Yes, clear gesso (not Liquitex) one coat rolled on your paper seals it. But the real blending magic with acrylic paint pens happens when you put an acrylic paint retarder (slow drying additive..or air brush medium) into a watercolor brush pen, lay down your first color, brush on a little overlapping retarder,, and put down your next color. The retarder slows the paint drying time( and thins a little) giving you the time to blend the colors which I then do with a soft damp watercolor brush. If you want to glaze over the acrylics, after your layer has dried sufficiently, brush the retarder over a chosen section and you can continue layering endlessly to get wonderful soft transitions. This works best with brush pen tips, but can also be used with the plastic tips if you dot on the paint and spread it around with your damp paint brush after putting on the retarder. Acrylic "wetting agent" is another additive that slows down acrylic paint pen drying time without diluting or compromising the adhesion of the paint to the surface. I hated the streaking from alcohol markers.. loved the softness of watercolors but not the way they lifted when layering.. and the acrylic paint pans with additives have given me the best of all worlds. Instead of using paper, I now use WATERCOLOR panels( or framed canvas) which comes preprimed and has a very fine smooth surface, unlike regular oil painting canvas. Hobby Lobby has the WATERCOLOR panels and canvases in many sizes but your creative mind may get blown again. They also have pads of WATERCOLOR canvas sheets which can be run through a home laser printer to copy an image onto the canvas .Experimenting is where all the fun is !
What I also like to do is take a picture of the coloring page first and then paint, and that way I can use it for reference to redraw my lines in. As usual, Jennifer, you make awesome videos. Thank you so much!
Addition to my previous reply. Liquitex gesso will absolutely work on your paper but it will give a little textured surface if you want that. That textured surface does grab the acrylic paint better and is great if you like layering because it enables that better than a plate smooth surface. Happy experimenting..
I’ve actually been enjoying the Arrtx dual tip (brush, fine) paint markers in my books lately. These are the ones with the black barrels, not the white, and I’m pretty sure they are a “white label” product. They stay wet just long enough to blend, and aren’t so opaque they cover up all your line work unless you do a lot of layers.
Hullo Jen & Steve & Rose, This picture of your bird is lovely! I just wanted to say that a fixative product is to set your surface but allow you to add to it, so it leaves a "tooth" on your surface. So if you want a smooth seal/surface you must use a varnish or a medium that seals your surface. I might recommend a matt or satin medium. I use Golden's Mediums a lot, but I have a friend that swears by Mod Podge! I suppose gloss might be good as well, but I tend to avoid this spray surface.
Beautiful! I love your channel and how you illustrate your tritones colors. I love it! I just wonder how that picture will look in prisma colors or poly rooms. I’m a prisma color girl. Love spring time pictures. Beautiful colors and awesome job. Thanks for sharing.! God bless you!
I use gesso then gently sandpaper any roughness away. I have also purchased aerosol polyurethane for this purpose, but haven't tried it yet. I am happy to know the results of your testing and experiments. Thank you. You saved me a lot of time and money by posting this today! Again, thank you. Please continue with the wonderful videos. They're entertaining, informative and useful. Have a great day.
Have you ever tried Yupo paper? It’s a synthetic plastic paper that is nonporous so you wouldn’t have to worry about the paint drying too quickly. I don’t know if you need to seal it afterward, though. Thanks for the video. I agree with you - a brown border was the way to go.
Getting outside is too difficult for me, so I will have to use the gesso style method. I just watched one using this for the less expensive non-watercolor journals for gouache use. Not familiar w/gesso yet, but said it leaves a toothy like surface, but if you use NovaColor Matte Medium, it will leave a smooth surface. Brush on a thinned coat or use a credit card without water.
Did you try using gesso on the paper? I have clear, black and white gessos that I picked up at Michael's..SCA scribs guilds use gesso on the paper when using acrylic gouache for scrolls. Apply, dry, sand with extremely fine sandpaper, repeat a couple of times. Nice smooth surface.
I have the original Karin decobrush acrylic pens and they dried out which is very disappointing. Are these better??? Ps.. Posca pens are great! You just need to use a water brush and pallet for blending 🎨
Those are one heck of a cheap to make, money maker! That is A LOT of money for a very small amount of paint per tube, or pen. Im kinda thinking if I coud exchange a paint brush nib, from one of my markers, with a paint nib. hmmmm. if its the same size i dont see why not. I think i might try and frankenstein one. lol.
