R37 Carmine is a slightly cool red Copic Marker reminiscent of Alizarin Crimson watercolor. This vibrant marker color is useful for coloring realistic red objects, Christmas images, and food illustration. R37 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.
R37 Carmine
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
Temperature: A slightly cool red.
Resemblance: Alizarin Crimson watercolor.
Actual Value: N7
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: Slightly dark. The plastic on a Sketch cap matches 3 coats of R37.
Buildup: R37 is has a large amount of colorant but can be layered with caution.
Shattering: Does not shatter at all.
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: R37 stains but not nearly as bad as warmer reds.
Lift: No red lifts very well but you can lighten R37 a bit.
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: We did not see any fade during the 3 week test period.
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: R37 is a slight dilution of R39. At the opposite end, R30 is the highly diluted version but the lower end of the family skews a bit warmer.
Family Members: R39, R37, R35, R32, R30.
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 slightly greenish Turquoise like BG13
Underpaint: We suggest B45
This is simply one suggestion. Many possible colors exist. Test to find a color that pleases you.
Pushing Pencil: Prismacolor 931 Dark Purple 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 R37:
Vanilla Arts Digi Stamps using R37:
Color palettes and swatches using R37:
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.
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