If you are using Prismacolor markers or colored pencils, chances are you have a Prismacolor colorless blender marker or are at least familiar with it. Many artists swear by this tool because of its versatile applications.
Aside from priming the surface to produce smooth gradient colors, these Prismacolor blending markers can soften edges, pick up colors from markers and create unique color blends, and accomplish beautiful coloring effects.
The problem is that it would be difficult to achieve these promising results if you do not clean your Prismacolor blender pen properly. In this in-depth guide, I am going to show you how to clean Prismacolor colorless blender marker pens in just quick and easy steps!
Table of Contents
Why You Should Clean Your Prismacolor Colorless Blender Marker
Did you experience using your Prismacolor colorless blender marker pen but the results seem to be off? Perhaps, you have noticed some pigment residues in your color blends and the edges are not as soft and seamless as you want them to be.
Therefore, that is what you can expect when you do not clean your colorless blender marker. If you use it for blending Prismacolor markers or colored pencils, it picks up the colors and lingers in the tip.
Eventually, the pigment residues will turn into stains that would be quite difficult to remove. When this happens, you might not be able to use your colorless blender marker anymore, forcing you to buy a new one. What a waste!
How to Clean Your Prismacolor Colorless Blender Marker
Fret not! You would probably be surprised how easy it is to clean your colorless blender marker. You can try the following tips.
Things You Will Need
- Marker paper
- Sketchbook
- Prismacolor colorless blender marker
Step 1: Use marker paper.
One of the first things to do is prepare marker paper. Marker papers are typically thicker than ordinary office papers, making them suitable for bleedproof results. It also provides an ideal surface for your markers to make sure the tips won’t fray and wear out.
Step 2: Scribble the colorless blender marker against the paper.
This is the first easy step (I mean, very easy!) that you have to do with your colorless blender marker: scribble it against the paper! Do it like you are coloring or doodling. Make sure you go for the side of the tip where the pigment is and lay it flat on the paper. Keep scribbling it until you see the pigments come off.
Step 3: Use it in a single direction.
It is important that you scribble the colorless blender marker in a single direction – upward or downward. Do not scribble it on paper as if you are doodling randomly or harshly scratching the tip against the surface to quickly get rid of the pigments.
Some do it that way but it will not do good on the marker of your tip. It can be very damaging to the tip, resulting in fraying and wearing out. Ultimately, it will not be an efficient tool for smooth gradients and unique color blends.
Step 4: The back of the sketchbook also works.
This is another trick you can try if you use sketchbooks with your markers. A sketchbook usually has sturdy chipboard at the back for steady support.
Unbeknownst to some, the chipboard can actually work as a good surface for cleaning your Prismacolor colorless blender marker. You can quickly flip between the pages and the chipboard every time you need to scribble the blender marker for a good and swift cleaning!
Step 5: Do it while the pigment is still wet.
Keep in mind that effective cleaning requires perfect timing. This means cleaning your colorless blender marker while the pigment on the tip is still wet.
If you let it sit too long on the tip before you get rid of it, the pigment residue will become a stubborn stain that you will probably have a hard time removing. Sometimes, it will never come off. Remember that the tip easily and quickly picks up or absorbs pigment from a marker, making it vulnerable to accumulating stains when not cleaned immediately.
- IMPORTANT TIP: Always clean the tip EVERY AFTER you use it for blending colors. If you use it to blend blue and green colors, clean it right away. Every time you mix new sets of colors or prime a surface, the tip should be clean without any pigment residues to prevent color transfers
Conclusion
Overall, the steps on how to clean Prismacolor colorless blender marker pens are not difficult to follow. You might have found the procedure quite a breeze to keep your Prismacolor colorless blender markers usable every time you work on an art project. If you do it with the correct timing, tools, and motion, you can preserve the quality of your colorless blender markers for a long time.
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