I specifically included the kats here, because there is a lot of stuff that you most likely are not interested in; To read the entire post without opening the subscripts, it’s easier to open it in a separate window.
I talked about markers two years ago, when they were still new and few people used them - but then I myself was not so familiar with them. Over the past couple of years I have accumulated quite a lot of experience and large number markers themselves, besides, people regularly ask me about them. So I'll try again.
There are different markers for drawing, I only dealt with the usual alcohol-based ones, Letraset, Tria, Copic, Touch and some other Noname Polish, it seems, made by Graph_it (the French ones, as it turned out, I just bought them in Poland). No matter what is said about this, I didn’t notice any difference between them. It seems that Copic has a greater variety of colors. Perhaps the cheap ones run out faster - it’s difficult to track. My Letrasets were my first
markers and I don’t remember how quickly they died.
I have the most Touch markers, the fact is that two years ago Seryoga gave me a box of Touch about 60 pieces for my birthday.
It was a very successful purchase, although of course there were a lot of colors that I don’t use and don’t plan to, but the most necessary ones to start with were also there. And then it became clear to me what I would like to buy.
In addition, different manufacturers also have different series of markers, as I understand they differ in the amount of ink and the shape of the tips.
Touch has two types of markers, black ones which have a thin tip at one end and a wide one at the other, and white ones - the same but instead of a thin one
the tip of the so-called brush.
Copies have more options.
You actually need a lot of flowers. The minimum with which you can generally draw at least some multicolor is a line of neutral grays and a couple of dozen colored ones. I actually prefer having two ranges of greys: a warm one and a cool one. You don’t need a full line from 1 to 9; it’s enough to have five of them.
Gray markers play a dual role; they are needed both for their intended purpose - to make a tonal drawing, and for mixing with colored markers in order to reduce their brightness.
In general, color mixing is interesting topic, the markers mix, but not at all like watercolors. They practically do not produce dirty colors, but the result of mixing is often difficult to predict, it depends on the paper and on how many colors you use, and on which color you take first.
The most necessary ones are muted and relatively light colors; bright, like a set of pencils kindergarten, I wouldn't buy it at all.
For the rest, you should focus on the intended subjects, for example, for the city I always need a lot of ocher different shades, at least one color for the sky and several for the foliage.
Markers can also be used to draw real multicolors, like watercolors, but you can use them for emphasis or for some other technique.
This can be called a real full-color drawing; only markers are used here.
It is in this capacity that I almost never use markers.
Here we have to touch on such a complex topic as the correspondence of material, plot and design. This is a completely creative question in which you don’t want
give advice, and also very personal :) You will see for yourself what you like. I can only say what I personally prefer to do or not do.
From objective source data it is necessary to mention paper.
There is special paper for markers, I have dealt with Letraset paper, thick and thin (there are of course many other brands).
The density is indicated in the corner below. I personally found the thin one too thin, but I really liked the thick one, primarily for the feeling of drawing on it.
it's drawn on thick marker paper.
In general, you can draw on any paper, but on regular paper the markers are absorbed more strongly and more of them are wasted, besides, the line looks different on different paper.
A very interesting effect is obtained when drawing on acrylic paper; it absorbs very little and the marker begins to look similar in behavior and appearance to watercolor. Mixing is the most interesting thing on this paper; besides, it is great for “erasing” the color before it dries.
This was an example of painting with markers, proving that there are many possibilities here. True, to implement them in this way, you need to have many colors. Let's say there are more than fifty of them in my travel kit. But I rarely do marker painting, firstly, there are more suitable materials for painting that provide more opportunities for conveying shades, and secondly, I usually use markers for sketches, the format is limited, particularly in terms of time.
You can use markers to create a fairly well-developed tone pattern, thanks to the gray line; I personally don’t have such examples.
I can show you another option, this is a limited introduction of color plus a tone pattern. Here you can highlight several techniques, for example the obvious one - color as an accent.
Or vice versa, color as a frame for what is the main image.
By the way, here you can also notice that in addition to markers, there is a liner in the drawing.
