Today, I’m going to try out alcohol markers! It’s been ages since I’ve drawn in a real sketchbook, and mixed with the feeling of too much screen time, I decided it was time for something more traditional. I’ve always been in awe of the videos of sketchbooks filled with beautiful alcohol and acrylic marker work. So without much though I picked alcohol markers and ordered some materials online. Maybe it was impulsive, maybe it will start a new lifelong passion—only time will tell.
My Materials
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- Sketchbook: Leuchtturm 1917 (Square, 22x22 cm) – I bought it before I even knew I wanted to try alcohol markers, so the paper isn’t perfect. It bleeds a bit, but I don’t mind. I didn’t want to overthink having the “perfect” sketchbook because that usually ends with me not drawing at all.
- Markers: Ohuhu Honolulu 48 Mid-tone Colors (brush & fine tip) – These are super fun, and i'm curious how the range of colors will hold up.
- Pencils: Faber-Castell – I love the look of markers and pencils combined.
- Extras: Artistro extra fine tip for highlights and a Faber-Castell kneedable eraser – The kneadable eraser is a must. No more wiping your page every time you erase something.
Process
I start with a mechanical pencil because I like the way it sketches; afterwards, I erase most of it to color it in with the markers. Once I move on to the markers, I keep little notes on the page about which colors I’m using. That way, when a color palette works really well, I’ll remember it for next time. It’s a small habit, but it helps me experiment more confidently.
Right now, I’m going from light to dark, but I’ve seen people draw from dark to light. As you can see, not everything turned out perfect. Blending is definitely tricky for me at the moment. I also completely missed the colorless blender, but I’ll try it next time. It’s kind of fun to see how the colors layer and mix. Even when something doesn’t turn out exactly as I imagined, it’s still interesting to see what happens.
Combining the alcohol markers with colored pencils gives it this really crisp feeling. And lastly, I top it off with some white highlights.
Thoughts
Sketching with alcohol markers reminded me that it isn’t about the end result, but the process. It’s having a moment for myself without the need to perform well, without the need for revisions—which is honestly so great. Just letting it be and moving on to the next page.
I really feel like I have discovered this quiet moment for myself away from the screen. I’m looking forward to more sketchbook sessions, without worrying too much about the result and just doodling! Which is still really hard, because as artists, we often hope others will enjoy what we create too—the whole reason we share it, and sometimes even hope to make a living from it.
If your struggling with being creative and showing it to the world. Here are some reminders that also help me out;
- “I can always be good later.”
- “Are you being bold enough today?”
