Cool New Markers and a Learning Curve

Little late today! Gilbert (my pug) got into some cat poo outside so I had to wipe his silly face.

Anywho! Today's blog is about these amazing new markers I just got at the beginning of the month! 

I got them delivered on the 10th, decided to use them for Inktober 2016 and haven't parted with them since! They are the first alcohol-based markers I've ever played around with so I was a little timid at first. Here's a look at my supplies that I use.

Okay so I use a BIC ReAction #2 0.5 mechanical pencil (I've had it forever) for all my drawings. Eventually I'd like to get the Prismacolor Col-Erase pencils, but just haven't gotten around to getting them.

I just got the Professional Eraser MOO and it is amazing. Smells weird but doesn't tear up my paper like my old erasers which were student grade. It also doesn't leave lots of tiny eraser squiggles (I have no idea what those are called) everywhere and comes off in larger easier to clean squiggles.

Next is the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen in black. Very finicky and difficult to control, but I know some amazing artist that swear by these. That's pretty much Levi Prewitt thing. They are the blackest of black and I used them to outline the markers at the end of the piece. 

My paper is Semi-Professional, just Canson's Marker Paper in Semi Transparent/Bright White. Super Smooth! I will eventually try higher qualities, but for now I'm just having fun with it.

I add a few details like pink cheeks, lips, tattoos, jewels, eye depth or whatever you feel like needs something extra with Prismacolor Pencils. The colors I used on the paintings below are PC994 Process Red, VERITHIN 752 Dahlia Purple, and PC929 Rose. These are very old. Some of them even dating back to highschool.

And finally the array of Art-n-Fly's markers! It's a new company based out of New York and they make great affordable art supplies. They have tons of other stuff too. My friend just got their gel pen collection and loves them. Grace and Zelly Jelly uses them. I decided to go ahead and get the 24 pack and the 6 pack skin tones since I do mostly portraits. 

You do have to make a list kind of thing, because the colors on the lids of the markers don't translate to what they actually are. The nibs are also replaceable, easy to clean, and refill. The company also informed me that they are working on more colors as well, which I'm pretty excited about.

Here is my Journey with these Markers :

First attempt was okay, I tried with the prismacolor pencils, but I over did it a bit. I tend to do too much detail. So the next one I focused on blending.

This one came out great! I separated the shading and left white spots open like what you would do with watercolor. Then when over all the skin with the 0.5WG Marker, even over the green parts. Art-n-Fly loved this one so much they reposted it on their Instagram! I was extremely honored!

The 3rd attempt was an experiment on how far I could go.

I tried a lighting technique and it came out okay, but the skin was very difficult to blend into the grey. It could just be me being a beginner at markers and not knowing the correct way to blend it. I do like the drawing however, but it is not my favorite. 

The 4th one was also another experiment.

After about 4 failed attempts at trying a different drawing, I finally was able to pop this one out. I was trying to blend blue into the skin tone but couldn't because a lot of the skin tone makers were Yellow based, so it just came out and weird green color. But I was able to do some experimenting with blending an ombre with her hair. And I drew tattoos on her with a prismacolor pencil which is wax based. (not to self and others, do that last before the pentel pocket pen...)

And here is what I'm working on now! Just started it yesterday!

You can see I think I've finally got the feeling for it. But I will only get better as I go. So check out my Instagram for my adventures in the marker art world.

Tell me in the comments below what your favorite medium is and if you've tried out any of these cool markers!

I will be posting a new blog every Wednesday!