Coloring Tutorials // Hardcore Basics // Bleedthrough Basics

November 3, 2025 by Ajey

In this tutorial we’re going to be learning why our markers bleed, how to control it and how to use it to your advantage.

Part 1: Umm can you just not do that?!?

So alcohol markers actually work by pushing dye suspended in isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol evaporates fast and that’s why we have to be mindful of time constraints. 

Things that will just make it worse
Paper Weight
Coating
Saturation & Layering
Hand Pressure
Color Intensity 		Thin Paper saturates quickly.
Slow absorption, helps blend but you always risk pooling.
Repeated passes soak all paper fibers completely.
Heavy hand pressure pushes ink deeper.
Darker ink will travel further.

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Coloring Tutorials // Hardcore Basics // Swatching 101

November 2, 2025 by Ajey

Just going over another necessary evil if you plan your art ahead of time to be cohesive. Swatching sets us up for success in the end.

Choose your weapons:

  • Alcohol markers — any brand will do. Use all the things.
  • Paper that is bleedproof or at least marker friendly. This should be the exact paper you will be using for your project.

Alright! Let’s get into it.

To preface swatching isn’t just to compare pretty colors when you first get your set of markers. It’s also very beneficial to make sure that your color palettes you use in your pieces are cohesive and don’t end up looking crazy. You have to think about all the factors that come into play. Our main factor is when it comes to coloring is the paper we use. Why else would there be a million options to choose from? Alcohol markers behave differently depending on the paper and the rate of absorption in the paper. We also have to consider how different marker brands use different undertones in their ink. Swatching takes away the uncertainty and builds a “color reference” for your brain and makes your blending a little more predictable.

TL;DR: Layer to deepen colors. Papers differ. Markers differ. Plan your project so your don’t **** it up with an impulse decision later.


Base Layer Fill

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Coloring Tutorials // Flat Coloring

June 21, 2025 by Ajey

Basic rundown of how to lay clean and even color with alcohol markers using simply layering. Don’t be a freak with streaks~

Choose your weapons:

  • Alcohol markers — any brand will do. Use all the things.
  • Paper that is bleedproof or at least marker friendly.
  • Lineart. (Yours or mine ;*)
  • Scrap sheet of paper that is the same as your lineart page.

    But why?: Because I said so. Trust me you’ll appreciate this step later. This page is our swatch page as well will help us be able to gauge how many layers we can put on our pages before we overwork the paper or bleed through our “canvas”. You also can use it to practice effects, etc.

Into the thick of it

Step 1: Choose your colors.

Pick your colorscheme for your project. You will want a light/medium/dark combo for each color family typically. I personally enjoy a smaller palette so I ain’t doing all that. I’m using 5 main colors — scheme can be found here.

Tiny Tangent: When I say I use a colorscheme I do not include my neutrals into these. Neutrals in my brain are basic colors such as all eye, hair, skin, varieties unless it’s not natural then i make it a focal point. Control your audience. Make sure your art interests you and chances are it will interest someone else too because hey. You’re fucking cool.


Book Used ♥ Markers Used: Ohuhu Art Markers.

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Lore // Unpolished and unkempt

February 6, 2025 by Ajey

🖤 Welcome to Artopsy

I’ve been writing and rewriting this intro, trying to make it sound like I know exactly what I want to say — but let me be real with you:
I just want to make shit that makes people happy.

Artopsy is a space where I share the things I create — not just for the sake of art, but so you can take those things and make something of your own. That’s always been the root of it. This started as Myspace layouts and Tumblr themes, then evolved into downloadable resources for programs like Photoshop and Illustrator.

My sites have changed. My focus has shifted. But that urge to grow, share, and create together? That’s still very much alive.

We’ve been through a lot of stages. And now?
The duchess is dead. Welcome to her Artopsy.

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