35. Marker Board Techniques

Large Color Felt Markers

Church Interior In only five short minutes, the Christian story can be communicated in a clear, interesting, and appealing way using marker board techniques. A small but personal group of people outdoors may be addressed in a busy part of a large city or out in the open-air in a park or on the seashore. In other indoor situations, it can be equally useful. I have used these types of marker boards techniques in family services in a large church, to holidaymakers in a bingo hall or to a group of teenagers at a Christian disco. The key to success is practice and repeated practice! These techniques can be used not only with paint but also with large color felt tip pens. These are a little cleaner than wet paint which does tend to run on the board and can easily end up either on the floor or on your clothes! There are potential problems but the single biggest advantage of ladder lettering is its visibility. Even in a large hall or church, four or five-inch high letters and words can easily be seen a hundred feet or more away. If you are a little nervous about making mistakes try drawing out the lines faintly in pencil beforehand as a guide. A small portable or clip-on microphone hung around the neck is a great asset too, as it will enable you to partly turn your back on your audience and still be able to be heard.✞

Flip Chart Presentation

A flip chart presentation uses bubble or ladder lettering in a visual creation about accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. In a flip chart presentation, the ladder letters mysteriously appear from nowhere! "One excuse for not trusting in God is "I'm too Y0UNG." "Perhaps later," they say. "Perhaps when I'm older." The preacher dwells for a moment on the mistake of not accepting Jesus Christ into one's life when the opportunity arises. "There are other excuses too. I'm so involved in a business, making a living, supporting my family. I don't have time for God. Have you ever thought where your life is taking you?" Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) one of the American Founding Fathers once said, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." A black coffin is painted then eight spaces in a ladder frame. "TOO LATE" Finally, the artist turns with a brush in hand to tell of the man who came to die on a hill at Calvary all those years ago. "This man was Jesus the Son of God who invites you to come to him right now and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. He will hear no excuses for he wants to be your friend and Savior." The artist spins around and draws three crosses on a green hill on the flip chart. "He loves you this much!" A nervous few have pushed their way out of the crowd. Others listen intently as a prayer is shared. "Amen."✞

Paintbrush Effect

Landscape Painting The paintbrush effect with bright fluorescent colors will attract curious viewers to a presentation from the Bible or another book. A large sheet or pad of newsprint paper is fixed to a board and the artist prepares a box of five or six small pots of ready-mixed fluorescent poster paints and a variety of brushes sizes. Bright fluorescent colors produce a very pleasing paintbrush effect when used in the open-air. "Fluorescent colors reflect or absorb colors in the visible spectrum, but that extra glow in fluorescent colors comes from the energy we humans don't see, called ultraviolet light." On the other hand, "Phosphorescent colors have a unique pigment and can absorb and store natural and artificial light. Once the light source is removed a bright, greenish glow is emitted. The glow steadily diminishes as the stored light energy is released." In an outdoor presentation, the newsprint board and easel are set up for the maximum visibility on a busy street corner or market place. A lady passing by pauses inquisitively as the artist opens up his box of paints and takes out someone and two-inch domestic paintbrushes. All is ready, and a small group has gathered so he begins. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." Scrolling out a blue border, a kind of picture frame appears for his work. Taking the red brush he embellishes the corners with a crimson blob. All the time he is talking.✞

Ladder Letters Words

Lettering Use ladder letters words technique for titles, headings and bullet points to create a fascinating sight as the words mysteriously appear from nowhere. The artist introduces his paintwork with the words, "Therefore people make all kinds of excuses." At this point, he has already drawn out a ladder-like frame across the top of the board for his ladder letters and words. The swollen crowd presses forward to see what he is doing. Silence settles and then a gasp as suddenly letters begin to appear as the dots and slashed at the white spaces to make letters appear. Two strokes of the brush and a letter C comes into sight. Another deft cut and there is a letter U. So he completes the ladder letters words. "Some people find excuses for not going to school, not going to the dentist and not leaving the party early. Some find excuses for not believing." Meanwhile, a green hill and the outline of a cloud above it have appeared. More words pour out, this time in ordinary writing. "I'M TOO" then more ladder lettering. He then says, "Some people race through life thinking only of their pleasure, they are fun-seekers." The letters for the word "FUN" mysteriously come into sight to the right of the ladder.✞

Flip Chart Markers

Flipchart Markers We can use flip chart markers, a board, and ladder letters in a presentation for children, or brainstorming with teens or adults to develop their ideas. The ever-popular flip chart is simply a large pad of white newsprint paper, which is the inexpensive paper used for newspapers, hung on a display stand and used in conjunction with flip chart markers or less often with paint. At conferences, seminars, or group meetings these markers may be used to record group conclusions or to register ideas on a subject or record answers to conference questions. This visual representation of the views of those in the group helps everyone to develop their ideas or solutions to a problem or a particular situation. Before the meeting starts, however, check the marker pens, that they are still in good shape and not dried up. These are the plastic pens containing their source with a felt tip to draw the letters. Don't assume that someone else has done this as markers always seem to have dried out when you need them most! A useful development of the flip chart type of approach was introduced some years ago. It is called the sketch board technique.✞

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