How to Color Realistic Flowers with Pink RV Alcohol Markers

Coloring realistic coloring isn’t just one technique.

And it’s not about using the most realistic blending combinations.

Realism with alcohol markers and colored pencils is a process, a series of steps— methods we learn over time which eventually add up to more realism.

Let me show you the next step beyond standard flower petal blending techniques.

In order to create the illusion of a real flower, you need to know what real flowers look like.

Let’s stop guessing and start looking.

DON’T MISS THE SHY TULIP SUPPLY LIST (MARKERS & PENCILS) AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

DRAW & COLOR: SHY TULIP

How to color realistic flowers with Copic Markers & Prismacolor Pencils

(click below to watch at YouTube)

LAST MONTH’S LIVESTREAM

You color everything in the stamp using your best shading techniques…

And yet the finished project doesn’t feel real.

What are you missing?

Psssttt... coloring individual objects is the wrong approach. You need to think like a still life artist!

Let’s explore how.

Love the FREE lessons?

A gentle reminder:

Free lessons are not free to produce.

Like you, I must buy paper, pencils, and refill ink.

But I also have cameras, broadcast software, and usage rights for photo references to pay for. There’s also this website and the software I use to create graphics, reminder emails, supply lists, and PDF learning aids. Then consider the hours I spend researching and creating every video, livestream, and color theory article.

The best way to support me is to support yourself!

Classes, kits, and digital stamps keep you learning and keep me a’float!

SHY TULIP WORKSHEET

Get your copy of the primary photo reference for the Shy Tulip project. Worksheet includes the photo plus color and highlight prompts.

FREE Worksheet for Vanilla Beans Subscribers

All subscribers to my Saturday newsletter have password access to the FREE Download Library where I keep lots of nifty downloads plus exclusive videos.

Subscribe, then take the link to the latest issue of Vanilla Beans. Every issue of Beans lists the current Library password. Already subscribed? Check last Saturday’s issue for the Library link and current password.

TIPS FOR COLORING REALISTIC FLOWERS

TIP: Color temperature matters.

Even though my tulip begins with a cool set of RV markers, I still end the combination with a warmer pink as the lightest color. This adds a bit of sunshine to the final blend…

But be careful because adding that same hint of sun to the shady end of the blend can accidentally flatten your flowers.

TIP: Underpaint with care.

Underpainting adds a sense of weight and presence to the objects you color. It’s very useful in most circumstances but I find it’s the kiss-of-death with flower petals.

Think about it, the last thing you want is a flower with 10 pound flower petals. That’s kinda what heavy underpainting can create. Flower petals should be thin and silky, don’t weigh them down with underpaint just because you assume everything needs underpaint.

TIP: What’s my secret for lifelike stems and leaves?

Be sure to watch the video to see how I spread my colors around!

She’s a little shy…

During the livestream, I draw an original image starting from fresh, white paper… but then I color over it!

So after the stream, I double-back to recreate the original line drawing, making slight improvements.

Shy Tulip: a simple single blossom

Clean and minimalist digital line art

I keep my drawings simple with no texture marks or decoration. Your coloring should be the star of the show, not my line art!

Color Inspiration:

Vanilla Undercover is my series of underpaint blending combinations— creating realistic color with unusual markers.

I’ll be coloring our tulip with a similar but slightly different blending combination (I’ll explain why in the video).

Plus I’ll need some green markers… hmmm.

My Marker Journal

I use a Zeta journal in the Draw & Color livestreams.

It’s hard to find good paper for my mixed media illustrations. Markers like ultra smooth paper while colored pencils need tooth. Markers and pencils are opposites, so any paper that works for both mediums will always be a compromise.

And once you find a good compromise, it rarely comes in journal format.

This paper is pretty good for markers— it doesn’t feather, bleed, or discourage blending.

It also has enough tooth to add a few layers of colored pencil.

Is this the paper I’d use for an all-marker illustration? No.

Is it the paper I’d use for an all-colored pencil illustration? No.

But this is one of the best journals I’ve found for marker + pencil.

(affiliate links)

SHY TULIP SUPPLIES:

Here’s a summary of the Copic Markers and colored pencils I used during the livestream demonstration.

For a full supply list + links to trusted retailers, scroll to the end of this article.

TULIP PETALS:

Copic: BV0000, RV55, RV04, RV63, RV10

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: 109 Prussian Green, 914 Cream, 938 White, 994 Process Red, 1005 Limepeel, 1008 Parma Violet, 1014 Deco Pink, 1026 Grayed Lavender

Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencil: Violet

LEAVES & STEM:

Copic: V20, YG63, YG61, Y11

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils: 109 Prussian Green, 914 Cream, 938 White, 994, Process Red, 1011 Deco Yellow

Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencil: Violet

CAST SHADOW:

Prismacolor Colored Pencils: 936 Slate Grey, 994 Process Red, 1005 Limepeel

Related Reading

click above to read

SHY TULIPS: SUPPLY LIST

This list is what I expect to use during the livestream but colors may change mid-stream (literally). To be updated post-stream with actual supplies used.