Color Theory for Markers: Realistic Violet Iris (Coloring Demo - Episode 10)

Use color theory to color a realistic violet iris with your unique alcohol marker blending combinations. Free lessons at YouTube. Illustrator Amy Shulke demos the coloring process using violet, green, and yellow markers. | VanillaArts.com |
 

Color Theory for Violet Alcohol Markers

Episode 10 - Violet Bearded Iris Demonstration

Itā€™s hard not to like purple and the Violet family of Copic Markers look so pretty!

But the color theory techniques weā€™ve used in previous episodes of our Color Theory lessons donā€™t work well with the V family.

Have you looked at whatā€™s across the color wheel from violet? How do you shade with yellow????

Complementary underpainting for violet simply doesnā€™t work with markers.

In Episode 9 of our Applied Color Theory lessons, we selected a violet blending combination with a twist plus a gorgeous underpaint.

Now in Episode 10, you can watch as Amy puts our violet marker and pencil selections to use on the Bearded Iris practice image.

 
 

Resources & Learning Aids

FREE video at YouTube

In this episode, Amy colors realistic violet Bearded Iris with a light and dark blending combination using the colors we selected in Episode 9: Violet Swatching.

Amy shows you how to shade and desaturate violet using a combination of green and gold markers and pencils.

Supplies and colors are listed at the bottom of this page

Did you miss Episode 9? watch it here:

 

Amyā€™s 4x4 Bearded Iris

Use color theory to color a realistic violet iris with unique alcohol marker blending combinations. Free lessons! Illustrator Amy Shulke demos the coloring process using violet, green, and yellow markers. | VanillaArts.com | Realism with Copic Marker

TIP: Copic V markers skew warm as they get lighter

As we saw with V-Zeros and V-Teens, the lighter the color, the pinker it looks.

TIP: Value and saturation are more important than matching the color in the photo reference exactly

Value = lighter/darker Saturation = how dirty the color is. We create shade with value and saturation, so as long as we choose appropriate shade colors, it will look like a dimensional iris even if the violet isnā€™t a direct match.

TIP: Yellow ink is not as dark as you think

The last number on the yellow caps (the value) is often wrong by 3, 4, or even 5 steps. Yellow ink has a ton of solvent in the mixture which means a ā€œdarkā€ yellow often isnā€™t as strong as you expect for shading. The extra solvent can also damage darker markers.

 
Learn color theory! Illustrator Amy Shulkeā€™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 - Summer 2023 Color Theory kit

This kit covers THREE months of YouTube lessons: June, July, and August.

Easy PDF digital downloads include:

  • 3 flower blossom PNG digital stampsā€”

    • Forget-Me-Not (episode 8)

    • Iris (episode 10)

    • Rosebud (episode 12)

  • 3 PDF worksheets (June, July, August) targeting specific colors from the photo reference

  • Amyā€™s PDF Copic color wheel

 

Free Photo Reference

Our iris photo reference provides lots of violet and purple inspiration.

References are important because you canā€™t color realistic violet until you can see realistic violetā€¦ and not until you know your violet from your purples!

Download the free photo reference from Pixabay here.

 

After Youā€™ve Practicedā€¦

Swatch violet markers and color along with Amy using the small bearded iris line art in the Summer 2023 kit.

Once youā€™ve practiced a few times and feel comfortable, use the same marker and pencil selections on a larger iris project.

Bearded Iris - Digital Line Art

Ideal for Copic Marker, colored pencil, watercolor or mixed media

Illustrated by Amy Shulke.

 

Color like an Artist

Vanilla Beans is a weekly Saturday newsletter full of coloring tips and articles about developing your artistry.

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

 
 
 

Beginner level. Click above for more info.

 

Color with Violet and Blue Violet

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

"Begonia & Balloons" digital line art for realistic coloring. Open spaces and minimal texture marks allow your creativity to shine. Perfect for Copic alcohol markers, colored pencil, or watercolor.

Color ā€œBegonia and Balloonsā€ with the blue violet Copic Markers we select in Episode 9

https://www.vanillaarts.com/shop/sweet-lilac

Color realistic lilacs with Amyā€™s advanced ā€œSweet Lilacā€ kit

 

Take a Class

Amy has classes featuring yellow and yellow coloring technique

Or focus on blending skills

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. Master beginner to advanced blends in 12 weeks.

Advanced Copic class. Create a dimensional hydrangea with warm purple and cool violet.

 

More About Violet Markers

We test Copic inks. See results here.

Copic underpaint blending recipes.

Copic project palettes using color theory.

 
 

Supply List

(to be updated after Amy selects markers and pencils in the June 16th livestream)

 
 

Previous Color Theory Episodes:

 
 
 
Use color theory to select realistic violet 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
Use color theory to select realistic violet 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
Use color theory to select realistic violet 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