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Description
More marker art, this will be Kiala's character feature... Remember this? It is done! I went with the tea house in shambles look that was suggested... and wow that took a long time. And with markers too. I was worried I would ruin it the entire time I worked on it. But here it is, and I am happy with the result.

Since it is for a character feature, I will likely be adding a different version up with it cropped and with the chibi expressions and a bit of character info for her as well... but I wanted you to be able to enjoy the full pictures as just that: a picture. ^__^ Hope you like it.

To see more of Kiala, follow the links below:
-<--Previous<-- --->next-->

Kiala is (in spite of how people who know me think her looks are based off of me) based off of my Mom in a lot of ways. I gave her the same hair and eyes and figure. Her personality is actually a mix. I went off of the traits of an Aries and a Leo in an astrology chart, and then came up with a story to dictate the rest of her personality. She is a fire wielding, strong willed, samurai/ninja girl... I say both since her fighting technique sort of has elements of both. Her ancestor was a dragon in human form, and so she has some dragon personality traits, including the tendency not to value human life unless it is the life of a dear friend of hers, then she becomes very fierce.

I am also entering this now that it is done into the contest for the seven deadly sins here --> [link]

This picture features Wrath and Pride

Marker Coloring Tips!

I recently discovered I can color with markers. I have been away from my computer and full set of art supplies a lot lately, and because I can take markers with me wherever I go, I find this to be a very useful skill. People keep looking at my work and saying, “WHAT? That is markers? Wow! You have some serious skillz!” and of course, “how do you do that???”

So I figured it was about time I explain how I do so. You can call this a tutorial if you wish… though I have no step by step pictures to go with it at the moment… but I am going to tell you what you need to do to be able to color like I have been. It really isn’t as hard as everyone thinks it is. You just need to know a few important things; cell shading techniques, which tools to use and which ones to avoid, and basic penmanship techniques.

Cell Shading

What is cell shading? Well when I explain to kids what cell shading is, I usually say, ‘cartoon shading’ where you can see the shadows as solid blocks of colors, with no real blending of the shadows to speak of. To do cell shading, you need to isolate the basic blocks of tones and color them as solid colors. I will later include a tutorial on cell shading, showing you one form of cell shading with one specific lighting that you can learn to do, but depending on your light source, there are numerous ways to shade a person and scenery with cell shading. Because you generally can’t blend markers, you need to be able to cell shade to color with markers. If you are already good with cell shading, you can probably color good with markers. If not, you can still try, but the image will be unshaded. If you are still not sure, here is an example of cell shading.

Tools to use and avoid

This is extremely important. I know that a lot of people have limited budgets and sometimes you have to make do with what you have. Usually, I am good at finding cheep alternatives, or ways to make mundane tools work… but with marker art, that is not an option. YOU NEED THE CORRECT TOOLS OR IT WILL LOOK TERRIBLE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!!! If you remember trying to do something with markers in the past and it coming out looking lousy… even though you are pretty good with other tools… that is most likely the reason why. Every day markers are very difficult to work with because you cannot make smooth blocks of colors, the pen strokes always show through. The tips are rarely refined also, so you often lose the ability to add little details. If you use normal markers the only way you have a prayer of making something nice is if you are a master at hatching and cross hatching. (More on that later)

I am not going to be too specific on what you can and can’t use… just make sure you go to a proper art store… or arts and crafts store even. Find the section where markers and pens are, and invest a little. You do not need a really broad range of colors if you get the right markers, make sure you buy a skin tone… a few light blues and greens and purples… these usually need to be purchased separately because markers sets rarely come with these colors unless you spend astronomical fees to buy giant sets. They can also be a bit on the expensive side but worth it. In the marker sections, you often find a pretty big collection of markers sold fairly cheap… those are nice for kids… not for you. If it is cheap, the quality of art you will get will also be cheap. Normal pens sometimes do not agree with markers and bleed as soon as you try to apply the marker color. Stay away from bic if you are doing marker art. (I found that out the hard way.) Make sure you buy some pro quality line art pens that are water resistant if you can. Once you have your pens and skin tone and light blue purple and green selected… (Highlighters are great for some of this, but they are vibrant so use them sparingly, and sharpies can be nice too… but not as nice) pick out a set of high quality (dual sided for different sized marks are ideal to me) markers. It doesn’t need to be a big set. You can mix colors coloring over already applied colors. You will also need a set of gray pens for doing shading. These can often be found in a set. If you are only willing to buy one gray, make sure it is a light gray. Finally, you need to buy a while milky gel pen. This is so you can draw in highlights over already applied color for little details.

