Shaded Pinks

The RV series was pretty much the last set of Copic Markers that Vanilla Arts guru, Amy Shulke added to her starter marker collection. Anybody who knows Amy, knows that pink is definitely not on her list of “Top 100 Favorite Colors.”

Wanna know why?

While RV pinks are a terrific hue for upset stomach medicine, too often they run amuck of a sophisticated color palette. If Pepto-Bismol pink is not the effect you are going for with your artistic realism, learn how to tame these bad boys by underpainting with B63.

At Vanilla Arts Co., we teach students to shade their red-violets beautifully, yet realistically by underpainting with blue. The RV series of markers is brimming with potential delicacy if you only understand how to calm its natural fluorescent vibe.

Remember: Real shade is not merely darker color, real shade is desaturated color.

To create the desaturated colors that Copic does not make, Vanilla Arts Company teaches Online Workshops and Livestream Coloring Challenges using the underpainting method. Students learn to layer colors realistically rather than blend.

Underpainting creates natural colors found in everyday life.

Copic - Pink Meringue

Layering B63 beneath RV95 will make your pink meringues look like they are cooling in the window of a classy French patisserie. Bon appetit!

Elena’s Advice:

Underpainting RV95 with B63 is reminiscent of the sophisticated shading on images like these delicate pink meringues. But remember, delicate is the key word! Use a light touch so that the ink doesn’t overload the paper and create an oil slick.

Learn to use your B’s to underpaint:

Vanilla Arts Company - Sakura Blossoms

Vanilla Stamp Shop - Tulips a Full Page Digital Stamp

Vanilla Livestream - Pretty in Pink (coming soon to Vanilla Marker Painting Workshops)

Crafts for Paws - Romantic Floral Waves

Further Reading:

The Problem of Pink: Why Copic Blending Trios let you Down

Improve your Coloring: The Color You Use is Not the Color We See

The Secret to Amazing Coloring 

Is Your Coloring Flat? Why you Need to Own Lots of Ugly Copic Markers

Looking for More Blending Combinations?

Elena Cazares is a Vanilla Arts student and online instructor with a beautiful sense of color and style. She is a hurricane of positive, creative energy.

Elena runs CraftsForPaws.com, an online shop for Copic Markers and Copic supplies. C4P donates 100% of profits to care for worst-case rescued dogs and cats in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

Shop at Crafts for Paws here. Join Elena’s Copic Coloring Club here and catch her YouTube cardmaking series here.