Can you recommend markers (to use w/ Drawing with Children)?

[Stacia]

I'd like to start working though this book this year. There will be 3 of us (2 dc & me) using the markers at the same time during lessons.

 

Do you have any recommendations on brands of markers to buy or good sets that I could buy? I'm looking for both wide & narrow tip markers.

 

Thanks for any advice! :001_smile:

[Chelle in MO]

We used a Prismacolor set that has double-ended markers--fine and broad tip.

 

Have fun!

Chelle

[Trivium Academy]

We do too. Once you buy a set, you can just replace the most used markers and the sets go on sale regularly.

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/Pens-and-Markers/Prismacolor-Markers-and-Sets/Prismacolor-Artist-Marker-Sets.htm

 

We have the Prismacolor Travel Set of 24

[Tina]

If you're talking about the black, I believe they say the thin line Sharpie is what they recommend now.

[Trivium Academy]

Not questioning you but where did you 'hear' that? I'd love to know your source, there may be something more that I could learn before I attempt to teach with DWC next month. :)

[Chelle in MO]

Oh, I forgot about the Sharpies--we used those, too.

 

For the life of me (I sound like my grandma!), I can't figure out where I got that idea, though. I just now skimmed through the book and didn't see it anywhere. Surely Tina and I wouldn't have BOTH made it up!

 

Chelle

[Linda...inOwasso]

I didn't read it in DWC, but my dd7 took a Young Rembrandts drawing class this past year and she also used Sharpies. The teacher made them outline everything in black.

[LunaLee]

Well we have both the Sharpies and the Prismacolors. I like the Prismacolors for some things because of the broad tip and they have a waaaaybetter color selection, but the Sharpies are cheaper.

 

And FWIW, ds took classes at the local Monart school and they used the thin black sharpies and the colored ones.

[Stacia]

Awesome. Thanks so much.

 

Now that you mention it, I have heard Sharpies mentioned previously too. LOL. But, I think the Prismacolor ones look great. I'm hoping Michael's carries them & perhaps I could buy a set when I have a good coupon in hand.

 

Thanks again! :001_smile:

[LunaLee]

I'm hoping Michael's carries them & perhaps I could buy a set when I have a good coupon in hand.

 

 

 

Also, Aaron Brothers, if you have one near you, has them on sale about once a month for 50% off. And if you don't mind ordering online, http://www.dickblick.com/ has great prices too.

[nmoira]

Not questioning you but where did you 'hear' that? I'd love to know your source, there may be something more that I could learn before I attempt to teach with DWC next month. :)

The now defunct local Monart school used Sharpies for outlining. They are cheaper than Prismacolors, but don't smear. We too use Prismacolors.

 

Edited to add... Prismacolours don't smear. That should read: They are cheaper than Prismacolors and also don't smear.

[Trivium Academy]

Thanks! That may save us frustration down the road, both dd8 and I are excited to start these lessons. :)

[Tina]

Glad there are others who can back me up, 'cause I don't remember where I heard that! lol

[Stacia]

I just went & bought a Prismacolor set at Michael's.

 

In case you are planning to buy Prismacolor too, there is currently a $10 rebate going on:

http://www.prismacolor.com/sanford/consumer/prismacolor/rebate/rebate.jhtml

 

:001_smile:

[harmonyartmom]

Just some thoughts from someone who has been there.

 

1. These markers bleed through....don't use them on your good table. Make sure to have some sort of blotter underneath. You also can't do a two-sided project because you will see the design through the paper. If you are using a sketchpad, place something under the page you are working on or it will ruin the pages underneath.

2. Make sure to get the caps on tightly or they will dry out FAST. They have a lot of color to begin with and that is the beauty of these markers. A few hours with the caps off, disaster.

3. Since these are pretty expensive, I only bring them out at art time. For everyday practice, we use Crayola....one set of thick and one set of thin to start the year for each child. My artist son loves Crayola more than Prismacolor. He says the application is easier and you don't see the "lines" in your work as much.

4. My favorite Prismacolor markers??? I love the metallic gold and silver for outlining along with the black. They feel nice. I purchase mine at Michael's individually. I usually pick up a few different shades of green and brown since those are the ones I use the most.

5. Sharpies for outlining work great but be CAREFUL, these are permanent markers and you will have a big mess if you don't supervise. I just purchased my first fine point Sharpie pen. It is going to work great for black pen work.

 

Just some thoughts to add to the conversation. Prismacolors are great and I love the double points but they are something you have to learn to use. They are not easy. Your child might be disappointed with the results if they use Crayola type markers for other work. I always tell the boys not to "color in" but to "stroke". There is a difference.

 

Nothing like a new set of markers to get the creative juices flowing.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

PS You can look in my siggy to find a link to my Drawing with Children page with more talk about how to use the book.

