Copic Practice and Contest with Lori

I am always looking for new images to practice with my Copic Markers, especially my blending and my skin tones.  It also helps me decide when I need more colors to work with in a certain range.  Right now, Copic Marker has a coloring contest going on, and the images they provided for the contest are great practice sheets.  One of the images is pretty detailed with lots of small areas unless you print it out really large, but the other one is perfect for one of my practice sessions. And I thought I would use it to point out a few helpful hints for using a practice session to improve your coloring.

 

Normally, I like coloring more detailed images, like the Sarah Kay stamps in the store. But because the areas are smaller, it is harder to see the blending and to figure out why something may not be looking exactly right.  These larger bits make it much easier.  For example, I think the green sweater and the "2013" look great!  I used a series of 3 colors in a range for these areas and they blended really well. (Example: the greens I used are YG06, YG07, and YG09.)

However, look at the orange streamer and orange hair bow - they look a little more flat.  That's because somehow, I managed to buy YR04 and YR07, but not a third color which would have helped add more depth to those areas. Also, look at my blue streamers. I used B21 and B24, but then jumped to B29, which seems too dark for the other shades and doesn't blend as well. So, I should get another blue in between B24 and B29 for a smoother transition.

I can also tell that I need more work on my skin tones on faces where the features are not as well defined. I have always had trouble drawing faces, especially noses, so I have trouble getting the shadows right. Another thing to study up on and get more practice!

Note: I always use the Copic recommended Xpress Blending Card when coloring with my markers.  It really does make a big difference in my coloring!

If you want to print out the images (and check out the contest that ends 1/20), you can see it at Copic Marker here.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope I've given you some suggestions to use when practicing your coloring. Let us know if there's anything else you'd like to know about choosing and using Copic Markers.