A Pick-Me-Up for Blue

Real shade is not darker color, real shade is desaturated color.

To create the desaturated colors that Copic Marker 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.

Muscari Blue

Elena’s Advice:

Don’t let this deep dark blue color get the best of you. Yes, I can hear you saying, “but Elena this blue is bolder than my darkest B marker!”

It took just a little bit of experimenting with my markers before I was tickled blue with my results. All it took was a little boost from an R marker.

Start with a base coat of the first marker (R14). Be sure you cover the R with the subsequent coats of the second (B29), third (B28), and forth (B26) markers to achieve this bolder blue.

Remember, you always want to give the Copic ink time to blend.

I recommend that you swatch colors before coloring your image. It’s a great warm up for your coloring session and builds your coloring confidence.

Blue Workshops & Digital Stamps

Vanilla Arts Company - Luminous Lanterns

Vanilla Arts Company - Big Sable Point

Vanilla Arts Company - Strawberry Tea

Violeta Ink - Online Coloring Classes

Further Reading:

How to Blend Copic Markers : The #1 Secret to Smoother Blending

Loud & Vibrant Color : Finding Balance for Outrageous Colors

Looking for More Underpainting Combinations?

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

Elena runs Violeta-Ink.com, an online boutique shop specializing in Copic Markers and coloring accessories.

Join Elena’s Copic Facebook group here for news and updates. Watch her YouTube cardmaking series here.