Created From Color

Whether you’re working on a landscape scene, a nature-themed coloring page, or a cute character standing in a field, knowing how to color grass can take your artwork from flat to fantastic.

In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to color grass using alcohol markers — with step-by-step guidance and some pro tips to make your greens pop with depth and realism.

What You’ll Need:

• Alcohol markers in at least 3 green shades (light, medium, and dark) I used Ohuhu but any brand of alcohol markers will work.
• Optional: A fine tip or brush nib for flicking strokes.
• Smooth marker paper or a coloring page
• White gel pen or any color acrylic paint pens.

The Details

Step #1: Choose Your Color Palette. Pick 3 alcohol markers in a green range. You’ll want a light, mid, and dark tone to build depth.

Example combo:

• Light Green: G240 (light tone)
• Mid-Tone: G260 (mid tone)
• Dark Green: G270 (Dark tone)

Tip: Try swatching first to see how your greens layer together.

Step #2: Apply your base color.
Using your lightest green, color the area where the base of your grass will be. If you want the grass to blend into the mid tone, work quickly and do not let this layer dry before moving to the next step.

Step #3: Step 3: Add Your Mid-Tone.

Take your mid-tone green and fill in the areas where you want the grass to look thicker. Leaving some of those lighter base strokes still peeking through.

This adds depth and starts building the layered effect.

Step #4: Introduce the Dark Green.

Use your darkest green sparingly to add shadows and dimension, especially near the base or behind characters/objects.

Fill this color in with less pressure, and don’t cover too much of your previous layers — think of this as your “shadow” tone.

Tip: You can also add this dark tone beneath tree trunks, rocks, or feet to ground your scene.

Step #5: Create the grass blades

Starting with your lightest green, create flicking strokes from the bottom up. These strokes should be light, quick, and tapered at the top.

This creates the illusion of blades of grass and gives it movement. Repeat this step with your two remaining colors. Making sure to leave some of the base areas uncovered, unless you want fuller looking grass.

✍️ Pro Tip: Vary your stroke lengths and angles slightly — natural grass isn’t uniform!

Step #6: Add Floral Details (Optional)

Use any color gel pen or acrylic paint pen to add floral details if you wish.

Bonus Tips for Beautiful Grass

• Don’t overblend! Too much blending can turn your grassy texture into a green blob. Let those flicks show!
• Try different greens for different moods — cool greens for shady forests, warm greens for sunny fields.
• Use your wrist when flicking, not your whole arm, for more control.
• Layer slowly — let each flick dry just a bit so the colors don’t overly bleed.

Ideas for Using This Technique:

• Under animals or characters
• In outdoor background scenes
• Around flower beds or tree bases
• In coloring books or handmade cards

Learning how to color grass with alcohol markers might seem tricky at first, but with a little practice and the right technique, you’ll start seeing your scenes come to life with natural texture and depth.

So grab those greens and start flicking — you’ve got this!

Want to learn how to color skies, fur, or flowers next? Drop your requests in the comments or check out my other tutorials!