4.

[TerriMI]

I think I would add a couple of things about PrismaColors and how to use them with DWC. One is that their colors available are beautiful and varied. You can buy a basic kit, like we did at our Hobby Lobby on sale and then add other colors individually when they go on sale. Since there is such a wide selection of colors, dc by "osmosis" learn about color variation. When they want a green, they must choose between 4 or 5 different ones and must make a decision which one is best for the application. Making this judgment is representative of the kind of decisions artists must constantly make. This, in my view, makes PrismaColors worth the extra price. Crayola-type markers seem way, way too cheap in comparison.

 

I agree with the stroking instruction when dc want to lay down flat fields of color. Using the wide edged side of the marker, dc schould make one continuous line with a constant speed. They can either follow the shape that they have outlined or can mark in parallel lines. Either way, they need to overlap only very slightly. This gives them the flattest, smoothest texture. Another variation for filling in shapes is to do it with purposeful texture. They can use stripes or crosshatch with white spaces or no. They can use dots or squiggles too. I think the best place to practice this is in the warm-up exercises. These lessons turn out nice geometric designs that lend themselves to trying out all sorts of texture. They get practice for when they get to the copying lessons and must decide how to fill in some recognizable object.

[nmoira]

I would caution against buying Prismacolors on eBay as you have no idea how old the markers are. It's tempting because of their high price. We buy most of our art supplies from Dick Blick, but you could probably get a very good deal on Prismacolors using a Michael's 50% coupon (I'm never organized enough to buy them this way... these coupons have almost taken on a legendary status for me... I'm not quite sure they're real, though I do keep hearing about them :) ).

[Stacia]

using a Michael's 50% coupon (I'm never organized enough to buy them this way... these coupons have almost taken on a legendary status for me... I'm not quite sure they're real, though I do keep hearing about them :) ).

 

LOL! I don't see them very often myself. Do you get the 40% off Michael's coupons? Those usually come in a freebie paper/sheath of ads that we get every week or so.

 

Sometimes, I don't end up getting a Michael's ad, but will see a Joann's ad instead. Our local Michael's (which is much closer to us than Joann's) takes Joann's coupons. It's definitely worth asking if yours will do the same.

 

Everyone, thanks for all the tips on using the markers. :001_smile:

[Homeschooling6]

Will my Stampin-Up markers & pencils work? I have sharpies, so I'm covered there;). I use to scrapbook so I have lots of art stuff, blenders, markers, pencils but am not sure if this would work well with DWC.

 

Great thread.

 

Thanks!

[TerriMI]

So I looked them up on the web at this site: http://tinyurl.hk/bqthq and I have some questions for you.

 

Do you have most of the colors shown here? The variety in this catalog looks pretty good. I think it is important to make sure that you have some of the pastel variety, especially several skin tones. PrismaColor sets come with some of these. And you can buy individual shades of various skin-type colors. Don't pass up even the palest yellowish offwhite, I say. This variety allows for more of the "osmosis" kinds of lessons on what are the effects of variation of color intensity.

 

Are these markers smear proof and permanent? If they are, it would help with the quality and durability of dc's pictures. Students will work hard on their drawings and it is discouraging to ruin one with an accidental smear from brushing their hand or arm over it. If they are permanent, it is harder for them to get blotches from accidental liquids that get on them too. They also will not fade. I think art students need to have some pictures that they will save long-term in some sort of portfolio. The right kind of markers help.

 

Do you have the colors in both a wide and a narrow tip? This is a great advantage of PrismaColors. They are double-tipped, one wide, the other fine. It's like getting two markers in one. You see then, that this helps dc in learning that lines have different widths. In fact, one feature of DWC's Elements of Shape is this very fact. Having markers that will easily make different widths will easily reenforce this concept. Also the warm-up exercises in DWC ask for students to make both fine and wide lines. If the Stampin-Up markers do not have different widths, how would you improvise? Perhaps they have chisel tips?

 

Hth

[Shasta Mom]

or do they sell a different sharpie? I'm leary about getting permanent ink all over my kids....

[Tina]

Yes, we are. The book tells that you shouldn't be erasing your work, just working those lines in. The Sharpie fineline is very good for this. Yes it is permanent, but you're doing this together, right? ;)

[In The Great White North]

I'm leary about getting permanent ink all over my kids....

 

Sharpies take about a week of swim practices to wash off. :001_smile:

[Staceyshoe]

For those who use Sharpies in Drawing with Children, do you get the "fine point"? Would something like this help us get started: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Sharpie+Retractable+Fine+Markers+12-Color+Set/039656/1292168379-816358 ? We're going to test out Drawing with Children to see whether it works for us, and I'd rather put off a large $ investment until we see how it goes.