Thank you! Love this video. I also just started coloring with acrylic paint markers. Have you tried them on your Coloring Bliss marker paper? I haven't tried blending yet, but I found one coat of white gesso worked well to protect the paper in my magazine type Color by Number Mystery Colors Magical Kingdoms book. The white gesso helped hide the lines and numbers, but I could still see them well enough to color. The acrylic paint finished covering the lines and numbers. Not fine art by any stretch of the imagination, but lots of fun. I've been trying to think of the best way to color something like your beautiful bird with paint markers. Thanks again for the varnish idea.
You are the bomb! Thanks for researching and sharing this! But Jennifer, my problem is that when I would get that blank page in front of me, I would have no idea what colors to use!
If and when anyone tries this with bullet tip paint markers or even the "old style" fiber-brush Karin pens, could you let us know how it works? I'm thinking the "real brush" tips of the new Karin is making this technique look easier than it might be for those of us who don't have the new softer real brush tips. I'm really hoping I can get the same effect with the harder nib paint pens of my set of acrylic markers cuz I can't afford to buy the new ones -- but I want results like in they video; beautiful!
Hello Jennifer, Steve and Lil Rose. Off this subject, have you ever used prismacolor watercolor colored Pencils? If so is there a video in your library about them? Curious mind. Thank you for all you do.
I was using paint markers too, but less expensive brands - Artisto and Shuttle art. Like the way they work but they didn't blend well. I tried to put two colors down and then blend with finger . I like Shuttle Art because they have a brush tip and a bullet tip. It will have to do because no more spraying for me. . (I don't want to spray anything like that ever again because of health issue now..)
wow such a nice piece of art! I've never used posca or any type of paint pens but could u then go over the piece with colored pencil to add in more details or will it scratch of the paint?
I’m still in the middle of watching the video…. But Wondering ….if you have a plain paintbrush handy to blend the colors while they are wet.. could you blend them even more? Maybe try a watercolor brush (with a water barrel?). Thanks for this tip on pretreatment of the paper!
I have never really played with 'old' decobrush markers because of the inability to blend on paper. After watching this video, thought I'd give them another go. I don't have any sprays, but I do have a variety of different papers. I chose gift wrap (white side), photo paper and X-Press It blending card. The gift wrap and blending card work reasonably well, the photo paper dries to quick and the paint lifts if you go over it more than a couple of times. I was a little underwhelmed with the results, but then I tried the back of the photo paper and that works really well. What do you think? I will try gesso when it arrives this week.
I think the reason of lack of blending paint-pens is because of the absorption of paint in the paper. So my first thought was: use a watercolour-primer. Normally it is hard to use inktense with water on regular paper. The water gets absorbed too quickly and the colours get very stripy. With watercolour-primer the water stays a bit longer on the paper. So maybe this can also work with paint pens?
Ya thats what people prime their canvas with before using acrylic. If you used a clear gesso ( prima brand or dina wakely ). Most clear gessos I have used like liquidtex the clear feels so rough when it drys like cement. It would probably ruin the marker tips. The clear gesso from the 2 brands I mentioned are excellent really smooth when dry.
Please. Do not use any of the sprays. Several of my artist friends have died because the spray had sealed their lungs even when 😅when spraying they sprayed outside please do not use
I absolutely agree, I got sick using one of these sprays ,a very small amount,and not all of us have the luxury to have an outside yard or garden or even balcony to do that. Those sprays are pure poison. It can be used cautiously if someone works outside all the time.
Yes, clear gesso (not Liquitex) one coat rolled on your paper seals it. But the real blending magic with acrylic paint pens happens when you put an acrylic paint retarder (slow drying additive..or air brush medium) into a watercolor brush pen, lay down your first color, brush on a little overlapping retarder,, and put down your next color. The retarder slows the paint drying time( and thins a little) giving you the time to blend the colors which I then do with a soft damp watercolor brush. If you want to glaze over the acrylics, after your layer has dried sufficiently, brush the retarder over a chosen section and you can continue layering endlessly to get wonderful soft transitions. This works best with brush pen tips, but can also be used with the plastic tips if you dot on the paint and spread it around with your damp paint brush after putting on the retarder. Acrylic "wetting agent" is another additive that slows down acrylic paint pen drying time without diluting or compromising the adhesion of the paint to the surface. I hated the streaking from alcohol markers.. loved the softness of watercolors but not the way they lifted when layering.. and the acrylic paint pans with additives have given me the best of all worlds. Instead of using paper, I now use WATERCOLOR panels( or framed canvas) which comes preprimed and has a very fine smooth surface, unlike regular oil painting canvas. Hobby Lobby has the WATERCOLOR panels and canvases in many sizes but your creative mind may get blown again. They also have pads of WATERCOLOR canvas sheets which can be run through a home laser printer to copy an image onto the canvas .Experimenting is where all the fun is !
