Category: Alcohol Marker Brands

Art Marker Hoarder? Me too!! Let's Get Organized + Complete Review of ArtBeek Markers Set of 262

25/10/2023

I'm OBSESSED with alcohol markers for shading the faces I draw. I've spent years collecting my beloved Copics!! And for just about the same length of time, I've been searching for great Copic alternatives that don't cost an arm and a leg! I think I've pretty much tried every brand possible.

Not too long ago I tried ArtBeek alcohol markers, and was thrilled to discover the VALUE they deliver at such an affordable price point for myself and my students!

When ArtBeek approached me and asked if they could send me a set of 262 alcohol markers to review, I was absolutely thrilled! So today, not only will I be swatching this ENTIRE set, I'll be showing you MY favorite marker storage solution!

*All product links are affiliate and for U.S. residents only.*

Just LOOK at how many colors there are! There are so many, they wouldn't even all fit in the above pic!!

Right outta the gate, the value in this particular set of ArtBeek Brush Tip alcohol markers is insane. On Amazon, this set of 262 colors costs around $130, making each marker a SUPER cheap 50 cents each! Amazing, right?! Especially when you consider the cost of Copics, which are $8 and up, PER MARKER- depending on where you buy them.

Like Copics, each of the ArtBeek markers in this set comes with both a brush tip like the marker shown below (essential to me!), and a chisel nib on the opposite end.

The only downside of ArtBeeks vs. Copics (and Ohuhus for that matter), is that ArtBeeks are NOT refillable. Kind of a bummer.

While you get a huge bang for your buck with ArtBeek, I really appreciate how Copic and Ohuhu give us the ability to replace the ink in one marker at a time as needed.

If an ArtBeek marker runs out, it's headed straight for the trash, and I'll eventually need to buy another set just to try and get that ONE marker back that I loved. Kinda sad, and honestly something to consider.

Since my new ArtBeek set of 262 is so huge, I need a NEW place to store them! While ArtBeek included a nice storage tote for this set, I really prefer using my own storage system based on what makes sense for how I work.

Not too long ago, I fell in love with these wooden marker storage cases and decided to purchase an extra one just for my new ArtBeeks! SOOOOO glad I did :)

If you've been following me for any length of time on YouTube, you probably already know how important I think swatching is for ANY and ALL art supplies! It's such a gift to your future self and really helps you prevent surprises BEFORE you create!

I find the easiest way to start swatching a new set of markers is to start by grouping similar colors together. As you'll see in the video, I try to grab all the greens, blues, yellows, etc., and swatch each group one at a time.

I can get pretty far with this at first, but you'll see in the video how common it is for me to "assign" a color to a marker in my mind based on the marker's cap or color name, only to find when I put the marker on paper, it looks completely different and belongs in a totally different color family!

Here's a great example, below. See the box I X'd out below? Initially, I thought this color belonged with skin tones color family based on the marker cap, but on paper it's totally green!

Speaking of skin tones... THIS is the thing that's thrilled me MOST about the ArtBeek set. I counted 98 skin tone markers!!! This is freaking bananas and makes me SO excited because the marker art projects I teach and do for fun are typically faces :) I absolutely LOVE that ArtBeek has included so many skin tone markers in this set.

Speaking of faces and alcohol marker projects - I recently published a book calledSkin Tone Secrets, to help artists easily identify skin tone marker combinations that go well together for shading faces of various ethnicities.

When I wrote Skin Tone Secrets, I used my Ohuhu skin tone markers set. BUT, as you'll see in the video, the book really can be used with ANY alcohol marker brand. Click over to watch the video and I'll show ya how!

In Skin Tone Secrets, I also share TONS of alcohol marker coloring tips from how to eliminate streaking to where to place shadows on the faces you're coloring.

Shading can be extremely tricky for artists who are just learning how to draw faces. In Skin Tone Secrets, I teach you about how to figure out where your light source is coming from so shadows look realistic even in whimsical face drawing projects. Plus, I show you three of the most common face shading patterns so there is zero guessing about where to put your shadows.

You'll also find a link in the book to the swatch sheets that I'm using in today's video so you can download a set for yourself to print at home. They're SO helpful for swatching!

