I just finished my newest wildlife drawing: a sea turtle swimming through a colourful coral reef, surrounded by deep blue water.

This drawing was a bit of an experiment for me, because it is the first artwork I've created primarily with Copic markers. I've worked mostly with coloured pencils for many years, so using markers for such a detailed piece was definitely stepping into unfamiliar territory!

I started with the turtle itself, building up the colours, shadows and textures with Copics and adding some of the smallest details with coloured pencils. I was amazed by how quickly I could build up rich colours with the markers while still achieving the level of realism I love.

The coral reef was probably the biggest challenge. There are so many different colours, shapes and textures, and I wanted it to have plenty of detail without competing with the turtle. It took some experimenting to figure out how to create all those irregular underwater textures with markers, but little by little the reef started coming to life.

The water brought another challenge. I wanted that beautiful, luminous blue you see in clear tropical water, along with the softer turquoise colours closer to the reef. In the end, I found that combining Copic markers with Polychromos coloured pencils worked beautifully. The markers created the foundation, while the pencils allowed me to fine-tune the colours and transitions. I even discovered that going over some of the coloured pencil with a Copic colourless blender created a wonderfully luminous effect.

Finally came the sunlight filtering through the water. I kept the beams soft and subtle so they would feel as though they were actually travelling through the water rather than simply sitting on top of the background.

This drawing taught me a lot. What began as an experiment with a relatively new medium turned into a technique I definitely want to explore further. Combining Copic markers with coloured pencils allows me to work faster than coloured pencil alone, while still giving me the control and fine detail that are so important in my work.

I'm really happy with how this sea turtle came together, and I hope it gives you a little feeling of being underwater with him, quietly swimming above a colourful coral reef.

Limited edition prints of my Sea Turtle are now available, in two sizes, for anyone who would like to bring a little piece of the underwater world home.