[Sindikit]

Okay, I'm doing some final decision making on markers purchase, but I need some expert advise before I proceed. When I say a marker purchase, I mean around $200 final. I'm looking into getting a full set of either NeoPikos, Copics or PrismaColors, and I don't want to blow my money.

I've tuned my pencil and inking skills pretty well (always improving and tweaking tho) and am about to go to the next step of color. I do all of my color with Photoshop to date, but would like to add hand color on paper to my list of skills. The problem I've run into is that when testing markers I've noticed that they never blend approriatly. You can always tell where the different strokes are. (you know what I mean) I've looked around and it seems that there is some trick to it, maybe a special marker, or a special tool that I'm not seeing or I just don't get.

Can anybody clue me in??

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Confushus say: Woman who cook carrots and pees in same pot is unsanitary!

[Drew]

There is neither a special marker nor special tool that you're missing. They key is technique. You must work very quickly, keeping a wet edge. If you can get it looking decent on crappy paper, try using bristol and you should get really nice results.

Buying that many markers may be a waste of cash, though. I wouldn't bother unless you're really planning on getting into illustration. You can do a really nice B+W work with just a few markers, and a nice color piece with just a few more than that. It's the color you use, not the number you have, dig?

-Drew

[shawnhud]

I agree with Drew. You might want to start off buying the markers you need and constantly adding to your arsenal as you need them. Just a suggestion.
Also there is a pen/marker called a "colorless blender". I've never had much success with actualy getting a smooth fade out of this pen, but it can do some cool things for you (holding the tip of this thing to an area already covered with color for like 30 seconds-and watch the color spread like spitting on a group of ants) -good for bubble effects/underwater scenes. It's worth F'ing aroud with.
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Put a muzzle on her Turkish, before she gets bit. You don't wanna get bit, do you boy?

[Inspector Lee]

I have been doing marker comps and storyboards for about 17 years, and there's one trick I know that might help. If you want richer color with smoother blending, you can always work on the back side of the marker paper. It's a trade-off though, because the pens will bleed more on the back side. The back side will also accept more layers of marker, so you can really build up complex color areas.
As far as marker choice, I've always used Chartpak because that's what I'm used to. If you're just starting out with pens I'd learn with one of the alcohol based markers, it'll be better for your health in the long run. Chartpaks are Xylene based, so they're really bad for your brain's health.
(what forum is this, and what's my name again?)
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Smokey, this is not 'Nam this is bowling. There are rules.

[Spiral]

Hi people, I am just starting out trying markers. I have three tones of grey I am experimenting with but still it seems diffiicult. Also I haven't found any info or tutorials on the net on this medium, anybody know where to look? Also, can a grey tone be mixed successfully with colors to achieve the corresponding tone of color?

[shawnhud]

Spiral- Feng Zhu has a good step by step showing his marker techniques during his concept design process. Pretty helpful.

www.artbyfeng.com
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Put a muzzle on her Turkish, before she gets bit. You don't wanna get bit, do you boy?

[Spiral]

shawnhud, I know about that, I have checked them out but still there are issues that make the use of such a medium weird such as the logic behind the use of white areas. Besides using such spaces as a lit area there seems to be some other logic behind it and I can't figure it out. Try looking at my post on the WIP forum to see what kind trouble I am having. Thanks for the help.

[HawkOne]

Have you seen Doug Chiangs studio tips page Spiral ?

Also check out
http://anim8r.homestead.com/Trias.html

But then again, you may already have seen this too ...

.. check out your bookstore or library for books on Architecture-Drawing and Design, you should find some nice titles online too in that category for example here : http://www.powells.com/subsection/ArchitectureDrawingandDesign.3.html
... some of those architect marker renderings are stunning, and there are books showing how it is done ... the techinque is the same although their subject matter is a bit more ... ummm ... restricted ??? ...

I'm using Pantones Tria markers, I just went ahead 7 years ago and bought one of those 48 color sets, 12 of them shades of gray/black/blender, only 5-6 of them have been regularily used ... they're nice and they are also refillable (you can see the refillers in the link above) ... I also like the (Japanese?) KureColor markers, I got a couple greys, they are nice and fat, and feels great ... They seem to be hard to get hold of though ... I also have access to my wifes (she's a designer) Prismacolor markers, and also have a handful of Copics ... If I could have a refund for all those, I'd trade in everything and get a set of maybe 12 KureColor markers ... I think ... maybe except for that PrismaColor PM-15 Yellowed Orange ... and PM82 Terra Cotta ... But I'd probably still end up with a hundred markers I never use after a couple of years ...

I was also having some trouble creating smooth colors/blends, until I forgot about the advice to be fast and went for another piece of advice instead, go slow ... and keep the drawing area saturated ... use a scrap paper under your drawing paper ... Also be aware that if you draw in an airconditioned room, the ink dries faster. for whatever reason ... low humidity I suppose ...
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"Ya cain't rush Art" - Geri, Toystory 2

[Spiral]

Hey thanks for the help HawkOne. I'll go for a book, see it helps.