If you're thinking about starting an alcohol marker collection, I HIGHLY recommend this ArtBeek set of 262 alcohol markers. The color selection included really is outstanding, especially if you love to draw and shade faces as much as I do!

Wanna See a Page by Page
Flip-Thru of Skin Tone Secrets?

Want MORE Alcohol Marker Tips?

Check out this playlist!! I LOVE alcohol markers, and have learned AND SHARED a TON over the years :)

Want Access to TONS of Step-by-Step
Alcohol Marker Drawing Projects in Real Time?

You might just LOVE my art club membership called The Fun Fab Drawing Club! If you're ready to take your art to the next level, or want to learn how to draw from scratch step-by-step, in real-time (unlike YouTube!), THIS is the place for you :)

The Fun Fab Drawing Club is perfect for beginners, returning artists, and advanced artists of all levels with tons of projects to choose from in pencil, alcohol markers, watercolor and so much more! CLICK HERE to Join the Waitlist to get notified next time we're taking new members, or CLICK HERE to check out every project in the Fun Fab Drawing Club!

Need More Resources?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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CHEAP & AWESOME Brush Tip Alcohol Markers for Shading Faces by ArtBeek

12/12/2022

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I'm OBSESSED with using brush-tip alcohol markers to shade the faces and figures I draw! If you've never tried shading your drawings with alcohol markers, or if you've been holding out on trying them because you're worried about the cost of copics - I can't wait to introduce you to Alcohol Markers by ArtBeek in today's video!

Whenever you get a new art supply with multiple colors, PLEASE make sure you take the time to swatch your colors. It might feel like a tedious job, but it's honestly super relaxing and your future self will thank you because marker caps and color names can be deceiving!!

I've created a FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet for you to print out at home to make this process a bit more fun.

Simply click the button above and I'll send your FREE Swatch Sheet straight to your inbox.

Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.

If you've been thinking about starting an alcohol marker collection, but have been intimidated by the price of Copic markers, I HEAR YOU!

I've made it my mission over the last few years to test as many alcohol brands as I can, so I can recommend the BEST VALUE brands (including Copic marker alternatives) to my students over at Awesome Art School.

It's ridiculous to expect everyone can afford to spend around $10/marker to have a little fun at their art table (even if I STILL LOVE my Copics!!).

If you've been hanging out with me for a while, you know I love the Ohuhu skin tone marker set (and really anything by Ohuhu!). But I also discovered an even CHEAPER brand of alcohol markers on Amazon that I also recommend you check out by ArtBeek - especially if you're looking to save a buck.

This is a screenshot of the ArtBeek Alcohol brush markers set of 120 colors for just $60!! I know!!! Who doesn't want 120 colors?! AND, at only 50 cents/per marker ?? - you can't go wrong!!

A couple of weeks ago I did the above face chart inspired drawing tutorial and used a ton of my ArtBeeks alongside a variety of more expensive alcohol marker brands from Copic to Winsor Newton, and felt the ArtBeeks performed beautifully.

The brush nibs on the ArtBeeks are just right- not too firm or too soft. The ink is perfectly juicy!! I've used mine for everything from shading faces to creating Christmas cards (full-length lesson for the card below & MORE in The Fun Fab Drawing Club over at Awesome Art School).

My only little complaint about this ArtBeek set is that they really should've included more PURPLES in this set (you only get 3). But, they do redeem themselves a bit with the giant collection of skin tone markers included (I think there are 24) - making the set of 120 perfect for anyone just starting an alcohol marker collection to shade faces.

I highly recommend dropping them in your cart for yourself or as a gift for an artsy friend for the holidays. Check out today's video to see them in action!

And remember, if you've got a TON of new colors to swatch, use my FREE Fun Fab Swatch Sheet, or pick up a copy of my Fun Fab Swatch Pad over on Amazon.

I created this book with my beloved Facebook Group a couple of years ago and still use it ALL THE TIME (as you can see in today's video!).

Thanks for hanging out with me today!!

After today's video, make sure you watch this one because it gives you MY BEST skin tone marker secrets for shading faces with alcohol markers! ENJOY!!

