Feathering Technique

Welcome to another tutorial here on the CopicOz Blog!  Today we are looking at the Feathering technique, what it is, why you would want to use it and how to do it!!  Some say this is the trickiest technique that you can do with Copics, but personally this is one of my favourites!

The reason that you would use this technique is if you want to have two colours from different colour families that have to merge into each other.  Imagine the colours of an iris or a pansy - blending the colours from a deep purple into a bright yellow!  This effect is also wonderful for getting the variegating look for fairy wings or dresses. Trying to do this with the blending on paper technique would result in a bit of a mess.  You don't have to only use this technique with different colour families, you can also use it for example to have a deep green blend into a light green for the same wonderful effect!!

Today I'm using this sweet CC Designs Image with Copics Y21 and YG11.  These are two easy colours to use for this technique and if you are struggling with colours while feathering, try picking two lighter colours that end in the same number - in this case they both end in a 1.

To get the best result with your feathering is to use the SIDE of your brush, not the tip and to give a sideways flicking motion like the top image above.  The second one is the way you would normally do a tick (like you were marking an exam) --- this is NOT the way to feather.  Also notice that the flick gets lighter at the end as you lift the marker off the paper.

I've started by using the YG11 Marker and flicking up from the bottom of the dress.  Notice how far I have flicked up!  You will get a much better result if you feather about 2/3rds of the way into the image you wish to colour.  The biggest problem people have with this technique is that they stop in the middle - your colours won't blend properly if they stop in the middle!  Also notice that you are not seeing solid streaky lines because I have not used the tip of the brush!

Next do the same flicking motion using the Y21 marker in the opposite direction and notice that once again I am flicking approximately 2/3rds of the way through the dress.  Keep doing this in both the green and yellow until you get the look you want!

So now we've done two different colours, lets try using two colours from the same colour family.  I've added YG63 to my Rosalie's socks using the same feathering motion that I used on her dress.

Once again I've added the YG11, this time to the top of the socks, creating the feathered look using two quite different greens.  Just remember to feather 2/3rds of the way on the image you're colouring and to use the side of your brush, lifting at the end of the flicking motion and this will help you create a smooth feathering blend.  Have a try yourself and leave a comment with a link to your blog so we can see the creations you make using the Feathering Technique!!!!

Hugs
Kathy  :)