Sharpie Art Workshop

July 6, 2015
Graphic designer Goodman (40 Days of Dating: An Experiment) provides a diverse repertoire of ideas for creative use of the Sharpie permanent marker, from the humble doodle to an intricate wall mural. In 2010, after he was commissioned by the Ace Hotel in New York City to create a mural using a Sharpie inside one of its rooms, he abandoned his more traditional, brand-centered work. He discovered that the versatile Sharpie, with 49 colors and several tip sizes, has broad crossover appeal within myriad “genres, cultures, backgrounds, ages, and beliefs.” Prose, poetry, patterns, and design embellishment are just some of the elements suggested for such Sharpie-friendly surfaces as sneakers, plates, vases, skateboards, frames, Post-it Notes, envelopes, gift wrap, and cards. Goodman profiles 14 accomplished artists working in the medium, providing their commentary, artwork, and website links. He includes the Sharpie’s history—it was invented in 1964—and cites this fun fact: Sharpie is the favored writing instrument of astronauts because it is highly suitable for zero gravity. Slim and unique, this “catalog of inspiration” enthusiastically celebrates the mighty marker. Illus.

September 1, 2015

This lively manual pays tribute to the ubiquitous, universal, and highly user-friendly Sharpie marker. Many readers will be surprised to learn that there are dozens of types of Sharpie available today, which Goodman (design, Sch. of Visual Arts; coauthor, 40 Days of Dating) delineates in the introduction. A clever history of the marker, rendered in Sharpie, introduces the guide included in the introduction. The heart of the guide is the many short creativity exercises that are meant to inspire readers to try new things and surprise themselves. Various artists share their own Sharpie experiments, with lots of tips and intriguing ideas thrown in along the way. These permanent markers can be used on almost anything, giving the reader the sense of open-ended possibility and immediacy. VERDICT This title holds wide appeal for young, mature, beginner, and seasoned artists alike.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.