NEED MORE resources to get your creative juices flowing?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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Why Cheap Alcohol Markers are AWESOME PLUS 11 HOT Marker TIPS! (FaceChart Inspired Art No. 4)

30/11/2022

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When it comes to alcohol markers, I keep noticing there is such a HUGE range in price points. WHY is THAT?! For example, I bought a 5-pack Copic Sketch Marker set in grayscale that comes with a fine liner, for $38 (~$6.33/marker) on Amazon. Recently I also grabbed a 6-pack grayscale set of alcohol markers FOR $5 at my local Five & Below shop. You can't really beat the price at less than $1/marker.

But...will they perform? Let's find out!!

I seriously HOPE you are drawing along with me today! Face charts make amazing face drawing references!!

But before you even attempt drawing the fun makeup in today's reference, you NEED to make sure your facial features are proportional! How do you do that?! With my FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines! Click the button below and I'll send them straight to your inbox!

Whenever I get new markers, I've gotta swatch 'em to see what I've got! I compared the Five & Below cheapies with my neutral grayscale set of copic sketch markers (see how they compare below). The top line is the cheapies (that set came with one additional marker, so score!), and the bottom line is my copics.

I love the gradation and the value scale range included in both sets, but I gotta say - whenever you can get MORE colors - I tend to gravitate toward that option, so way to go Five & Below!

However, I also REALLY love how Copic included one of their black fineliners in this set. The fineliner they included retails for about $12 on its own - so adding this to their grayscale pack is really pretty generous.

Whoever manufactured the cheapies from Five & Below DID cut some corners by producing their alcohol markers without labels. Kinda hilarious. At least the opposite sides of these caps have labels so I don't have to swatch again every time I grab a marker!!

In terms of quality- the nibs in this set are great, and the ink is nice and juicy, so these were definitely worth picking up. I have no idea how readily available this specific pack of alcohol markers are, but I guess my general advice is not to shy away from grabbing a set of cheapie alcohol markers when you find them at your local dollar or craft store.

Pretty much every set I've picked up, I've been happily surprised by in terms of quality. Now let's see how they PERFORM in an actual project!

Make sure you click over to see today's face chart inspired drawing tutorial so you can DRAW ALONG with me!! Don't just sit back and watch - go grab your markers and come draw with me!

Need today's face drawing reference? Grab today's along with the last 3 in this series right here in my YouTube & Cheatsheet Library.

Definitely check out today's YouTube drawing tutorial because I give you TONS of hot tips for shading faces with alcohol markers that will help you tremendously - whether you're new to alcohol markers as a medium or not!

Shockingly, as soon as I started today's face shading with my cheapie alcohol markers, I was surprised to discover they felt identical to my copics. I KNOW!! This is a big deal, because if you've been following me for a while you KNOW how much I love my copics and ohuhus!!

Today's project has once again solidified my opinion that copic marker alternatives are WORTH trying! And really, price point doesn't seem to matter as much as you might think as far as this medium is concerned.

I've shared TONS of copic marker alternative product reviews for you here on YouTube, but hope YOU have confidence to try out whatever you find, especially if you're on a budget. You DON'T have to stop drawing, even when money is tight.

If you've never tried shading a face in alcohol markers, maybe you're addicted to shading faces in pencil - TRY today's free face drawing lesson. It's filled with tips to help you along.

If you're nervous to try shading faces with alcohol markers, especially when it comes to layering in darker shades, you REALLY CAN go at it slowly by adding multiple layers of the SAME shade over and over again. Your piece WILL get darker wherever you've added additional layers, and there's very little risk if you're afraid of screwing up :)

Plus- if you're hanging out with me on YouTube (or in one of my online art classes or clubs at Awesome Art School) you're NEVER alone, I'm right there by your side doing the project with you from start to finish!

Thanks for hanging out with me today! If you drew along with me, make sure to share your work so we can give you some love over in my Facebook Group!!

LOVING the whole face chart inspired drawing tutorial thing?
Here's a playlist with MORE of them for ya!!

NEED MORE resources to get your creative juices flowing?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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Testing the most expensive alcohol markers, ARE THEY WORTH IT?!

14/11/2022

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In today's drawing tutorial, I'm trying an expensive new set of skin tone markers by Winsor Newton called ProMarkers. I have high expectations for these alcohol markers because Winsor Newton is a top-of-the-line, fine art brand for artists.

I'm curious to see how ProMarkers compare to the go-to alcohol marker brands I reach for every day. My biggest question today is ARE PROMARKERS WORTH IT?!

