Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Real shade is not darker color, real shade is desaturated color.

To create the desaturated colors that Copic Marker does not make, Vanilla Arts Company teaches Online Workshops and Livestream Coloring Challenges using the underpainting method. Students learn to layer colors realistically rather than blend. Underpainting creates natural colors found in everyday life.

Underpainting creates natural colors found in everyday life.

Summer Sky

Elena’s Advice:

I wanted to capture all the color I see in the summer sky. It’s really beautiful when you pause to pay attention to the colors of June, July, and August. I see everything from light blues, into aqua, and even deep grayish blue.

You wouldn’t think that a base of gray (C4) would keep all these blues as cool as this summer sky, but it sure does.

I know underpainting with gray is rather bland compared to some of my more complicated combinations but the cool gray here actually does something important— it makes the blue look distant. Distance is the secret to coloring convincing skies.

Blue Workshops

Vanilla Arts Company - Point Betsie

Vanilla Arts Company - Big Sable Point

Violeta Ink - Online Coloring Classes

Further Reading:

Artistic Coloring : Adding Creativity to Your Copic Projects : Your Brain Lies

Color Theory Tip: How to Tame Clashing Complementary Color

Looking for More Underpainting Combinations?

Elena Cazares is a Vanilla Arts student with beautiful sense of color and style. She is a hurricane of positive creative energy.

Elena runs Violeta-Ink.com, an online boutique shop specializing in Copic Markers and coloring accessories. Join Elena’s Copic Facebook group here for the latest coloring news and Copic Marker updates.