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Watercolor Marker Hints
- Work from light colors or shades to dark.
If the color is too light, you can always add: but if you start out too
dark, you are stuck with that color
- Use three shades of a single color
family; light, medium, and dark. First color with the lightest shade,
then a little of the medium and blend the two together using the
lightest shade. Last, add just a tiny bit of the darkest shade (a little
can go a long way) and ,again, blend using one of the lighter shades of
color.
- To clean a grubby marker tip, scribble
the marker off on a piece of paper or paper towel.
- Always test the color on a scrape piece
of paper to make sure the color is right and the right cap was on the
marker. Not realizing the wrong cap was on the wrong color can be
an unpleasant surprise!
- Save dried out markers for blending.
- Remember that the markers will react and
absorb differently on various papers. This can even change how light or
dark the color may appear. Some papers may take longer for the
color to dry, so watch where you put your hands (you don't want to
smudge anything!).
- Most watercolor markers are dual tipped
(they have a fat brush end and a skinny fine point end). When coloring
an image, most of the time you will use the side of the fat brush end of
the marker. This way you can color in your image quickly and avoid
seeing pen strokes. Be sure you don't use the very tip of the brush end
to color a larger area, you may break down the end and you are defeating
the purpose of the "brush", you might as well use the fine tip end if
that is how you like to color. The fine tip end is great for the
small details in an image, such as outlining.
- Don't be timid when coloring, you can
always start over. Remember that practice makes perfect. Some
"mistakes" can actually look better than what you may have been trying
to accomplish.
- A light gray shadow colored around one
side (or half) of an image can make it "pop" off the page and add
dimension to a finished piece of work. Be careful with the gray
when using near reds, if you touch the gray to the red it can cause the
red to bleed, actually try to use the gray first if you can.
- To achieve a shade that is between two
actual marker colors, take the tip of the darker marker and lightly tap
or brush it to the tip of the lighter marker. Then use the lighter
marker (with the darker color on the tip) to color. This
techniques does not ruin your markers, to clean the marker off when you
are done, remember to scribble it on a scrap piece of paper or paper
towel.
- Don't be afraid to color outside the
lines!
- To add dimension when coloring in grass,
leaves, and foliages, add a soft light blue tone (try to stay away from
the teal tones) to the green. Always try to use more than one
color, as one color alone has a tendency to look flat.
- There is no need to add water to
watercolor markers. They are called that because they are water
based not permanent. If you want a softer look you may try using a
Blender of some sort.
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