Color Theory for Markers & Pencils: Shade a Warm Green Leaf (Live Swatching - Episode 3)
Color Theory for Warm Green Alcohol Markers
Episode 3 - Green Leaf (Lily of the Valley) Swatching
Alcohol markers are popular for blending but the technique often results in cartoonish and flat leaves. Light-medium-dark green combinations do not look realistic. In this free video series, illustrator Amy Shulke shares her color theory process to select realistic, dimensional colors which blend beautifully.
Resources & Learning Aids
Watch the FREE video at YouTube
In this episode, Amy shares her color swatching process to select the ideal blending combination to color the warm green leaves of Lily of the Valley.
Supplies and colors are listed at the bottom of this page
Did you miss Episode 2? watch it here:
Amy’s Swatch Sheet
(to be scanned immediately after the livestream, notes were made during the broadcast except for bottom ID and date)
TIP: YG markers are more organic than G Copic
I see more YG green colors in nature than G greens. There are some pine type trees that are truly G green but most of the plants in my garden and trees in my yard are definite YG.
Bonus: G markers are harder to blend, so YGs are a better investment for beginners.
TIP: Dark backgrounds distort the color in photo references.
I recommend using photo references to select marker colors but when your object sits on a black (or dark) background, the black changes how you see the color. Our green leaves look lighter and more golden on the black field than they would on white.
TIP: If the RV pink underneath green scares you, try a B marker.
Blue under green looks beautiful and blue inks blend like a dream. In fact, I teach underpainting to beginners using the B-Twenty or B-Thirty blues under YG markers. My RV marker today looks more interesting under green but blue is a classic.
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 lily of the valley photo reference provides lots of green inspiration.
References are important because you can’t color realistic green until you can see realistic green.
Download the free photo reference from Pixabay here.
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Color with Green
Designed for large scale, realistic coloring. Amy’s illustrations are drawn with minimal texture marks or decorations to let your marker art shine.
Take a Class
Amy has classes featuring yellow and yellow coloring technique
Or focus on blending skills
More About Green Markers
We test Copic inks. See results here.
Copic underpaint blending recipes.
Copic project palettes using color theory.
We love Violeta-Ink.com
Be sure to tell them Amy sent you!