Coloring Details: Color What You See, Not What You Think You See (Copic Markers, Colored Pencils)

Coloring Details: Color What You See, Not What You Think You See (Copic Markers, Colored Pencils)

I’m sorry, but it’s true:

Some realistic coloring projects turn out weird and kind’a freaky looking.

It’s not because you lack skill or talent. It’s because beginners often trip over their own brains.

Getting past the brain hurdle is something EVERY beginner must do if they intend to grow and mature as an artist. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s just a normal part of the learning process.

Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils: A Safe Substitute for Prismacolor 931 Dark Purple

Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils: A Safe Substitute for Prismacolor 931 Dark Purple

As much as I love my Prismacolors, they do have a few drawbacks.

One of my favorite pencils is Prismacolor 901 Dark Purple. Unfortunately, it scores poorly in lightfast tests. Even worse, Dark Purple has a nasty tendency to bleed through other colors.

Can Derwent Lightfast Pencils solve some of these issues?

I’ve been testing to find out!

Real Color Theory: Skip the Blending Combinations! Layer Color with Realism by Glazing

Real Color Theory: Skip the Blending Combinations! Layer Color with Realism by Glazing

The reason why your Copic Marker or colored pencil projects look flat and cartoonish?

The reason why you never color anything that looks remotely realistic?

It’s because you’re using the blending technique instead of layering colors the way artists do. How to glaze colors for realism…

Coloring Tip: Look Deeper at Shiny Reflections to Add Realism (Copic Marker, Colored Pencil)

Coloring Tip: Look Deeper at Shiny Reflections to Add Realism (Copic Marker, Colored Pencil)

Do you add shiny reflections with a white gel pen?

Oh no. Please don’t tell me that you make them in the shape of a comma or semicolon…

Noooooo! That’s not shine, that’s a punctuation!

Here’s a great tip for coloring lifelike and amazing reflections on metal with Copic Markers and colored pencils.