More About Using Copic Fluorescent Markers

The Dorland’s Medical dictionary defines fluorescence as the property of emitting light while exposed to light, the wavelength of the emitted light being longer than that of the absorbed light. The current eight colors of Copic fluorescent markers do just that! Copic fluorescent ink shines brightly when exposed to ultraviolet light!

Copic Fluorescent colors shown under a black light

For us non-scientific folks, Neon is a gaseous element, known to give off a reddish-orange glow under some circumstances, and teensy, tiny, no-worry amounts can be found in the air and some electric lamps. Copic fluorescent marker colors can appear to glow but they are not gaseous. I mention this because I need to stop referring to Copic fluorescent colors as being neon. (I expect that one of my Copic class students, Christine the Chemist, will be happy to learn that I’ll try not to use that term so lightly anymore. LOL!!!)  It’s just one more syllable and another seven keystrokes to complete the word “fluorescent.” So be it.

I wanted to see which combination of these fluorescent shades would produce the most nicely blended, yet knock-your-socks-off, filled image. I also like to see the results, for comparison, very near each other on the same project.

This Dover Digital Image of three parrots among branches of a rose tree did the trick. This also allows me to show use of regular Copic colors mixed with the fluorescent colors in the same image. Parts of this image are smaller and tighter than I like to work with. I thought that I might have to use a lot of tip-to-tip and/or pallet blending to provide the needed shading in those 'one-stroke-is-all-you-get' areas.  A light touch with the very top of the brush tip was all I needed.

My favorite wood colors for branches are E31, E35 and E47. My favorite colors for filling roses are R22, R29 and R59. G82, G85 and G99 are wonderful dull greens for leaves.  W5 and W7 with 0 for highlights worked nicely for the beaks and claws.

Following are closeups of my attempts at three different marker combinations using Copic fluorescent colors.  The Copic color coding system seems a little skewed on these but don’t let that deter you from the happiness these fluorescent shades can produce. Four colors (code with digit of 1) are brighter and the other four (digit of 2) are slightly duller.

FRV1 Pink, FYR1 Orange

FYG1 Yellow, FY1 Yellow Orange, and FYG2 Dull Yellow Green

FB2 Dull Blue, FBG2 Dull Blue Green, and FV2 Dull Violet

Find out more about using Copic fluorescent marker colors here and here.