How to Color a Realistic Strawberry with Red Alcohol Markers
Coloring realistic coloring isn’t just one technique.
And it’s not about using the most realistic blending combinations.
Realism with alcohol markers and colored pencils is a process, a series of steps— methods we learn over time which eventually add up to more realism.
Let me show you the next step beyond standard flower petal blending techniques.
In order to create the illusion of a real flower, you need to know what real flowers look like.
Let’s stop guessing and start looking.
DON’T MISS THE REBEL STRAWBERRY SUPPLY LIST (MARKERS & PENCILS) AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
DRAW & COLOR: REBEL STRAWBERRY
How to color realistic strawberries with Copic Markers & Prismacolor Pencils
(click below or watch at YouTube here)
LAST MONTH’S LIVESTREAM
Realism with alcohol markers and colored pencils is a process— a series of steps and methods we learn over time which eventually add up to more realism.
Let me show you the next step beyond standard flower petal blending techniques.
To create the illusion of a real flower, you need to know what real flowers look like.
Let’s stop guessing and start looking.
Amy offers a tour of common flower parts and what to look for when you’re coloring realistic stamps and line art.
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A gentle reminder:
Free lessons are not free to produce.
Like you, I must buy paper, pencils, and refill ink.
But I also have cameras, broadcast software, and usage rights for photo references to pay for. There’s also this website and the software I use to create graphics, reminder emails, supply lists, and PDF learning aids. Then consider the hours I spend researching and creating every video, livestream, and color theory article.
The best way to support me is to support yourself!
Classes, kits, and digital stamps keep you learning and keep me a’float!
REBEL STRAWBERRY WORKSHEET
Get your copy of the primary photo reference for the Rebel Strawberry project. Worksheet includes the photo plus color and highlight prompts.
FREE Worksheet for Vanilla Beans Subscribers
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Subscribe, then take the link to the latest issue of Vanilla Beans. Every issue of Beans lists the current Library password. Already subscribed? Check last Saturday’s issue for the Library link and current password.
TIPS FOR COLORING REALISTIC STRAWBERRIES
TIP: We think we know what strawberries look like… don’t trust your brain!
Chances are, you assumed the seeds (called achene “ah-keen”) were white and you probably didn’t remember that each one is laying low in a deep divot.
Even if you’ve seen a strawberry recently, did you realize the seeds lay in a regimented pattern?
You’ve seen too many cutesy cartoon strawberries to remember how a real strawberry looks. Find a photo reference and use it frequently.
TIP: Don’t even try to color around each seed.
Remember, there’s no trophy for doing a project with 100% marker! If we tried to color around every seed and divot with our Copic Markers:
It would take forever
The blend would be awful
If you’re anything like me, you’ll accidentally color 20% of the seeds red
It’s much easier to color the seeds with an opaque paint pen. Focus on the the smooth red blend first, then add the seeds later.
TIP: Photographers tend to choose perfectly red strawberries… but the half-ripened ones are quite beautiful.
A ripening strawberry is the perfect opportunity to use a fun rebel blend. Be sure to watch the video to see me blend from Violet to Red, to Yellow Red, to Yellow Green!
Watch Amy draw & color in real time
Let’s color a juicy strawberry with Copic Markers and Prismacolor Colored Pencils.
Rebel Strawberry: A sweet berry & blossom still life
Clean and minimalist digital line art
I keep my drawings simple with no texture marks or decoration. Your coloring should be the star of the show, not my line art!
FREE PHOTO REFERENCES
Rebel Strawberry will involve three photo references- one for berry shape, one for berry color, and one for the berry blossom.
All three photos are available to download for free at Pixabay.com.
Many thanks to Anlie (red berry), Ignartonosbg (young berry), and KRiemer (berry blossom) for generously donating their photography to Pixabay. Their skills and kindness help foster free art education.
My Marker Journal
I use a Zeta journal in the Draw & Color livestreams.
It’s hard to find good paper for my mixed media illustrations. Markers like ultra smooth paper while colored pencils need tooth. Markers and pencils are opposites, so any paper that works for both mediums will always be a compromise.
And once you find a good compromise, it rarely comes in journal format.
This paper is pretty good for markers— it doesn’t feather, bleed, or discourage blending.
It also has enough tooth to add a few layers of colored pencil.
Is this the paper I’d use for an all-marker illustration? No.
Is it the paper I’d use for an all-colored pencil illustration? No.
But this is one of the best journals I’ve found for marker + pencil.
(affiliate links)
REBEL STRAWBERRY SUPPLIES:
For a full supply list + links to trusted retailers, scroll to the end of this article.
GREEN SEPALS:
Copic: V25, YG67, G24 (points - R14, R02)
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: 109 Prussian Green, 914 Cream, 938 White
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencil: Purple
STRAWBERRY FLESH:
Copic: V25, V20, R27, R14, R02, R01, YR31, YG21
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: 924 Crimson Red, 926 Carmine Red, 938 White, 1001 Salmon Pink, 1005 Limepeel 1023 Cloud Blue, 1026 Greyed Lavender
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencil: Violet
Primrosia 0.7mm Acrylic Paint Pen in “Fern” and Posca 0.7mm Acrylic Paint Pen in “White”.
BLOSSOMS:
Copic: YG21, V20
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: 109 Prussian Green, 914 Cream, 924 Crimson Red 1005 Limepeel, 1026 Greyed Lavender
Primrosia “Fern” and Posca “White” paint pens
CAST SHADOW:
Prismacolor Colored Pencils: 109 Prussian Green, 924 Crimson Red, 936 Slate Grey. Plus Derwent Lightfast Purple.
Related Reading
STRAWBERRY SUPPLY LIST
