Greetings Copic readers! In our previous blog, we compared the properties of Copic alcohol markers (Sketch, Ciao and Classic) with Copic paint markers (acrea) by coloring a simple floral illustration on both a white and black background. Today, we’ll continue our comparison of alcohol and paint markers by using them together to make a card. And with that, let’s get started by taking a look at the template below! 

If you followed along with us in our previous blog, the above line art should look pretty familiar. Each step in this blog will mimic our previous one, but with an extra set of markers. Let’s take a look at the first step, swatching the colors we’ll be using to color this card, below.

In coloring this card, the artist chose 6 alcohol marker colors similar to the corresponding acrea colors in the 6pc Deep set. If you would like to choose lighter alcohol marker colors instead of matching ones, that is also a great choice! There is no “right” way to color: the artist in this blog wanted to compare apples to apples the best they could so you all - the reader - can see firsthand the coloring differences between these two marker types. 

*The paper the template was printed on is 67 lb. Neenah Exact Vellum Bristol cardstock. In general, thicker paper like cardstock is best suited for working with both alcohol and paint markers (especially for layering) compared to thin and less absorbent sheets of paper.

Once the color swatches have been decided and swatched, it’s time to start coloring with the alcohol markers first, beginning with the darkest colors. We suggest this order so that the highly blendable nibs of the alcohol markers do not become clogged or otherwise damaged by the thick, opaque acrea ink. This is why we suggest using acrea after everything intended to be colored with alcohol markers is complete. 

We also recommend starting with the darkest alcohol markers first since it’s easier to see a blending result when a lighter color is colored on top of it than if the order were reversed. However, this is an artists’ preference. If you’d like to color with your lightest colors first, feel free! Starting with lighter colors gives you the opportunity to layer and possibly cover an area with a darker color later on. 

Next, the artist finished coloring the front of the card with the remaining 3 alcohol markers. Notice how dark each of these shapes appear - that’s because the artist layered each color twice to ensure darker, richer colors. 

This next coloring step may not seem like much, but it’s all about adding details! The artist colored the small flower on the back of the card, as well as used different angles of the Super Brush nib to make some additional organic shapes to the front. The dots were created by holding the marker vertically in hand and pressing directly onto the paper, with the size of the dots varying depending on the amount of pressure. The petals were created by holding the marker at a wide angle, almost completely on its side, and pressing onto the paper. The Super Brush nib is more than just a great building nib! It’s also a great mark-making tool!

The final (and most anticipated coloring step) is adding acrea on top of the areas colored with Copic alcohol markers. The artist chose the “doodle” approach - simply using the stiff 0.8mm  acrea nib to add details on or around each shape. 

Notice too, how the artist used Indigo Blue (dark) to color on top of RV14 (mid-tone), Pansy (mid-tone) to color on top of Y26 (light), and Mustard Yellow (light) to color on top of B39 (dark). Purposefully choosing colors that will increase contrast is a great way to add details with acrea! A more subtle approach would be using Peacock Green with E09 or V17, all three of which are darker mid-tone colors. 

Left: Back of the card. Right: Card cut out with acrea 6pc Deep set colors

Now that the card has been colored, it’s time to cut the card out and insert some blank sheets of paper inside to make this a complete greeting card design. The artist in this example chose tan craft paper, but you can choose any sheet of paper you want to cover up the alcohol marker streaks that show through on the other side. 

Notice too how you can only see the alcohol markers on back of the cardstock and not the acrea paint marker ink…that’s because alcohol ink is absorbent and paint marker ink will sit on the surface (not soak through) to whatever surface it’s being applied to. 

Now that a personal note is ready to be added to the inside of the card, you can either be done with your card at this point (saving it for future use), or you can go ahead and add a note using one of the acrea set colors.

You can also use one of the darker alcohol markers on this tan craft paper if you’d like, but we would caution against this since the craft paper is already glued or otherwise adhered to the card. If the craft paper were still separate, and you placed a blank sheet of paper underneath it while writing, then we would equally recommend using an alcohol marker for writing, especially with the chiseled Medium Broad nib. 

In the above short video, a note has been added using one of each of the acrea 6pc Deep set colors. The colors that stand out the best against the craft paper are Indigo Blue, Red Bean and Mustard Yellow. The colors that have a similar tone to the craft paper, and thus do not stand out as well, are Pansy, Dark Rose and Turquoise Blue. 

If you did not want to use any of the acrea colors but perhaps wanted to use something simple, a Black Copic Multiliner pen would also work well, tying in the black line art used on the front and back of the card.

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, grab your Copic Sketch, Ciao and/or Classic markers and an acrea set and get coloring!

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! 😀