A lot has been written about liners in RuNet, I won’t repeat myself, I use many. My absolute favorites are cocoiro zig,
Unfortunately, they are not sold in Russia (here too) but hurray, we all have the Internet. By the way, I didn’t find them myself, Masha showed them to me softabris , a very good artist from Crimea.
Markers and liners work well together in different ratios.
Variant of linear drawing complemented by tone
Or tone and a little color
In this case, the line may be the main one, and the tone additional, or perhaps the line only highlights individual moments. What to draw first and what
then - there are no ready-made recipes here.
A more obvious case where the line and color are roughly equally designed
in such cases, I usually draw a linear drawing first, and introduce color later; as a rule, I also work out the drawing in the process.
It seems to me that there is no universal technology here.
And a minimalist version, in which the marker only places accents in the linear drawing.
By the way, the liners here are the same kokoiro, brown and black.
And a lot about what it all looks like.
I recently showed off my bag of markers, which is exactly the amount I usually take with me. It’s true that you have to carry the tablet separately, depending on its size.
So in the corner of the bag there is a seat sticking out - I take it out and the tablet, the markers still lie in the bag. It is very convenient to have a coloring sheet with all the colors and their numbers on a separate piece of paper, because it is difficult to remember which color is called by which number.
I sit wherever I have to, but of course it’s very convenient if I have to sit somewhere at a cafe table. It happens that I draw while standing, but this is not very convenient, especially rummaging through my bag in search of the right colors. I place the glued paper on my knees, there is cardboard at the back of the glue, so it doesn’t bend.
Now tell me what did I forget?
And yes, please ask, comment, add.
I always forget to publish material on marker sketches; I wrote this article for Beamused last year. By the way, I am very grateful to the magazine, both for the offer and for sending the author’s copy with nice gifts. I really liked the hedgehog book with different papers, and I successfully decorate it with font compositions.
And I hope that it will get warmer soon, otherwise with the current weather (and the price of markers too) - I’m not sure of the usefulness of this article)) I also doubt my “writing talent”, it always turns out somehow complicated and sophisticated, I copied several times, in the magazine they at least edited it, but here there will be an author’s version, bear with me, let’s go)))
Spring and summer is the time to travel, be inspired by the beauty of unfamiliar spaces and explore new routes. And you can get to know your hometown again, find interesting places you have never been to before, or see something unusual in familiar streets and buildings. And save the most vivid impressions and emotions will be helped by drawing in the city. By opening a notebook with sketches, you are guaranteed to be transported to another reality and remember all the events down to the smallest detail, an amazing effect!
In 2012, I returned to drawing with living materials after a many-year break, having a children's education behind me. art school and 10 years of experience as a graphic designer (oddly enough, I very rarely had to draw with my hands “on duty”). I tried all the materials I could get my hands on: colored pencils, pastels, liners, acrylic, watercolors. Very soon, within the framework of home drawing, I felt cramped, I wanted space, something new and interesting. The summer before last I discovered such a material as markers and became interested in urban sketches. These are mainly alcohol-based capillary pens, usually have a very rich range of colors, allow you to achieve watercolor effects by layering, a very interesting and convenient material for working outdoors.
At some point, it became customary for me to go “open air” to the historical part of Kyiv, wander the streets, peer into the character of the city, notice the nuances, make successful and not so successful attempts to transfer the surrounding beauty to paper.
Frankly speaking, at first I was frightened by the lack of experience and necessary theoretical knowledge, the amount of detail in architecture, the perspective, and the very idea of drawing on the street. But over time, the embarrassment passed, the result began to please more often, and the pleasure from the process was incredible!
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
I'll tell you a little about what materials I use to draw. First of all, these are, of course, markers: I mainly use Copic Sketch, Letraset Tria and Letraset Promarker. Copic Sketch has two tips: a wide beveled one and a very soft brush; you can buy ink for refilling separately. Letraset Tria has three tips: a brush, a wide beveled tip and a third tip that is very thin, like a liner. The brush of these markers is not as flexible and movable as Copic's, it is more elastic, which may be more convenient for beginners. Letraset Promarker has two tips, medium and wide.
