<p>Marker inks are relatively unstable and can do weird things over time. Alcohol based ones seem especially so and almost every mention of them brings up how they will penetrate paper more than other markers. Either way they are not archival and instead are very fugitive. That is they will change over time: fading, possibly changing color, and bleeding.</p>
<p>For the drawings already in the sketch book there is nothing you can do except using separating pages. <strong>Glassine paper</strong> available from art supply stores, is made for this; it is like wax paper but lightweight, does not leave any residue, is not reactive, etc.</p>
<p>For future works there are a few things you can do to mitigate the bleeding:</p>
<ul>
<li>use paper made for markers and/or a heavier weight paper. Smooth  hard plate papers are better for alcohol based markers than rough, open grained papers.</li>
<li>make sure the ink is absolutely dry before putting away the drawing. If layering colors let the bottom layers dry before adding more ink.</li>
<li>If drawing in the field use pieces of glassine to protect temporarily the drawings then fan open the pages later to let them dry completely.</li>
<li>See if there is a (spray) fixative made for the markers/inks you use that you can use to protect the finished work. Regular spray fix might work but test it first to see if it reacts with the ink/solvent.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-07T16:51:05.103Z
2024-12-07T16:51:05.103Z
rebusB
<p>A while back I got a set of alcohol markers and went right to work, finished a few pieces in my sketchbook, and was very happy with the result.
However, after a while (maybe a few weeks or a month) I noticed that my alcohol marker doodles were leaving a yellowed print of themselves on the opposite page. Not just bleeding through the back of the page, but actually copying themselves onto the page across from them.
I can provide a photo example if needed.</p>
<p>Why does this happen? Is there any way to prevent it, or is the best I can do to leave a blank paper in between sketchbook pages?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-08-27T05:30:21.917Z
Or some aluminum sheet (from the kitchen). Or leave the "book" open for a longer time, to give the ink more time to dry / cure, before closing. Or try different paper - possibly, different papers work different with the alcohol markers.
virolino
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-08-27T06:39:55.693Z
Wax paper (as a cover) has been used for centuries to preserve illuminated manuscripts, but with anything you try, best to wait for it to dry to prevent smudging.
Jiminy Cricket.
<drawing><paper><markers><illustration>
How to stop alcohol markers from staining other pages?
biirdbraiin
# How to stop alcohol markers from staining other pages?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-08-26)

A while back I got a set of alcohol markers and went right to work, finished a few pieces in my sketchbook, and was very happy with the result.
However, after a while (maybe a few weeks or a month) I noticed that my alcohol marker doodles were leaving a yellowed print of themselves on the opposite page. Not just bleeding through the back of the page, but actually copying themselves onto the page across from them.
I can provide a photo example if needed.

Why does this happen? Is there any way to prevent it, or is the best I can do to leave a blank paper in between sketchbook pages?

**Tags:** drawing, paper, markers, illustration

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Or some aluminum sheet (from the kitchen). Or leave the "book" open for a longer time, to give the ink more time to dry / cure, before closing. Or try different paper - possibly, different papers work different with the alcohol markers.  
> **username_2**: Wax paper (as a cover) has been used for centuries to preserve illuminated manuscripts, but with anything you try, best to wait for it to dry to prevent smudging.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-12-07. Score: 1

Marker inks are relatively unstable and can do weird things over time. Alcohol based ones seem especially so and almost every mention of them brings up how they will penetrate paper more than other markers. Either way they are not archival and instead are very fugitive. That is they will change over time: fading, possibly changing color, and bleeding.

For the drawings already in the sketch book there is nothing you can do except using separating pages. **Glassine paper** available from art supply stores, is made for this; it is like wax paper but lightweight, does not leave any residue, is not reactive, etc.

For future works there are a few things you can do to mitigate the bleeding:

* use paper made for markers and/or a heavier weight paper. Smooth hard plate papers are better for alcohol based markers than rough, open grained papers.
* make sure the ink is absolutely dry before putting away the drawing. If layering colors let the bottom layers dry before adding more ink.
* If drawing in the field use pieces of glassine to protect temporarily the drawings then fan open the pages later to let them dry completely.
* See if there is a (spray) fixative made for the markers/inks you use that you can use to protect the finished work. Regular spray fix might work but test it first to see if it reacts with the ink/solvent.


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