Exploring Art Supplies

From The Archives: Two Posts About Sakura Solid Markers

Back in 2015 I discovered a new-to-me art supply: Sakura Solid Markers.  I wrote this post all about them:

People often ask me where my inspiration comes from.  It's a great question with about a million answers.  One of those answers is: new supplies.  (Can I get an Amen?)  There's nothing quite like a new tool or a new colorant to get the mojo cracking!  When I was teaching in Connecticut a student shared a new-to-me supply: Sakura Solid Markers.  

SakuraSolidMarker

I put together a quick video to share what I know about them so far:

I think they're perfect for art journaling!  They tick off everything on my happy list:

  • Waterproof once dry.
  • Opaque.
  • Write on a slick surface.
  • Blendable when wet.

I recently played with them in my art journal.  You can check out this fast forward video where I'm just mucking around!

Here is the page from the video:

Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm
Balzer-FlowerGarden-wm

And then a few months after sharing that post, I discovered a super cool hack for the solid markers.  Here it is:

Remember when I posted that video about the Sakura Solid Markers several months ago?  Recently, someone posted the following comment on that video on YouTube:

Often used as a Graffiti marker, you can split the marker in half and put two colors together.. The color patterns are very eye attracting.

Well, I absolutely had to try it out for myself!

I chose two colors I thought would work well together.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

I turned the knob at the bottom of the Solid Marker to extend the inside as far as possible and then broke it off.  I repeated this for both markers.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

I cleaned off the little bit at the top of the barrel and then rolled the pusher-thing inside back to the bottom.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
I used a box cutter to cut both colors in half.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

And then I matched the halves together and pushed the new two-tone markers back into the empty barrels.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

And now my new two-tone markers were ready to use!

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

I also tried it out in my art journal, adding a quick two-tone circle to the center of the page.

from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL
from the Balzer Designs Blog: Sakura Solid Marker Hack TUTORIAL

I love my new two-tone markers.  Time to start cutting all the colors in half and making all kinds of fun mixes!  I hope you'll give it a try too!

I hope you enjoyed this blast from the past!  Thanks for stopping by.

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Based outside of Boston, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer is a painter, printmaker, and collage artist who constructs vibrant compositions. Her artwork investigates the interplay of identity and perception, inviting viewers to take a longer look. Julie works in layers, both physically and metaphorically, exploring what is visible and what is concealed. Passionate about connecting with and inspiring other artists, she shares her expertise through in-person workshops and her online classroom at MyArtPractice.com. Julie's achievements include high-profile clients, multiple publications - including her book, “Carve Stamp Play” - and exhibits in New York City and throughout Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Brown University.

63 thoughts on “From The Archives: Two Posts About Sakura Solid Markers

  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Fantastic tool amd ideas. Thanks Julie!

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love how you put the finished picture under the video so we could watch how the piece came together. Love your music, too. Who is that??

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • Julie that combining markers is genius.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • What’s the small stencil you use for the center of the flowers? Sort of a stylized rose. I like how you combined it into the bigger flowers.

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • … thanks for the inspiration, now I have to find these in the Netherlands *grin*

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply
  • You truly are amazing! I loved watching the flower garden video. It reinforced the idea to keep going when I think a page is done because it can become so much more. Also, I wondered what the difference was between the Solid marker & Permapaque. You answered that when you cut the solid markers down the middle.

    Reply

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