Copic has a more varied color layout, but their price is higher. At first, I bought about 12 pieces of Copics using the selection method; for the first works, this minimum was enough. The pleasure is not cheap, so I picked up 2-3 markers, immediately sat down near the store to draw and noted which colors were missing.
I also have a “zero” marker, it contains colorless ink, which, with proper skill, allows you to make stretch marks and mix colors, but I use it very rarely.
Then a set of 24 Letraset Tria Architecture markers appeared in my arsenal. To go with them, I bought several Letraset Promarkers, and now I am quite satisfied with the existing range . There are other alcohol-based markers on sale, but since I mostly draw with a brush tip, the range of brands that suit me is narrowing. It is very convenient to use a special pencil case for markers, but this is only possible.
I also draw with markers (capillary pens) Faber-Castell PITT, they are also water- and light-resistant, but not alcohol-based, they lay down a little differently. The color range is not as rich as those listed above, there are few light shades. On the plus side - they don’t leak reverse side sheet, so you can draw with them in almost any notebook on both sides.
Yes, a few words about paper: it is better to draw with alcohol markers on special paper. On it, markers do not spread or leak onto the bottom sheets, the colors adhere and mix better, and they say - less ink consumption. I started with Copic glue, but the sheets in it are very thin, it was not very convenient for me, although the marker fits perfectly. Now I draw in a horizontal notebook Stylefile A5, it has quite thick paper for markers, and the sketchbook format is more convenient for me.
To work out the details, you need “marker-resistant” liners, my favorite is Dark Sepia 175 from Faber-Castell PITT, I love the brown outline. Black is also a great option, I have used Faber-Castell, Copic, Micron, Marvy, Edding liners, they all fit and do not smudge with markers. It’s just better to let the linear drawing dry for a while.
It’s also convenient to make a coloring sheet for work; I usually attach it to the page adjacent to the drawing, so it’s easier to navigate the colors. Well, in plein air conditions, a piece of tourist “foam”, a hat, etc. won’t hurt.
OPERATING TECHNIQUE
Now I want to tell you more about the technique of working with markers. I now have two main approaches to sketching on the street; I decide which one to use depending on the situation. The first option is more detailed, takes me from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, and as a result the picture turns out to be more detailed. With this approach, I outline the main perspective constructions and composition with a very light marker color, gradually build up the tone, then work out the details with a thin liner, and at the end I finalize, compacting some areas again with markers, if necessary.
The second approach is much simpler and more time-efficient; I used it when I need to make quick sketches, 10-20 minutes each, when traveling, for example, when there is no time for more detailed work. In this case, I immediately make a linear drawing with a liner, and then add color with a marker. In terms of color, by the way, I am using the very limited range I have, so the correspondence to reality is sometimes very approximate. You can do light tone work light shades over a linear pattern, or you can introduce a few bright contrasting accents, experiment!
DRAWING PROCESS
1. Getting ready for work. If I draw at home, I find a suitable photograph. If it’s plein air, I choose an angle for painting so that the view is rhythmic and varied, and at the same time so that I can sit comfortably. If I want to make a detailed sketch, then a bench in the shade is preferable; it can take from 40 minutes to an hour and a half, which somehow flies by suspiciously unnoticed. If the sketch is quick, then you can stand, I like to lean my shoulder against the wall. I place the necessary markers vertically in my clothing pockets or in the open side pocket of my bag. If your notebook does not have a hard cover, then a tablet will come in handy. In windy weather, it is better to secure the pages with clips; I usually attach the coloring to the side of the worksheet. If you work with alcohol markers and are not sure about the “leak-proof” properties of the paper you are using, it makes sense to place a blank sheet under the worksheet. I also try to take a photo, this will help to add the finishing touches at home (for example, I don’t have any desired color or your eyes are “blurry”), and generally finish the work if for some reason you don’t have time right away.
2. So, everything is ready, you can start drawing. I use the lightest marker to indicate the composition and perspective lines. In my first works, I subtly outlined the main objects with a simple pencil, but it’s difficult to erase it later, so I don’t use this technique now. A marker is much more convenient and “cleaner”; errors, if there are any, are easy to correct and as a result they will not be noticeable. For example, I can already see that the tram is smaller in size than needed. I can consciously change some proportions or arrangement of elements if I see that this will benefit the composition or introduce an additional interesting rhythm.
