Chisel Tip Marker Experimentation

This study involved the use of the chisel nib end of my Ohuhu markers with the goal of making a face. Additional tools used in a more limited way included a Micron pen for the sketch and frenzied hair marks, and gold and silver Pen Touch pens for ornamentation/earrings. The substrate was watercolor paper.

Chisel tip pens are limited by their very size. They can make a reasonable line though lines made this way will be thicker (e.g. the darker gray-colored random marks in the hair). An advantage of their size is that you can pull them across the substrate and do repeating lines to create designs (like in the dress and background). But to do intricate details and coloring on a face -- these pens are really hard to work with and the results show that.

Doing this piece was a total experience of asking what if's:

Can the light green be used successfully for shadow in a lighter area of pink or tan?
What colors work best to give an impression of shadow (for under the hair line, under the chin, etc.)?
Can I blend multiple colors to appear seamless? The answer to that -- is not really. The best I came up with was the helmet that comes across as rounded because of the choice of colors used (5 of them) in a gradation/reverse gradation to achieve the effect. But you can see that the colors didn't really blend if you look at them more closely.
How would an off-center vertical strip of color work as the background and what color would work best? I chose a fat vertical strip of green that didn't work because the green was too dark. So, I played with the remaining greens to figure out which one to use to complete the undone look of the vertical strip. I ended up adding the lightest green over the entire background. (This particular green complemented the color used in the face.)

Overall, I consider this effort one of pure exploration and learning. I'm finding the range of my marker colors is not large enough and their blending capability is limited.

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Introducing 'Kaleidoclown'

For fun, I've drawn one of my own photos (yes, I was dressed in a clown outfit) and added a wild and crazy background to accompany it for today's practice effort. As part of sketching the piece, it was split into four sections with two opposing diagonal lines. In terms of color choices, I've worked with color gradations for some shape sections. Can you believe, there are five major shapes in this effort? There really are -- circles, squares, trapezoids, triangles and spirals. I think the substrate is Biengfang Watercolor Paper (140 lb.). The materials used were Ohuhu markers, Micron 01 pigment ink pen, some red Stickles glitter glue for the nose, and a white Posca pen (for white dots on the face and to highlight eyes) and a yellow one (for yellow dots in the center of the flowers on the hat). There was no intention in working on this piece other than to have fun...and based on how it looks, I'd say well done!. One thing I learned is that blending with the Ohuhus i

New Project in Progress

I'm working on a new project with multiple layers and shapes of different colored organzas. It is an interpretation of lighting on an ice rink...from a show I recently saw. There is a lot more stitching to do, but I like how its coming along. I'm learning organzas are not easy to work with especially when you layer them and have overlaid edges. The fabric also tends to ravel easily. This post also linked to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com .

A New Sharpie Drawing/Painting

This effort was done starting with a 5-minute sketch while process photos were taken along the way. My intention was to work on color selections and to complete the jewelry/dangles to stand out without overtaking the female image (and maybe even getting a sense of dimension with their use). This is the second project in which a straight line across the page has been added to interrupt the wavy/curved lines -- and to show that using subtle color adjustments on each side of the line. (The first project that incorporates a line can be seen in the August 23rd post,) I'm pleased with how this came out. There are a few areas where the decoration looks sparse, but I notice it seems restful to my eye, since the balance of the Sharpie-painted areas are much busier. What is your experience looking at it? What draws your attention first?

Cay Denise

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