Cute Summer Project for Girls Room

July 16, 2010
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Summer is a time for crafting! With no school and time to do some creating, school teacher Jennifer took decided to redecorate her daughter’s bed room.  We’re very excited she shared her wall art project with us.

Inspired by Pottery Barn artwork, Jennifer found a less expensive way to create the looks seen in this season’s catalog using different mediums and markers.

She started by purchasing a variety of scrapbook papers to match the bedding in her daughter’s room. She then used stencils, templates, and our Greeting Farm Forest Friends Stamp Set to create little scenes on each page.  To make the stamps pop, she used the Art & Graphic markers on white card stock.  After cutting them out she colored them in with the Kurecolor Markers.  To add finer details to the images she used the ZIG Memory System Writer and Sakura Microperm fine line black markers.  Jennifer finished the wall art by gluing the scenes together and framing the pages.

The result was a cute new room for little Millicent and a project well done by Jennifer.  Take a look at the finished room below

Millicent's New Room

Millicent's New Room

Millicent's Room Up Close

Millicent's Room Up Close

Share your summer projects with us! Send us your photos here!

Downtown Nashville Watercolor Painting

February 12, 2010
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One of the newest products we’ve added are the Clean Color Markers.  At a recent Trade Show we wanted to feature the new markers so we contacted artist Derek McCrea and asked him to create a Nashville themed piece of art. With the Clean Color II Brush and Double Ended Markers he painted a beautiful scene of Nashville’s Broadway Street downtown. We were very impressed. Below you will see the image followed by a detailed review of his experience using the markers. Marker Supply would like to thank Derek again for the wonderful artwork! Enjoy!

Cadillac Ranch Painting

“The Zig Color II Markers performed superior to other products I have used that perform the same task for watercolor and in art. I painted a painting of Nashville, Tennessee with the markers and the Zig Clean Color Brush Marker brush set. By using both the markers and the brushes by Zig it enabled me to capture the illustration with a watercolor and colored pen and ink feel. At first I was skeptical about the watercolor markers ability to produce watercolor effects the same as brushes. I came to find that the brushes work as well as, and in tight spaces requiring detail they work better and make the painting go more rapid also. The company also makes refillable marker pens called Zig Watercolor System BrushH2O pens that you fill with water. These can be used to water down the paint that you apply with the watercolor brush markers. The markers do not stain the surface a dark color that prevents the color from being able to spread, a problem with leading competitor products I have used. And if you you do not want to use the refillable water brushes then simply dip your pen brush in water and you will have the same effect as a watered down watercolor brush to be able to simply create incredible washes. Once complete with your watercolor painting, the Zig Clean Color II Markers can be applied on the edges of the Zig Clean Color Brush Markers to create colored pen and ink effects to make your art pop with superb depth for watercolor. ” - Derek McCrea

More information on the Clean Color Real Brush and Clean Color II Double Ended Markers can be found here. (http://markersupply.com/zigclcorebrm.html)

For more information on the talented Derek McCrea visit his website, http://www.derekmccrea.50megs.com

Happy Holidays Watercolor Cards

December 11, 2009
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We’re always looking for an excuse to test out our new markers and the holidays are the perfect time for crafting! So this week Cassie took some time out to play with our new Clean Color II and Clean Color Real Brush Markers. The result was the very cute festive Holiday card below. The Clean Color Real Brush markers react like watercolor paint on a brush when used on watercolor paper. This can be seen on the evergreen trees and winter flurries in the sky. Then to create finer lines Cassie used the Clean Color II Markers to add the lettering. These markers make watercolor painting mess free and easy. For more information visit the Clean Color Marker section.

Happy Holidays

Talented Chalkboard Artist Designs Eye-Catching Ads with Zig Markers

July 31, 2009
 rss feed posted by: Jennifer Allen category: Chalk BoardsCustomer UseGeneral TopicsPictures comments: 0

Trader Joe’s chalkboard artist Mei-Ling knows what it takes to attract customers’ attention for in-store advertising. Mei-Ling handcrafts each board’s eye catching design using ZIG Posterman and Woodcraft markers. The array of colors available provides the perfect palette from which to choose when crafting such elaborate and attractive boards. Complementary colors allow for shading and creative lettering to ensure the wording on each advertisement stands out effectively. When coupled with witty and beautifully crafted graphics, these boards become true works of art. We appreciate Mei-Ling sharing her talents with us!

