So what are alcohol markers anyway, and what makes them so special?
Accomplished artists use alcohol markers to create striking works of art. Because these markers are alcohol-based, their ink dries rapidly and the colors blend extremely well. You can learn how to use them and get impressive results!
Contents
How to Use Alcohol Markers
Keep the following pointers in mind when using your alcohol markers:
- For best results, use paper with a smooth surface
- Lay your paper on top of a porous surface, such as a thick piece of porous paper
- For realistic images, start with light colors and move to dark colors
- For abstract art you don’t have to worry about starting with light colors first
- Only try to blend colors while the ink is still damp
If you choose smooth paper your marker tips will be less likely to get snagged and become ragged. The ink will glide smoothly across the paper.
Laying your paper over a porous surface gives the ink somewhere to bleed as you color. If you fail to do so, the colors could start to spread across your paper and mess up your artwork. They could also leech through the paper onto the table!
Going from lighter to darker colors is a smart choice when you’re trying to make your artwork look as realistic as possible. Always blending while the ink is wet will help the colors to mix smoothly.
Benefits of Alcohol Markers
These markers may cost more than the watercolor or felt-tipped ones you’d find at your corner drugstore, so you might wonder if they’re worth the extra money. But if you want better than average results, you need to go with higher quality markers.
Here are some of the key advantages of using alcohol markers:
- They blend very easily
- You can use them on several different kinds of paper
- The color is permanent
- The ink is designed to be quick drying
Alcohol Markers are Easy to Blend
If I told you to use your water-based grade school markers and make a picture with lots of color blending, you’d have an extremely difficult time. One alternative to water-based markers is a set of thin felt-tipped markers. Unfortunately, felt-tipped markers are even more difficult to blend than watercolors!
That’s where your alcohol markers will come in especially handy. They’re designed to blend either by using markers that are close to the same color, a blending marker, or by adding a little rubbing alcohol.
Alcohol Markers Work on Different Kinds of Paper
Have you ever been almost finished with a watercolor marker drawing only to tear a hole in the saturated paper? That’s extremely frustrating, isn’t it?
Thankfully, if you use alcohol-based markers, you’ll be much less likely to experience these types of unfortunate paper tears.
Because the alcohol-based ink bleeds through your paper onto the porous surface beneath, you can color safely over the same spot repeatedly without damaging your paper.
Here’s a tip though: if you use paper that’s not at all designed for using markers on it you may run into tearing problems. This would include loose-leaf writing notebook paper or thin computer printer paper.
Your best bet is to use specially-designed paper that is intended for use with alcohol markers. Because they bleed so easily, you’ll want a bleed-resistant paper or card stock that’s thick enough to prevent the color from spreading too far on the page.
If you don’t have any of that special type of paper on hand, layer several sheets of standard art paper on top of each other to help with excessive ink bleeding.
Alcohol Markers are Permanent
You can count on the marks you make with your alcohol markers staying put on your paper. One of the best things about alcohol markers is that they are designed to be permanent!
Because they’re permanent, you can create a cool layering technique by coloring on top of your already-dried work.
You can do this as an alternative form of blending rather than the wet blending technique we already mentioned.
Alcohol Markers are Quick Drying
If you want a picture to dry as rapidly as possible, you’ll love using alcohol markers. Because alcohol evaporates quickly, your artwork will dry much faster than it would with those annoyingly slow-drying watercolor markers. Gone are the days of accidental smudges and drips!
Brush Tip Alcohol Markers
One of the most versatile types of alcohol markers is brush tip alcohol markers. These markers can lay your ink down on the paper with a fluidity that’s similar to painting. With alcohol-based markers brush tips, you can create marker drawings with the look of a masterpiece painting. Best of all, you’ll have the speed and control that comes with using good art markers!
You can check out an alcohol ink markers tutorial online to find out more about how to use these incredibly useful art tools! If you’ve ever wondered what are alcohol markers used for, hopefully, we’ve been able to answer your question. They’re a great alternative to stark, solid felt-tipped markers and slow-drying watercolor markers.
If you’re seeking for colors that glide across the page, exceptional blending, and rapid drying, alcohol markers are a definite winner! They’re ideal for anyone who’s hoping to create realistic, interesting, and colorful works of art!
So next time you’re in the mood for trying out something new for your illustrations, doodles, coloring pages, or freehand drawings, consider getting a set of these amazing markers. You won’t regret it!
