How to Draw With Markers

Creating unique drawings can boost your creativity and bring you hours of joy. As your skills progress, you may want to graduate to using markers to create colorful images. Read on to discover some tips and techniques that can help take your drawings to the next level.

Prepare Your Space

Every artist needs a dedicated space in which to work. Having a dedicated creative space can help you feel more comfortable as you practice drawing. Your space can be almost anywhere in your home, from a desk in your bedroom to an art studio in your attic. Remember to add proper lighting so you can draw daily without straining your eyes.

Choose Your Tools

An artist is only as creative as the tools on hand, so choose wisely. Consider adding a variety of nib types to your collection, such as:

• Chisel tips
• Fine points
• Brush tips

The greater variety of markers you have in your drawing arsenal, the more amazing art you can create each day. If you have limited space for your drawing markers, you can reduce clutter without having to sacrifice the variety of colors in your collection. Our Drawing Duet markers can help you with this, as each end features a different color so you can expand your color selection without having to worry about needing extra storage space.

Plan Your Drawing

You can begin a marker drawing by sketching it out in pencil before you add bolder colored outlines. This can help you plan your drawing and allow you to easily make changes to its design. After you create your sketch, you can use OOLY’s Seriously Fine felt-tip markers to trace over it and lay down stronger lines. If you are a beginning artist, do not worry about making errors with your markers as you outline and add colors. You may be able to correct some errors by blending colors or adding darker colors over small mistakes. Remember, making mistakes is part of the creative process, and daily practice can help you increase your confidence.

Start With Light Colors

When you draw with markers, it is a good idea to start with your lighter colors, like shades of yellow or light blue. This can help enhance the shading process when you draw photos that include a light source or any noticeable shadows. Colors that create shadow are usually darker and work well when they are overlaid on top of the lighter ones. You can use almost any type of marker to create this drawing technique, but brush or watercolor types can add a realistic touch to these shadows, especially on character drawings.

Add Texture

No matter your drawing style, you can add texture to any marker drawing by using a variety of different hand motions. Practice dotting, dabbing, cross-hatching, and blending colors to add dimension to your work. You can also use a variety of different markers to add texture to any drawing you create. For example, if you are drawing a comic-style piece, consider using fine-line pens to establish clear borders and then chisel-tip markers for bolder strokes that will draw the viewer’s eye to the heart of the action. Do not be afraid to experiment with different texture techniques to create a style that is yours alone.

Practice Makes Perfect

No matter which markers you use for your drawings, you cannot improve upon your techniques and talent without practice. Try to set aside some time each day or at least several times a week to make a drawing and use a new technique at least once a week so you can build on your drawing knowledge. The more you draw, the more confident you can become with using your tools and enhancing your unique style. If you want to encourage beginning artists in your family or classroom, try to provide them with as many different marker types as possible so they can become used to each tool’s feel and ability. When they are exposed to an array of different markers and given the chance to use them, this can spark new creative ideas and give beginning artists more confidence with their drawings. Learning how to draw with markers is a journey that can boost your creative energy and provide you with hours of fun.