Marker Techniques – Materials: Part 2

TUESDAY TIPS & TRICKS

When it comes to picking out the right marker types and paper suitable for how you want to use markers, there are a few considerations you should think about:

Who should use markers?

Any artist/creative who has traditionally worked with colored pencils, watercolors, pen & ink, and even digital art can benefit from working with markers.

Where do you most often sketch?

At home or in the studio

On location – stationary

On location – In a busy environment, 
moving around

At a client – their home or office

What speed do you work at?  

Quick Sketch: least detail

Fast Sketch: less detail

Detailed Sketch: medium detail

Refined Sketch: more detail

Fine Art: most detail

How do you like to sketch?

Loose Sketch: (Least detail)

Gestural sketch, rough ideas, Pictionary, and quick communication of idea

Memory Sketch: (Less detail)

A quick capture of a thought, a vision, a dream, or a fragment of an idea

Observational Sketch: (Medium detail)

Diagrams, how-to visual descriptions or processes, explanations, sketchnotes, botanical recordings, science experiments, field notes, cutaway views, courtroom sketch artists, consumer behavior patterns

Conceptual/Imaginary Sketch: (Medium detail)

Science fiction, creative development, product design, automotive design proposals, theme park and restaurant theme designs, mood boards

Planning Sketch: (More detail)

Storyboards, planograms, interior designs, landscape designs, fashion, and architectural proposals

Presentation Sketch: (More detail)  

to leave a positive impression with the audience
to pitch an idea with the goal of alignment or approval
(such as a real estate development)

Fine Art: (Most detail) Gallery quality

As you can see there are many different uses for markers because they are so adaptable for different applications and portable. You can now get a sense why there are so many materials available and how they have evolved out of the many new uses. 

They key is to play around with lots of materials, try them out and find which ones work the best for you. It would be really hard to make a mistake but you will start to see which ones behave the way you like.