Hello Copic readers! In our previous blog, we showed how to color with the new acrea markers using each of the four 6 pc sets. Today, we’ll be using the same abstract illustrations to show how to color with acrea on non-white backgrounds. And with that, let’s get started by taking a look at the template below! 

There is no limit to how many different paper or surface colors you can use to create with acrea markers, but for the sake of this blog and example, we are going to use some common neutral colors: navy, gray, tan and black. We’re also going to color with each of the four 6pc acrea sets, one set for each of these background colors. We’ve purposefully selected darker values of navy, gray and tan to show contrast compared with an ordinary sheet of white paper, which can be seen in our previous blog. 

We’ll begin this coloring exercise by swatching each of the 6pc set colors beneath each illustration. It’s important to note here that the artist printed the template out at home on a sheet of 67 lb. Neenah Exact Vellum Bristol cardstock, ensuring that the thicker paper would be able to handle printing the dark background colors with acrea marker ink on top. In general, thicker paper like cardstock is best suited for working with acrea compared to thin and less absorbent sheets of paper.

Once the acrea colors have been swatched, it’s time to start coloring the illustrations! The artist decided to start with the darkest colors of each set first, covering the largest background shape with said color. You can also work from the lightest color to the darkest, or begin with a mid-tone color. The color order is completely up to you, but in general, it’s easier to make that decision once you’ve swatched all your colors first. 

Notice too during this step how the artist colored in tight lines in a variety of directions. For the navy background (top left), the artist colored vertically. For the grey background, horizontally. For the tan background, vertical again; and lastly, for the black background, the artist colored in curved horizontal lines mimicking the slope of the bean-like shape. The direction of which you choose to color with acrea is also a personal preference, but we recommend coloring in a direction that suits the shape and the composition of your drawing. 

Next, the artist began to add some of the mid-tone colors of each set to the different drawings. The variety of colors and tones are really starting to POP out on each of the background colors! 

Notice how, on the navy background, the artist decided to color the green and lilac shapes horizontally to contrast with the vertically colored turquoise blue. The same “varying the direction of your coloring” principal can be seen in the grey background too, where the sepia rectangle was colored vertically to contrast against the large black shape, and the grey triangle was colored using the top as the pinnacle to where all rays of gray would start/end. 

Varying the direction of which you color each shape not only creates a more interesting illustration, but it also helps increase the color opacity in the areas where they overlap. 

Finally, the artist wraps up each illustration by adding the remaining colors of each set. The most obvious contrast can be seen on the black background using the 6pc Vivid set colors. The light orange, pink and yellow colors REALLY stand out against the black! As well as against the “darker” blue, green and red colors. The same can be said about the 6pc Light set colors used on the navy background. The darker the background, the easier it is to see the contrast. 

On the grey and tan backgrounds, however, there is still decent contrast between most of the set colors. Obviously, using silver on a grey background will not produce a lot of contrast, but using silver on black or navy definately would! The same applies for the peacock green and read bean colors seen on the tan background (in the 6pc Deep set). The tones of these colors are very similar to the mid-tone tan background, which is why the contrast isn’t as drastic. 

Overall, choosing which acrea colors to use can depend on the color of the surface you’ll be coloring on. If you plan on coloring with acrea on a white sheet of paper, these decisions aren’t as important. If, however, you plan to color on a sky blue notebook cover, or a metallic silver laptop, then choosing colors either distinctly lighter or darker than the surface you’re coloring on will give you the best results in your acrea illustration!

 

And with that, we wrap up today’s blog! To give this lesson a try yourself, download the blank template here in our line art gallery and print it on a thick sheet of cardstock suitable for layering (in addition to the cardstock mentioned earlier in this blog, we also recommend Neenah Bright White Premium Cardstock 65 lb. or Neenah Exact Premium Cardstock 110 lb.). Then, try the layering lessons we mentioned in today’s blog by working from the darkest color to the lightest (or try a variety of layering orders), as well as practicing different angles of coloring and ways to make marks with acrea on colored backgrounds. 

Until next time, don’t forget to follow us across our social media channels @copic_official_us, and sign up for exclusive discounts and prizes by joining the Copic Club! One last thing - use #copicwithus or tag us @copic_official_us for a chance to have your drawings or workspace featured on our Copic US social media channels.

Thank you so much for reading and enjoying Copic markers as much as we do! 😀