Color Theory for E Earth (Brown) Alcohol Markers
Copic makes more E (Earth) alcohol markers than any other color— 51 browns total. Their E markers range from soft peach to deep dark chocolate with numerous skin tones in between.
With so many beautiful browns, why do people avoid coloring brown objects?
There’s a problem with Earth colored markers which actually has nothing to do with brown.
It’s how you use browns, forming blends that are all brown and only brown.
But that’s not how brown looks in real life. Your brown coloring looks flat and fake because you’re using flat and fake brown blends.
Today, let me show you how to add life to E marker blending combinations.
Copic E34 Toast
(click below to watch at YouTube)
Tips for Coloring with E34
In the video, I share my method of adding life to boring browns with colorful markers
TIP: Brown is made from other colors
Examine your chosen brown before selecting the blending combination. If you see hints of red, pink, green, or lavender in the brown, add these colors to the brown blending combination.
TIP: Beware of the cap colors!
Not all Copic inks match the plastic cap indicators, plus the factory changes plastic colors occasionally (and not always an improvement. I’ve noticed the E caps are less color-accurate than their other color families. The caps are almost always darker than the E ink inside.
TIP: What Copic or colored pencil colors do I use for E34 shade?
Watch the video to learn my favorite marker underpaints and pencil overpaints for E34 “Toast”.
Color with E34
Copic Postcard Kit + Swatch Cards
Six warm and cozy colors, learn about them all!
Easy print PDF digital stamps. Perfect for every skill level.
The Colors of Winter: Yellow, Peach, Taupe, Blue, Aqua, and Gray
Perfect for Copic Markers with or without colored pencils
Class Printable Pack Includes:
SIX digital stamps, one for every color- E34 Cinnamon Roll, Y23 Waffles, E95 Warm Woolens, B97 Cozy Chair, BG72 Book & Blankets, C2 Yarn & Knitting Needles
SIX easy-print PDF swatch cards for every color. One card includes Amy’s color suggestions, the second is blank for your experiments
Cards are sized 5x7” with margin room for binding into a color reference booklet
Marker & Pencil List
Copic Markers and Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
CINNAMON TWISTS & CRUMBS:
Brown Copic Blend: RV66, E37, YR27, E34, Y23, E50
Push Pencils: 948 Sepia, 1074 70% French Grey, 1029 Mahogany Red, 901 Indigo Blue, 1026 Greyed Lavender
Pull Pencil: 1034 Goldenrod, 1085 Peach Beige, 938 White, and a White Posca Pen.
ICING:
No markers
Push Pencils: 948 Sepia, 1074 70% French Grey, 1029 Mahogany Red, 1026 Greyed Lavender, 1085 Peach Beige
Pull Pencil: none, only white of the paper
CAST SHADOW:
948 Sepia, 901 Indigo Blue, 936 Slate Grey, 1029 Mahogany Red, 1034 Goldenrod
Related Earth (Brown) Reading
Take a Class
Amy has classes teaching realistic coloring techniques
“Real Crayons” an introduction to grisaille underpainting for photorealism.
“Rustic Maple Leaf” teaches how to create shade and shadow values for photorealism
More About E Brown Markers
Copic underpaint blending recipes.
We test Copic inks. See results here.
Copic project palettes using color theory.
Supply List: E34 Cinnamon Roll Postcard
