Vanilla Undercover: Underpaint with Copic Markers for Beautiful Realism - Red Grape

 
Add realism to Copic Marker blends by underpainting with complementary or opposite colors. Real shade isn’t just darker, real shade is murky and desaturated. Blue deepens a dusty series of Red markers, then a Violet marker adds a filmy look. | Vanil…
 
 

Ripe Red Grapes

Real shade is not darker color, real shade is desaturated color.

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

Underpainting creates natural colors found in everyday life.

 

Red Grapes

Elena’s Advice:

Red is my favorite color. I use it so often that when I have a new photo reference with a lot of reds in it, I can easily chose the right colors.

But not so quick… look at these grapes, do you see the white dusty color on top of the grapes. Wow. What now?

Since I’m using Copic markers and because Copic doesn’t make a WHITE marker, I knew I need to figure this. I can’t just grab a colored pencil and add it to an all-Copic swatch!

After some intense testing, I found the answer.

My V95 marker!

When placed on top of the prior three markers in this combination it resulted in that white film look that I see in the photo reference.

And by the way…

Don’t be stingy with the ink! The secret to a good blend is to have enough moisture and then giving it time to dry before decide if it actually needs fixing.

“Red Grape” blending combination for Copic Markers. Underpaint R red markers with B blue for realistic depth and dimension. Magenta swatch. | VanillaArts.com | Alcohol marker color theory.
 
 

Looking for More Underpainting 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, refills, and coloring accessories. Join Elena’s Copic Facebook group here for news and updates.

Elena Bio Pic.jpg
 

Elena Cazares

Elena Cazares is a Vanilla Arts student and online instructor with a beautiful sense of color and style. She is a hurricane of positive, creative energy.

Elena runs CraftsForPaws.com, an online shop for Copic Markers and Copic supplies. C4P donates 100% of profits to rescue and care for worst-case stray dogs and cats in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

Shop at Crafts for Paws here. Join Elena’s C4P Copic Coloring Club here.