Color Theory for Markers & Pencils: Shade a Yellow Daffodil (Live Swatching - Episode 1)

Use color theory to select realistic alcohol marker blending combinations. Free lessons at YouTube. Illustrator Amy Shulke demos a marker selection process using references and desaturation. | VanillaArts.com | Realism with Copic Markers
 

Color Theory for Alcohol Markers

Episode 1 - Yellow Daffodil Swatching

Alcohol markers are popular for blending but the technique often results in cartoonish and flat images. Light-medium-dark combinations do not look realistic. In this free video series, illustrator Amy Shulke shares her color theory process to select realistic, dimensional yellow markers which blend beautifully.

 
 

Resources & Learning Aids

VanillaArts.com
 
 

Watch the FREE video at YouTube

This episode was streamed live on March, 24, 2023. The video replay is available now.

In this episode, Amy shares her color swatching process to select the ideal blending combination to color this bright yellow daffodil.

Supplies and colors are listed at the bottom of this page

 

Amy’s Swatch Sheet

(Scanned immediately after the livestream, notes were made during the broadcast except for bottom ID and date)

PENCIL COLOR NOTE: During the livestream, Amy mentions Prismacolor Lilac 956 which has been discontinued. If you have this pencil, it’s great over yellow marker. Parma Violet 1008 is a suitable replacement and Amy would likely never use both Lilac and Parma in the same project as the colors are too close.

TIP: Always swatch on a sample of the same paper you intend to use for the full project.

Marker inks look different on every brand of paper. Swatches are only useful if they’re on the same paper as the project.

TIP: Make new test swatches for every project.

All alcohol ink is fugitive, meaning that it will fade over time. It’s not just UV light exposure, even protected swatches will fade. For more fading info, see Amy’s Copic lightfast test results here.

 
Learn color theory! Illustrator Amy Shulke’s free YouTube series applies theory to Copic Markers. Color along with the three month kit including digi stamps, worksheets, color wheel. | VanillaArts.com | Realism with Copic Markers
 

Purchase the Kit

Color along with Amy - Spring 2023 Color Theory kit

Files for THREE months of YouTube lessons: March, April, and May.

Easy PDF digital downloads include:

  • 3 flower blossom PNG digital stamps—

    • Daffodil (episode 2)

    • Lily of the Valley (episode 4)

    • Dogwood (episode 6)

  • 3 PDF worksheets (March, April, May) targeting specific colors from the photo reference

  • Amy’s PDF Copic color wheel

 

Free Photo Reference

Our daffodil photo reference provides lots of yellow inspiration.

References are important because you can’t color realistic yellow until you can see realistic yellow.

Download the free photo reference from Pixabay here.

 

About the Cardstock

In episodes 1 and 2 (yellow daffodil swatch and demo), Amy uses her favorite cardstock for mixed media, marker plus colored pencil projects.

Cryogen 89lb Cardstock in Curious Metallic White

THIS CARDSTOCK WAS DISCONTINUED THE DAY AFTER FILMING EPISODE 2

Amy is searching for a replacement paper.

It’s not an easy search because Cryogen was a bit of a unicorn— smooth enough for marker but toothy enough for colored pencil.

Episodes 3 and 4 will be filmed using Strathmore 300 Bristol Board, Smooth Press.

 

Learn to Color like an Artist

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Announcements and video notifications are also sent to this mailing list. Click to subscribe.

 
 
 

Color with Yellow

Designed for large scale, realistic coloring. Amy’s illustrations are drawn with minimal texture marks or decorations to let your marker art shine.

Color a bright daffodil in a yellow/green palette with Copic Markers and colored pencils. Realistic digital stamp, ideal for use with alcohol marker, pencil, or watercolor. Botanical illustration by Amy Shulke Sketch-Garden.com

Color a yellow daffodil with today’s markers using Amy’s “Dil O Daff” digital stamp.

Color a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade using Copic Markers and Prismacolor Colored Pencils. Artistic coloring kit provides PNG digital stamps plus 16 page guidebook. | VanillaArts.com | realistic alcohol markers

Lemonade and lemons are the perfect excuse to color with yellow markers.

 

Take a Class

Amy has classes featuring yellow and yellow coloring technique

Or focus on blending skills

View all classes, courses, and workshops here:

The Blend, a 12 week online course. Copic Markers for beginners. Learn the smooth marker blending technique for depth and dimension. How to create original blending combinations.  | VanillaArts.com | alcohol marker blending

Never worry about blending again.

Ready to color realistic yellows which look yellow rather than orange or brown? Learn to select realistic yellow markers and shade for realism. | VanillaArts.com | online alcohol marker classes

Intermediate Copic class. Learn to shade yellow for realism.

 

More About Markers

We swatch test Copic Markers for value, cap accuracy, lightfast or fade. You'll color better when know the colors better.. | MarkerNovice.com | Alcohol marker ink

Learn more about your Copic Markers with our Uncapped testing series.

Vanilla Undercover underpaint recipes for realistic coloring with Copic Markers

Copic Color Palettes add a taste of color theory to your next project. Free palette recipes for alcohol markers. | VanillaArts.com

Copic Color Palettes add a bit of color theory to your coloring projects.

 
 
 
 
Free Video! Color a sunny yellow daffodil using a color theory blending combination for Copic Markers and colored pencils.  | VanillaArts.com | How to color with alcohol markers.