Drawing Tutorial: Posca Pen Techniques for Beginners

Discover the perfect technique for drawing with paint markers to create bright, colorful illustrations with James Chapman

Posca pens are an industry classic. While often associated with graffiti, there is a lot more you can do with these mighty markers.

James Chapman (@jameschapman) is a digital artist who began using Posca pens to get a break from the screen, and in the process his charming illustrations have drawn him an impressive following. In this tutorial, he shares some basic techniques that he has developed for using Posca pens.

1. Smooth backgrounds

One of the advantages of Posca pens is that they allow you to apply layers of color on top of each other. This means that you can draw a base color over which you can apply another color later.

Draw your base color using an up and down motion to create a smooth finish.

2. Add depth

Add depth to your Posca illustrations by using darker colors to create shadow and the white marker to add highlights. You can also draw outlines around different elements with fineliners to help them stand out.

3. Avoid smudges

One disadvantage of Posca pens is that their paint can smudge, especially when using a ruler. One solution James has found is to use a standard ruler that curves down towards the page on its edge.

Flip this ruler over so that the edge of the ruler will now curve away from the page, ensuring that it does not catch or rub against the page when you take it away.

4. Pencil sketch

As with any drawing, a sketch can always help us plan the finer details. However, sketches can sometimes show through the paint of some of the lighter-colored Posca pens. Reduce the risk of this happening by erasing your sketch so it is faint enough for the paint to cover.

If you liked this tutorial, check out James Chapman’s online course, Illustrated Sketchbooking in Full Color, to learn more about how to explore your imagination and create vibrant illustrations with acrylic paint markers.

You may also like:

- The Art of Sketching: Transform Your Doodles into Art, a course by Mattias Adolfsson
- Creative Sketching: Fill Your Illustrations with Life and Detail, a course by Mattias Adolfsson
- Practical Exercise: Freehand Negative Drawing