3. At the next stage, I outline the main colors. If you don’t have the right color, don’t worry; an exact match to reality is not always necessary. Sometimes a work only benefits and takes on an interesting flavor if it is done in a limited number of colors. At first, it is even more practical to buy several shades of gray and basic light colors, make sure that you like this material
4. Then there are two ways, you can begin to complicate and deepen the color spots and then introduce linear drawing with a liner. In this work, I decided to immediately introduce the line. I start with an F size liner, draw the main objects in the compositional center, and leave the buildings in the background for now. I reduce the lines to the edges of the sheet “to nothing.”
5. Then comes the time of the most creative and difficult to explain process. Here I get so deep into drawing that it’s very difficult for me to sort out my actions, because I often draw intuitively. Nature itself “leads”, to add details here, to darken or enhance the color here. In other words, I do a more detailed study of planes and objects, add light, shadow, deepen or weaken (I go over with a light or zero marker, “write off”) some areas.
6. I continue in the same spirit. I add details with a thinner liner. If I want to draw in more detail the secondary objects and details of the background, then I do this not with the main dark liner, but with Tria thin tips that match the color. This allows you to convey an aerial perspective and focus the viewer’s attention on the main thing. I go from the general to the specific, increasingly complicating the drawing, adding details and details layer by layer. Due to the fact that each spot and line does not repeat the previous ones - they shine through each other, making the work richer and more interesting, thanks to the multi-layer effect, new shades appear.
It's good to take a break here and relax. After a few minutes, look at the nature and drawing again, and add the finishing touches to the work. I want to increase the contrast, so I add some more details and deepen the shadows. Whether to add people, road signs, signs, wires, and transport to your city sketches is up to everyone to decide for themselves. I act intuitively according to the situation, I can outline the contours of cars in the foreground, outline the silhouettes of people, draw wires if this enhances the composition, adds liveliness and variety.
By the way, the back of the finished work even on special paper for markers looks peculiar. If I plan to make a spread, I simply skip the page.
In the meantime, our drawing is ready, enjoy the result :o)
It’s great to draw while traveling: when you get inspired in new places, you get a breakthrough; in “tourist” mode it’s easier to relax and take out a notebook. After a while, some tricks of their own appear, with each subsequent drawing the eye immediately highlights the main thing, you process the information faster and make a decision. It’s easier to choose a point to draw, it’s already clear what to put where to make it convenient. It happens that there is no experience of drawing on the street, and there is initial embarrassment. But in my experience, people generally don’t care what you draw there; some may have a passing interest, but the reaction is only positive. More than once passers-by “entered” the frame and did not notice it for quite a long time . Although it is possible that I am so disconnected from reality while drawing that I hardly notice what is happening around me. And even if the result is not always satisfactory, the process still gives me great pleasure, and any drawing is a plus in the treasury of experience and a step towards mastery. Drawing literally opened my eyes and changed my perspective. Now I can truly “see” all the beauty around me, sometimes I can even draw something in my imagination, rather than habitually glancing with a semi-indifferent glance at the surrounding space, immersed in my thoughts and not fixating on the details.
Draw at home and while traveling, in unfamiliar places and on familiar streets, in a cafe or from the window of your own home, and whether it will be markers, pencils or watercolors is a matter of choice; my technique in watercolors is very similar. The main thing is to enjoy and be positive from the process!
Here’s an article, if anyone hasn’t read it)) For example, both at the beginning of my studies and now, I was most interested in information on materials, tools, processes and other creative techniques, so now I myself try to share what I know . I'm glad and a little surprised that we mastered it)))
I decided to collect general drawing principles; the post will be useful for those who are planning to try drawing with markers and don’t know where to start. All pictures in the post are from the Internet.
We will mainly talk about drawing with alcohol markers. Let me remind you: the main difference between alcohol markers is that they are refilled with alcohol-containing ink and when you draw with them, the paint dries very quickly and does not warp the paper.
