A Sedate Aquamarine?

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.

Let’s sit Poolside!

Elena’s Advice:

As the weather warms up where I live, I find myself daydreaming about summer. So when I came across this photo and I knew I had to figure out how to replicate these colors.

My BG markers are just a tad too strong on their own (and sometimes, they’re just too blue), but paired with an R markers? Now that was the perfect under-the-ledge aqua that made me feel like I could dive right in.

To subdue this poolside aqua, start with a layer of R21, followed with BG34, then BG 32, and lastly, with a light touch, BG11.

Now, relax as you 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

Vanilla Arts Company - Sea Glass

Vanilla Arts Company - Tree Frog

Violeta Ink - Online Coloring Classes

Further Reading:

Realistic Coloring : How to Add Authentic Texture to Your Projects

Colored Pencil Plus : Finding an Ideal Pressure (and Sticking to it!)

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.