Lemonade Macho Matzo Gingerbread

Potstickers Holiday Treats

Prismacolor Paintings on Shrink Plastic

June 24, 2009
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Here at Marker Supply we are always interested in seeing how crafters are using our products in creative ways.  When we stumbled upon the amazing jewelry by Dawn Bryant we just had to share it with our readers!  Dawn was kind enough to write a tutorial on how she uses the Prismacolor Pencils and Fine Line Markers to create these beautiful pieces.
Enjoy!

Prismacolor Paintings on Shrink Plastic Tutorial
By Dawn E. Bryant

Jewelry

One of the best gifts I got for Christmas was a book geared for teenagers called “Shrink Art Jewelry” from Klutz.com. This book was so basic that I decided to try it out – using a bit higher tech artwork than the book suggested. The book came with some patterns and some special paper. I used one of my photographs instead of the patterns. Wow! It came out great and I was hooked! TONS of fun!

Now I spend my days using Prismacolor pencil on the rough side of Shrinky Dinks Frosted Ruff ‘N Ready paper, creating landscapes, abstracts and more that I sign, punch holes in and shrink, then turn into jewelry.

It took a few mistakes before I got comfortable with the stuff and learned which colors work and which ones don’t, as well as new layering techniques, because the layering process is very different from on paper.

The first color you lay down is what will show (and it does NOT erase).

Okay, let’s get started!

Materials:
Prismacolor Pencils
Prismacolor Verithin pencils
Sharpie Ultrafine markers

Tools:
•Parchment paper
•cookie sheet
•smooth bottom glass pan
•standard paper punch

STEPS:

1) Find the photo or graphic you want to work from and if you want, print it off on plain paper as a 4×6 (this will be the size you need for the pendant after it shrinks).Picture for project

2) Choose your colors. I use Prismacolor pencils, Prismacolor Verithins and Sharpie Ultra Fine Point markers.

3) Lay down the first layer of color. Here I used Cool Gray 30% on the dark area of the clouds and white on the white areas, scumbled in with a circular motion. Outline the entire cloud area with a white Verithin. The rest I left blank. On the surrounding sky, the first layer is blue slate. On the yucca blossoms I used cream for the flowers and limepeel, for the greenish areas. The flower stems were done with light umber for the first layer. The pinkish areas I filled in with beige sienna. The blossoms are outlined with a goldenrod Verithin pencil. The leaves are limepeel, marine green, kelp green, olive green and dark green. For the shadowed area amongst the leaves I use black grape for the first layer. The background area of the ground is left blank for now.First color laydown

4) For the second layer I go in with cloud blue over the entire cloud area and light cerulean blue over the sky. On the yucca blossoms, I go back in with the cream and limepeel and make sure everything is filled in solidly and I go over the stems with Tuscan red.

Step 5

5) Now I start the background, with a layer of bronze. Over that I layer jasmine and goldenrod.For the last step I go over the blue portion of the sky with cloud blue.

6) Next I cut out the picture using a paper cutter or scissors and round the corners with the scissors so there are no sharp edges, then I sign my name with a black ultra fine point Sharpie permanent marker on the front at the bottom. I didn’t this time, but on the front I can also outline the flowers with the lightest yellow green Sharpie Ultra fine marker, go over the stem with the dark brown Sharpie and go over the leaves with the sharpies that match. This gives a 3D effect.Step 7

7) Lastly, I bake the piece at 325 degrees face down (colored pencil side up) on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 3 minutes. After I take the piece out of the oven, I immediately flip the piece over and press down on it with a smooth bottom glass pan.  The piece still needs to be sealed on the back (don’t spray the front, it will smear the marker) so I take it outside and spray it with an acrylic spray sealer in gloss finish (do this is a well-ventilated area). When that is dry I take it back inside and string it with beads to turn it into a necklace.

To make earrings, I take the same photo and make a 1.5×2.5 version (or whatever size correlates with the 1.5 inch side) of the photo I was working from and a mirror image of that, so there is no guesswork while doing the painting, and I repeat the process and string them for earrings.

Last Step

I used green and blue cats eye glass, gold filled beads, freshwater pearls and brown, green and blue glass e beads for this necklace,  along with handmade gold-filled chain and a handmade clasp.