There are several basic techniques:
Drawing with liners- became popular thanks to Anna Rastorgueva’s master classes. First, the main outline of the future drawing is drawn with a waterproof liner (this is important!), the degree of detail depends on your plan, but it is better to stick to large details. Then the colors and tone of the design are added with markers and finally the final accents are placed with a white pen. A white pen can be replaced with white acrylic or gouache, but many people use a pen simply because it is convenient and they can draw thin, neat lines. The technique of applying an outline at the end, after drawing with markers, also works. If you don't have liner, you can try waterproof mascara, but this can be more labor intensive. On at the moment, in my opinion, this is the most common technique.
Drawing with a contour, but not with a liner, but with colored pencils, colored pens so that the outline does not stand out from the overall tone of the drawing. It looks interesting, but for some reason few people draw like this.
Drawing without outline, using markers only. It is less common because it is not always possible to draw neat small details with markers. However, large-detailed drawings look very cool in this technique. The fairly famous Pomme Chan paints using this technique.
Another example 
Also, drawn by Ryan Spahr and the process is shown step by step here. 
Combining markers with other materials. Here markers act as secondary material, but nevertheless play an important role. You can draw a background with markers under the drawing with multi-colored pencils, or, on the contrary, use pencils on top of the markers (I mostly draw this way). This technique allows you to make the shades smoother and the colors richer. In this case, it’s not scary if you lack some marker colors - pencils perfectly compensate for them. Plus I like the rough texture of the pencil on top of the relatively smooth texture of the marker.
In general, markers can be combined with watercolors, pastels (backings), gouache, and ink. This is excellent material for those who are not afraid of experiments and know how to invent different techniques drawing.
For those who are just starting to draw, here are a few tricks and secrets: 
Finally, I have collected useful videos with drawing techniques to help you get started.
Basic lesson on mixing colors.
And one more basic lesson about markers.
Lesson from Lisa Krasnova, one of the leading sketchers. Lisa is always very bright and beautiful drawings, I recommend looking at everything you find.
An interesting technique for drawing a white cat.
Another amazing artist Volha Sakovich shows how to draw with copics, check her out channel, there is a lot of interesting things there. I like the artistry of the technique and the minimal outline.
A delightful tutorial on how to draw beautiful skin.
And finally, another wonderful example of the painting technique with markers.
Feel free to experiment and come up with something of your own; there are no strict rules in drawing with markers. On the contrary it is relative new material and it's in your hands to try to make it a great tool for your style.
How many times have you, looking through the next curious instructions, been about to repeat them? But something always stops you from joining the legion of practicing handmade lovers. Either a lack of time or resources. Well, the issue of time will have to be decided independently. And we will help with resources: we will advise 21 cool idea, which can be implemented using a simple marker.
An ordinary permanent marker in skillful hands becomes a real magic wand. Fulfills any creative desires. And this one is 21 creative project- excellent proof of this. Using a marker you can:
1. Decorate ceramic mugs with any design or inscription
Making such a gift for friends and family is very simple. It is enough to paint the mug with a marker and send it to “bake” in the oven for half an hour at a temperature of 180 C. After this maneuver, the design will not run off after the first wash of the dishes.
2. Turn simple, plain furniture into “predatory”
What could be easier than drawing spots? If you don’t feel like spoiling your furniture with your homemade creativity, you can always sew a simple cover or experiment with pillows.
3. Speaking of pillows
Multi-colored markers + alcohol + courage = delightful pillowcases a la watercolor. Draw a blank for the future pattern and generously sprinkle the pillowcase with alcohol, pouring it into a spray bottle. The marker will “float”, creating an interesting effect. To secure the result, let the item dry naturally, then put it in the automatic dryer for 30 minutes, and then go through it with a hot iron from the inside out.
4. Paint pebbles or shells to create unique decor for your home and garden
5. Decorate a table lamp with a custom pattern using a white marker.
A designer item for pennies, also made with your own hands - isn’t it tempting?
6. Or paint a lampshade with motivational inscriptions so that you can always re-read them before going to bed
7. Using a marker and a stencil, you can decorate anything: from napkins to T-shirts
The main thing is not to forget to warm up the new design with an iron.
