This is a marker impregnated with clear solvent. I worked the marker in circular motions over the dark colors in the leafy background. There are patches of the leafy background deliberately left out of the clear blending marker application to create a varied texture. These textured patches contrast with the smooth dark saturated patches of the colorless blending marker. Colored pencils can be worked over the solvent covered surface to lighten or darken values, or enliven the color.
Solvents give the appearance of a burnished surface, but it remains workable.
To make the reflective surface of the water contrast with the textured surface of the environment, I use the same color and value overlay application described previously, but employ a clear blending marker to create the shiny effect of water. By dragging the clear blending marker across the surface of the water in moderate horizontal strokes, the overlaid colors bleed together. Over the colorless marker marks, I blend and burnish the light sparkle of sunlight caught on the water with white and apply more colors and values over the solvent blend as needed. Controlled bleeds and blends are the advantage of using the clear blending marker. I finish the painting with a mat spray fixative.