Disclosure: Arrtx kindly provided me with a set of acrylic markers in exchange for creating this blog post. As always, all opinions and creative experiences shared here are my own.

There's something really satisfying about sitting down with a sketchbook, a beautiful set of markers, and no particular plan in mind. Sometimes I want to create something detailed and intricate, and other times I just want to doodle and see where it takes me.

For this project, I decided to experiment with zen doodle art on black paper using the Arrtx 150 Colors Cotton-Core Acrylic Markers. I love the contrast of colourful designs against a dark background, and I thought this would be a fun opportunity to try out a variety of colors and see what I could create.

The result was a relaxing little art project filled with a satisfying pattern and lots of colour!

Watch the Creative Process

I've also put together a video showing the entire creative process, from getting started with the markers to building up the patterns and finishing the design.

If you enjoy relaxing drawing videos, zen doodle or Zentangle inspired art, I hope you'll enjoy following along!

Getting Started with Zen Doodle Art

Zen doodling is one of my favourite ways to experiment with drawing without worrying too much about the finished result. There's no complicated technique to learn, and you don't need to be an experienced artist to get started.

The idea is to build up a design using simple repeating patterns, lines, shapes, and little details. You can work intuitively, filling in spaces as you go and letting the design develop naturally.

For this project, I chose black paper as my starting point. I really love how bright colours stand out against a dark background, and it gives even relatively simple patterns a bold look.

I started my design with this simple petal shape and gradually worked my way out from the middle of the page, letting the design grow organically.

It's a nice reminder that creativity doesn't always need to be complicated. Sometimes it's just about enjoying the process and seeing what happens.

Trying the Arrtx 150 Colors Acrylic Markers

For this project, I used the Arrtx 150 Colors Cotton-Core Acrylic Markers. The set includes a gorgeous selection of colours, making it easy to experiment with different color combinations.

A few features worth mentioning:

• 150 colours: A large colour selection with plenty of options for mixing and matching.
• Cotton-core ink system: Designed for smooth, consistent ink flow without the usual shaking and pressing associated with some paint markers.
• Flexible brush tips: The brush-style tips offer flexibility for both smaller details and broader strokes.
• Quick-drying acrylic ink: Useful when building up layers and working with multiple colours.
• Versatile surfaces: Acrylic markers can be used on a variety of surfaces, including paper, wood, canvas, and more. I'm excited to try them out on some other surface types soon.

I was particularly interested in trying these markers in my black paper sketchbook. It's always fun to see how different art supplies perform on a surface other than traditional white paper.

My Experience Using the Arrtx Acrylic Markers

My first impression of the Arrtx markers was that they were beautifully packaged. The box has a really cute, aesthetic design, and the markers were well protected with foam packaging to keep everything in place during shipping.

Inside, there's also a little business card and a set of stickers that you can use to test out the colours on paper. I thought this was a nice touch! There's nothing worse than trying to figure out what the colour actually looks like when you're working on a project, so having a way to test the colours beforehand is always helpful.

Another thing I really liked was the plastic storage tray. It holds all 150 markers upright, making it easy to see the colours and grab whichever one you need. With such a large collection, having a convenient way to organize everything is definitely a bonus (and looks cute on my desk too).

As for the markers themselves, I was really impressed with the vibrant colours. They offer a lovely range of shades, and I had fun experimenting with different combinations for my zen doodle artwork.

One feature I particularly appreciated was the way the markers work. Unlike some traditional paint markers I've used in the past, you don't have to shake them or repeatedly press down on the nib to get the ink flowing. They're much more straightforward to use, which makes the whole drawing process feel a little more effortless.

I also really love the brush tips. They have a nice painterly feel when drawing, which I found especially enjoyable for creating this artwork. It gives you a more natural experience compared to other acrylic paint pens I've used.

Overall, I really enjoyed trying these out, and I think the combination of vibrant colours, convenient storage, and easy-to-use brush tips makes them a fun addition to my art supplies. I'll definitely be reaching for these again.

The Finished Zen Doodle Artwork

After gradually filling the page with different patterns, shapes, and colourful details, here's the finished result!

I really enjoyed how this piece came together. The combination of the black background and the vibrant rainbow colors gives the artwork a completely different feel from artwork on white paper.

I also love that this is the kind of project you can easily adapt to your own style. You could use just a handful of colours, stick to a particular colour palette, or go all out with as many different shades as you like.

And that's really the beauty of zen doodling: there's no right or wrong way to do it!

Where to Find the Arrtx Acrylic Markers

If you'd like to check out the markers I used for this project, you can find the Arrtx 150 Colors Cotton-Core Acrylic Markers here: Shop the Arrtx 150 Colors Acrylic Markers

The set is worth exploring if you enjoy experimenting with colour, creating detailed illustrations, or trying different art techniques and surfaces.

Final Thoughts

This was such a fun little creative experiment!

Working on black paper was a nice change, and zen doodling is such a satisfying way to spend some creative time without putting too much pressure on yourself to make something perfect.

If you've been looking for a simple art project to try, grab some paper, choose a few favourite colours, and start drawing. You might be surprised by what you come up with!

Happy creating ~