Today I'm looking at the little miracle that is the Copic Colourless Blender.  In spite of the name, the Colourless Blender isn't really used for blending, instead think of it as your magic wand!  It can fix mistakes, create patterns and texture and add highlights to your colouring.  Today I'm looking at the most common uses for your Colourless Blender.

To try out the following techniques you will need:

• Copic Colourless Blender marker
• Copic Various Ink - Blending Fluid
• Mini Mister
• Assortment of Copic Markers
• Variety of textured material (hessian, lace, velvet, denim etc)

Fixing Mistakes

The Colourless Blender is made to correct mistakes, it contains an alcohol-based fluid that with careful application will fade and in most cases completely remove small areas of Copic Ink, though strong colours are notoriously difficult to completely erase.  To test different colours, create a dark area of colour (this circle is YG09), colour outside your lines on purpose - then using the chisel nib of your Copic Colourless Blender 'push' the ink back towards the line.  Apply one layer of blending ink and wait for it to dry, before applying more layers. This way you can see the colour fading and only apply as much blender as needed.

  There are about 5 layers of Copic Colourless Blender applied to this area, you can see it's almost gone.  It doesn't usually take this many layers of blender, but I may have coloured a bit enthusiastically, gone over he area more than once and created a large patch of colour - oh well, I sure gave it a good test!

Creating Dots

All you need to create a fantastic spotted pattern is the brush tip of your Colourless Blender.  Colour your image, this circle is coloured with R37 - then press and hold the brush nib for about 2 seconds on the coloured surface.  For more pronounced dots either hold for a longer period, or go back over previously created dots.  Don't worry squashing your brush nib into the paper won't hurt it - the nibs are very resilient.

Creating Bricks

To create a brick pattern all you need is the chisel end of your Colourless Blender. Colour your image, this circle is coloured with BG49 - then press and hold the chisel nib for about 2 seconds flat on the coloured surface, repeat to create a brick pattern. For a more pronounced pattern either hold for a longer period, or go back over previously created marks.  This works best on darker colours, so that the pattern really stands out.

Creating Fur

To create the texture of fur use a washcloth or a piece of velvet.  Colour your image, this circle is coloured with E59, add some of the Colourless Blender to a mini misting bottle and spray onto the fabric.  The material should be damp - not wet, which is why I prefer to spray the fluid onto the fabric, it's easier o control how wet it gets.  Press the material to your coloured image.  You should notice the pattern appearing almost instantly.  If you have missed any areas or want a more pronounced pattern - repeat the above process.

Create Clothing Texture

To create fabulous clothing textures a piece of hessian, denim or lace is perfect.  

To create this pattern colour the image using BV08.  Spritz a piece of hessian with Colourless Blending Fluid and press the damp material onto your coloured image - this works best in small areas.  

To create this finer material pattern colour your image using RV09, then spritz a piece of denim with the Colourless Blending Fluid, then press the damp denim onto the coloured shape.  The denim used was quite fine (like on a denim shirt)  if a thicker denim had been used, like jeans denim, then the pattern may have been more pronounced.  Either way makes a cool pattern.

To create this lace pattern, colour the image with YG09, then spritz lace with Copic Colourless Blending Fluid - press the lace onto your coloured image and hold for a few seconds, be careful not to wiggle or move the lace or your pattern will be blurred.

Highlights

To create a highlight, colour image using Y35 then using the brush nib of the Copic Colorless Blender over the coloured area to draw your highlight.  Add one layer of Colourless Blender at a time and allow it to dry before adding the next layer, so you can see the actual amount of colour removal.  You may need to go over the area 3 or 4 times to achieve the level of bleaching that you want.   

I hope this gives you a few more ideas about how to use your Copic Colourless Blender, it really is one of the most versatile tools you have in your Copic marker collection.