Get to Know Classique & Illustrator

Versatile, flexible and easy to use, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers open up so many creative opportunities for artists of all abilities. 

The translucent fine quality of their dye-based colours provides a unique level of smooth, streak-free coverage. This can then be layered to create depth before blending out seamlessly for effortless transitions between colours.  

Spectrum Noir’s high-performance alcohol-marker range delivers professional results in a wide variety of applications, from sketching and illustration through to technical design.

 Let’s un-cap Spectrum Noir’s Classique and Illustrator alcohol markers and take a closer look…

Classique and Illustrator have been thoughtfully designed to handle specific creative tasks and preferences. 

These alcohol markers also work really well in tandem and effectively give you a choice of four  independent nib profiles within the same shared colour-space. 

This makes them a uniquely versatile and useful creative pairing, for maximum creative scope if you own the same colour in both. 

Spectrum Noir’s Classique marker features two performance Japanese nibs. A fine bullet for precise detailing combined with a broad chisel for making bold, defined strokes. 

The dual nib design gives you the freedom to work on detailed renders and loose free-hand sketches. You can then switch instantly to making heavier, more purposeful design marks with defined shade and dimension. 

This versatility and immediacy is what makes Classique’s chisel and fine nib set-up the go-to choice for professional sketching and design.

For a more artistic experience, the Illustrator dual-tipped marker features a premium Japanese brush. 

The brush tip is made from hard-wearing yet pliable vinyl polymer with a reinforced inner core. 

This gives you the optimum mix of flexibility and precision, enabling controlled curves and varied line-weights in a single expressive stroke. 

A super-fine tip completes the Illustrator nib set-up, for fine accurate line-work and detailing.

Classique and Illustrator are filled with design-grade alcohol-based dye ink. The colours are custom-formulated at a UK lab then digitally mixed and colour-matched by the manufacturer to strict specifications. 

The high-quality of the base inks ensures super-smooth coverage with outstanding colour clarity. Large areas can be covered flawlessly with no streaks for a print-like finish. While the finely tuned dry-time and translucency of the dye means each colour can be layered up individually to create depth and dimension. Or merged seamlessly with other colours to produce an array of mixed hues, tints, shades and tones.   

There is a total 216 colours on offer, for a comprehensive choice of barely-there pastels through to bold, punchy brights. These same colours serve the entire Spectrum Noir alcohol-based range, making it easy to combine and switch between each pen type. 

Classique and Illustrator share a number of design-led ‘quality-of-life’ features for an enhanced experience with uninterrupted creative expression. 

The ergonomic, hexagonal profile of the barrel has been designed with comfort and control in mind. With no rounded edges, they are natural to grip, easy to stack and store and won’t roll around on your work surface. 

The air tight secure-fit caps are carefully contoured for easy removal and replacement. And their coloured ends are matched as close as technically possible to the ink within. So you can quickly identify them at a glance.

All Spectrum Noir inks are fully tested and certified non-toxic to meet European and US chemical safety standards. 

With sustainability in mind, alcohol marker refills are available in all colours and the nibs are also fully replaceable. 

Re-inker bottles can be purchased separately and will refill your marker up to 8 times. And if your nibs become worn or damaged, they can be quickly and easily renewed with a Classique or Illustrator replacement nib pack. 

By maintaining and looking after your marker instead of throwing it away, you’ll get a lifetime of creative use, while saving money and helping to preserve the environment. 

Now you’ve got to grips with Classique and Illustrator’s technical features, take a look at our Introduction to Alcohol Markers to learn some basic applied techniques.