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DLR049

Marker Techniques

Telephone: Fax: Email: Telephone: +44 +44 (0)1233 (0)1233 658875 658875 Fax: +44 +44 (0)1233 (0)1233 658879 658879 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Letraset Letraset Limited, Limited, Kingsnorth Kingsnorth Industrial Industrial Estate, Estate, Wotton Wotton Road, Road, Ashford, Ashford, Kent, Kent, TN23 TN23 6FL 6FL

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T Getting to know Tria

Nibs Tria has three built in nibs. It features a broad, fine and brush nib, all easily accessible and providing a variety of different width strokes.

Refills The pens are very long lasting, but when they do run out, they can be easily refilled using a unique cartridge based system. You simply replace the clear barrel section with a new one (available separately). This is done by removing the black caps on either end of the barrel.

Modularity It is also possible to interchange and replace the nibs. Due to Tria’s modular design, the parts come apart quite easily, so you can swap around and customize the pen set up however suits you best.

Color Space Tria uses a color space made up of 300 references. These are logically laid out, with even graduations of useful, contemporary colors. Each Tria color is referenced using a special alphanumeric code – this allows you to intuitively know where it sits within the color space. The color space works using principles of Hue, Saturation and Luminosity - these are already established ways of identifying color, and form the basis of existing digital and print reproduction. So Tria integrates as part of the overall design process.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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T Marker Rendering – The Basics Preparation You could try starting out with a selection of markers based around the color wheel segments. Use the main hues of the Tria color space as a guide, combining a black plus one or two grays and a blender. This will give the maximum color mixing range from a limited selection of markers. Various Letraset Tria Marker Sets are available. These have the advantage of being pre-selected by artists for specific design disciplines. Also, you’ll tend to pay less for the pens this way, compared with buying them separately.

Before using any color, test on a scrap of paper first to check how it will come R866

B544

G338

M137

B247

out. Some artists lay all the colors out like this before starting, then it’s easy to reference whilst working.

R555

B555

G339

V546

C847

It’s well worth planning out your color scheme in advance – take time to test out color combinations, and the results of different blends and overlays.

M555

B625

G346

V327

C647

You may want to work from a photocopy of your original drawing. Always a good idea to preserve your original in case of any mistakes.

Art Surfaces Tria Markers use transparent, dye-based colours. They perform best on bright white paper, plus some interesting effects can be produced on tinted surfaces. Remember the color of the paper will influence how the applied marker color appears. Tria ink s are alcohol based and may ‘bleed’ through thinner papers. It’s advisable to use a backing sheet for protection. The best thing is to use a Bleed Proof Marker Pad (Letraset supplies a popular range in A4, A3 and A2 sizes). This kind of paper provides a good level of saturation and tonal graduation.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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T Handling and Application Hold the marker lightly – the key to marker rendering is quick, deft strokes. Where you hold the barrel will make a difference. Holding it nearer the middle will give you a fluid sweeping effect. For greater control, hold nearer the nib. Apply color evenly without lifting your hand from the page. This keeps up the momentum in your work and avoids ink collecting in unsightly patches. When filling larger areas, it helps to apply the ink in a circular (gentle) scrubbing motion. This prevents any streaking and provides a perfectly smooth, flat finish.

Color Depth Marker color get darker the more layers you apply. Always work from light to dark (because you can’t lighten darker shades). Add in dark shadows and accent colors last. Depth of tone can be effectively created by overlaying a closely related darker colour over the original. This works particularly well when rendering skin tones.

Mixing Color When two Tria colors overlap, they will combine to produce a third color. This depends not only on the two colors used, but on the order in which they are applied – the second color will tend to dominate. If two pale colors are overlaid, the resulting mix will show through well. If one color is much stronger, it will virtually block out the paler color.

To mix colors together before application, use a smooth, ink resistant material. A piece of plastic or acetate makes a good makeshift palette. You can use the colorless Tria Blender to mix and pick up the ink from your ‘palette’. Much the same as using an artist’s brush. An advantage of markers is that the blended color can still be reactivated on the palette after long periods of time – just by using the alcohol filled Blender on the dried color pigment. The Tria Blender may also be used for mixing colored pencils. This can produce subtle variations in hue – for example, add blue pencil to a yellow marker and you’ll get a greenish color. Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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T Blending Color When one color is put down next to or over another dried color, normally the edge between will remain defined and sharp. If the second color is overlaid quickly, while the first is still wet, then they will blend into each other. To create a smooth graduation between two colours use a Tria Blender Marker, which will merge wet or dry colours. Blends vary on different papers, so try a small sample first.

To achieve a lighter, more translucent effect when using marker inks, touch the broad nib of a colored Tria against the broad nib of the blender. Then use the blender to apply the transferred ink to your art surface – this gives a very subtle application of color. Also, try drawing graphite grey pencil next to marker, then using the blender to merge together. As always, experimentation is the way to discover new effects.

Saturating Color Tria Marker inks are able to provide very richly saturated colors – the level of saturation depends to a large extent on the kind of paper used. For example, cartridge papers with higher ink absorption will generally provide more intense color renditions. On marker paper, you can use under coloring on the reverse. This is very effective, apply color to both sides of the paper, then reapply the front layer again. Once dried, the result will be a much more vibrant, vivid color. Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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T Lightening Color This can be achieved by first coating your work surface with a generous layer of colorless Blender. Then quickly (before the Blender dries) apply color over the top. The pre-applied Blender will have the effect of dropping back the overlaid color, resulting in a more subtle effect.

Also, try using a Vellum type paper. This will have a very smooth surface, with low absorption – this can be useful for producing softer, less intense colors. Another technique is to work on tracing paper – do this by selectively applying color to the reverse only. Color applied in this way will naturally show through to the front for a translucent appearance.

Graduating Color This can be done in much the same way as with other paint media. Apply the original marker color then use the Blender to loosen the pigment and drag it across the art surface. As the color becomes gradually more transparent, the result is a smooth transition from darker to light.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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T Inking Line Work Tria Marker ink is alcohol based, so other spirit based pen are likely to bleed or smudge if used in conjunction. The Tria ‘Illustrator’ Marker is water based, it produces line work that will not smudge with Tria Markers. Letraset also supplies a range of high quality black Fine Liners. These come in various widths and contain water based, pigmented inks. They provide smooth, accurate performance and can be used for outlining and detailing your marker work without bleeding into the marker

Making Corrections Try to avoid using correction fluid – it will prevent the ink being absorbed into the paper when coloring over and you’ll end up with a pale patch in your artwork. It is sometimes possible to overcome this problem by compensating with a slightly darker toned marker.

Since it’s generally quite difficult to correct mistakes with markers, it’s a good idea to make a photocopy before coloring. Letraset’s Bleed Proof Paper is useful for tracing over existing line work – at 70gsm it has good enough show through for tracing.

0.7 mm

0.3 mm 0.5 mm

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875 Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879 Email: [email protected] Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

0.1 mm

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