Penmanship Skills

When drawing in the line art to begin with, you can do some pre-emptive shading with the pen by drawing marks of differing thickness. Thick lines can often indicate darker colors.

The white of the page is the best white. It is the brightest white. You need to be able to color without covering all the white of the page. The gel pen is for adding in little details afterward… but if you can leave the detail there without having to draw it back in, that is best because the gel pen white isn’t as white. So be careful.

Knowing your basic stroke technique is a very important skill. If you have ever used a brush, you will understand what I am saying more easily. If not, bare with me. You need to be able to apply strokes that start out thick but end thin. Start by pressing down thick, and then stroking very quickly in the direction you want while lifting the brush up as you do so. The quicker the stroke and the sooner you lift, the faster the change from thick to thin. This is a good technique for doing leaves hair and for coloring folds in clothes. If you have never done this, try practicing your brush strokes on some blank white paper.

Cell shading in gray before applying color is a good idea. Before you apply any color, I suggest you tone the picture with a gray marker, drawing in the shadows first before you apply the color. Then when you add the color, you can go right over the gray area and you will have two shades of that color. Between leaving the light areas white and having the darkest areas colored with gray first, you will have a nice cell shaded picture. Sometimes with darker colors like blue or green or purple… you will barely see the tone difference. If that is the case, you can go over the grayed in areas again with either the same pen or a darker version of that color. For example, when I do blue, I always use a lighter blue and then go over it again in the shadows with a darker blue.

Hatching and cross hatching are good to keep in mind when coloring. What is hatching and cross hatching? When you color, make sure that all the marks you make in a given area are going in the same direction. That is hatching. When you do that, you make sure that there is a refined quality to the picture, even if the strokes show through a little. This happens sometimes even with the more expensive markers. Sometimes we what this to happen to give a lighter feeling to the color being used. Cross hatching is when you first hatch, and then hatch again stroking perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to the first set of strokes. This will also help to give your picture a more refined look, but it is not always needed. Here is an example of hatching and cross hatching with a pen.

With markers, the lines tend to get lost more easily… but that is only because you hatch and cross hatch… the basic point is that you need to be consistent with your strokes. DO NOT SCRIBBLE IN THE COLOR. Scribble marks will likely show no matter what you do or use and that will not look so good.

Description
More marker art, this will be Kiala's character feature... Remember this? It is done! I went with the tea house in shambles look that was suggested... and wow that took a long time. And with markers too. I was worried I would ruin it the entire time I worked on it. But here it is, and I am happy with the result.

Since it is for a character feature, I will likely be adding a different version up with it cropped and with the chibi expressions and a bit of character info for her as well... but I wanted you to be able to enjoy the full pictures as just that: a picture. ^__^ Hope you like it.

To see more of Kiala, follow the links below:
-<--Previous<-- --->next-->

Kiala is (in spite of how people who know me think her looks are based off of me) based off of my Mom in a lot of ways. I gave her the same hair and eyes and figure. Her personality is actually a mix. I went off of the traits of an Aries and a Leo in an astrology chart, and then came up with a story to dictate the rest of her personality. She is a fire wielding, strong willed, samurai/ninja girl... I say both since her fighting technique sort of has elements of both. Her ancestor was a dragon in human form, and so she has some dragon personality traits, including the tendency not to value human life unless it is the life of a dear friend of hers, then she becomes very fierce.

I am also entering this now that it is done into the contest for the seven deadly sins here --> [link]

This picture features Wrath and Pride

Marker Coloring Tips!

I recently discovered I can color with markers. I have been away from my computer and full set of art supplies a lot lately, and because I can take markers with me wherever I go, I find this to be a very useful skill. People keep looking at my work and saying, “WHAT? That is markers? Wow! You have some serious skillz!” and of course, “how do you do that???”

So I figured it was about time I explain how I do so. You can call this a tutorial if you wish… though I have no step by step pictures to go with it at the moment… but I am going to tell you what you need to do to be able to color like I have been. It really isn’t as hard as everyone thinks it is. You just need to know a few important things; cell shading techniques, which tools to use and which ones to avoid, and basic penmanship techniques.

Cell Shading

What is cell shading? Well when I explain to kids what cell shading is, I usually say, ‘cartoon shading’ where you can see the shadows as solid blocks of colors, with no real blending of the shadows to speak of. To do cell shading, you need to isolate the basic blocks of tones and color them as solid colors. I will later include a tutorial on cell shading, showing you one form of cell shading with one specific lighting that you can learn to do, but depending on your light source, there are numerous ways to shade a person and scenery with cell shading. Because you generally can’t blend markers, you need to be able to cell shade to color with markers. If you are already good with cell shading, you can probably color good with markers. If not, you can still try, but the image will be unshaded. If you are still not sure, here is an example of cell shading.

