Alcohol markers can be a challenging and intimidating medium that isn’t always intuitive to use. My goal with this guide is to inspire you and make the process easier so you feel confident picking up markers.
For this tutorial, I’m working with a reduced colour palette to show that you don’t require an extensive collection of markers to achieve great results. I’ve also listed my materials, as the tools you use – especially the paper – make a big difference when working with alcohol markers (find some in our list of the best markers).
While this isn’t a deep dive into the drawing process, I’ll highlight my foundational techniques for creating a solid silhouette and a dynamic pose, using digital software to design the initial sketch in my case. These methods have been invaluable in my own work, and I’m excited to share them with you.
I focus on character design using alcohol makers in my work as an illustrator, and share most of my work on Instagram if you want some extra inspiration. I’m also excited to announce the release of my book Character Drawing with Alcohol Markers, which explores how to create professional, clean-looking designs. Some of the techniques that I’ll be sharing today can be found in the book, so think of this as a little sneak peek inside!
Without any further ado, let’s dive in. I hope you enjoy this guide and feel inspired to create.
Lidia Cambon, also known as Msshanh, is a London-based artist and illustrator. She is originally from Spain, and loves to combine her passions, tech and art, in her work.
01. Start with the silhouette
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Begin by establishing the basic shape of your character. This step sets the proportions and overall silhouette, which is essential in character design. For this piece, I determined the character’s proportions, including her dress and accessories such as the big hat. I also decided to add a sense of movement to make her pose dynamic and expressive right from the start
02. Create the initial sketch
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
With the shape established, start sketching in the details. Add specifics like the outfit, face and hair, and also consider extra elements for the background or accessories, like the small bag that I added. Using a slightly finer brush, be sure to add important details while keeping this stage still pretty loose, focusing on the main features without getting bogged down in small details.
03. Make the final line-art
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Next we’ll clean up the sketch and lay down our line-art. Switch to a much finer brush with 100% Opacity, which will allow you to define all the details clearly. Take your time here, because this step becomes the foundation for the rest of the illustration. I prefer brushes that mimic a ballpoint or gel pen with consistent opacity and size, to ensure the lines translate well on paper.
04. Figure out your colours
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Let’s create a colour composition, which is an essential step for traditional art, as it’s less forgiving than digital. Establish the main colours for each area of the character, ensuring contrast and harmony, and that important areas stand out. This planning step helps us avoid mistakes later when colouring on paper.
05. Transfer the line-art to paper
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
I use a Col-Erase red pencil for this task, as it minimises any smudging and allows for easy layering with alcohol markers, keeping my lines visible without affecting the final colours. I’m using Midori MD cotton paper for my final piece, and have a light box to help me transfer the sketch across.
06. Put down the local flat colours
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Start applying the flats, establishing the base for your illustration. To avoid streakiness, fully saturate the paper with each marker and avoid overlapping dried areas. I began with the background this time, but there’s no strict order, so do whatever works and feels right.
07. Work on creating depth within the image
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Continuing with flats, I use a soft grey for areas that are technically white. Using a light tone instead of pure white adds life to the illustration. For larger areas, you can break them into smaller sections to ensure smooth colour application. For instance, I divided the ruffles in her skirt based on where the line-art will be later so I know that any marker overlap will be covered.
08. Apply the colour to your artwork
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Next add the main colour of the design, which for me was the red areas. As this colour plays a significant role, follow the same technique of dividing large sections into smaller parts. This helps avoid streaks, and any minor imperfections will be hidden by the line-art or shading.
09. Time for the skin colour
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Now apply the skin tone. I chose a deeper shade for this particular piece, which requires extra care to avoid streakiness in the colours, especially in prominent areas like the face, while lighter tones are more forgiving. Take your time here to ensure smooth, even coverage. Once again, put your focus on saturating the paper with ink and always working wet-on-wet.
10. Finalise flats with the hair
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
To complete the flats in your piece, add the hair colour, which was the darkest shade in mine. Work quickly and saturate the paper to prevent streaks. Since we’ll add detailed line-art later on, any minor imperfections won’t be noticeable. My main focus at this point is maintaining the hair’s dynamic movement, which is an important aspect of the character’s look.
11. Begin shading
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
For this task, use the same markers as you did for the base colours. Once dried, layering the same shade creates a slightly deeper tone, allowing us to build shadows gradually without going too dark. I kept the lighting straightforward here, just using a simple light source from above.
12. Define shapes through inking
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Use fineliners in various colours, like the red for lighter areas and dark brown for shaded sections here, to ensure your line-art feels both dynamic and dimensional. You can also use black ink for a more traditional look. I avoided outlining the bats in the background to keep the focus on the character.
13. Last details
(Image: © Lidia Cambon)
Finally, add in extra touches for visual interest. I deepened the shadows with a darker purple and used a red fineliner to design the socks, keeping interest in the areas that were looking a bit flat. With a white gel pen, I also added buttons, polka dots, catch lights in her eyes, and hair highlights, which bring life to the character.
This content originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine, the world’s leading digital art and fantasy art magazine. ImagineFX is on sale in the UK, Europe, United States, Canada, Australia and more. Limited numbers of ImagineFX print editions are available for delivery from our online store (the shipping costs are included in all prices)
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