Wanna draw along today, but not quite sure how to draw a face, or how to make the facial features look proportional? It's WAY easier than you think!

Simply click the button below to download my FREE whimsical face drawing guidelines. I never start a face drawing without them!

I've been shading the faces I draw with alcohol markers for years, and
am constantly testing new brands to ensure I'm recommending art supplies with the BEST VALUE for my students over at Awesome Art School.

After testing a million brands of alcohol markers, I've discovered expensive isn't always better, and multiple brands of alcohol markers can be used successfully on the same project - regardless of price point.

The ProMarker set I'm demo-ing today runs around $30 on Amazon and contains six skin tone alcohol markers. Depending on your budget, this might not sound too bad, until you start comparing ProMarkers to less expensive brands like Ohuhu, which will give you a full 30 more markers for just $9 more!

I don't know about you, but I want MORE COLORS to play with, so will choose that every time!

If you're sensitive to smells, you may want to steer clear of ProMarkers. They definitely have more of an odor to them than I notice from my Ohuhus or Copics.

This Promarker set has dual nibs like most alcohol markers. There's a brush tip on one side and a chisel tip on the opposite. Right away I noticed how flexible the brush nib felt. Not sure if I'm gonna love this or get annoyed with it while shading larger areas!

While swatching, I was seriously surprised by the shades Winsor Newton selected for this palette. If you've been following me for a while, or have a copy of my book, Skin Tone Secrets, you know I always recommend selecting three shades of the same color in light, medium and dark to shade ANYTHING.

These subtle variations in color will help give your drawings dimension and make them look more sophisticated.

As far as skin tone colors in the Promarkers set of 6 are concerned, I'm not impressed because I can only find two shades in this palette that will truly go together as my light and medium skin tones. The darker markers included are too big of a jump from the medium shades for most artists to use successfully - as you can see below.

If you watch the video, I'll show you the face chart I selected as today's drawing reference. It has super dramatic makeup in rich fall colors, but my first layer of brown makeup and shadows looks intimidating, even to me!

I keep going though, because I know the only way out of this is more layers of shading, blending, and doodling.

If you'd like a copy of today's drawing reference, you can grab that as a PDF in my YouTube & Cheatsheet Library over at Awesome Art School.

Once I've added detail to the eyes and eyelashes with my Pentel Pocket Brush, the darkest skin tone shading begins to push into the background and becomes less intimidating.

I use my Pentel pocket brush pen for drawing eyelashes on all the faces I draw and paint. It's amazing but has a bit of a learning curve to it. If you need help with it or want to learn how to draw gorgeous eyelashes, check out this video.

Make sure you click over to the video to get my final thoughts on this skin tone ProMarkers set by Winsor Newton.

As you'll see, I did end up getting annoyed with the brush nib on these markers. They just felt too flimsy and flexible to me so I switched sides and continued the project with the chisel tip for greater control.

I hope you found today's product review and demo helpful, and I sincerely hope you take a minute to stop and draw along with me in today's video!

See ya next week!!

Need more resources to get your creative juices flowing?

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links)
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP

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Pastel Ohuhu Markers? YES, PLEASE! |Product Review, Demo & Face Shading Tutorial by Karen Campbell

1/11/2022

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I've been recommending Ohuhu markers for YEARS, so when Ohuhu called and asked if they could send me a pastel set of dual-tip alcohol markers, I was thrilled! I can't wait to show you how gorgeous these are in today's face drawing & shading tutorial.

I swatched all of my Ohuhu pastel markers on the swatch sheets that can be found at the back of my Skin Tone Secrets book on Amazon.

If you don't have a copy of the book yet, but have an art supply you'd like to swatch, you can also download my FREE Fun, Fab Swatch Sheet to get started.

Simply click on the button above, and I'll email it right over! If you've never done color swatching before, here's a video on how to use this exact swatch sheet if you need a little extra help.

If you're new to my world, I absolutely LOVE alcohol markers for shading faces. I've been collecting them over the years in all different brands to find out which ones provide the highest quality and best value for my students.

Tons of my students are retired and just can't spend $10/marker for Copics, so I I've been on the hunt for a great Copic marker alternative for years.

When I discovered Ohuhu's skin tone markers set, it was love at first sight. I couldn't believe how many colors I could get in ONE SET. Even better, when I tried them out for the first time- the quality was gorgeous. I've had ZERO guilt recommending them to my students and adding them to my alcohol marker collection ever since.

Since most of my alcohol marker art projects are faces, I've spent a LOT of time figuring out which alcohol marker shades blend well together to create gorgeous skin tones in all ethnicities.

Check out my YouTube series of face drawing tutorials, Whimsical Women of the World, or my latest book, Skin Tone Secrets (watch the page-by-page flip through here) for alcohol marker face shading tips and fail-proof color combos I love for shading skin tones.

This book actually revolves around my Ohhu 36 skin tone markers set. Each face I drew for my book was colored in a combo of three skin tone markers in a light, medium and dark shade. The color combos are noted throughout the book so you draw and shade simple faces right along with me as you read.

Skin Tone Secrets is great for artists of all levels who love drawing and want to learn how to shade faces using alcohol markers. Sometimes it's tough for artists who love working with pencil to jump into another medium like markers, or even to jump into color vs. black and white drawing. The book is PERFECT to help graphite artists make the leap with confidence into the world of color.

Last week I started a new YouTube series for my drawing channel of face drawing and shading tutorials using face charts as my face drawing references.

I found the face chart below on Pinterest and thought it was the perfect inspiration for today's drawing tutorial featuring my new pastel Ohuhu alcohol markers.

If you've been following me for a while, you already know I tend to reach for the boldest of colors, no matter the art supply. Doing an entire project in pastels definitely felt like a challenge for me, but I ended up loving it!

Like all my face drawings, I started this one off using my face drawing guidelines to keep the facial features proportionate. If you've never used guidelines for your face drawings before, download my free Semi-Realistic / Whimsical Face Drawing Guidelines (learn how to use them in this playlist of tutorials). They make SUCH a difference!

I drew both of the faces above, but if you compare them side by side, it's pretty obvious which one looks more amateur. I didn't use guidelines for the face on the right. Her eyes are too high, her nose is too low, and she barely has a forehead.

I used guidelines for the face on the left. Even though she was drawn in a semi-realistic, or whimsical style, she looks WAY more sophisticated than the drawing on the right. It's ALL because of the face drawing guidelines.

Back to today's video!

The alcohol markers in my new Ohuhu set of 48 pastel shades are all dual tips with both a brush nib and a chisel tip. I primarily use the brush nib because it feels very painterly to me (especially for drawing hair).

But I also love flipping to the chisel tip if I've got a lot of ground to cover in one shade, and want to move through it quickly.

I found two shades in the pastel set of 48 that worked well together as skin tones for today's drawing. As I got further into the project, I discovered a pink that complemented these shades as a beautiful mid-tone. Make sure to click over to the video because I flash the name of each marker shade on the screen while I use it.

If you end up buying the pastel set of alcohol markers by Ohuhu, you'll find that it comes with a colorless blender. Personally, I feel the best way to blend alcohol markers without streaking comes from mixing your marker shades together and layering your brush strokes in a variety of directions, so I never use the colorless blender. However, if you've been hoping to try it - you'll be excited to know it's a part of this set.

When I was finished laying down my color, I decided NOT to use my pentel pocket brush for outlining and doodling on top of my drawing because I was afraid the lines would be too bold for the pastel color palette.

Instead, I reached for my Pentel Arts Sign Pen with Micro Brush Tip because I can get much finer lines with it.

I'm SO happy with how this piece turned out! And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new pastel alcohol markers.

THANKS Ohuhu!!

If you're already starting to think about Christmas gifts, Ohuhu has got an amazing Black Friday sale going on already. Be sure to check that link often as new items drop here all the time.

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

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EASY Fairy Drawing in Alcohol Markers with Karen Campbell [Week 3 #50FunFabFaries Challenge]

14/6/2022

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Wanna create this EASY fairy drawing with me in alcohol markers? These are one of my FAVORITE art supplies to use when shading faces I draw. If you've never tried them before, stick with me - I'll guide you step by step in today's drawing tutorial as we continue with week three of the #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge!

To find ALL the info for the FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge, simply click the button below to receive instant access to ALL the fairy reference images for each drawing prompt, plus info on supplies, cheatsheets and more!

