markers?

[Erebus]

does anyone have any advice or tutorials on how to get better with markers? specifically prismacolors. all i can really do with em is the real basic cut/cell shading style. i've been trying to use more blending and techniques like that, but it's not workin out so good. any advice would be appreciated.

[Phait]

They are fairly tricky to use when beginning...

um..

dunno what else, but hey you're not the only one.

[Grooveholmes]

Erebus~ Check out the Tria pantone markers, they are a little more expensive. But they are alcohol based so they tend to blend much smoother and not wreck the paper as much as prisma's do. They also have a third tip for detail work witch is nice. To top all of that off they are all Pantone colors so they should be more accurate when printing and reproducing your work. ...oh yeah, they are refillable too.

phait~:rolleyes:

[togusa]

try marker paper or vellum.

[jester]

Even if you are not interested in Manga (I'm not!) this book is a great help:

"How to Draw Manga Special: Colored Original Drawing", it's available via Blueline Pro.

Jester

[Caledonian]

My 2 cents

Prismacolor markers have the advantage of being readily available stateside and fair performance, but Copic Sketch markers (Japanese Import) perform at a higher level. I am including links with more info on them:

Good online stores
http://www.dickblick.com/zz213/95/products.asp?ig_id=537 \w/

http://auctionworks.com/store/default.asp?sid=200211030252400000000030462291&sfid=18781

Better online store (lower prices and free shipping)
http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&sasel=26136700&fcl=3&fsop=2&fsoo=2&frts=0&sofp=2&sadpt=10&frpp=30 /m\

Official Website
http://www.copicmarker.com/home/cm1/index.html

Another online retailer with occasional sales on Copic line
http://akadotretail.com/shop/shop_search_subsec.php?cat=Comictones&sec=Manga%20Supplies&subsec=NMS72

To get the most out of Prismacolor markers: Practice with more markers (working with a set of greys yields good results), try the Blender marker, and Marker Papers

Some reference books available through Amazon

Marker Magic : The Rendering Problem Solver for Designers
by Richard M. McGarry (Author), Greg Madsen (Author) $34.97

Marker Rendering (Artist's Library Series, 24)
by Todd Murrison $8.95

Hope this helps

[togusa]

most markers are the same, just depends if you like the nibs, the cost and whether you plan on refilling them or not. they all use alcohol based solvents (this means you can get special fx with alcohol, rubbing, denentured) mean that theyre not especially toxic, except the AD brand that contains xylene which cause cancer.

if youre planning to blend markers, it usually works best if you saturate an area of the paper until it is wet with marker juice and then work another value/color into the mix.

[capone]

I'm from UK...where prisma's are like £5...EACH!!, I imported from America which worked out cheaper. Don't think they are refillable though!!, anyone from UK know any good places (here in uk or abroad) to get good quality refillable markers (along with ink) ?

actually, anyone from anywhere know any cheap places?...I am interested mostly in getting about 6 warm greys and 6 cool greys. Don't want to be paying more than $60 - $80,

thanks

[jester]

Try "London Graphic Centre" (they can be found via google). I've found this place because of cucaracha's post and browsed a bit on their site. Seems they've got copic markers (though I can't remember the price); a good brand that's available in Germany, too (that's why I know them). They are refillable.

Jester

[the good war]

i've done some work with prisma color markers my tips include:
1. work from light to dark
2. make color sketch first perhaps the casing color has faded
3. remember that the color will change as it dries
4.if you place a lighter color ontop of a darker color you'll get a cool bubbling effect which will be nice to keep in mind
5. blending and shading can be achieved various ways
a.appling the same color over it self
b.place a color of similar to equal value next to the color you've laid down without allowing time for the original color to dry this will make the colors automatically bleed into each other
c. you can establish value with an "under painting" with grey markers then lay a color over it. This will usually squash contrast so go back in and darken darks and bring out highlights , i usually do this with a differnt medium in one case I used a white charcoal pencil to exsentuate the highlights.
D. Muy importante. when going over a color that has already been aloud to dry make sure your strokes flow perpindicular to the previously established strokes( this will enable you avoid unsightly random dark lines)
e. while the marks are still drieng your pretty much in safe position to make any marks you wantwithout leaving any unsightly random dark lines
i'm good for now hope i didn't waste my time writing this. these are the most important things that i've learned
here is an example of my marker work ... i went into photoshop to add little glows and correct his glasses a little
http://www.angelfire.com/apes2/tgw/doc_drug_fin_ir.jpg

[Erebus]

wow. that's fantastic work. and thanks for the tips.

thanks to everyone else too

[capone]

I still cannot get hold of any good grey markers in the UK. London graphics has copic markers but they do not show the price, anyone know how much they are?...otherwise its a import job, no wonder theres no great army of UK concept artists around.

[Candy519]

A site that has good markers (Prismacolors, Trias, Copics) at a decent price is Misterart.com (http://www.misterart.com) , in case anybody is interested.