Creating art with pen & ink is just one more inexpensive way of creating art! One needs very little supplies. Ink, pen and paper and you are in business. There are many kinds of India ink available. India ink is composed of water, carbon black particles for rich, dark color and latex or shellac for a binder. India ink comes in all different colors besides black. India inks are labeled permanent, waterproof or non-waterproof. However, even the waterproof ink can smudge.
I find the best method for me when I do illustrations is to use the waterproof ink and then put my washes in. When I do a watercolor painting or illustration first I find that I can use the non-water proof ink to put my lines in once my painting is dry. Remember you can fast dry any watercolor or ink work with an old hair dryer. Here is a work I recently created using just two colors of ink and one crow pen holder and speedball nib and I did it on Bristol Board. There are many types of pens available. I mostly work with the standard wooden pen holders that have the pen tips inserted into them. I have many tips, but use just a few are my favorites. I clean my pens by dipping them in water after use and drying them off.
I first learned pen and ink artwork about 60 years ago with the following equipment. The standard Speedball Crow Quill Dip Pens and Nibs and I mostly work with them since I am the most comfortable with them. Plus they are very inexpensive.
There are technical pens one can use and they are easy to use such as this Sheaffer Calligraphy Mini Kit. 
Think about Creating your workspace and you do need a workspace. You can use a simple lap desk or any flat surface. I prefer my desk which has a large piece of ply wood on it which is propped up in the back with a 2 inch piece of hard foam and it gives me just the angle I want to work with. However, I place my inks on a flat surface besides my slightly slanted workspace in order to avoid spills.
The paper is very inexpensive and I like working on Bristol Board. I particulary like the Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board is an economical 2-ply bristol, available in two surfaces. Smooth is suited for pen or pencil. Vellum is ideal for a broad range of media, including crayon, charcoal and watercolor. It is Acid-free. Each tape-bound pad contains 20 sheets.
Canson Student Bristol Vellum Finish pads are acid-free, economical bristol-weight board with vellum finish suitable for pencil, pen, pastel, and charcoal and they are very inexpensive also so the whole thing is a matter of choice depending on what you intend to do.
Don’t be afraid to try this medium and I especially recommend the Claudia Nice books
“Tread the Earth Lightly” and in the meantime… May your day be filled with… Peace, Light and Love 
Arlene Wright-Correll
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Arlene, I love your work! It is so delicate and bold all at the same time – how appropriate for this VN website!. I am a watercolorist, and have always wanted to try pen and ink, but never have. Maybe now I will thanks.
Dear Sylvie,
I too paint mostly in watercolors, but love doing something different once in a while. I especially like to take my watercolor sketches that I do for my articles and books and I love to do some illustrative pen & ink lines on them. Do try the pen and ink as it works really well as a great stress reliever. The Cycleman was done mostly with dots of ink.
You can see what I mean about highlighting with the Key West Series of watercolors.
“Tread the Earth Lightly” and in the meantime… May your day be filled with… Peace, Light and Love Arlene Wright-Correll
Hi Arlene,
Your art work is beautiful!
My son does a lot of pen and ink work, It’s very detailed, and beautiful. He’s getting a lot of contracts now, and work hours on end. As well as doing his school work.
One thing I’m concerned about is his posture, he’s only 19, but he can spend hours hunched over drawing. It may not bother him now, but I think it will catch up with him. I think at university they use drafting tables. When he gets home we can set him up with one, but I’m wondering about a chair, any ideas?
You can check out this chair which I recommend. I think you will be doing him a favor with this chair. I recommend it on my art site so just scroll down to the bottom of the page until you see a photo of it and click on it to get all the information. You can then decide them. This is an excellent artist chair and used by most professionals.
“Tread the Earth Lightly” and in the meantime… May your day be filled with… Peace, Light and Love Arlene Wright-Correll