Blue Landscape and Lyra Aquacolor Crayons

Yesterday instead of my favorite liquid watercolors (Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors), I pulled out my barely touched box of 24 Lyra Aquacolor crayons. I used them to paint the background first, and when it was dry, I added the black lines with Copic multiliner and did some shading with my Copic markers. But then my black lines looked too dark, as did the sky area. So with a tiny brush, I applied streaks and dots of Copic Opaque White, smudging and feathering the white with a small wet brush.

I like the finished drawing. The Lyra Aquacolors were easy to work with. I used a wet (but not dripping) brush to pick up the color directly from the crayons and apply it to my wet watercolor paper. The colors are more opaque than my Dr. Ph. Martin's colors, which look very transparent. Both are beautiful in different ways.

Updated February 16, 2010: Click here for my color chart and more information on both types of watercolors.

• Copic marker colors used: B63, W5, BV23.
• Watercolor wash background: Lyra Aquacolor crayon numbers 5610034, 37, 47, 51, 83, 87
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Brown Squares with White Dots

Most of the time, I draw first, then color. But for this drawing, I started with my markers. Working on top of my light box, with a half-inch grid placed under my drawing paper, I colored many squarish shapes. The grid helped me to keep them lined up.

Then I removed the drawing from the light box. I outlined my shapes with black Copic multiliner in several widths. Last, for contrast, I added white dots with a white Sakura gel pen (Gelly Roll.)

• Copic marker colors used: E04,15, YR14,15,24
• Paper: tan Crane's card approx. 4x6"

Yellow Butterfly with Blue and Green

A yellow butterfly drifts in a space of blue and green.

Inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "adrift."

Starting with a watercolored base, I decided to experiment with a cutout butterfly. I drew a butterfly shape on a scrap of bristol board (just a bit lighter weight than my watercolor paper) and cut it out with sharp craft scissors. I used my Copic markers to airbrush the wings, add the spots, outline the wings, and color the body. I will try using cutouts again sometime.

• Copic marker colors used: Y15,38, YR14,21,24
• Watercolor wash background: Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors - grass green, ultra blue - 1 drop of liquid watercolor in 2 drops of water, brushed on wet paper. For more info about these watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Base: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"
• Paper: Butterfly: Strathmore Bristol Board, vellum finish (a lightly textured surface - not "vellum paper")

Basket with Apples and Pears

Bright colors for a winter's day. It is drawn from life, except the basket was a metal pan, and the napkin was beige.

Technique - added February 8, 2010: To create the textures in the napkin, the tabletop, and the wall, first I colored with a light color, a bit unevenly. After my first color was dry, I used another light color on top of it, also coloring a bit unevenly. See color list below for details.

• Copic marker colors used: Custom color B2000, BV20, C1, Y000,11,19, YR20, G14,21,40, YG21,63, R00,32, RV11,14,17,29, E09,11,37,41,43,44,49,53, dots of sepia multiliner.
• Color details: Napkin: Y11 on top of G40. Tabletop: Custom color B2000 on top of BV20. Wall: C1 on top of Custom color B2000.
• Paper: Neenah, 8.5x11"

Scribbly Gray Lines with Bright Dots

Just a doodle with scribbly ink lines wandering across the paper. I traced over the lines with gray, and then, where the lines looped, I added 2-tone dots of bright color.

• Copic marker colors used: C3,5, B01,26, R08,32, G14, YG03
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

Child with Book

The child's attention is focused on the book. Inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "focused."

• Copic marker colors used: Y000,13, R000,02,24, G07, BG000,32,49,93, YR07, BV20, B01,24,41, W1, C0, E000,11,09,15,53
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 5x7"

Tangled Lines

After my watercolor background (shown below) was dry, I drew the sepia lines. Then, with markers, I traced along the lines and colored a few small areas. I used the Copic airbrush to add some brown speckles.

