Illustrations
Unleashing Creativity
The Power of Alcohol Markers for Illustration
Alcohol markers have become an essential tool in my artistic journey for several reasons. Firstly, their vibrant and versatile colors allow me to create captivating and richly saturated artwork. Secondly, their seamless blending capabilities enable smooth transitions between shades, adding depth and dimension to my creations. Thirdly, the precision and control offered by alcohol markers allow me to add intricate details and textures with ease. Lastly, their compatibility with other art mediums allows me to experiment and combine various techniques, expanding the possibilities of my artwork. With their durability and longevity, alcohol markers have truly become a catalyst for unleashing my creativity on the canvas.
The Method
I’ll always start a drawing in pencil. Often, that’s as far as I get. But if I like where it is heading, I’ll then start to add in some basic colours.
As things progress, I can start to layer the various colours to build contrast within the image. This is often the point where it comes to life. Around the 50% completion stage the illustration can sometimes seem quite uninspiring, but as I continue, it really starts to grow. The beauty of using markers is the blending ability they allow; it’s like having a full watercolour setup in your pocket, minus the mess!
After the final colours are in I will then go back and see if any additional outlining detail is needed before confirming it’s ready for digitising and adding to my growing library.
Adding markers with variable width dramatically alters the contrast of a scene
Collections
As with a lot of artists, I tend to go through phases of illustrations. Often this coincides with visits I make to a particular country or place, and sometimes I simply feel that I want to draw a variety of temples, for example. To make it easier to both view and store my illustrations, I categorise them into various collections. You may find this useful if there is an image you like, and you want to see others that are similar.
Getting to print
Once the image is finished, the detailed work of being able to preserve and print the illustration begins. The “drawback” of alcohol markers is that, over time, they fade. It may take years, but eventually the original illustration will be no more. If you’d like to understand more about the preserving and printing process, please take a look below.
