First day

[rowyn]

I've been working on this for the last few days, in fact, albeit slowly. I've never really used layers in art before (well, not counting PhotoPaint effects, which aren't the same at all). So I'm experimenting with using the markers in layers. I've started with the lightest ones and then I'll go over and darken parts later. It'll get less and less washed out as time goes by. Assuming I don't give up entirely, anyway. =) I still have to finish blocking in the base colors first, though.

Comments

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I've actually found for markers, it works well to start with the dark shades, then use the lighter shades; the colors bleed outward as you work, to create a nice graduated shade. Form looks good!

[rowyn]

So how's that work? I figured going from light to dark was easy, since I can always make markers darker by going over them with a darker shade, but getting a lighter shade after you've already got a dark one doesn't seem to work so well. :) Do you pick your final colors before you start and simply not going back over your work, or something else?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Start with shading the darkest part with the darkest color you plan to use. Then shade the next darker part, contiguous to that, with the next darker color. Work the marker tip across the darkest part as well, so the colors will bleed across the paper. Continue from there and you should get a smoothly shaded graduation from dark to light!

Also, notice you'll need to saturate the colors or you get marker striations.

Here's an example of marker coloring: PawPrints!

Layering color pencils on top of the color markers can get you a lot of nice texturing too: Three of Cups (the sky and grass are paint)