Playing With Markers

This semester I've been experimenting with Faber-Castell's big brush markers in my figure drawings rather than ink washes (which I used to create value in most of my previous work).  These markers come in a variety of color sets such as:  cold greys, warm greys, skin tones, classic, basic, and pastels.  I have been using the large brush markers rather than the small ones for my bigger studies since the small ones wear out so fast.  I started using them mostly in my drawing co op studies to illustrate contrast and light more on the figure and to have looser line mark making with ink.  The ink mimics that of an ink wash, but is more controllable.  I can also build up contrast with crosshatching.

I plan to purchase the warm grey set next and experiment with those.  I also need to order replacement markers for my current cold grey set.  After about six or seven large figure studies (and a few small storyboard layouts) the markers begin to wear out.  My lightest grey value is no longer usable.

In many of my character sketches I hadn't reached the point of using contrast with the figure.  Drawing co op has been helping me both understand the lights and shadows on the figure and studying the human anatomy more in-depth.  The markers initially offered me a quick way of illustrating value studies with my characters, settings, and storyboards.  Now I aim to utilize this medium more in finished works in the future since I am beginning to feel comfortable with handling them and how my mark making determines the form of the figure.  I have been trying to incorporate more variety with how I render the shadows on the figure.      

Eventually, I plan to experiment with both ink washes and markers.  I like the spontaneity of ink washes that you can't accomplish as well with the markers.  However, I like the expressive brush line quality you get with the large brush markers.  I would like to combine these two methods in future studies.