Plotting on Canvas Using Pump Markers

January 15, 2025

Some works stick with you. Plasma Convection is part of a triptych I originally plotted on paper, but I kept coming back to it. I love the movement in this piece—the way it captures the swirling energy of charged matter. So I wanted to see how it would feel on canvas. This was my first time plotting on canvas using pump markers and acrylic.

What Are Pump Markers?

Unlike fine liners or ballpoint pens, Pump Markers use a pressure-based ink flow. I’ve designed my pen plotter for this purpose, and at the beginning of each line, the machine automatically pumps the marker. This ensures the ink flows consistently, preventing gaps or faded strokes.

For this piece, I used Molotow Pump Markers—refillable markers with highly pigmented acrylic ink. They interact with the canvas differently than pens on paper, sitting on the surface rather than being absorbed, which enhances the contrast.

How Canvas Changes the Look

Plotting on canvas is completely different from plotting on paper. The texture of the canvas interacts with light in a way that smooth paper doesn’t. The tiny fibers scatter and diffuse the light, making the colors appear richer and more vibrant from different angles. This gives the piece a dynamic quality that shifts depending on how it’s viewed.