i-m-a-g-i-n-efx-august

Workshops
swallow
in flight
leaf on
the wind
lizard drags
his tail
tiger’s claw
panther stalks
her prey
the cat
scratches
5 mix anD maTch yOur marks
Variety is the spice of art! It’s a simple concept. If I treat the
entire sketch in the same way, why should anyone want to look
beyond the face? Granted, there may be some compelling
storytelling, but ideally the marks will help that story and the
viewers’ eyes to move across the page.
Mark variation can be achieved in different ways. With a
pencil I will change up my grip from laying it flat to holding it
tip down. With pens, and pencils actually, I’ll think about the
different marks I can make if I vary the pressure and speed and
length. Each mark has its own character, shape and story.
crane in
the reeds
dragon flies
in winter
Breath of fire
Mark variation can be achieved in
different ways, and each has its own
character, shape and story
6 enhance your sketches with new tools
Switching up or mixing tools will bring in some flair to sketches, or add some refreshment to a stagnating imagination
a
The versatile brush pen
I can use this for the main lines, and
just for accents. Here it’s doing the heavy
lifting in the line work. I’m simply modifying
the marks shown in tip five, squashing or
stretching them, and varying the speed to
keep the marks wet or make them dry.
B
Detailing with a gel pen
A gel pen like a Hi-Tec-C or a Slicci will
give a great uniform line. I’ll also use this for
the main line work if I don’t pick up the
brush pen. But here I’m simply using it to
add a little spice to the lines and pull out
little details in a way the brush pen can’t.
c markers
I love adding markers to pen sketches,
as either colour or tone accents. Here I’ve
added some skin art to her, a hint of rosy
blushes in areas and some shadows. I keep
the markers simple and let the visceral
nature of the brush pen’s lines sing.
72 August 2017