Wanna become a better artist? Do today's lesson (and every lesson of the challenge) five times, making a few creative alterations of your choice, and watch your skills soar as you practice fairy eyes drawing, fairy ears drawing AND fairy hair drawing 50 different ways!

Just because we're switching up our supplies for week three of #50FunFabFairies, I don't want you to get distracted from the actual purpose of this fairy drawing challenge - which is increasing your drawing skills!

You're learning how to draw faces and where to look in reference images for face shading guidance so you know how to add depth to your drawings.

If all you have is a pencil and a piece of paper and you want to do this drawing challenge - that's perfect. You're good to go! All that matters is you draw.

If you're new to my world, my absolute favorite alcohol markers are copics, but they cost between $8-9/each, so when I teach my students how to use alcohol markers I use Ohuhus (especially for skin tones!) because they only cost $1/marker.

I was recently approached by a company called ArtBeek to try out their alcohol markers. I said I would because their cost per marker is only 40 cents and they have a brush nib on their markers -which is a must have for me. So today's project is not only our #50FunFabFairies drawing prompt number 3, it's a product test and review for ArtBeek Alcohol Brush Markers.

The fairy face drawing we're doing today is a side profile drawing in the three quarter view pose. While this is the most challenging view to draw - I think it's important for you to start practicing this right away so you don't feel intimidated.

I'm including cheatsheets on how to draw a three quarter portrait from my book How to Draw & Find Your Style in the #50FunFabFairies classroom for you over at AwesomeArtSchool.com.

I'm also referring to my book Skin Tone Secrets for a little help in locating the skin tone marker shades I want to use for this drawing. I love the rainbow vibe in our reference fairy drawing image. I see seeing a lot of yellow in the lightest areas, so immediately connected with this page from Skin Tone Secrets.

To get started, we need to sketch in the basic side profile drawing shape for a three quarter portrait AND the facial feature guidelines. If you know me - you know I NEVER draw a face without guidelines, because they're just too important!

If you're not sure how to draw fairy ears, I've got you! Simply watch the video, and I'll show you step by step.

Once I've penciled in a few swirly hair lines, it's time to get rid of our graphite as well as we can, because graphite and alcohol markers really don't mix. The brush nib of an alcohol marker can get dirty and pick up graphite super easily. This can drag all over your drawing and muddy things up, so make sure you take enough time to erase as much of the graphite as possible.

I use my vanish eraser for this. After the guidelines are gone, I actually pounce my eraser over the rest of my lines just to remove even more.

HOT TIP: If you're an outliner like me, and want to do those first, make sure you're NOT using a sharpie because these are also alcohol markers and they will naturally want to bleed and blend in with the other colors you're using.

Instead, opt for a fineliner that is water-based or pigmented, like this one from Molotow. These will NOT smear when you're working with Copics, Ohuhus, or the new markers I'm testing out today by ArtBeek.

HOT TIP: There are lots of fun swirlies in our fairy drawing image for jewelry, I love using a STENCIL to do this! It takes the pressure off trying to copy something exactly and looks SO precise in your drawing. I highly recommend you do this as well :)

Since I'm using a new to me set of alcohol markers, I do need to swatch them out prior to coloring today. As I do this, I'm loving the soft brush tip of the ArtBeek markers. There aren't a lot of skin tones (even in the large set of 120), but I do feel like they're even softer to work with than the Ohuhus, which kinda surprises me!

In the video, you'll really see how I look to my reference fairy drawing image to "inform" my face shading. If you're scared to change marker shades as you get into shading the face - that's ok. Just use the same shade you were working with for layer one and darken your drawing with a second coat of that same color to start creating subtle shadows (above). It's totally fine to do this in baby steps until you're comfortable.

Typically I recommend using three shades of a color to do face shading in alcohol markers. As you can see in the photo above, each time you add a layer of shading that is slightly darker than the one you did previously, leave that a bit of that previous color exposed to really add depth to your drawing. In the photo above, you can see all four skin tone marker shades I used in the shadow on her face, next to her ear.

The hair on this fairy is wild and SO much fun! I am in love with the rainbow and the fact that it gives me the opportunity to use so many colors from this fun new marker set by ArtBeek.