I need to try this!!
What I also like to do is take a picture of the coloring page first and then paint, and that way I can use it for reference to redraw my lines in. As usual, Jennifer, you make awesome videos. Thank you so much!
Addition to my previous reply. Liquitex gesso will absolutely work on your paper but it will give a little textured surface if you want that. That textured surface does grab the acrylic paint better and is great if you like layering because it enables that better than a plate smooth surface. Happy experimenting..
I’ve actually been enjoying the Arrtx dual tip (brush, fine) paint markers in my books lately. These are the ones with the black barrels, not the white, and I’m pretty sure they are a “white label” product. They stay wet just long enough to blend, and aren’t so opaque they cover up all your line work unless you do a lot of layers.
Please can you do a demo with the original Karin Decobrush Pens?
I wonder if yupo paper would work well for this since it's non porous. It could be fun playing with the transparent versions, too.
I'm really enjoying the Saturday videos! Been with yall many years. Thanks for all the content! Hope you reach your 100,000 goal!
Wonderful video Jennifer. Thank you for the tips
The painting is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your procedure.
It’s a joy to watch you explore and make beautiful things Jennifer!
Hullo Jen & Steve & Rose, This picture of your bird is lovely! I just wanted to say that a fixative product is to set your surface but allow you to add to it, so it leaves a "tooth" on your surface. So if you want a smooth seal/surface you must use a varnish or a medium that seals your surface. I might recommend a matt or satin medium. I use Golden's Mediums a lot, but I have a friend that swears by Mod Podge! I suppose gloss might be good as well, but I tend to avoid this spray surface.
That's awesome Jennifer that you were sent a set of these paint markers!👍...GREAT Tip! Thanks so much🙋🌺🐦💙
Beautiful! I love your channel and how you illustrate your tritones colors. I love it! I just wonder how that picture will look in prisma colors or poly rooms. I’m a prisma color girl. Love spring time pictures. Beautiful colors and awesome job. Thanks for sharing.! God bless you!
I wonder if using this before markers will prevent bleedthrough?
I use gesso then gently sandpaper any roughness away. I have also purchased aerosol polyurethane for this purpose, but haven't tried it yet.
I am happy to know the results of your testing and experiments. Thank you. You saved me a lot of time and money by posting this today! Again, thank you. Please continue with the wonderful videos. They're entertaining, informative and useful. Have a great day.
Fantastic!
Have you ever tried Yupo paper? It’s a synthetic plastic paper that is nonporous so you wouldn’t have to worry about the paint drying too quickly. I don’t know if you need to seal it afterward, though. Thanks for the video. I agree with you - a brown border was the way to go.
You are so helpful! Really 😊
Getting outside is too difficult for me, so I will have to use the gesso style method. I just watched one using this for the less expensive non-watercolor journals for gouache use. Not familiar w/gesso yet, but said it leaves a toothy like surface, but if you use NovaColor Matte Medium, it will leave a smooth surface. Brush on a thinned coat or use a credit card without water.
Did you try using gesso on the paper? I have clear, black and white gessos that I picked up at Michael's..SCA scribs guilds use gesso on the paper when using acrylic gouache for scrolls. Apply, dry, sand with extremely fine sandpaper, repeat a couple of times. Nice smooth surface.
I have the original Karin decobrush acrylic pens and they dried out which is very disappointing. Are these better???
Ps.. Posca pens are great! You just need to use a water brush and pallet for blending 🎨
Those are one heck of a cheap to make, money maker! That is A LOT of money for a very small amount of paint per tube, or pen. Im kinda thinking if I coud exchange a paint brush nib, from one of my markers, with a paint nib. hmmmm. if its the same size i dont see why not. I think i might try and frankenstein one. lol.
