About Amy Shulke

Realistic coloring. realistic advice.

Tired of banging your head against the wall when the latest free tutorial or marker recipe doesn't turn out the way it looks online?

Looking for something beyond blend, blend, blend?

Frustrated because everything you color looks flat?

Realism isn't difficult... but it is downright impossible if you stick to crafty coloring shortcuts and standard blending techniques.

Real life is full of texture, pattern, contrast, and desaturation. Life is so much more than light-medium-dark blending combinations.

Let's add some life to your coloring!

You can do this!

Studio Journal Articles:

ABOUT        TOOLS & TIPS LIBRARY        NEW TO COLORING?        STARTER COPIC RECOMMENDATION     ONLINE MARKER COURSES

2019 Copic Artist’s retreat

Join Amy for a challenging art retreat in beautiful San Antonio, Texas.

This time of concentration is designed to help you grow in confidence, artistry, and technique; all while enjoying an urban riverside pedestrian mall.

The goal for this 4 day reatrea will be to get you coloring more like an artist- working on large scale Copic Marker + mixed media images with greater realism and detail.

This isn't copy-cat coloring, this is art!

Enroll by December 31, 2018 for a special early-bird discount

$700 for four days of instruction when you enroll before 2019.

Latest Video:

Amy demonstrates her coloring process of StampingBella’s “Angel Squidgies” stamp.

Learn how to create easy 2 marker blending combinations for hair and skin, a process simple enough for beginners to easily master.

Skin and hair do not have to be difficult!

Latest Livestream:

Complementary Pears-

Complementary Pears-

Should we go over or under?

If you’ve taken a few Vanilla Arts coloring classes, you know that sometimes we add weird colors UNDER the Copic.

And sometimes we add weird colors OVER the Copic.

But how do we decide?

Join Amy as we reason our way though the decision making process. Kinda. Well, let’s just say she’ll attempt to explain it. Maybe.

Friday, January 18th at 11am EST

Replay available for those who can't attend or want to watch it again!

Vanilla Livestream is recommended for intermediate to advanced colorers. Basic techniques are not covered.

"Strawberry Trio" the week 12 project in Marker Painting Foundations

From beginner to wow!

Marker Painting Foundations is a beginner level class and a new approach to adult coloring.

Learn to use your Copic Markers the way artists use paint- with style, originality, and amazing depth & dimension. MPF is a drastic change from adult coloring tutorials which lock you into using specific recipes and follow-the-leader style demonstrations.

No more copy-catting!

You can color independently with confidence. You can get realism and artistic flair from your Copics

You can learn to paint with markers!

New Workshop Class:

Forever Access!

Marker Painting Workshops provide challenges for colorers who want to do more than blend!

"Rustic Maple Leaf" is a 2 hour course which helps you develop a sense of accurate shadows and their use in making your projects feel touchably real. 

• Technique Deep Dive video provides a reality check on the true color and value of shadows

• extended cut demonstration videos with instructional commentary

• helpful lesson aids including photo references and color guides

• technique instructional handouts

FREE Daily coloring Tips on Instagram!

Click above or find me on your Instagram App at Vanilla.Arts.Co