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