ScrawlrTips
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Marker
Featured in / April 2020 ScrawlrBox
We realise you may have never seen or used products like this before so we have put together a few hints, tips and techniques to test out and get the best from these supplies.
These Faber-Castell Watercolour Markers are highly pigmented with a lightfast water-based ink. They are dual-tipped markers with a flexible brush tip at one end and a medium bullet tip at the other. The pigmented water-based ink can be layered for a vibrant swatch of colour, or diluted with water to create a delicate watercolour wash.
These markers can be used to employ a variety of techniques such as hatching, glazing, wet-on-wet, blurring, granulation, colour spritzing and more. And, as they are water soluble they are great for mixing and blending, to create the perfect colour gradient. These markers are ideal for both spontaneous sketching and artistic watercolour painting.
Things To Try...
~ Try experimenting with different swatches of the Faber-Castell markers before you dive into a final piece. They can be applied directly to the paper which will create a very bright, pigmented colour but you can also blot some pigment onto a palette and add water. You can then use the marker pigment like water-colour paint for a more delicate colour wash. Another technique to try is adding water to the paper first and then using the markers on top of the water patch. This can give you some very interesting colour bleeding results and some fluid tie-dye effects. All of these techniques will create a completely different aesthetic, so be sure to test out all of the various ways you can use the markers.
~ Using the markers directly onto the paper will give you the brightest, most pigmented version of colour. If you want to blend the colour but don’t want the colour to loose pigmentation, try layering the two markers and then adding a small amount of water onto the paper, where the colours meet, to create a seamless and pigmented blend.
~ When layering the markers, the nibs can pick up some of the other colour, so to clean your nib use a spare/scrap piece of paper to gently scribble the colour out. When the nib creates a solid stream of the right colour your marker is ready to use again.
~ If the colour is too bright for your liking, try adding a small amount of water and then delicately dab the area with some paper towel – you could also try this as a texturising technique.
~ The Faber-Castell watercolour pencils are great for control and detail but they can also be used to create some superb water washes. You can lightly shade your drawing with the dry pencil and then add water to create beautifully blended colour but you can also try dipping your pencil tips into water. This will result in much thicker and more vibrant line work.
~ You could also try using the watercolour pencils as portable paint. Wet your paint brush and gently rub your brush over the tip of the pencil to pick up the pigment and then apply the colour to paper just like paint. This will give you a much softer colour gradient so you could use this to add some delicate shading.
~ You can create the illusion of shading and light source with colour intensity so try applying the pigment onto your art where the darkest shading should be and then use water wisely to spread the colour and disperse the pigment towards the ‘light source’. This will create a 3D illusion and make your artwork come alive.
Notes From The Artist
Angelika Schulte
The watercolour markers are extremely versatile and easy to work with. You can use them directly onto the paper, but try simply rubbing the tip onto a larger palette and add some drops of water to create a soft wash.
I used this method for the blue shirt and the hair.
You can also use this method to mix some colours for a wider colour range.
To create a unified finish to your artwork, use the pencils to outline and this will create hard and crisp edges surrounding your colour washes.
Don’t forget you can apply different pressures to the pencils to create varying shades of colour. I used the red one with lighter pressure for the shading of the skin.
I found that the bullet nib on the Faber-Castell markers was great for adding highlights, as it has a nice precise nib. I used the yellow marker to create highlights on the fish and parts of the face.
I find a little plan of my ideas always helps me to visualise the final piece, so try sketching out some ideas before diving in. I did a little sketch in my sketchbook and then transferred it to watercolour paper before applying colour.