For more information on Prismacolor pencils and markers visit Marker Supply’s Prismacolor section.  For more on Dawn’s jewelry visit her Etsy site : www.dawnebryantdesigns.etsy.com

Sign with Style

April 19, 2009
 rss feed posted by: Jennifer Allen category: General Topics comments: 0

Marker Supply customer Marshall Fuld recently made a trip to Nashville to watch his favorite hockey team, the New York Rangers, play the Nashville Predators. Marshall is an avid hockey fan who enjoys collecting pucks signed by players. This hobby is what drew him to Marker Supply, and he frequently orders Zig Painty Markers because of how well they show up on the hockey pucks. Before the Rangers vs. the Predators game, he and Marker Supply Owners Al and Alberta Allen attended a pre-game radio show broadcast with special guests Predators players, #14 Radek Bonk and #12 Martin Erat. Marshall had both player sign Predators pucks and gave them to Al and Alberta as gifts. See for yourself how well the Zig Painty works!

The fine tipped Zig Painty comes in 50 colors, and the medium tipped Zig Painty comes in 55 colors. These oil based markers are perfect for writing on a variety of surfaces. Purchase a few for your arts and crafts projects!

Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity

March 3, 2009
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Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity, an entertainment industry partnership
with Habitat for Humanity, recently they held an event in Los Angeles, CA.
Celebrities from every area of the entertainment industry came out to
support the cause.  We were happy to help this cause by providing the event
with markers!

After participating, each celebrity signed the hard hat they had used with a
Decocolor marker. The hard hats are currently being auctioned off to raise
money for the cause on http://www.clothesoffourback.org/habitat.  The
auction will run through March 6th at 5:00 pm PST with 100% of the proceeds
helping to build more affordable homes in Greater Los Angeles.

U2 Autographed Hard Hat

Decocolor markers are a great choice for autographs.  They give a permanent
mark that is available in a wide variety of bright, bold colors.  Not to
mention they are weatherproof, lead free, and acid free.  If you don’t
believe us just ask Ricky Martin!

Ricky Martin Autographing His Hat

For more information on the Decocolor markers visit the “Paint Markers
section on MarkerSupply.com

MarkerSupply a Hit at This Year’s NACA Annual Convention

February 16, 2009
 rss feed posted by: Jennifer Allen category: Chalk BoardsCustomer UseGeneral TopicsGlass PaintingMarkerNews comments: 0

This week at Opryland Hotel here in Nashville, college and university students from across the U.S. are gathered for the NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) Annual Convention. MarkerSupply is fortunate to be a vendor in the event’s Marketplace, and we’ve been enjoying promoting our Zig Posterman products to this enthusiastic clientele! Each day, attendees browse through hundreds of vendors, and MarkerSupply seems to be a favorite. Students and campus staff from a variety of colleges and universities are enjoying testing out the markers on glass, whiteboards, chalkboards, and paper. After visiting the booth, they are passing the word on to other attendees to drop by, too. Check out a few shots from last night’s Marketplace session:

The booth set up encourages students and campus staff to try the Posterman markers themselves.

The booth set up encourages students and campus staff to try the Posterman markers themselves.

MarkerSupply employees Molly and Danielle are enjoying running the booth at this year's convention.

MarkerSupply employees Danielle and Molly are enjoying running the booth.

Attendees enjoy trying out the markers and showcasing their school spirit!

Attendees enjoy trying out the markers and showcasing their school spirit!

The Posterman’s versatility make it the perfect marker for college and university campuses. Once messages written on glass, whiteboards or chalkboards dry, they will stay in place until removed with household cleaners, such as Windex. From advertising events to creating posters for the big game, Posterman won’t disappoint! Markers can be purchased individually or in sets. Visit our online store to place your order today!

Posterman Chalkboard Art Adds Flair to Grocery Store Special

October 12, 2008
 rss feed posted by: Jennifer Allen category: Chalk BoardsCustomer UseGeneral TopicsMarkerNews comments: more

Whole Food chalkboard artist Melissa Swanson recently shared with us a few pictures of the boards she designs using ZIG Posterman markers. “I like how they cover nicely and can be used to do brush-like texture,” Melissa explains.

Her boards for the St. Paul Whole Foods draw attention to seafood and deli specials through creative use of color and design.

snapperclose.jpg salmonbig.jpg
veganhappycow.jpg parmiagiano.jpg

If you are inspired to create your own chalkboard art, you can find everything you need in our online store. Posterman markers come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes, and we carry chalkboards as well. Visit the store today!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

September 30, 2008
 rss feed posted by: Jennifer Allen category: MarkerNews comments: 0

This weekend, thousands of runners and walkers will gather in Nashville for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. MarkerSupply is proud to support the effort by donating funds received from the sales of pink sharpies. To date, we’ve sold 128 markers, and 100% of the proceeds are being donated to this race, as well as the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Please continue to help us support these worthy causes by adding a pink sharpie to your order today!