How to use markers

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Markers produce bright and colourful drawings - Martha shows us the many ways that these can be used.

Markers, also know as felt tip pens, are bright and colourful and are great for making your artwork stand out.

There are many ways to get different effects from your markers.

It is a good idea to use quality paper with them as the colour from the markers can go through thin paper and ruin your designs.

Lots of markers are available and the size and type of tip can vary.

Many types of artist use markers such as comic artists, illustrators, designers and lettering artists, to name a few.

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Stippling
This technique is used to show light and dark areas using dots. Light areas have fewer dots and are further apart. Darker areas have more dots and are closer together. Don't lean too heavily on the marker or you might damage the nib.
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Hatching
Lines are drawn close together in the same direction. Cross-hatching means you draw lines in different directions to form a criss-cross.
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Optical blending
Use colours of different shades working from light to dark. Your eye will blend the colours together.
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Layering
Marker colours can be quite see-through, so adding darker shades on top will help when layering the colours. Start with lighter colours first. Let each layer dry before adding the darker tones.
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Scumbling
This will add texture and shadows to your work. You can use a fine or chisel nib to draw curved lines on your artwork.
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Watercolour effect
Colour an area with your marker. Use a wet brush to move the colour around that area.