anika mari

I’ve been wanting to try out an idea that’s been hovering in the back of my mind for a while. Often when I draw I start off using black ink, and then I like to add color after the fact. My coloring tool of choice is usually Prismacolor markers which have the unfortunate tendency of dissolving the crisp black lines and causing unwanted smudging (sometimes just a little, sometimes enough to ruin a drawing for me).

Since I’ve been working with watercolor paints lately, and the ink I use says “waterproof” on the box, it occurred to me that the two materials might be the perfect match.

I quickly drew some simple blobby shapes with my rapidograph pen and let the ink dry for a few minutes.

I mixed up a rich red using my watercolor paints, and then filled in the previously drawn shapes.

I purposefully painted over the lines and even tried to rub up the ink a bit with my brush, just to see if I could get it to bleed at all. But the lines stayed put! No muss, no fuss. I think I’m in love.

It took me much too long to actually try it out, but now that I know that it works so well, I definitely will be putting this technique to use more in the future.

I might revisit this painting and add in some more drawing, and who knows, maybe more color. I can see adding details to turn each red shape into a flower, or giving each blob little eyes so they become some kind of creature.