I've been inking pretty much the same way since High School. Basically I trace my pencils with a #3 micron pen, then erase the pencil, then trace over the now slightly faded ink with a #5 micron adding some line weight in the process. So essentially, I draw my drawing 3 times. 
For the most part I think it's a good start. I was able to control the brush for the most part and it was certainly quicker than the micron process despite how slowly I had to move to maintain control. I think it's lacking a real style but I imagine that will come as I get more comfortable with the brush. There were also minor details I struggled with and some shaky lines where I got nervous (his nose). The brush is also pretty old and I should really upgrade the ink but it's silly to think that materials would really improve my skills all that much. Once I get more practice and more comfortable then I can upgrade, after all there's no point in buying a Ferrari if you can't drive stick.
I colored it in quickly just because. While coloring it in I struggled to find a reason why I chose Crack as my onomatopoeia, especially in the place I originally put it. I moved it to somewhere that made at least a little bit of sense but whatever. Some good practice but I definitely need some more. When I can find time from Matt's Monsters that is.
This is simply not time effective and since I'm primarily working on Matt's Monsters I decided it would be a good time to practice some brush and ink work when I can find time so that I'm ready to ink my comics when the time comes.
I have tried inking in the past but have failed due to lack of trust in myself and my impatience with the lack of control that comes with inexperienced brush work. My big attraction to the microns is that you can be so precise with them while brush work is often spontaneous. Never wanting to give one of my nicer pencil drawings up to the brush I would just go through the time draining micron process.
Over time I've come to appreciate the spontaneity that comes with brush work and it's elegance and flow that I see in other, more experienced artists work. I decided that it's about time for me to see if I can get it to work for me.
I have also decided that I need more practice drawing comic book poses referencing some of my favorite artists. The underneath drawing is a pose I ripped from Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite page... you know the book doesn't list pages but its on the third page of the third chapter. I inked this practice piece with a #1 round brush and black acrylic artist's ink.
For the most part I think it's a good start. I was able to control the brush for the most part and it was certainly quicker than the micron process despite how slowly I had to move to maintain control. I think it's lacking a real style but I imagine that will come as I get more comfortable with the brush. There were also minor details I struggled with and some shaky lines where I got nervous (his nose). The brush is also pretty old and I should really upgrade the ink but it's silly to think that materials would really improve my skills all that much. Once I get more practice and more comfortable then I can upgrade, after all there's no point in buying a Ferrari if you can't drive stick.
I colored it in quickly just because. While coloring it in I struggled to find a reason why I chose Crack as my onomatopoeia, especially in the place I originally put it. I moved it to somewhere that made at least a little bit of sense but whatever. Some good practice but I definitely need some more. When I can find time from Matt's Monsters that is.
