Marker Mondays - August Part III

Today we will practice and refine our blending techniques.  Be sure to review the last lesson if you haven't already.

Workbook notes and A Muse Studio coordinating ink samples

 For August are using the following three Copic colors:

• 0 - Blender Pen
• R29 - Lipstick Red
• Y17 - Golden Yellow

For these images I used the brush to brush color technique that I explained in the last post.  If you are using the Originals markers (the square Copics) then I recommend switching to the brush tip.  It is easy to switch the tips and they are fairly inexpensive.  If you prefer not to do that you can still blend using your chisel and fine point by using the plastic palette technique to pick up the darker ink. 

You can make different flower colors with only three pens!

I have colored the top right flower with yellow ink and then used the yellow pen to blend red onto the center petals and make the flower into a deeper orange.  It takes time and practice but you can always color and then add more depth later on and blend out any parts you want to darken or fix.

The center yellow flower was colored first with the blender pen and then the blender pen is carefully used to make the pale yellow petals by taking ink from the Y17 pen or palette. This flower takes a little more practice and patience. 

The pink flower was the hardest because the red is so dark.  Work one petal at a time with the blender pen and pick up tiny amounts of red to blend with.  Practice, practice, practice!  I really did this flower using only the blender pen and the R29 ink.  You can too!

Practicing blending on Vanilla cardstock and Cocoa ink. Notice the warmer feel of the images?

It is fun to try the Copics on different backgrounds to see how they change.  I made the same yellow and orange flowers on Vanilla instead of Sugar paper to add some warmth.

Marvelous Marigolds

I will be holding a monthly workshop in my home in Huntington Beach, CA so let me know if you want to join me.