I got a bunch of Chartpak AD markers along with a box of old drafting utensils. I’d never heard of them, but I assumed they were just like Sharpies: meant for writing on boxes and labelling things. Turns out they’re used in illustration (turns out even Sharpies are used in illustration, so joke’s on me doubly).

The first thing I noticed about them was the strong scent. They aren’t alcohol markers, they are actually xylene markers. The last remaining xylene markers in production as far as I can see. I am not sure what the scientifi differences are, but the biggest difference I found between these and alcohol markers is that they feather and bleed on practically everything.

In my Rendr sketchbook, which I use for my alcohol marker sketches, they don’t bleed through to the other page, but they do still feather a lot. I only thought of that as a bad thing until I did a few streaks next to each other and saw the way they seamlessly blended into one flat shape of colour. These markers don’t get streaky so long as they’re not running out of ink.

Now, there is a paper out there, which I’ve tried, made specifically for these AD markers, and it will stop all the feathering in its tracks. Turns out the feathering is what I live for, though.

Of course, the shape is still hazy, still fuzzy, still a bit amorphous, but oh wow what a fabulous base tone! My initial thought was that it might look nice with some linework over the top, but then I tried coloured pencils and have never looked back. It’s exactly how I want art to work for me.

I have tried different sorts of coloured pencils with this technique and like the ones that are on the harder side. Faber-Castell Polychromos are nice, but my favourite turned out to be Caran d’Ache Pablos. They are hard enough to hold a point when needed but soft enough to cover well.

This technique works very well on Bristol or, my favourite, Borden & Riley Paris paper. The markers will bleed to the other side and potentially onto anything behind the page.

“The Exchange, 1976”

This is my most recent drawing in this style, and I just love it.

I kept the entire video in here, just at fast speed, because watching the marker ink bleed is very satisfying: