WHAT’S THE EASIEST
POP OF REALISM?
Ironically, it’s the part you avoid because it looks too difficult.
Pssst… cast shadows are not as hard as you think!
Fine Art Techniques for Colorists - Intro to Cast Shadows
It’s funny, some colorists will use 7-marker blending combinations…
Or spend $15 on supplies for a texture technique.
But cast shadows?
Nooooo, that looks too hard.
But if I had to name the thing that creates the most realism in my projects?
Hands down, cast shadows are the most important thing I do.
BUTTERFLY SHADOWS
INTERMEDIATE COLORING
MARKER + COLORED PENCIL INSTRUCTION WITH AMY SHULKE
You can try every dimensional trick ever invented.
You can use the most realistic blending combinations.
But they’re all pointless without a good cast shadow.
And soooooo many people skip ‘em!
Which is sad because once you see good shadowing technique in action,
You’ll kick yourself for ever feeling itimidated.
Stop stressing-out over shadows… or pretending you forgot.
Let me show you how easy they truly are.
BUTTERFLY SHADOWS
$45 USD - Instant Access to all class materials
Professional Illustrator, Amy Shulke shares the secret of realistic cast shadows
What’s my favorite part of any illustration?
Call me crazy but I love making cast shadows!
In art school, some students would groan over the endless drapery studies but that stuff made me smile. A chance to play with shade shapes and create cast shadows? That’s totally my jam!
Now I’ll share the method of my madness with you.
Improve your coloring by improving how you think about color
Intermediate Level
Copic Markers & Prismacolor Pencils
Minimal Supply lists
Maximum Impact
Everything looks hard when you overthink it.
EASY, CAREFREE SHADOWS
Delicate butterflies, simple shadows— and I’m not joking!
Creating the perfect cast shadow with my shadow method is truly child’s play (hint, hint).
We’re not coloring butterflies because they’re cute…
This is a nitty-gritty lesson covering the details of adding cast shadows for movement and realism.
The best part is, I’ll show you three unique shadows because it’s the variety which makes these butterflies flutter!
Your finished project becomes the springboard for a lifetime of realistic coloring.
IT'S TIME FOR A NEW KIND OF CLASS:
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SKILL
Control markers and pencils with accuracy. When the mechanics of coloring becomes automatic, your mind is free to concentrate on the important aspects of art.
COLORING IS EASIER WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT TECHNIQUE
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VERSATILITY
What we do with markers and pencils isn't magic. Coloring Theory should work with watercolor, pastels, or any other medium. It's not about the product, it's how we use the color.
COLOR IS UNIVERSAL. COLORING LESSONS SHOULD BE TOO
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INDEPENDENCE
"How to color a butterfly" is useless unless you plan to color bugs for the rest of your life. When you learn to cast realistic shadows you can apply this lesson to an endless variety of objects.
COLOR WHATEVER YOU WANT, WHENEVER YOU WANT
Begin Casting Shadows Now
Color as many times as you wish. You’ve got forever access!
One time payment - $45 USD
How Butterfly Shadows works:
Enroll today for instant access to the detailed supply list, line art, photo references, printable learning aids*, and demonstration videos. No waiting.
Consult the photo reference while you color along with the video. Learning aids contain helpful hints to assist your progress.
Don’t just color the project once, test what you’ve learned! Can you color the same project on your own? Can you create cast shadows for coffee mugs, ice cream cones, or puppy dogs?
* This workshop was created before I started doing full guidebooks with detailed WIP photos and step by steps. In this case, the video serves as your source for steps and tips.
INTERMEDIATE COLORING SKILLS REQUIRED
Beginner techniques like blending and layering will not be covered in depth.
To master these skills before taking Butterfly Shadows, I have two beginner courses. More info here.
MORE COLOR WONK PROJECTS:
Color Butterfly Shadows Now
Learn Amy’s shadow casting techniques — simplifying shadows for a massive pop of realism
One time payment - $45 USD
Quick Questions:
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This workshop is taught at the intermediate level.
We will not cover beginner techniques such as marker blending or how to layer colored pencils.
To learn these beginner skills, please see our beginner Copic Marker course, The Blend
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Immediately and Forever! As soon as you're through the enrollment and payment processes, the class material automatically opens for you.
This workshop is 100% FULL ACCESS from the moment you enroll. Work at your own pace and take as much time as you want to complete the lesson.
Save your log-in info for forever access to the workshop materials.
Questions? Email us at info@vanillaarts.com
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The line art is included with the printable workshop materials.
No secondary or outside purchase necessary.
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Sorry but no. You must be logged into your account here at Teachable to view the videos.
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This is a self-directed workshop with no forum access or feedback from Amy or the Vanilla Team.
For more community support and feedback from Amy, please consider joining the Color Wonk community.
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No problem. Colored pencils are much easier than markers!
I don’t do anything fancy with pencils, anyway.
We cover the parts of the pencil technique in this demo demo and most marker people pick it up easily in just a few projects.
To learn my pencil technique in-depth, learn more about The Point here.
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Sorry, but no. We’re doing fine art techniques which require artist grade alcohol markers. Despite what you’ve heard or read, inexpensive markers are not the same as Copic and Olo.
Inexpensive markers can not handle the kind of heavy layering and color mixing we do in my lessons.
If you absolutely must use student or craft grade markers, then I’m the wrong instructor for you. There are other instructors who can teach you to use them.
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In my own work, I substitute colors all the time— but this is a class and you’re here to learn.
Not all markers and pencils behave the same way, even when the colors look similar. It’s a matter of chemistry and at this intermediate level, it’s safe to assume you’re not adept at making the correct chemical substitutions.
But here’s the important part: every substitution you make increases the difficulty of the project. Fighting with your art supplies will distract you from the lesson goals.
For your benefit, I highly recommend sticking to the recommended colors. They were chosen for a reason.
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This is a one-time, single payment purchase with no additional billing.
We use the Teachable platform to process your purchase. Teachable uses Stripe to accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover payments. We do not accept PayPal deposits but you may use a PayPal debit card.
Several major currencies are accepted but prices are listed in USD. VAT is automatically charged where applicable. We absolutely can not waive VAT charges.
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If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact me at info@vanillaarts.com within the first 48 hours for a full refund minus processing fees.
Note: A refund withdraws you completely from the workshop. You will lose access to the course panel, all materials, and any associated forum.
Repeat refund requestors will be blocked from participation.
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