After my fairy is done, it's time for me to pull out my secret weapon for drawing killer eyelashes! I LOVE my pentel pocket brush. It's also water-based so works just as beautifully with alcohol markers as it does over china markers and my mixed media paintings!

I hope you enjoyed today's fairy drawing lesson. Remember, if you haven't signed up for the FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge - you can still do that whenever you want to. It's not too late to join, and there is no "behind" with the challenge. Everything is draw at your own pace on your own time!

I've stocked the FREE classroom at AwesomeArtSchool.com for you with PDFs of our fairy reference images for each lesson, plus drawing cheatsheets to help you along, info on supplies and SO much more!

Have so much fun and I'll see ya in the classroom, or if you're posting your progress in the Facebook group!

If you're OBSESSED with fairies and fantasy art like me, you might just LOVE the Celtic Collective over at Awesome Art School. It's an art membership my Scottish bestie, Lucy Brydon, and I run together!

You might ALSO enjoy our podcast, 1Scot,1 Not. We talk about everything under the sun to do with Scotland - whether it's historical, fantasy, whatever. Just a quick warning - we have a blast and are totally ourselves on the podcast, which means there is some drinking and swearing.

❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON
❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON
❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP
❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

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SKIN TONE MARKER SECRETS for Shading GORGEOUS FACES with Copics & Ohuhu Markers [NEW BOOK Flip Thru]

27/4/2022

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Today I'm spilling ALL my skin tone marker SECRETS for shading gorgeous faces with copics and ohuhu alcohol markers!

Get a sneak peek at my BEST ohuhu and copic marker blending tips & tricks inside my latest drawing book, "Skin Tone Secrets" - now on Amazons worldwide! Stay with me till the end of this video for a quick face shading demo on an adorable baby face.

I'll show you just how EASY it is to add depth to your face drawings using my simple shading guide & just 3 alcohol markers!

If you're not into drawing, but enjoy coloring (or just love any excuse to use your alcohol markers like I do!), I've got a FREE download just for you.

Simply click on the button below, and I'll send you a 25-Page PDF of Coloring Sheets with faces of all the characters in this fun, new book!

Print them out at home and use them for swatching and coloring away till your heart's content!

My students always ask me what alcohol marker paper I use for coloring. If you're printing these FREE coloring pages at home, I suggest you use a nice cardstock. My favorite is by Hammermill. I just buy a giant pack off Amazon and it lasts forever. The paper is super smooth, feels like Bristol, but is SO much cheaper!

As you'll see in today's video, my new book opens with a general overview of art markers and an intro about what makes alcohol markers so special (to ME, at least).

Next you'll get a quick overview of what I call "the anatomy" of an alcohol marker. Many have both chisel and brush tips, plus a refillable barrel.

As you can see off to the right in the above photo, I have two alcohol marker brands I recommend to my students and use ALL the time myself: Copics and Ohuhu brush markers.

If you've been following me a while, you know I adore my copics and think they feel like butter sliding across my paper.

The only catch is, they are super expensive (the above set of 6 skin tone copic markers on Amazon costs ~$36). I've spent years building my copic marker collection, and just about as long testing copic alternatives so I can recommend another brand to my students who want to enjoy high quality alcohol markers at a lower cost.

About a year ago, while I was working on another book, Whimsical Women of the World, I discoverd an amazing brand of alcohol markers for a fraction of the cost. If you look at the Ohuhu Skin Tone Set (below), there are FOUR TIMES the number of colors provided in the Copic marker skin tone set shown above.

That alone gets my attention, but the price for this ohuhu marker set on Amazon is even better- just $30! It's a no-brainer, right?

I adore my Ohuhu skin tone marker set and recommend it all the time! There is such a huge array of colors to shade beautiful faces for any and every ethnicity your heart desires. Even better- the quality of these alcohol markers is really up there with copics. Ohuhs also blend interchangeably and beautifully with copics - in case you've already started collecting those, or want to start!

Back to the flip through...

After I run through the basics about alcohol markers in Skin Tone Secrets, my favorite brands, which alcohol marker paper I recommend, how to layer and blend alcohol markers (while avoiding streaking), I'll take you through a series of cute characters that you can draw along with me.

You'll notice I spend extra time on their fun hairstyles because TONS of people struggle with how to draw hair. In this book you'll get a little bit of everything from how to draw straight hair and updos, to long hair, short hair, ideas for men and how to draw curly hair!

