Hi! I wanted to show you my latest art score! These are Prismacolor Premier Double-Ended Markers, and I’m in love with them.

 

I’ve done a lot of research on various markers. Here’s what I was looking for:

1) Vibrant color. I didn’t want a light wash of color that I would need to layer repeatedly.

2) Dual-point nibs, with a fine nib on one end, and a brush pen on the other.

3) Smooth color transfer, with minimal streaking.

My first inclination was to get Copic markers, as these have long been beloved by professional artists. Refillable? Yep. Replaceable nibs? So cool! But, I didn’t like the chisel nib that’s paired with the brush nib in their dual-point Copic Premium Artist Markers; I would use it very rarely in my lettering. Also, the colors aren’t quite as saturated as I’d like (although they can be layered to increase intensity).

So I was pleased to hear about the Prismacolor Premier Double-Ended Art Markers, Fine and Brush Tip set. I’ve been a fan of Prismacolor colored pencils for years (who isn’t?!), but hadn’t tried their markers before. These are nicely pigmented with a dye-based alcohol ink, which means they’re great for blending. (But don’t worry, they don’t have an odor like Sharpies!) It has the brush & fine nib combo, which is fantastic for lettering. There are so many gorgeous colors, for a total of 72 markers. It also came with a tray organizer in the box, so you can store the markers horizontally for longer life.

Here are the potential drawbacks you should be aware of before ordering:

1) These bleed through thin paper. If you’re using these in a coloring book, it will bleed through to the back page. For other projects, place a piece of scratch paper beneath your work, or use a heavier paper like Bristol.

2) When you start coloring an area, finish it immediately. If you color half, then come back in an hour to color the rest, any overlapping strokes will be darker (since you’re adding another layer of color, rather than blending).

3) There’s no opaque white. I believe an opaque white paint-style pen is included in some of the other Prismacolor marker sets, but not this one.

4) There are 3 blacks (PB-98). Which is probably handy long-term, but be aware you’re really just getting 70 different shades.

Nevertheless, these markers work beautifully for my hand lettered projects, and I’d buy them again in a heartbeat. Although, I may not need to… I’ve gotten comments on Instagram from other artists who say they’ve been using the same set for decades!

I’ve also made up a free printable color reference chart that you can fill in yourself! You can use it for your colored pencils, too.

And, here are some cool Pokemon my daughter drew with Microns & Prismacolors. Because, POKEMON!

You may remember that I love to doodle. Well, my web comics from Introvert Doodles are being turned into a book!

I started these doodles about a year ago, and it’s been a happy surprise to see them take off. I spent most of the summer compiling my favorites (plus some new comics!) into a book, which will be on shelves in December. It’s currently available for pre-order from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

I’m so excited about this project and couldn’t wait to share it with my friends & followers on Made By Marzipan. Thank you so much for supporting me in all of my artsy endeavors!

Calling all artists! One of my awesome sponsors is having a T-shirt design contest, and the prize is $1000! Strathmore (the folks who make artist-grade papers, like Bristol and Artagain) is looking for a design to print on the shirts their team wears to promo events and shows. Here’s what you need to know…

 

• Anyone is welcome and encouraged to submit artwork. There is no fee to participate.
• Style, subject matter, and mediums used are at the discretion of the artist. Objectionable content will result in disqualification.
• The Strathmore logo will be added to the winning design by the Strathmore team.
• Strathmore will determine the final layout and placement of the artwork on the t-shirt
• T-shirt and imprint color TBD by Strathmore.
• The winning shirt design will be screen printed in one color. Simple designs will reproduce better and will improve the chances of your design being selected
• Artist retains all copyrights and ownership of original artwork created for this contest. The artist grants Strathmore permission to reproduce artwork on Strathmore Team t-shirts.
• $1,000 and 12 t-shirts to the artist whose artwork is chosen for the Strathmore Team t-shirt
• Three runner-ups will receive $250 retail value of Strathmore Product

The deadline for entry is July 31, 2016. For more details and to submit your artwork, visit StrathmoreArtist.com.

Here’s a little peek at a design I’m working on. Good luck!