I’ve been colouring in my drawings with Sharpies lately. This worked in my sketchbooks, but when I tried to Sharpie in my drawings on some bookkeeping paper, I didn’t quite like the look. So, I decided to try using a wash to add colour… Not that I necessarily know what I’m doing.
I made the washes from watering down some dollarstore acrylic paints I have around. They’re not fancy, but they do the trick. I usually try to start with the cheapest materials, since you can get to a proof of concept quickly. And, if the experiment goes south, I’m not out too much.
Overall, I’m encouraged. It’s also clear that I definitely have something to learn about colour blending, balancing, and layering. The result is a little richer than colouring with Sharpies. Their vibrancy can be as much of a hinderance as a blessing, especially with when you’re looking for a subtler vibe. It’s also harder to conceal missteps, so I have to proceed more slowly and carefully.
My friend said these reminded him of Winnipeg artist Marcel Dzama. I’m a big fan of him, so I’ll take that as a compliment! I’ll keep up with this.
