Some tips for blending with Copic markers
Time to make some wishes, and why not, take advantage of the holidays to practice a bit with your Copic markers!
Perhaps by studying some of those blends that never quite turn out as you'd like... with these tips!
There are many things to consider, such as which colors go well together and which are terrible combinations that will definitely give you a poor result. Let’s start with a simple principle: the more similar the colors are, the easier they are to blend.
It means you’ll need more colors, but the effect is guaranteed!
In this case, we have three colors from the same family R (Red): R11, R22, R35.
BLENDING WITH COLORS FROM THE SAME FAMILY
In this case, we have three colors from the R (Red) family: R11 Pale Cherry Pink, R22 Light Prawn, and R35 Coral.
The final numbers’ progression 1-2-5 indicates that the red becomes increasingly intense, and when you have color scales like this, the easiest way to achieve a smooth blend is to lay down the color over the entire surface you’re working with, thoroughly soaking the paper, adding layers of color one after another, always pulling back a little to reveal the previous layer.
If the colors aren’t too dark, initially wetting the paper with Blender 0 can also work well.
WET-ON-WET BLENDING
As you can see, the blends with multiple passes (all in the same direction, of course!) appear smoother. On the other hand, if you let the color dry between layers, you’ll get more defined color areas (this can be useful for defining hair or emphasizing creases in clothing, for example).
BRUSHING WITH THE TIP LIFTED AT THE END
Make sure to lift the tip at the end of your strokes to have a light and pointed exit. This helps to create a gradual transition from one color to another. Otherwise, you’ll end up with “steps” of different colors.
Be sure to overlap the brushstrokes well so you have an even base and don’t see the areas where the colors overlap, which can create streaks.
Tip:
Copic markers are alcohol-based, and alcohol evaporates quickly, so it's best to focus on small areas at a time, maybe “breaking” the area up using folds or natural lines in the design.
Continue this process, working on small areas at a time until the whole drawing is complete!
Now it's time to put your coloring skills to the test!
If you want, you can practice using the line art, available in our line art gallery. Make sure to download and print this design on a good quality paper suitable for Copic markers.
