The idea to use Bic Highlighters originally arose while Slotwinski studied Studio Arts at the University of Guelph. He had an idea to use an uncommon tool to produce artwork, and settled upon the idea of using the six common Highlighter colours: Yellow, Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple – as well as black Indian Ink. His thought was that Highlighters don’t usually serve a purpose in art. They are a cheap drawing utensil used for underlining textbook notes and important information. What’s more, is that it is a rare sight to see such a stark vibrant colour in nature. They are unnatural.

So what if he did use them as a drawing medium? What if he could take this cheap drawing tool and use it to produce a high-valued piece of artwork? How would he do it?

First Slotwinski had to produce a colour spectrum-grid to figure out the range of colours he could achieve with the six hues. Then, he had to experiment with the Highlighters, dipping them in water, smudging, bleeding them, and even sharpening them with a blade. He figured out that they worked best on watercolour paper, as it soaked up enough of the pigments to allow him to mix and spread it around without drying on contact.

Each drawing takes twelve to twenty hours to produce, and what’s more, is if they are not kept hidden away in a closet, or concealed behind special UV protective glass frames . . . they will fade away and disappear forever. Which makes them fragile, delicate, and beautiful. See for yourself, below: