Color Theory for YR Yellow-Red Alcohol Markers
Copic makes 24 Yellow-Red alcohol markers— ranging from soft peach to bold pumpkin orange with several interesting brassy gold colors in between.
They make a lot of nice orange markers but let’s be honest, most people use the super-pale peach tones for skin and save the rest for Halloween, right?
Have you ever noticed that nobody can agree on how to shade YR markers?
There’s the “shade with red” fans and the “shade with brown” club but frankly, neither solution looks realistic.
Let’s look at how to shade YR24 with artistic style.
Copic YR24 Pale Sepia
(click below to watch at YouTube)
Tips for Coloring with YR24
In the video, I give generalized tips for using colored pencil over Copic. In this resource article, let me give you tips for YR24 specifically.
TIP: YR24 is not a clean color
Both YR24 and YR27 can look a bit dirty. There’s no brown in the ink formula, the color is just naturally a bit murky. A soft layer of translucent yellow pencil over YR24 can reduce the dingy appearance.
TIP: Skip YR23
YR23 and YR24 are so close in color, using both in a blending combination feels pointless. Instead, I blend straight from YR24 into YR21.
TIP: What Copic or colored pencil colors do I use for YR24 shade?
Watch the video to learn my favorite marker underpaints and pencil overpaints for Pale Sepia.
Color with YR24
Copic Postcard Kit + Swatch Cards
Six fall colors, learn about them all!
Easy print PDF digital stamps. Perfect for every skill level.
The Colors of Autumn: Gold, Orange, Vermilion, Brown, Sage, and Lavender
Perfect for Copic Markers with or without colored pencils
Class Printable Pack Includes:
SIX digital stamps, one for every color- YR16 Pumpkin (shown here), YR24 Mulled Cider, E29 Pinecone, BV31 Dried Hydrangea, YG93 Chestnut, and R08 Red Capped Mushrooms
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 STICKS:
Brown Copic Blend: B97 (underpaint), E29, E15
Push Pencils: 1095 Black Raspberry
Pull Pencil: 914 Cream
CIDER & CARAMEL:
Gold Copic Blend: B93 (underpaint), YR27, YR24, YR21
Push Pencils: 1095 Black Raspberry, 1096 Kelly Green
Pull Pencil: 916 Canary Yellow, 921 Pale Vermilion, 914 Cream, 938 White
WHIPPED CREAM:
E42, E40, 1032 Pumpkin Orange, 1020 Pale Celadon
GLASS:
1056 Warm Grey 70%, 1095 Black Raspberry, 1096 Kelly Green, 1034 Goldenrod
Related Yellow-Red Reading
Take a Class
Amy has classes featuring orange markers and 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 Yellow-Red Markers
Copic underpaint blending recipes.
We test Copic inks. See results here.
Copic project palettes using color theory.
Supply List: YR24 Pale Sepia Postcard
