What level are you?
BEGINNER? INTERMEDIATE? ADVANCED?
How to find the right Vanilla class for you.
I do things a little different
I'm not a card maker and I'm not a crafter.
Markers were once a required study for illustration degrees. Because I learned markers in art school in the 1980’s (before adult coloring was even a thing), my approach to coloring is very different than standard coloring classes.
I treat markers as if they were transparent paint.
I don’t blend like a colorist. Instead, I layer colors to get richer, deeper tones than we can get from standard blending combinations.
I also color large. My smallest class projects are about 6 inches tall. My own marker projects can span up to 30 inches.
Gentle Warning: Even experienced colorists may feel like a newbie in art-based workshops and courses.
If you're coming from the hobby world— card making and coloring books, I’m happy to have you here! Many of my best students began as colorists.
But marker painting is a different approach to coloring.
I teach fine art techniques borrowed directly from painting classes. This will require a shift from the colorist tutorials you currently use.
Don't worry, you can totally learn to do this!
Let’s figure out where you fit into the Marker + Pencil system…
Questions to ask:
Beginner?
Beginners are explorers. They’re busy learning new tools and art supplies.They’re exploring how to control both their body and the markers or pencils.
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Are you completely new to markers or colored pencils?
Can you hold a Copic Marker properly?
Can you control the nib and ink flow?
Do you know how to flick and how to swish? Do you know when to use each?
Can you layer markers in a perfect gradient?
Can you color large areas without streaks or blotches?
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Do you feel lost or out of your safe zone?
Do you feel like you’re fighting with the markers or colored pencils?
Do you understand why paper is more important than markers?
Can you select markers based on chemistry?
Are you having fun but you’re also frustrated by the constant fumbling?
Intermediate?
Intermediates need strength training. They can layer colors and can follow most demos, but they still think about “how to color” while coloring.
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Can you blend smoothly most of the time?
Are you comfortable working with all marker and pencil colors from the lightest lights to darkest darks?
Are you able to create realistic textures beyond smooth blends?
Can you color with invisible, disappearing, or soft gray line art?
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Can you troubleshoot blending errors as they happen?
Do you understand the difference between depth and dimension?
Are you looking for a shading process which makes more sense than directional lighting arrows?
Are you beginning to play with color, injecting your own taste into standard projects?
Advanced?
Advanced colorists need independence. You’ve exhausted every technique tutorial. You’re searching for something more than follow-the-leader projects.
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Can you color most projects without reading the tutorial?
Are you always 2 to 3 steps ahead of the coloring instructor?
Have your skills plateaued?
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Do you make major changes to customize tutorials?
Have you considered quitting because you’re bored?
Are you frustrated with the lack of realism in your Copic projects versus what you see in other mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, oils, or colored pencil?
Note: Only you can judge your coloring skills
While I’d love to look at your project and tell you where to start, the internet makes this impossible.
I can’t tell how long it took to finish the project
I don’t know if you followed a tutorial or copied someone else’s project
I can’t see how fast you color
I have no idea how much you struggled or how many times you started over
If it helps, I have several intermediate lessons on YouTube. Watch them here.
Still have questions? Email the team at info@vanillaarts.com
INTERMEDIATE MARKER + PENCIL
The Basis of Realism
You’ve learned to blend Copic Markers in The Blend and you’re comfortable adding colored pencil over marker after The Point,
Now it’s time to master underpainting.
Real Crayons makes underpaint selection easy. Learn to underpaint every color of the rainbow for all your future projects.
Join Us! Intermediate Coloring Community: Color Wonk
Color Wonk Previous Monthly Projects
Intermediate Workshops
ADVANCED MARKER + PENCIL
The Key to Independence
After learning to underpaint in Real Crayons,
Now it’s time to understand photo references.
Amy walks you step by step through the process of choosing colors and then using them to create your own unique project. Learn the same steps artists use every day.
Join Us! Advanced Coloring Community: The Underpainters
Underpainters Previous Monthly Projects
