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Everything you Need to Know About Art Markers

Date: 11-02-2024
News, Tips & Info

 

Right from the get-go, Gordon Harris has been sourcing and supplying markers for artists, but the ranges available today are very different from the “squeakers” of the 1970s and 80s. Back then, it was storyboard artists, graphic designers, and architects using markers for quick concept work, “visuals” and “roughs”. These “squeakers” – named for the noise they made on smooth papers such as Zeta – are still popular with design students and have new fans through the growth of illustration styles influenced by fashion, manga, cartoons and pop culture.

The demands of graffiti and urban artists for more permanent and opaque markers have led to the development of Paint Markers, and fine artists who need lightfast colours in a variety of opaque and transparent hues can now fill Empty Markers with their choice of acrylic inks.

Gordon Harris offers a huge range of markers for every type of application, so let’s take a closer look.

 

Alcohol-based Markers

These are the original marker pens, available in a wide selection of colours for design rendering, and most often sporting two nib sizes on one pen. The alcohol-based ink provides a very even, streak-free application when used on special paper, such as Zeta, Layout and “bleed-proof” marker pads.

 

Copic

A firm favourite with designers and illustrators, Copic Markers provide a comprehensive palette spanning bold and subtle shades, across three colour ranges, plus black liner pens.

The Copic Classic Marker is available in 214 colours with corresponding Refill Inks. The Classic has both a chisel tip and a fine tip made from durable polyester (replaceable too). But hold on to your hats: the Copic Sketch Marker comes in an incredible 358 colours! The Copic Sketch features a Super Brush nib on one end that is long lasting and flexible, working like a saturated brush to spread ink smoothly like watercolour. On the other end is a firm chisel tip that offers different marks depending on which edge of the nib you use. The Copic Caio Marker are a more economical choice, with just 180 colours and a smaller ink reservoir in the barrel.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/3675-copic-classic-markers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/3812-copic-sketch-markers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/3681-copic-ciao-markers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1902-copic-refill-inks

The Copic Multiliner are fine black pens for outlining and drawing with the Copic colours. Multiliners come in 9 nib sizes, from the extra fine 0.3mm to a brush tip. For a special brush-tipped pen, try the Copic Gasen Fude, with a fine synthetic brush nib and rich pigmented ink for expressive line variations for lettering or sketching.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1448-copic-multi-liners

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/2384-copic-gasenfude-brush-pen

Winsor & Newton Promarker & Promarker Brush

Winsor & Newton Promarkers are double-ended markers available in 160 colours, including colourless blender. The Promarker Brush Marker extend the mark-making possibilities in 72 colours, with a flexible brush on one end and a pointed nib on the other. Promarkers have a low-alcohol base that increases the vibrancy of the colours.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/3784-winsor-newton-promarkers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1934-winsor-newton-brush-markers

  

  

Water-Based Markers

 

Tombow ABT Dual Brush

 

The Tombow ABT Dual Brush is one of our most popular water-based markers. The famous flexible brush tip works like a paintbrush to create easily controllable fine, medium or bold strokes, and the fine tip gives consistent lines, tight drawings, outlines, fine lettering and more. The tips can be dipped in water to create subtle colour washes, and the water-based ink is easily blended using either the colourless blender or a brush. Tombow ABT Dual Brush is available in 108 colours including a great range of pastel tones.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1918-tombow-dual-brush-pens

Molotow Sketcher Markers

 

AquaPro ink technology dries as quickly as alcohol-based inks, giving you the freedom to work without worrying about smudging. Innovative cartridge exchange system with a robust locking function means you can easily replace colour shades and tips without the need to purchase an entirely new marker, reducing plastic waste by up to 56% per cartridge replacement. It's about sustainability, innovation, and letting you truly make the Sketcher your own.

Read more on the blog: https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/blog/112-new-molotow-sketcher-markers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/5051-molotow-sketcher-markers

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens

 

While many markers are dye-based and therefore not lightfast, Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens are very lightfast and waterproof. They come in a range of fine drawing tips and brush tips, in a selection of drawing colours such as black, grey, sepia, and ochre.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/4749-faber-castell-pitt-artist-pens

Staedtler Pigment Arts Pens

 

Made using Multi Ink which combines the benefits of water-based and alcohol-based inks into a single ink, making it a true innovation! Multi Ink achieves exceptional colour brilliance (comparable to that of water-based dye inks), while even exceeding the lightfastness of normal pigment inks. In addition, it can have similar properties to alcohol-based inks: It is water and smudge-resistant and can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. It also has a low odour and does not penetrate the paper.

