What can I use Alcohol markers for?
Alcohol markers can be used by professional artists as well as hobbyists. Alcohol markers ensure great color and help you create masterpiece after masterpiece and can be used on a variety of papers and surfaces. They give you amazing and pigmented colors and can be used to blend them. Alcohol markers also dry quickly, so you never have to wait long before you can draw the next layer. Unlike other types of markers, they also don't smell as much and are therefore more comfortable to use.
These alcohol-based markers are also permanent and admired by many for their even, opaque colors, making them perfect for blending colors together or on top of each other and can also be used to tone your masterpiece. They are therefore ideal for drawing illustrations, graphic novels and architectural drawings, but are also often used by fashion designers to create sketches of their trendy ideas. In addition, you can easily use Alcohol markers for scrapbooking, calligraphy and drawing as they can be used for all kinds of creative projects.
How to choose alcohol-based markers
Before you start using your markers, there are certain things you need to know, such as the tip. There are lots of different types of markers, each with different results as their nibs vary greatly. For example, you can find alcohol-based markers with a flexible and teardrop-shaped tip, a very fine, thin tip and even a wide and thick tip that can draw both wide and thin lines depending on how you turn it. The latter is especially good for writing, calligraphy and covering large areas, whereas the teardrop-shaped pen is more like a brush and is better for drawing. If you need to outline something on your artwork, or if it's missing small details, use a pen with a very narrow tip. Some artists also use this type of alcohol ink for sketching or drawing shadows and intricate details.
Once you've chosen the right marker, we also recommend choosing the right surface to use it on. Most people prefer paper, but you can also use alcohol markers on other surfaces such as glass, tiles and metal. If you'll be drawing on paper, we recommend choosing a fairly thick paper or a paper specifically designed for markers. Although alcohol markers don't bleed through as easily as water-based markers, for example, you still need to be careful.
How can I use my Alcohol markers?
Everyone knows that practice makes perfect, and this is no exception for working with these amazing markers. That's why it's always a good idea to try out different techniques to find the one that best suits your artistic ability, style and preference. If you have several different kinds of Alcohol markers, we recommend trying each one out so you can become familiar with how they move, their color and effect.
Once you get started with your artwork painted with alcohol-based markers, you'll most likely fall in love with how easy it is to create shadows and blend colors together using this marker type. You can achieve exquisite results with its effortless ability to draw layer upon layer with precise control. For a realistic effect, always start with the lightest color first and then adding a darker layer on top is a breeze. If you find the darkest colors too intense, you can always add a medium shade on top - just make sure each layer is dry before you continue. Also feel free to use Alcohol markers to create a gradient effect, shadows and small corrections.
Make sure you get all the colors you need: buy a set of Alcohol markers
Whether you've been using Alcohol markers for years or are just starting out, you can find the best markers at Stelling. We have a wide range of Alcohol markers here on the site, where you can choose single colors as well as entire sets from well-known brands in the art world such as Winsor & Newton, Copic and Spectra AD.