Stage 3 of Basic Copic Colouring, and Woohoo, Rosalie really starts to look good now.

Stage three of basic colouring is the addition of your third colour from each chosen family.

Remember my hair colours?

    

E31 went down as a base colour, E35 was added last week. Today we are using E37.

All we do now is elaborate on the addition of colour to achieve dimension with shading.

We will repeat the basics of shading and blending, but with a third, darker colour and a little more objective thought – step back and take a look at what you have coloured so far. To your eye, what does it need? Where? This is your opportunity to step it up a notch.

When adding shading with your third colour, you have the option of blending with either the original, lightest base colour, OR the second, middle colour. It depends on what sort of effect you are after.

So for her hair: I have already added a base of E31. I have shaded using the flick method and E35 which I blended with a circular motion using E31. Now that I am adding the more intense E37 I have the choice of using E35 to blend, or E31. E35 will incorporate the darker colour with the lighter colours quite seamlessly. Where E31 will leave more definition between the shades of brown. Try a little of both to decide what works best for your own style.

Remember to use your darkest colour sparingly. You can always add more later, but you will find it difficult to lighten if you use too much.

 

Add your final layer of shading to the same areas as last time but dont flick as far in. You should be able to make out 3 levels of colour, as in the below example. Even though the blends may be seamless, you can see 3 different shades from the outside edge to the centre.

Avoid applying your darkest colour so much that you colour over your middle colour. It is the presence  of all 3 shades that will give the best impression of dimension.

 

For her skin, use E11 to draw a solid line under her brow, her neck and on her legs under her skirt – this is the main difference between shading and shadow. Shadows have a crisp edge, we do not blend them in. Notice how the shadow (not the shading) on her legs gives a real sense of her dress overlapping and casting a shadow.

 Her petticoat and socks were left white until now. The second colour from white is up to you, as long as it is very light. I used V000.

 So she looks much nicer now, but we are not finished yet. Basic Rosalie is almost complete, Just a few finishing touches to go next week.

Then we start all over again, this time an advanced version. We will look more in depth at light sources, shadows and techniques – it is going to be great fun!

Add on 1 for your Lime Tart Copic Club Kit will be available in store soon.

Happy Colouring!