8. Simple glasses with a slight movement of a marker turn into elegant candlesticks
By the way, you can use openwork napkins as a stencil for the pattern.
9. Paint plastic bags and turn them into original packaging for gifts or storing small items
10. Or make wrapping paper out of plain paper.
11. A black marker and a little alcohol will help give silver jewelry a noble vintage look.
But it’s better not to do this trick with real silver.
12. Give new life to old jeans by turning them into shorts with a cool print.
13. Paint Easter eggs
14. Or your own nails
It is noteworthy that all the flaws of the “marker manicure” can be corrected with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. And at the same time do not damage the varnish layer.
15. Make unique Christmas tree decorations from plain balls, which are sold everywhere on the eve of the holidays
16. Transform simple white plates into a unique designer set
The main thing is not to forget about the baking rule from point No. 1.
17. What about Christmas tree decorations and plates, you can even draw on light bulbs!
How to draw a mandala with markers
First of all, I drew a mandala with markers :) I am attaching a photo of the process. You can also see the patterns that I used in this mandala in the screenshots.
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How I chose markers
1. Molotow
The price of one is 300 rub.
yes, money wasted...
The markers leak a lot in my opinion. But the main disadvantage is that the coverage is uneven - individual strokes are visible
Since these markers were the first to come to me, I immediately thought that I just don’t know how to draw))))
2.FINECOLOR
Chinese markers. The price of one is 70 rubles/piece
These are super markers! Simply excellent. I bought them to try and they turned out just wonderful. They produce the most ideal coating! The Chinese are great. The only downside is that the palette is not rich, or rather it is large, but there can be more. For example, the most tender blue color I never found it. And one more disadvantage - each marker behaves differently, for example, the ink of red one flows a lot and the paper under it gets very wet, but for other colors it does not.
If you don't have markers at all, start with them! Definitely!
English markers. Very popular among illustrators. And the name is well known. I can't say I'm delighted with them. Quite expensive. The tip is solid. The coverage is uniform, but sometimes streaks are visible, especially when you apply a second coat if necessary. Overall not ideal
I bought it for 215 rubles/piece
4. Copic
The price of one in Russia is! 450 RUR per piece (depending on the amount of ink)
But they have the perfect brush tip. love them
The coverage is uniform. But sometimes it seems to me that the Chinese ones have better coverage, so I use them in combination.
Here it is - my sunshine!
In turn, I bought a FineColor set - 24 colors on Aliexpress. And then I bought Vista-Artista from Leonardo. I ended up with a set of 36 colors, and that’s enough for now. It seems to me that everything I want to draw at the current level can be created using this palette
My resume and impressions.
How to choose paper for markers
It is best, of course, to use special paper for markers. To be honest, I haven’t tried it yet, but the whole point of this paper is that, as the manufacturers say, it allows you to save markers. Its second advantage is that it is thick, more precisely denser than ordinary sketchbook paper. Its density is usually 150-160 mg/m3, but markers will still shine through it.
Here is a very useful review from Zhenya Lipatnikova
Do you know what, among other things, I admire about alcohol markers? The fact that you draw one sketch with them, but in the end you get two :)) On most papers, markers saturate the sheet or page in the sketchbook right through and... on the other hand, I always have a second sketch that looks like a watercolor drawing :)) My mother in general they make me sick! He says give me the backs of your sketches.
How bright and clear this mirror illustration will turn out depends, of course, on the paper. I tried Letraset gluing with a density of 70 g, Leuchtturm1917, Savannasketch and Tsusketch sketchbooks with a total of about 160-170 g, but the brightest and clearest result of the “reverse” sketch came out of me unexpectedly on marker paper from @black13bunny density 80 gr. and with a glossy coating on the reverse side (so that markers do not print on the next page).
In reality, you can use both sketches now☺ Like, I not only draw with markers, but I can also use watercolors right away
Illustration of Zhenya
I draw in a graphics notebook, density 200 mg/m3, A5 format. It does not shine through on the reverse side as picturesquely as Zhenya’s. Here are my beginner sketches :)
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