Copic markers

Back in my all-anime-all-the-time days I painstakingly built up a collection of Japanese Copic alcohol markers over years, and taught myself how to use them. This year I am relearning how to do manga style for a project, so it seemed appropriate to go back to working with my old friends.

I have a lot more experience under my belt now, but it still took a while to remember the techniques! Luckily there are some awesome tutorials on Youtube to work with, which I didn't have when I first started.

But sometimes you get a challenge that you can't find a tutorial for, and that's when training and practice come to the rescue. I used the wrong side of the marker paper by mistake and didn't realise a very obvious thing: the other side isn't like the front at all! It's smooth and pencil slides across it and the alcohol just sits on top and doesn't absorb. Colours will smear and push each other out of the way. But if you know some basic principles and are willing to play around, it produces a fun effect of a very different kind.

Copic marker, fountain pen ink, various pens, nibs and brush pens.