The text discusses the use of pens in drawing, particularly emphasizing copying engravings and prints to learn the craft. It suggests using crow or goose quills due to their firmness and suitability for precise lines. The text also notes a historical context where pen drawing was used as preparation for engraving, which is now considered outdated.
74 METHOD FOR LEARNING
There are some who believe it is useful to practice in the beginning because it forces more attention to what is being done, and where lines are drawn, as there's no way to correct them: however, few people share this opinion, as the practice with the pen can only lead to a hard and dry way of drawing. To learn to use it well, nothing is better than copying good prints, with beautiful engraving, and where there is no confusion in the hatching, such as, for example, the prints of the Carracci, Melan, and Le Clerc; and to imitate with the pen, the contours and the hatches that the burin or the point have traced. This manner of drawing is particularly suitable for those who intend to practice the Art of Engraving (a).
To draw with a pen, one usually uses crow or goose quills because they are firmer and mark a clearer line on the paper. The best ones are from the ends of the wings: from the right wing, that is, those whose larger barbs face the thumb, are better in hand, whether for drawing or writing. One must always choose the clearest and thinnest: the clearest because they split more neatly, and the thinnest because they are easier to sharpen for fine lines and delicate strokes. And as it is claimed that the oldest are the best, provided they have been kept in a dry place, it will be good to stock up on them. The same goes for crow quills, which are also very suitable for
a It was previously customary to draw with a pen to prepare for engraving; but this is no longer done, having realized it was a waste of time: Engravers should draw in the same manner as Painters.