Tools to use and avoid

This is extremely important. I know that a lot of people have limited budgets and sometimes you have to make do with what you have. Usually, I am good at finding cheep alternatives, or ways to make mundane tools work… but with marker art, that is not an option. YOU NEED THE CORRECT TOOLS OR IT WILL LOOK TERRIBLE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!!! If you remember trying to do something with markers in the past and it coming out looking lousy… even though you are pretty good with other tools… that is most likely the reason why. Every day markers are very difficult to work with because you cannot make smooth blocks of colors, the pen strokes always show through. The tips are rarely refined also, so you often lose the ability to add little details. If you use normal markers the only way you have a prayer of making something nice is if you are a master at hatching and cross hatching. (More on that later)

I am not going to be too specific on what you can and can’t use… just make sure you go to a proper art store… or arts and crafts store even. Find the section where markers and pens are, and invest a little. You do not need a really broad range of colors if you get the right markers, make sure you buy a skin tone… a few light blues and greens and purples… these usually need to be purchased separately because markers sets rarely come with these colors unless you spend astronomical fees to buy giant sets. They can also be a bit on the expensive side but worth it. In the marker sections, you often find a pretty big collection of markers sold fairly cheap… those are nice for kids… not for you. If it is cheap, the quality of art you will get will also be cheap. Normal pens sometimes do not agree with markers and bleed as soon as you try to apply the marker color. Stay away from bic if you are doing marker art. (I found that out the hard way.) Make sure you buy some pro quality line art pens that are water resistant if you can. Once you have your pens and skin tone and light blue purple and green selected… (Highlighters are great for some of this, but they are vibrant so use them sparingly, and sharpies can be nice too… but not as nice) pick out a set of high quality (dual sided for different sized marks are ideal to me) markers. It doesn’t need to be a big set. You can mix colors coloring over already applied colors. You will also need a set of gray pens for doing shading. These can often be found in a set. If you are only willing to buy one gray, make sure it is a light gray. Finally, you need to buy a while milky gel pen. This is so you can draw in highlights over already applied color for little details.

Penmanship Skills

When drawing in the line art to begin with, you can do some pre-emptive shading with the pen by drawing marks of differing thickness. Thick lines can often indicate darker colors.

The white of the page is the best white. It is the brightest white. You need to be able to color without covering all the white of the page. The gel pen is for adding in little details afterward… but if you can leave the detail there without having to draw it back in, that is best because the gel pen white isn’t as white. So be careful.

Knowing your basic stroke technique is a very important skill. If you have ever used a brush, you will understand what I am saying more easily. If not, bare with me. You need to be able to apply strokes that start out thick but end thin. Start by pressing down thick, and then stroking very quickly in the direction you want while lifting the brush up as you do so. The quicker the stroke and the sooner you lift, the faster the change from thick to thin. This is a good technique for doing leaves hair and for coloring folds in clothes. If you have never done this, try practicing your brush strokes on some blank white paper.

Cell shading in gray before applying color is a good idea. Before you apply any color, I suggest you tone the picture with a gray marker, drawing in the shadows first before you apply the color. Then when you add the color, you can go right over the gray area and you will have two shades of that color. Between leaving the light areas white and having the darkest areas colored with gray first, you will have a nice cell shaded picture. Sometimes with darker colors like blue or green or purple… you will barely see the tone difference. If that is the case, you can go over the grayed in areas again with either the same pen or a darker version of that color. For example, when I do blue, I always use a lighter blue and then go over it again in the shadows with a darker blue.

Hatching and cross hatching are good to keep in mind when coloring. What is hatching and cross hatching? When you color, make sure that all the marks you make in a given area are going in the same direction. That is hatching. When you do that, you make sure that there is a refined quality to the picture, even if the strokes show through a little. This happens sometimes even with the more expensive markers. Sometimes we what this to happen to give a lighter feeling to the color being used. Cross hatching is when you first hatch, and then hatch again stroking perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to the first set of strokes. This will also help to give your picture a more refined look, but it is not always needed. Here is an example of hatching and cross hatching with a pen.

With markers, the lines tend to get lost more easily… but that is only because you hatch and cross hatch… the basic point is that you need to be consistent with your strokes. DO NOT SCRIBBLE IN THE COLOR. Scribble marks will likely show no matter what you do or use and that will not look so good.