Resplendent Rust

Gaze upon the glorious colors of autumn…red, brown, orange, gold, pink, and even stubborn bright greens that refuse to surrender their pigment to winter’s beckoning fingers. Autumn is the triumphant end to summer when nature displays her grand fireworks finale before winter’s icy breath lulls the trees into hibernation.

How does a marker artist capture with realism the vibrant color palette of sugar maples glowing against a cloudless blue New York sky? Are basic Copic online tutorials making your fall foliage stand out?

Or is your autumn artwork starting to look as basic as their stereotypical formulas?

At Vanilla Arts, we teach you how to think outside the box when it comes to blending colors for realism. That’s why we underpainted the dark end of this R27-YR07-YR04 run with B32.

After all, nature isn’t run-of-the-mill…why should your coloring be?

Remember: Real shade is not merely darker color, real shade is desaturated color.

To create the desaturated colors that Copic does not make, Vanilla Arts Company teaches Online Workshops using the underpainting method. Students learn to layer colors realistically rather than blend.

Underpainting creates natural colors found in everyday life.

Copic - Maple Glow

Underpainting the dark end of your R27 run with B32 will give your autumn leaves exquisite luminosity!

Elena’s Advice:

This beautiful color swatch’s secret to success is the combination of 3 Copic color families. Using a light, medium and dark from the same group can look a tad boring. Be adventurous! Real artists aren’t afraid to mix things up!

Learn to use your B’s to underpaint:

Vanilla Arts Company - Chocolate Box

Vanilla Arts Company - Scarlet Geranium

Vanilla Arts Company - Sakura Blossoms

Further Reading

Copic Lessons: The Limits of Video…can you learn it all online?

Copic Marker Leaks: What Causes Ink Explosions? (and how to prevent them)

Looking for More Blending Combinations?

Elena Cazares is a Vanilla Arts student 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 the latest coloring news and Copic Marker updates.