Thank you! Love this video. I also just started coloring with acrylic paint markers. Have you tried them on your Coloring Bliss marker paper? I haven't tried blending yet, but I found one coat of white gesso worked well to protect the paper in my magazine type Color by Number Mystery Colors Magical Kingdoms book. The white gesso helped hide the lines and numbers, but I could still see them well enough to color. The acrylic paint finished covering the lines and numbers. Not fine art by any stretch of the imagination, but lots of fun. I've been trying to think of the best way to color something like your beautiful bird with paint markers. Thanks again for the varnish idea.
You are the bomb! Thanks for researching and sharing this! But Jennifer, my problem is that when I would get that blank page in front of me, I would have no idea what colors to use!
Jennifer, I have seen colored pencil artists use gesso. Have you tried this medium on either colored pencils and / or markers?
If and when anyone tries this with bullet tip paint markers or even the "old style" fiber-brush Karin pens, could you let us know how it works? I'm thinking the "real brush" tips of the new Karin is making this technique look easier than it might be for those of us who don't have the new softer real brush tips. I'm really hoping I can get the same effect with the harder nib paint pens of my set of acrylic markers cuz I can't afford to buy the new ones -- but I want results like in they video; beautiful!
Hello Jennifer, Steve and Lil Rose. Off this subject, have you ever used prismacolor watercolor colored Pencils? If so is there a video in your library about them? Curious mind. Thank you for all you do.
I was using paint markers too, but less expensive brands - Artisto and Shuttle art. Like the way they work but they didn't blend well. I tried to put two colors down and then blend with finger . I like Shuttle Art because they have a brush tip and a bullet tip. It will have to do because no more spraying for me. . (I don't want to spray anything like that ever again because of health issue now..)
wow such a nice piece of art! I've never used posca or any type of paint pens but could u then go over the piece with colored pencil to add in more details or will it scratch of the paint?
Hi Jen and Steve! What paper did you print this bird on? Is it available in your coloring pages? Thanks!
I’m still in the middle of watching the video…. But Wondering ….if you have a plain paintbrush handy to blend the colors while they are wet.. could you blend them even more? Maybe try a watercolor brush (with a water barrel?). Thanks for this tip on pretreatment of the paper!
You should be able to! I often just use my fingers, though a brush would probably work better haha
I have never really played with 'old' decobrush markers because of the inability to blend on paper. After watching this video, thought I'd give them another go. I don't have any sprays, but I do have a variety of different papers. I chose gift wrap (white side), photo paper and X-Press It blending card. The gift wrap and blending card work reasonably well, the photo paper dries to quick and the paint lifts if you go over it more than a couple of times. I was a little underwhelmed with the results, but then I tried the back of the photo paper and that works really well. What do you think? I will try gesso when it arrives this week.
You should look into yupo paper! It is super smooth and non porous, so it might work really well for that.
😊
I think the reason of lack of blending paint-pens is because of the absorption of paint in the paper.
So my first thought was: use a watercolour-primer.
Normally it is hard to use inktense with water on regular paper. The water gets absorbed too quickly and the colours get very stripy.
With watercolour-primer the water stays a bit longer on the paper.
So maybe this can also work with paint pens?
Would Gesso work?
Ya thats what people prime their canvas with before using acrylic. If you used a clear gesso ( prima brand or dina wakely ). Most clear gessos I have used like liquidtex the clear feels so rough when it drys like cement. It would probably ruin the marker tips. The clear gesso from the 2 brands I mentioned are excellent really smooth when dry.
@@meganklobchar7014 if you end up with rough gesso, you can lightly sand it with some fine grit sand paper.
Good morning everyone
🙏🙏
Hi all its a beautiful day here in the uk
Here too in SC, US
💜💜💜tfs💜💜💜
How is this possible!!! If this is true then why isn’t this taken off the market yet or at a minimum a warning!!!
There are warnings on the cans for all the fixatives and varnish about using them in well ventilated areas.
Please. Do not use any of the sprays. Several of my artist friends have died because the spray had sealed their lungs even when 😅when spraying they sprayed outside please do not use
Umm nope try using in a well ventilated space with proper ppe.
And don’t immediately bring back inside or to an enclosed space after spraying.
I absolutely agree, I got sick using one of these sprays ,a very small amount,and not all of us have the luxury to have an outside yard or garden or even balcony to do that. Those sprays are pure poison. It can be used cautiously if someone works outside all the time.