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How to Use Brush Pens

Brush pens give you the precision of a pen and the fluid color gradations of water colors. The ink contained in each pen is water soluble so you can use a paintbrush dipped in water or a water-based blender pen to fill in adjacent areas with a wash of color. This flexibility works particularly well for hand-drawn comic strips, but you can also use it to create fine art that looks like a watercolor painting.

Things You'll Need

  • Brush pens
  • Paintbrush or blender pen
  • Water
  • Watercolor paper
  • Scrap paper
  • Pen with non water-soluble ink (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw an image. Draw in pen if you would like hard defined lines like those found in a comic strip. Finish the whole drawing if using pen and allow the lines to dry fully.

    • 2

      Use the color of your choice to draw a line along one of the outlines. If you want more of a watercolor painting look, draw one element of the picture.

    • 3

      Dip the paintbrush or blender pen into the water and go over the line of color you just drew. Pull the color away with the brush or pen until you're satisfied with the appearance. You may need to draw another line of color to achieve the desired effect.

    • 4

      Clean the paintbrush or blender pen when changing colors by dipping it in the water then dragging it over your scrap paper. Repeat until no more color deposits itself on the paper.

    • 5

      Follow another outline with a colored pen or draw another element and repeat the process of drawing the color out with the paintbrush or blender pen.

    • 6

      Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you've colored the entire picture.

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