Watercolor and Copic Markers would be my first choice.

Copic Markers are alcohol based and are not considered color fast, they were designed for use by advertisers who need something that can be used quickly and photographed, they don’t care if the art work lasts. Are your inks waterproof? If not then you might think about using colored pencil, but you will also need to watch which colors and manufacturers you use. Inktense pencils can also be used dry, but the color is more vibrant if activated by water.

I suggest you purchase small sets to experiment with and go with what you prefer.

neither are watercolors.

If one is affected of acute lightfast phobia it must stick him/herself to Digital media. It is the ONLY one that really is forever.

On my way to see things it is a HUGE, absurd waste of potential to forego ANY media because something as that.

The color fastness of watercolor depends on the pigment used, but that is also true of any color, oil, ink, whatever. Dyes also vary when it comes to how color fast they are, and color photographs are not very long lasting when exposed to light, which is why I think people who spend a fortune on colored wedding photos are out of their minds :). Only certain inks are fade proof (old fashioned India ink made from Carbon Black is one) but anything with color is prone to fading over time. And I agree with Mike, I am not sure how well I trust digital media.

blackandwhite I think I am showing my age, and had forgotten that most photographs are now printed not developed, the fading of color photographs had to do with the chemicals used to produce the film and then the ones use to develop that film into prints, not the same thing at all as what happens when a digital photograph is printed. Since I use a Digital Camera and rarely print any photos I should know better but just wasn’t thinking. In any case as far as I know there is no color that is totally light fast when exposed to light, but some colors are better than others.

I expect that Derwent may not actually be using Carbon Black in their pens, the particles tend to cause flow problems which is why old fashioned dip pens are best with old fashioned India Ink.

When I saw “Tombow” I thought about the bunch I just tossed. They were not lightfast enough for me and I use them very sparingly. I have some work I did last year and the color is gone. I had written the markers I used on the back so I could remember and the Tombows were all faded to oblivion. Yes, PedlersPen suggested Inktense markers to me also and I plan on giving them a try.

Overall, my Copic liners and markers are my “go to”s. I also have some off brand alcohol markers that are quite lightfast. I have no idea what kind they are. Also, check out some of the Manga markers available on Amazon from Japan. These have treated me well and are often inexpensive as they don’t yet have a “name”.

I know exactly what you mean about the ‘overlapping of color” and it annoys me too. I’ve tried using a light wash of watercolor but again, it’s not all that lightfast, not the ones I’ve tried.

Sheila

If one is making pictures to keep or hang on your wall, is it not only sensible to have an eye on lightfastness ?
Lightfastness is not just a theoretical ivory tower issue , it is of concern to any artist.
I know this from experience because I have tested many different inks & other media for lightfastness & can tell you that a seemingly black as a dark night line in many inks can fade to a barely visible grey in a sunny place within a month ! – & that is no exaggeration.
So I do think it is a totally legitimate concern.

You say

You say – “If one is affected of acute lightfast phobia it must stick him/herself to Digital media. It is the ONLY one that really is forever.”

Well you have more faith in the longevity of digital storage [B]of any kind[/B] than me !
Mike

BTW. Inktense pencils ARE a water colour pencil.

Just put an image in the internet and it will surely outlive ANY physical work that is not stored by a professional museum.

My point on lightfastnes is that I see a lot of people hurting their capability of producing something worth hanging in a wall just so that if it would be hanged it would resist a few years more. That makes no sense on a logical point of view. It is worth to worry about that only when you are very sure that what you do is worth surviving decades…. and even then only up to a point! If what you made is worth to keep around than it must be handled like that and not exposed to absurd amount of sunlight.

Where something is hang inside a house makes MUCH more difference than the medium used to paint it. Leave a Car, with modern paint in the sun here at south of south america ( I live UNDER the ozone layer hole) and it will fade its color in a few years.. NOTHING is complete lightfast! Unless you paint with only titanium white over some material that is naturally black you are going to see damage to anything hang into the sun for several years. If I was going to paint only with things that would last a hundred years here.. I would have to stick to graphite only… because absolutely NOTHING colored resist serious UV for that long.