Kate’s journey from pen graveyard to the perfect sustainable marker
As a community educator, I’m used to writing on boards and flip charts, usually grabbing whatever I have to hand without much thought beyond, “Will people at the back be able to see?” So, when I first started to expand my facilitation skills into graphic recording and live illustration, I took the same approach. As an art teacher, I am often given art supplies that people no longer need, so I happily delved into my big box of assorted pens with enthusiasm. Before I knew it I was getting into Goldilocks territory. Acrylic markers that took too long to dry; alcohol markers that gave off noxious fumes and bled through every page; flip chart markers with limited colour ranges. Nothing was “just right.” After finding a graveyard of dried-out or crushed pens, I was also concerned about the environmental impact of all this plastic and didn’t want to buy anything that would contribute to the problem.
As a learner with ambitions to bring my new skills into professional environments, I knew I needed kit to match. It wouldn’t look good to be running out of ink halfway through a talk or accidentally drawing on a wall when my pen bled through. Therefore I began to research equipment, looking for a suitably professional and environmentally conscious choice. I came across Neuland and the Inky Shop, and, as I compared them to the other offers on the market, I was quickly convinced that no other brand could meet all my needs. I was impressed by Neuland’s range of colours, sizes and nib styles, but the most important feature, at least to me, was that they are designed with sustainability in mind. I was thrilled to find that the ink can be refilled and the nibs replaced, making them an economical as well as environmentally friendly solution.
Initially I bought a small selection, but I was soon back for more. I then invested in Neuland’s portable TopChart, flip chart and paper, brilliantly designed with unobtrusive but exceptionally useful, dotted sheets. This was perfect for a learner like me, as I wanted to ensure my handwriting was consistent and legible, even when writing at speed. The portable flip chart also looks stylish and special enough to take to events and meetings.
As I was practicing, I fell in love with the Neuland BigOne® with a wedge nib for cool titles and covering large areas. The brush nib also became a firm favourite, gliding onto the paper so beautifully it is almost as joyous as a paintbrush to use. As for the flip chart, I’d previously been drawing on any paper available, and I found that I was left with pilling and occasional holes where the paper couldn’t handle the wet ink. The Neuland flip chart, on the other hand, is durable, the surface smooth and receptive to the pens. The entire system works perfectly together for a polished and professional result. Neuland markers also work beautifully on foam board, giving bright and durable effects, however my personal preference is paper as foam is not easily recycled.
Another issue that I’d had, with the earlier pens I’d tried, was that the black outlines I drew inevitably bled and smudged when I added colour. Thankfully Neuland produce a black outliner, which doesn’t smudge or bleed when further colour is added. As you can imagine, with all this experimentation and practice, the fact that the pens can be refilled came in super handy.
As well as having fun with the nibs, I had a great time experimenting with colour palettes. Neuland has an amazing range of colours so you can create bespoke palettes according to your client’s needs. In addition, the refill system means that you can mix and blend colours if even more precision is needed. Needless to say, the Neuland markers also come in a full range of skin colours, which is so important when representing our beautifully diverse communities.
Finally, to complement the physical tools, Neuland offer a digitised version of their pen styles and colour palettes, which are compatible with Procreate, meaning that new graphic recorders can create visually similar effects both digitally and on paper. This massively expands the reach of the new graphic recorder as it means that a visually consistent style can be offered in the room and also in virtual meeting spaces, increasing versatility and flexibility.
I’ve already been asked to create some illustrated learning resources for other teachers in my organisation and I’m looking forward to getting on with this when the new term starts. Furthermore, I’m confident in and excited about using my Neuland materials, and I’m sure this will help me to promote my new services to clients in the future.
Kate Philbin
