Watercolor pencils

[Margaret Brock]

Not sure where to put this, but I hope the mods will move it.

Or, as is often the case, I'm the last to learn about this LOL

I'm on a budget, but that hasn't stopped me from continuing to buy supplies looking for that magic combination. Yesterday, I bought the set of 36 Bic Markit markers because I saw some Youtubes showing how easily they "blend" hah. That didnt work.

So I dragged out all the markers in my storage room and tried to achieve that magic Copic marker look.

By the way, I bought about 100 Copic markers, but still I never had the right color.

What I discovered is that Crayola watercolor markers have, wait for it ...... Water!

And watercolor pencils need, wait for it ....... Water!

So, I lay down some watercolor pencil. Build it up to Mae the colr more intense, or lay it lightly for a lighter shade.

Then go over the pencil with a crayola watercolor marker. Either a matching colr or contrasting etc. depending on he look you're going for.

Nice blend from light to dark.

Enjoy.

[Anton Abela]

Margaret, many thanks for starting this discussion.
I can relate to your statement that most of the time art is half time painting, and half time experimenting with diverse & strange media :)

Never used Crayola water based markers... should give them a try.

What I use, and I found great, are the Papermania Permanent Markers (as they have this bright and vivid hue). Bought the Papermania Watercolour Markers, but somehow their hue is a bit dull (still use them though). Both sets have twin-tips, one is fine, the other is a brush tip.
Similar to Margaret's technique I have been using the Permanent ones, as they cover the area in a unified manner, another stroke and the hue darkens a little... for flesh tones, I use the fine tip of a Fruit Pink hue, and work by following the form of the figure from dark to light (basically blending the colour with the local hue of the paper). An advantage of the permanent ones, is that a colour can be applied, and if you go over it with another, somehow these blend together ;)

Have a limited selection of Copic Markers, meaning 7 colours (experimented a little with these, and really love them, but they are too expensive - pro is that these can be refilled unline other markers). Bought about 40 Promarkers for my studies (unfortunately these bleed through the paper at times)... The Pitt Artist Pens are also great too to add a layer of pencils over them. And am investing in Uni-Posca Paint Markers too (really like them) ;)

Sometimes, depending on the effect I want to achieve, after the base colour is applied with the marker, I go over it with either chalk pencils, SoftColor, or Durer Watercolour Pencils - (at times even with a thin layer of ink/watercolour too)... depends on my mood and texture needed to be achieved.
From these markers I use, only the Papermania Markers (both permanent and watercolour) and the Copics, can be used over a layer of watercolour pencils, to actually blend the 2 media together.

I found that the best paper for a "mixed media" work with markers, water, pencils ets, would be 220gsm and higher (i.e thicker) :)

[Margaret Brock]

Thanks for the information Anton. The advantage (for me) of Crayola markers is that they are inexpensive and readily available. I haven't tried the Papermania markers but they sound interesting.

I agree about the paper. No matter what pencils or markers you use, you need good paper or you're wasting your time.

[sharon oppenheimer]

Great info Anton !! I'm headed back into the lab. LOL

[Stephan Berry]

@Margaret I just want to know that can I get the same shade effect by using Watercolor Pen Set instead of Watercolor Marker because I have already bought Sakura Koi Watercolor Pen Set from Jerrysartarama's online store and currently I have no any plan to buy any new marker. Any Suggestion??

Also I bout these water soluble pastel painting sticks
http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/pastels/semi-ha...
I use them for a painterly effect when I use them with water

[michele josiane martin]

that last picture is good. my desk is an experimental haven too. i found baby oil pushed polychromo colour around over another cour\lour. i used some bic markers to. ended up pushing colour around like nobody's business. bic markers to the rescue, now where were those lines? oh, just make it up. this is the loaded result. baby oil bleeds btw.

also, i ended up painting baby oil all over blue and violet polychromos for the sky - it blended just the same as my yucky cheap blender/stump and soooo much quicker (i'm an impatient bird) , well, you can see the result.

[michele josiane martin]

hi.

i've got watercolour pencils, bic markers and crayola supertips as well as washables. i'm going to experiment too!

(the crayolas were $6 and$7 a packet, here at big w!)

btw, do you find that inktense are simply watercolour pencils with a nice groovy name? i do. also, i quite like the watercolour paper that comes in a little book, from the cheap shop. it's acid-free, nice and thick, like card, smooth surface. it works well for me. has anyone else enjoyed this? i am using derwent watercolour pencils too fyi. i like them a lot.

michele