HOW TO DRAW WITH ALCOHOL-BASED MARKERS

I would like to note that I'm not a marker artist. These are just material tests that i like to do, because i'm interested at all forms of mark making.

CHOOSE YOUR BASE CAREFUL

So alcohol based markers first and foremost you need to choose your paper careful. I cannot highlight how important that step is. In any drawing the base needs to be chosen correctly especially if you are using only alcoholmarkers. Test your pens on different surfaces and see how the ink reacts on top of your paper. I know that some professional marker-artist use high quality paper, glass, even plastic base when they draw whit alcohol based inks.

If you want to do more mixedmedia drawing i suggest a paper that has a little-bit of teksture especially if you are more interested drawing whit colored pencils then you just fill the space first whit the markers and do the details whit pencils.

Why choosing the right paper is important?

 Drawing with ink is not a cheap hobby and the durability of the ink should be kept in mind. The paper should have a smooth surface so that the tip of the pen remains usable for as long as possible. The surface of the paper should still be durable if you want to layer colors or color several times. (color saturation) However, the surface should not be too absorbent, otherwise your pen will only have enough ink to make one picture. 

 ALCOHOL-BASED MARKERS 

Let's review the rules of thumb for drawing. Whether it's pencils or markers, drawing can be divided into two main forms of technique, namely additive and subtractive drawing techniques. Often, especially in realism, the artist uses both techniques in layers and the final image is created as the sum of both techniques. 

However, the basic principle of ink drawing is that it is an additive drawing technique. There are some exceptions to this rule of thumb, such as in alcohol-based ink pens. In alcohol-based ink, the pigment is solvent-based and thus (at least in principle) can always be reactivated. What does this mean? You can sketch an image with a light ink pen and reactivate this pigment with alcohol and, for example, remove pigment from the surface of the paper. And in the same way as, for example, by rubbing with a pencil, create light effects, use a light ink pen to remove dark areas from the image. In other words, especially with alcohol-based markers, you can achieve a photorealistic result. I recommend that you carefully consider what kind of pens you want to invest in and that this choice be influenced by what you are doing. Ink drawing is a completely different world than drawing with markers. I would personally compare drawing with ink more to watercolor work, where a confident line is part of the work process.

Marker test

 Quick cat sketch 

You don't necessarily need a pencil to sketch. Just a light marker will do, as alcohol-based inks react with each other and the light sketch will eventually disappear from the final image.

There are several techniques for drawing with alcohol-based markers, but in general, you can use the semi-transparency of the ink by adding layers to create a sense of depth or light and shadow in the image. In theory, the technique is no different from charcoal drawing. Or you can start with a dark base and use lighter ink to bring out the light and shape in the image. And this is possible with alcohol-based ink because the pigment can, at least in theory, be reactivated on the surface of the paper. Properties vary depending on the manufacturer, so always remember to test and experiment with the properties of new supplies.

DRAWING ON ORDINARY COPY PAPER

 Drawing process example

Drawing on ordinary copy paper. Copy Paper is wonderful for sketching and for beginners because it is inexpensive. especially for ink and marker drawing Because of the surface it doesn't suck in the ink and you're pens last longer. So, lets make some test. 

I often sketch the image several times first. On the right is a pencil sketch of the image. Why do I draw the same image multiple times? My hand gets used to the shape of the object and I gain confidence in the final line-drawing process.

The paper on the left is a light green water-based brush tip ink outline drawing. Why did I draw the image with water-based ink and not with a pencil? Alcohol-based ink does not react with water-based ink. Carbon from the pencil trace can stick to the alcohol-based ink and make an unpleasant smudge on the coloring surface. So it is worth sketching the image directly with either alcohol-based markers or using a light ink pen when sketching the final image, or you can draw the image entirely with alcohol-based ink pens.

In the picture on the left, I have colored the snake's scales with Carioca brush tip markers. On the right, you can see Pentel water-based brush tip ink pens, which I used to add more details with green and black ink on top of the picture colored with Carioca markers. 

Water-based inks often do not bleed through the paper, but you can often only draw on the surface of the paper once, because the water moistens the paper and if you rub the same spot several times, the surface of the paper breaks and a hole is created. Alcohol-based ink "dries" faster, meaning the alcohol evaporates faster, and for this reason you can ink the picture more carelessly. 

TIP: Remember that alcohol-based ink often bleeds through the paper and can make a mess in places, so always remember to put something under the picture to protect the surfaces before you start.

LET'S REVIEW THE BASIC STEPS OF DRAWING 

RESEACH SKETCHING AND PLANNIN PHASE

The sketching and planning phase is a very important part of drawing and perhaps, in my opinion, the freest and best part of the whole process. It is unfortunately given little value in today's fast-paced process videos. In the sketching phase, there is freedom to do anything and the purpose is to express the flow of consciousness and ideas quickly. I often draw a lot during the background research phase and do various technique tests with different materials. 

This process phase is worth using. Because it frees up creativity and you can't make mistakes at this stage. Usually these so-called mistakes turn out to be the most interesting part of the work or can create a completely new way of realizing images. I recommend exploring different surfaces and materials.

During the planning phase, I often have a piece of paper or a notebook on which I draw very quickly sketches, where I test, for example, the composition of the image or the proportions. So, just a few minutes of sketches, I don't spend more time on them. After the planning and idea phase, I outline or sketch the image again. 

The physical drawing phase can be roughly divided into three different "phases". Here's a rule of thumb for the three basic phases of drawing. 

Basic phases of drawing: 

1. Basic shapes and proportions. 

2. Lights and shadows. 

3. Details.

 This is only a rough definition of how to start drawing. The more familiar your own drawing process becomes, the process may vary and alter to project to project. This is just to help you to differentiate from where you can start making any visual work. The most important thing is to do and experiment. In other words, start drawing. You already have the basic knowledge. It's about transferring the information of feelings or thoughts into physical form.

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