• Copic marker colors used: E11,33,95, YR21, Y15,38; Sepia multiliner; Copic airbrush E33
• Watercolor wash background: Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors - saddle brown, orange, and daffodil yellow. 1-2 drops of liquid watercolor in 1/4 teaspoon of water. For more info about these watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Garden Flowers

I started with a watercolor background, shown below. After it dried, I drew the flowers with multiliner and added some touches of color with markers.

• Copic marker colors used: YR15, V12, BG72,93, G21,40,YG03,21,95
• Watercolor wash background: Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors - crimson, grass green, ultra blue, daffodil yellow - 1-2 drops of liquid watercolor in 1/4 teaspoon of water. For more info about these watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Landscape in Rose and Brown

This landscape began, as shown below, with a wash of watercolor. After the paper dried, I added the line drawing and shaded it a little with markers.

January 17, 2010: This drawing, from last week, fits well with the current weekly theme "wilderness" on Illustration Friday.

• Copic marker colors used: E11, W0
• Watercolor wash background: Dr. Ph. Martin's radiant concentrated watercolors - saddle brown, ultra blue, and crimson - 1 drop of liquid watercolor in 1/2 teaspoon of water. For more information about these watercolors, including my color chart, see this post.
• Paper: Canson Montval watercolor block, 140 lb. cold press, 4x6"

Confined in the Heart

The scene, imagined or remembered, is confined in the heart. Inspired by Illustration Friday's word for the week, "confined."

• Copic marker colors used: RV19, E15, W1,5, Y11, B26,29,63, G07,21, YG05, BV20; Copic airbrush background Y15, B29
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 5x7"
• Words: confined in the heart

Angles in Pink and Gray

Angles, not angels, and very different from most of my drawings. Sharp points and zigzags, not curves and flowing lines. Pinks and grays only, no shading or layering. Large scale, repetitive shapes.

As often happens when I draw something "not me," I don't much like the result, but I still find it's worth doing. And maybe it will grow on me.

• Copic marker colors used: C0,1,3,5, BV20,23, RV000,02,06,10,11,13,14,32
• Paper: Neenah classic cream, 12.5 x 17"

Large Doodle with Dots

Large paper, moving the pen in long lines, just a few colors. This drawing paper has a soft, slightly rough surface, which does not blend or correct well with markers. That's why I chose it today, to avoid getting too complicated.

• Copic marker colors used: YR21, B41,45, R24, G21
• Paper: Strathmore medium drawing paper, 14 x 17"

New Year's Blessings - Outlined Words

Wishing my readers many blessings in 2010. A simple drawing, mostly words written with marker and outlined with pen (black 0.2 Copic multiliner).

It's a very easy technique that transforms everyday printing or handwriting into a finished-looking image for a drawing. For a few more examples, see my Advent Calendar 2009. If the technique interests you, I've posted my 3-step instructions, and I'd love it if you would give it a try. To try this, click here.

• Words: Blessings, peace, hope, joy, gratitude, light, 2010, health
• Copic marker colors used: YG05, BG32, YR21, B63, R32
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

Blog News 9 and How to Draw Outlined Words

Updates to Mostly Markers, other than new drawings posted, since the last Blog News:

• Added a "Try This" post, showing how to draw outlined words (similar to today's New Year's Blessings drawing.)
  

  • For my New Year's Blessing drawing, scroll up (or, if you don't see it there, click here.)
    

  • For my "Try This" directions on how to draw outlined words, click here. If you can write or print legibly, and if you can draw a line around a shape, you have all the drawing skills you need.
    

• Not an update, but while I'm on the "Try This" topic: In my blog, I've included more than a dozen easy-to-draw "try this" posts. Not drawing lessons, but drawing activities based on my drawings. Simple directions, sprinkled with encouragement ... because I strongly believe that Anybody Can Draw. To see what I mean, I invite you to click here, or click on "try this" in the menu bar in my blog header, or in the labels list on the right.
  

