T

DLR049

Marker Techniques

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Telephone: +44
+44 (0)1233
(0)1233 658875
658875
Fax: +44
+44 (0)1233
(0)1233 658879
658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset
Letraset Limited,
Limited, Kingsnorth
Kingsnorth Industrial
Industrial Estate,
Estate, Wotton
Wotton Road,
Road, Ashford,
Ashford, Kent,
Kent, TN23
TN23 6FL
6FL

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Getting to know Tria

Nibs
Tria has three built in nibs. It features a broad, fine and brush nib, all easily accessible
and providing a variety of different width strokes.

Refills
The pens are very long lasting, but when they do run out, they can be easily refilled using a unique cartridge based system. You
simply replace the clear barrel section with a new one (available separately). This is done by removing the black caps on either end of
the barrel.

Modularity
It is also possible to interchange and replace the nibs. Due to Trias modular design, the parts come apart quite easily, so you can swap
around and customize the pen set up however suits you best.

Color Space
Tria uses a color space made up of 300 references.
These are logically laid out, with even graduations of useful,
contemporary colors.
Each Tria color is referenced using a special alphanumeric code
this allows you to intuitively know where it sits within the
color space.
The color space works using principles of Hue, Saturation and
Luminosity - these are already established ways of identifying
color, and form the basis of existing digital and print reproduction.
So Tria integrates as part of the overall design process.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875

Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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Marker Rendering The Basics
Preparation
You could try starting out with a selection
of markers based around the color wheel
segments. Use the main hues of the Tria
color space as a guide, combining a black
plus one or two grays and a blender. This
will give the maximum color mixing range
from a limited selection of markers.
Various Letraset Tria Marker Sets are
available. These have the advantage of
being pre-selected by artists for specific
design disciplines. Also, youll tend to pay
less for the pens this way, compared with
buying them separately.

Before using any color, test on a scrap

of paper first to check how it will come
R866

B544

G338

M137

B247

out. Some artists lay all the colors out

like this before starting, then its easy to reference whilst working.

R555

B555

G339

V546

C847

Its well worth planning out your color scheme in advance take time to test out color
combinations, and the results of different blends and overlays.

M555

B625

G346

V327

C647

You may want to work from a photocopy of your original drawing. Always a good idea to
preserve your original in case of any mistakes.

Art Surfaces
Tria Markers use transparent, dye-based colours. They perform best on bright white
paper, plus some interesting effects can be produced on tinted surfaces. Remember the
color of the paper will influence how the applied marker color appears.
Tria ink s are alcohol based and may bleed through thinner papers. Its advisable to
use a backing sheet for protection. The best thing is to use a Bleed Proof Marker Pad
(Letraset supplies a popular range in A4, A3 and A2 sizes). This kind of paper provides a
good level of saturation and tonal graduation.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875

Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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Handling and Application
Hold the marker lightly the key to marker rendering is quick, deft strokes. Where you
hold the barrel will make a difference. Holding it nearer the middle will give you a fluid
sweeping effect. For greater control, hold nearer the nib.
Apply color evenly without lifting your hand from the page. This keeps up the momentum
in your work and avoids ink collecting in unsightly patches.
When filling larger areas, it helps to apply the ink in a circular (gentle) scrubbing motion.
This prevents any streaking and provides a perfectly smooth, flat finish.

Color Depth
Marker color get darker the more layers you apply. Always work from light to
dark (because you cant lighten darker shades). Add in dark shadows and accent
colors last.
Depth of tone can be effectively created by
overlaying a closely related darker colour
over the original. This works particularly
well when rendering skin tones.

Mixing Color
When two Tria colors overlap, they will combine to produce a third color. This depends not only on the two colors used, but on the
order in which they are applied the second color will tend to dominate.
If two pale colors are overlaid, the resulting mix will show through well. If one color is much stronger, it will virtually block out the
paler color.

To mix colors together before application, use a smooth, ink resistant material. A piece of plastic or acetate makes a good makeshift
palette. You can use the colorless Tria Blender to mix and pick up the ink from your palette. Much the same as using an artists brush.
An advantage of markers is that the blended color can still be reactivated on the palette after long periods of time just by using the
alcohol filled Blender on the dried color pigment.
The Tria Blender may also be used for mixing colored pencils. This can produce subtle variations in hue for example, add blue pencil
to a yellow marker and youll get a greenish color.
Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875
Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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Blending Color
When one color is put down next to or over another dried color, normally the edge
between will remain defined and sharp. If the second color is overlaid quickly, while the
first is still wet, then they will blend into each other.
To create a smooth graduation between two colours use a Tria Blender Marker,
which will merge wet or dry colours. Blends vary on different papers, so try a small
sample first.

To achieve a lighter, more translucent effect when using marker inks, touch the broad
nib of a colored Tria against the broad nib of the blender. Then use the blender to apply
the transferred ink to your art surface this gives a very subtle application of color.
Also, try drawing graphite grey pencil next to marker, then using
the blender to merge together. As always, experimentation is
the way to discover new effects.

Saturating Color
Tria Marker inks are able to provide very richly saturated colors the
level of saturation depends to a large extent on the kind of paper
used. For example, cartridge papers with higher ink absorption will
generally provide more intense color renditions.
On marker paper, you can use under coloring on the reverse. This
is very effective, apply color to both sides of the paper, then reapply the front layer again. Once dried, the result will be a much
more vibrant, vivid color.
Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875
Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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Lightening Color
This can be achieved by first coating your work surface with a generous layer of colorless Blender. Then quickly (before the Blender
dries) apply color over the top. The pre-applied Blender will have the effect of dropping back the overlaid color, resulting in a more
subtle effect.

Also, try using a Vellum type paper. This

will have a very smooth surface, with
low absorption this can be useful for
producing softer, less intense colors.
Another technique is to work on tracing
paper do this by selectively applying
color to the reverse only. Color applied in
this way will naturally show through to the
front for a translucent appearance.

Graduating Color
This can be done in much the same way as with other paint media. Apply the original marker color then use the Blender to
loosen the pigment and drag it across the art surface. As the color becomes gradually more transparent, the result is a smooth
transition from darker to light.

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875

Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

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Inking Line Work
Tria Marker ink is alcohol based, so other
spirit based pen are likely to bleed or
smudge if used in conjunction. The Tria
Illustrator Marker is water based, it
produces line work that will not smudge
with Tria Markers.
Letraset also supplies a range of high
quality black Fine Liners. These come in
various widths and contain water based,
pigmented inks. They provide smooth,
accurate performance and can be used
for outlining and detailing your marker
work without bleeding into the marker

Making Corrections
Try to avoid using correction fluid it will
prevent the ink being absorbed into the
paper when coloring over and youll end
up with a pale patch in your artwork. It
is sometimes possible to overcome this
problem by compensating with a slightly
darker toned marker.

Since its generally quite difficult to correct

mistakes with markers, its a good idea
to make a photocopy before coloring.
Letrasets Bleed Proof Paper is useful
for tracing over existing line work at
70gsm it has good enough show through
for tracing.

0.7 mm

0.3 mm
0.5 mm

Telephone: +44 (0)1233 658875

Fax: +44 (0)1233 658879
Email: enquiries@letraset.com
Letraset Limited, Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6FL

0.1 mm