About once a year I set aside a page in my sketchbook, or bullet journal, to do a marker test. I go through every pen I own including Sharpies, highlighters, Bic Permanent Markers, Crayola markers, Stabilo pens, Expo dry erase markers and everything in between. I document the quality and determine whether to keep or toss the utensil. I find it’s easy to collect art materials, especially when you’re like me and switch mediums regularly. It’s important to know that when I reach for a certain pen or marker, it’s going to work the way I want it to. I do keep a page at the back of my sketchbook open for testing mediums, but it’s an important part of the process of creating art to go with the flow and just draw.
This portrait was created using mixed media like colored pencils, markers, and ink. The portrait features the face of a man resting in his hand, and staring dead-eyed at the viewer. I used non local color techniques to create depth and form using colors not typically found in the human face, like blues and violets for shadows and yellows and oranges or highlights. Parts of his face include small pink stars which originally faded from the previous page, but I really like the look it gives, they almost look like celestial freckles.
Pop art ink drawing in red, pink, and violet hues. The subject is the palm of a hand and curled fingers. The background has blue, green, and turquoise stripes contrasting the colors of the hand. This artistic drawing style uses non local color to create form in the palm hand drawing.
This doodle is a marker and ink drawing of a hyper stylized sun with a middle spiral and squiggles extruding from the center like a wild galactic heliocentric power hold. The sky is orange and hot Barbie pink and deep blue and very fun and colorful to look at. Check out more of my art at ArtsyDrawings.com
From left to right (countries and their names):
Belarus- Alena Sokolova
Czech Republic-Iveta Cerna
Hungary-Maida Valko
Ukraine- Olena Karpenko
Poland- Albinka Debski
Markers and Pens
-Sailor Shikiori Dual Tip Brush Pens
-Micron Pens
-Copic Markers
-Posca Markers
-Staedtler Double Ended Permanent Pens
-Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens
-Gelly Roll Pens
-Uni Ball Signo Pens
-Marvy Artist Double Sided Permanent Pens
-Mark’s Tous Le Jours Ballpoint Pen
etc…
Colored Pencils
-Caran d’ache luminance
-Holbein Artist colored pencils
-Tombow Irojiten
-Derwent Lightfast
-Faber Castell Polychromos
-Caran d’ache Pablo
Etc…
Additionally I used Supracolor watercolor pencils, Staedtler Mars Lumograph EE Pencil, and various types of Zebra Pens.