Read more on the blog: https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/blog/114-new-staedtler-pigment-art-pens

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/5103-staedtler-pigment-arts-pen

 

Acrylic Paint Markers

 

Molotow One4All Acrylic

 

Molotow is famous in urban art circles for providing a comprehensive range of drawing and spray-painting materials for graffiti and street artists. The Molotow One4All Markers use an acrylic-based hybrid-paint that produces brilliant, opaque colours on almost any surface. With nib sizes from extra fine to large chisels and colour refills, the One4All paint system is the missing link between spray can, airbrush, marker and paint brush. A special technical feature of the pens is the Flowmaster™ pump-valve that controls paint-flow: the more pressure imposed on the valve the more paint will flow.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1893-molotow-one4all-paint-markers

Posca

 

Uni POSCA Markers use a water-based pigment ink that dries permanent and writes on virtually any surface, yet does not bleed through paper. The wide range of opaque colours cover each other well. Posca are great for shop signage, as they write on glass yet scrape off easily.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1924-posca-markers

Schmincke Aero Liner Marker

 

For the fine artist, filling a marker with your favourite acrylic ink ensures colour performance with the drawing possibilities a marker delivers. The Aerocolor Liner is an empty marker in a variety of nib widths that can be filled with Schmincke Aerocolor Acrylic Inks to offer you a brilliant, lightfast, water-proof artists colour in a pen. Colours can be custom-mixed in the pen, and of course there’s a choice of transparent and opaque hues direct from the bottle. Aerocolor Liner can draw on paper and canvas, either underneath or over the top of acrylic paint.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/4129-schmincke-aero-liner-empty-markers

  

 

 

 

Watercolour Markers

 

Pebeo Colorex Marker

Colorex Watercolour Ink offers extremely bright colours, velvety finish and an even colour application that is both graphic and versatile. The refillable Colorex Markers are great for both detail and area techniques. The flexible brush tip dispenses plenty of ink with good control, whether you want loose or precise colouring. As a dye-based, fully transparent, watercolour ink, achieving flat areas is straight-forward and simple. Extra depth can be created by layering up colours in glazes, and the ink can be re-wet to offer subtle blends and colour shifts. The colours can be mixed and can be applied pure or diluted.

Read more on the blog https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/blog/117-new-pebeo-colorex-watercolour-ink-markers

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/5111-pebeo-colorex-ink

Schmincke Aqua Drop Liners

Schmincke Aqua Drop is a concentrated, highly lightfast, liquid watercolour in 24 transparent colours plus an opaque white. It comes in a 30ml pipette bottle, can be thinned with water, remains resoluble on the palette, and is fully compatible with Horadam Watercolour. Aqua Drop is perfect for watercolourists, urban sketchers, calligraphers, fashion designers and cartoonists.

Schmincke Aqua Drop Brush Liner is a high-quality liner for use alongside Aqua Drop liquid watercolour. The easy to fill design features a versatile brush tip that makes it suitable for painting and lettering.

Read more on the blog: https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/blog/63-schmincke-aqua-drop

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/4623-schmincke-aqua-drop

W&N Watercolour Marker

If you want instant, genuine watercolour on-the-go, Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers mirror their famous watercolour line in a spectrum of 36 brilliant shades. These markers have a double-ended design with both a fine point tip and a flexible brush tip, for pen and brush techniques.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/3461-winsor-newton-watercolour-markers

Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Marker

An artist’s watercolour in a pen, the Albrecht Durer Marker offers sketching and watercolour painting to the traveller and studio artist. Available in 30 highly pigmented colours, the soft, brush tip is excellent for dynamic sketches, and the fine point for outlines and detailed drawings.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/4734-faber-castell-albrecht-durer-watercolour-markers

 

 

 

 

 

Solvent-based Markers

 

Pebeo 4Artist Marker

The 4Artist Marker is Pebeo's oil-based multi-technique marker.  The glossy, opaque colours are highly pigmented, and can be re-worked even after drying to obtain variations, shading and stumping. 4Artist Markers work on canvas, paper, plastic, wood, metal and as a finish on many acrylic, oil and solvent-based paints.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/category/1932-pebeo-4artist-oil-based-paint-markers

 Pebeo 4Artist Marker - 2mm 

 

 

Marker Paper & Pads

 

For the best ink flow, markers tend to prefer smooth papers with little absorbency. Alcohol-based markers especially require quite specific papers to achieve even application. By far our most popular for these markers is the Zeta Pad, an economical paper which handles all markers terrifically, and is also a great surface for dry media. More specialised papers for alcohol-based markers are called “bleed-proof” Layout Pads, as a coating on the underside of the paper prevents the ink from bleeding through to the sheet underneath.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/21004-zeta-layout-marker-pad-80g-100-sheet-a4

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/23922-fabriano-bleedproof-paper-marker-layout-pad-a4

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/9387-hahn-layout-bleedproof-paper-marker-pad-a4

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/28903-fabriano-1264-marker-70g-a4-glued-pad-100-

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/23018-x-press-it-blending-card-marker-pad-a4-20-sheet

Although these pads are perfectly suitable, Water-based and Paint Markers don’t require such dedicated papers. Smooth papers such as Bristol offer effortless application with the extra stability of a heavier paper. Surface-sized watercolour papers, such as Harmony Hot Press are also excellent for those wanting a more substantial paper stock.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/20232-fabriano-bristol-pad-250g-a4-20-sheets

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/20561-hahn-harmony-watercolour-300g-hp-50x65-sheet

Paint Markers using acrylic colour can be used on many different surfaces, not just paper. Wood panel and canvas are popular surfaces to work on, either by themselves or with acrylic paints. We even have a special canvas with a surface coating dedicated to marker pens.

https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/product/27305-fredrix-pro-series-marker-canvas-pad-23-x-30cm

 

Acrylic Painting Drawing Illustration Markers watercolour