Many comics are hand inked using archival quality pens like the Micron.
You can use a Micron pen to make well-defined lines on a variety of papers. The Japanese corporation Sakura makes a series of fine-line markers filled with their special Pigma ink called Micron pens. Pigma Micron pens are popular among comic and graphic artists for their resistance to bleeding and fading. Pencil work is often traced with the narrow tip of a Micron pen to avoid sacrificing detail. Use a Micron pen to produce a permanent even line in the final stages of a drawing.
Instructions
1. Secure a piece of paper to a drawing board or other flat surface. Low tack artist tape holds the paper in place without causing damage to the edges when it is peeled away.
2. Sketch the concept lightly in pencil on the secured paper. Make corrections with an eraser until you are fully satisfied with the design.
3. Select the Micron pen number for the thickness of line you desire. The Micron 005 makes the most narrow line at .20 millimeters in width. The Micron 08 offers the thickest line at .50 millimeters in thickness.
4. Twist as you pull the cap off the Micron pen and replace it immediately when you are finished using it. Press the tip of the pen to the paper lightly as you move in slow and smooth continuous lines to trace the pencil drawing. Avoid resting your hand on the paper as you work.
5. Draw shadow and thicken outlines with the narrow tip of the Micron pen. Draw parallel lines within close proximity of one another without concern for feathering or bleeding. Try switching to a thicker Micron tip to get the ink applied to large areas more quickly.
