Thanks for all of the kind comments. Here are answers to some of the questions.
The pen barrels are completed first with my standard lacquer finish. I make sure the lacquer is completely cured. The paint is acrylic. I took 3 classes at Michael's on One-Stroke painting. I also got a couple of Donna Dewberry's books for reference. She is the most noted one-stroke painter I know of. Practice was 2-3 months with MANY failures. After the paint has dried, I put several coats of thin CA over the painted part and, after it cured, gently buffed it out with white diamond.
Both pictures are stylized flowers. Not only am I color blind, but also need to work on the shapes so you'll know my birds from flowers. [8D]
The brushes are all fairly fine. The wider lines are created by mashing the bristles a bit. The real thin lines are created by sanding a fine point on a tooth pick and dragging a bit of the ink.
I'm not sure I'm ready for a bird of paradise yet, Serge, but I am working on some things other than flowers.
Thanks again for the kind words.