Winsor & Newton Promarkers are renowned for use in graphics and illustration but you can release their fine art potential! I just love how you can use them in a painterly style.

In this tutorial Kim O’Neil demonstrates how you could approach things differently. 

Step 1

Pick a light colour and cover the entire surface.

Step 2

In this demonstration I then chose a darker shade, in a similar hue, to create the look of a mountain range. 

Step 3

Next I used the same darker colour and the blender to add drama to the sky, taking care to blend any hard edges so the marks are soft to represent clouds.

Step 4

My next step was to add in some warmth. I used a yellow and a blender to melt it into the clouds.

Step 5

Now I’ve used a deeper colour to add depth to the sky near the horizon line. When I use a deeper colour I always blend it with the lighter shade. 

Step 6

Next use the thick end of the Promarker to sketch out the mountains.

Step 7

I used three colours for the foreground – the deepest colour, a warm colour and a brighter colour. Apply them where you want them to sit, then blend using a blender. I allowed the blender to create ‘cauliflowers’ which are similar to the effects that can be obtained using watercolour paint. I like the way biomorphic patterns start to form and add to the organic feel. 

Step 8

Finally, using a black Promarker’s fine nib I added definition to the mountain peaks.

This is the end result; a great way to capture the energy of an idea and a perfect preliminary study for a bigger painting. 

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