For more Blog News posts, click on the label (below, or in the label list on the right, or in the menu bar on my blog header.)

An Angel Warns Joseph in a Dream

Continuing with the Christmas story. After the visit from the Three Kings, an angel warns Joseph in a dream that Herod is seeking the baby Jesus, to destroy what he fears is a rival.

The words in my cartoon-style drawing are from Matthew 2:13. "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt... for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

• Copic marker colors used: W3, C0,1,5, Y15, BG93, E09,15,21,41, R000,02, G000, V000
• Paper: Neenah, cut down to 4.25 x 5.5"

The Three Kings Approaching Bethlehem

August 14, 2010: The week's theme for Illustration Friday is "star gazing," which seems just right for this drawing from last December.

In the Christmas story, the Three Kings (or three magi, wise men) followed the star to Bethlehem.

"....the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." (Matthew 2:9)

In my drawing, they are nearing the end of their journey.

• Copic marker colors used: BV20,23, E11,37,43,44,71, YG91,95, G07,28, BG45,49,93,96, B26,45, Y11,26, YR21, C1, W3, R59, RV19
• Paper: ecru Crane's card approx. 4x6"

Blog News 8

Updates to Mostly Markers, other than new drawings posted, since the last Blog News:

• To make my blog easier to explore, I added a menu bar, just below my blog heading.
• I posted an update of my Copic color chart. Recently I added a few more colors to my Copic marker collection, and my chart is now current with all of the colors I have. To view it, click here, or click on "color chart" in the labels list on the right.
  
• Also in that post, I now have a link to my blank color chart in PDF format, which you're welcome to print or save for your own use.
  

For more Blog News posts, click on the label (below, or in the label list on the right.)

Advent Calendar 2009

Originally posted November 29. Final edits December 24: My Advent calendar drawing for 2009 is now complete. Each day's space is small, 1-3/8 x 1-5/8", so you may want to double-click the drawing for a larger view.

• Click here for a listing of 2009 words, sources of words, and Copic colors used.
• Click here to print or save my blank 2009 Advent calendar template (PDF format).
• Added November 27, 2010: Click here for my 2010 Advent calendar drawing.
• Click here for 2008.
  
• For all related posts, click on my Advent-Christmas label, below or in the label list to the right.

For links to my friend Sybil's Advent calendar drawings (2008 and 2009), scroll down to my post below, also dated December 25. She has posted her drawings for Weeks 1, 2, and 3, and now her final large 2009 calendar. (Or click on "home" below, and then scroll down.)

Work in progress note: This post was dated December 25 to keep it at the top of my blog through Christmas Day. From November 29 through December 24, as I completed my daily drawings, I replaced the image here with the new version, and also updated my separate listing (see link above) with the words, sources of words, and Copic marker colors used for each day.

Sybil's Advent Calendar and Rosette Prayer Drawing

My friend Sybil has completed the posting of her 2009 Advent calendar on her blog, Praying in Color. A circular sticker was her drawing space for each day. To see her finished 2009 calendar, click here. For her Week 1 drawings, click here. For Week 2, click here. And for Week 3, click here.

For 2008, she created a freeform Advent calendar. Click here to see her finished 2008 calendar.

Sybil makes drawing a part of her prayer life. Click here for a prayer drawing that she made, inspired by my rosette instructions. Edited February 20, 2010: To see more of her prayer drawings, browse through her current blog, as well as her previous (2009) blog.

To see some of her other drawings, click on the "Sybil's drawings" label below, or in the label list on the right.

Advent Calendar Update 26 - Final

I've posted the final version of my 2009 advent calendar drawing. Drawings are complete through tomorrow, Christmas Day, Friday December 25. The words are "O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord." Click here for the updated, final posting, as well as the link to the updated, final listing of words, sources and Copic colors used. (This message is meant for readers who use a subscription or feed service to identify new blog items.)