R20 Blush is a pale red Copic Marker which mimics highly diluted Cadmium Red watercolor. We recommend the R-Twenty family for beginners as they provide a range of Red to pink. R20 is available in Copic Sketch, Ciao, and Classic marker styles.
Every Copic Marker has unique characteristics based on its unique ink formula.
Knowing how a color behaves will help you blend effectively and make art with confidence.
R20 Blush
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
Temperature: A warm pale red.
Resemblance: highly diluted Cadmium Red watercolor.
Actual Value: N2 (notice this is darker than the 0 value indicated on the marker cap)
All Copics are measured on a Neutral Gray value scale. The last number on the cap is supposed to indicate value but we’ve found discrepancies where the actual ink value is different than cap designation.
Cap Accuracy: The plastic on an R2o Sketch marker looks exactly like 1 coat of R20 ink.
Buildup: R20 layers well and reaches maximum value at 4 coats
Shattering: Does not shatter.
Chromatography testing shows this ink’s behavior when it comes in contact with #0 Colorless Blender (solvent). High shattering colors may leak unexpected color when you make corrections or attempt to blend with any color that has a high solvent to colorant ratio. Shattering is not bad, it’s just something to be aware of.
Staining: R20 definitely stains the paper. Note that staining is a characteristic of red ink, so even a light color can still stain.
Lift: This is a stubborn color which can be lightened but not totally lifted.
See staining swatch. Sample was given 6 stripes of #0 Colorless Blender, drying between each stripe. Results indicate how much lifting you can expect.
Lightfast: The sample faded about 10% during testing.
Samples were swatched on X-Press It Blending Card. 1 layer of ink was exposed to windowsill sunlight for 21 days. Approximately 10 hours of sun per day based on weather conditions. Note: we do not recommend displaying original Copic art under these conditions.
Natural Ink Family: R20 is the light end of the R-Twenty family. The R-Twenties are the most popular reds Copic makes and its light reds are often substituted for pink (even though they’re light red, not pink).
Family Members: R20, R22, R24, R27, R29.
We include this information because many Copic users never think deeper than the letter groupings (R, BV, G, etc.). Every ink has its own temperature variations and underlying flavors. Understanding what an ink looks like in its different dilutions helps when creating your own blending combinations.
Complement: A medium greenish blue like BG32
Underpaint: We suggest B00
This is simply one suggestion. Many possible colors exist. Test to find a color that pleases you.
Pushing Pencil: Prismacolor 1026 Greyed Lavender is a reliable choice.
VanillaArts.com (our sister site) teaches a Push & Pull technique for dimensional coloring. This is simply one suggestion. Many possible colors exist. Test to find a color that pleases you.
Vanilla Arts Classes using R20:
Celebration Cupcake: Soft fluffy frosting and tasty cake, perfect for any birthday celebration. Color gentle waves of frosting & crisply folded pleats. You can use this technique on skirts, shirts, curtains, anything with folds! Find more info here.
Jellybeans: Learn about the importance of coloring “form” accurately for realism. Find more info here.
Tree Frog: Learn to use Amy’s Rebel Blends concept for realism. Find more info here.
Vanilla Arts Digi Stamps using red:
Color palettes and swatches using R20:
Visit our archives for more great ways to use R20 Blush Copic Marker.
Looking for beautiful color palettes?
We absolutely love The Color Catalog 1 & 2 from Sarah Renae Clark. It puts hundreds of Copic friendly color palettes at your fingertips.
(note: affiliate link)