You'll also get TONS of super helpful tips on how to shade faces - by imagining where the light source is coming from for each face you create. It's much easier than people think, once someone shows you how!

You'll also learn about my three FAVORITE face shading patterns and how those are replicated with alcohol markers.

I've even put together a great reference sheet on WHERE to add highlights to your face shading. I'm ALWAYS asked about this, so hopefully this guide clears up any confusion and can become a simple cheatsheet for you to refer back to.

HOT TIP: As you can see in the pic above, these face highlighting tips work for shading faces mixed media style or in any kind of drawing from pencil to toned paper drawing and coloring with alcohol markers.

As the book continues, you'll learn exactly HOW and WHERE to layer three skin tone shades of markers on a face step by step, start to finish. I'll teach you exactly which 3-color combos go well together to create light, medium and dark skin tones and will show you the specific marker numbers I'm using in either Ohuhu or Copics.

If you're not into alcohol markers, this book can still be helpful to you because it contains so many valuable tips about how to shade a face. Those concepts are the same, no matter what art supply you want to work with!

Make sure you click over to watch the video so I can walk you through each page, and then show you exactly how to use this book to shade the cute little baby's face!

Are you a club member at Awesome Art School? The ebook version of Skin Tone Secrets is already in your library for free as an additional club perk ?

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

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Copic Skin Tones vs Ohuhu vs Arteza - WHICH ONES ARE BEST?!

28/12/2020

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I've been collecting copic markers (especially copic skin tones!) for some time now, but they don't come cheap!!!

Tons of students have reached out asking if there is a copic marker alternative I can recommend that is more affordable to do their Whimsical Women of the World face drawing projects with.

I bought ALL the ohuhu skin tone markers and artezas I could get my hands on so I could give YOU some answers in today's YouTube video on my drawing channel!!!

The questions I've been hearing the most from students, are not only how do the various alcohol marker brands compare to one another, but more specifically - are there equivalent marker shades from brand to brand of alcohol based markers?

For example - if you've got the ohuhu skin tone markers set - which number should YOU use if I'm using copic E39?

I WISH it was that simple!!

Since it's not- I created a cheatsheet to help you out - with my own skin tone marker swatch comparisons!!

If you'd like to get your hands on this 12 page PDF for FREE, and save yourself TONS of money and hours in swatch time (it literally took me THREE hours to do this), LOL! Click the button below, and I'll send the Color Swatching Guide/ Cheatsheet straight to your inbox!!

Make sure you click over to today's video, so you can see how I decided to swatch colors out across the three alcohol marker brands I'm comparing (Copic vs Ohuhu vs Arteza) - while keeping things as SIMPLE as possile for YOU!!

Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links, but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support!

Personally, I love the copic markers brush tip to do most of my coloring with, because it feels so much like a paintbrush to me when it glides across the page. I can also achieve some really unique effects by changing the pressure I use when pressing down with my marker.

However, I DID find ohuhu brush markers have a very similar feel to them and actually found them to be just as juicy as my copics, but for SO much less money!! Ohuhu markers come in a 24 piece skin tone set, for about $32 on Amazon vs the Copic skin tone pack of 6 for around $33.

I know- WAY cheaper, right?!

Arteza also has a nice set of alcohol markers for beginners available on Amazon. You can get an Arteza Everblend set of 36 skin tone markers for around $36. That's a pretty insane value if you're on a budget and just want to have a little fun!!

Did you click over to get the color swatching guide yet?

TRUST ME. You NEED this in your life if you are just starting to build an alcohol marker collection, and are looking for a copic marker alternative!

I hope you find the video and cheatsheet helpful!! Thanks for hanging out with me today!!

See ya back here next week!

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​Wanna See a Page by Page Flip-Thru of Skin Tone Secrets?

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​Want Access to TONS of Step-by-Step Alcohol Marker Drawing Projects in Real Time?

Need More Resources?

Karen Campbell

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What Fans Are Saying

Contact ME

Wanna See a Page by Page
Flip-Thru of Skin Tone Secrets?

Want MORE Alcohol Marker Tips?

Want Access to TONS of Step-by-Step
Alcohol Marker Drawing Projects in Real Time?