Everyone has used markers for one reason or the other, but if your kids are a serious artist, markers are must-have items. Using them brings instant gratification because they usually produce brilliants colors that enhance your creativity.
Markers dry quickly, require little preparation time, and are simple to use. They are great for creating precise illustrations, calligraphic designs, and loose lines.
Different Kinds of Markers
Markers come in a variety of colors and you can purchase them in sets which is a great saving for you. They also vary in top shape and size, and their colorants also distinguish them.
This means that markers give you a wide array of choices that you can make. The types of markers in the market include:
- Permanent fabric
- Alcohol-based
- Water-based
- Permanent
- Solvent-based
Markers also come in different brands. The popular brands of markers include Copic, Crayola, Tombow, Prismacolor, Sharpies, and Chartpak.
You can choose the best type of marker and the kind of brand that works best for you.
Different Kinds of Paper
The kind of paper you use determines the quality of the artwork you produce. There are two categories of papers, uncoated and glossy.
It is a bit difficult to draw on glossy paper using a marker because it doesn’t absorb much ink and is slick. This means the colors won’t be vibrant and your mistakes will stand out more. It is therefore advisable to use uncoated papers.
TIPS TO DRAW WITH MARKERS
Everyone can use markers but not many people use them rightly. The type of markers you use and the kind of papers you choose will make each drawing experience to be unique.
However, some general tips can make your drawing better regardless of your choice of marker and paper. Here are some tips to draw with markers for kids.
Use Heavier Paper or Cards
Markers work best on heavier paper. As a beginner, you may be heavy-handed at first and this may cause the ink to spread to the parts you never wanted it to go to. This can spoil your artwork by making it look blurry.
Using heavier paper or cards provides you with a larger margin of error because they absorb ink better. Additionally, the pages will not get affected by ink from other pages.
Go from Lightest to Darkest
When using lots of shades, the best technique is to start with the lighter colors and progress to the darker ones.
This is because the darker colors can easily go over the lighter ones. If you start with the darker colors, they will obliterate the lighter colors you try to put on top.
Test Before You Commit
Testing is important when you are using different brands of pens. Different brands produce different marks and if you don’t test them first, you may end up with many errors which will spoil your paper.
Have an extra piece of paper where you test the markers and see how they work before you use them on your main artwork.
Use Different Techniques
Do not rely on only one technique when drawing. Different techniques will make you produce very attractive effects in your artwork.
You can apply dabbing and dotting techniques to add depth and texture to your work. Some other important techniques that you can use to improve your drawing include:
Line and wash
Start by drawing lines and let it dry for a while. Once it is dry, you can use the markers to add light washes. When you used water-soluble ink on the initial lines, the wash will soften them to create a very attractive fusion of tone and line.
Layering
Layering and blending improve the quality of your artwork. There are colorless blenders such as Chartpak and Prismacolor that you can use to make the edges softer and combine colors.
Combining media
When you are using watercolor brush markers, you can blend and lighten them using a brush dipped in water. You can also use the traditional watercolor techniques with the markers.
Conclusion
You can now create amazing pieces of art because you now have the tips on how to use markers. Using these tips, you can produce artwork that will remain attractive for a lifetime.
Remember it is not easy to correct errors when using markers. That’s why you need to produce high-quality work for the first time.
Practice, practice and practice to ensure you minimize errors as much as possible. Put these tips into good use and your results will amaze you.
