So i'm starting this so that anyone that's using a marker of any kind to color can comment, question and hopefully get answers for help.

That being said, any of you that have Copics, I'm hearing a lot about them smelling badly, i have about 140 or so.. and none of them smell bad. O_o I'm kinda wondering am i just lucky, or are they going to start to stink.

I got copics more b/c Prisma color smelled too bad for me to want to work with them. so i shelled out more for them so i could avoid this.

I'm too cheap for copics. I use sharpie highlighters in an assortment of 10 vivid colors! xD

I have Prismas, but never use them. They destroy any and all paper I work on them with. However, when I DO use markers, I tend to lean towards Crayolas.

But overall I just fail at Markers as a medium. *sad panda*

Honestly, Terri, if you use any kind of higher quality markers they're going to destroy any basic paper you use (like computer & tracing paper). The best thing if you DO want to use your Prisma (or copics in some cases) is to invest in marker or multi-use paper. It's a bit expensive, but it's worth it for the quality of your drawings.


On topic, though, I own both Copic and Prima. I own a 10 set for Copics and a 120 set for Prisma. The only reason I stick to Prisma is because they're ideal for the cel shading technique I like to use. But I'm thinking of investing in a skin-tone set of Copics, too.

>_> I use cardstock with anything that isn't pencil. So outside of using illustration board, thats as good as it gets. And prisma's still ruin it.

Yeah...both Copics & Prisma are cruel to cardstock. Honestly, the only thing good for cardstock are Crayola, RoseArt, or Sharpie...sadly, because it's such a promising paper (I used to use it a lot, too).

Terri-tots wrote:
I have Prismas, but never use them. They destroy any and all paper I work on them with. However, when I DO use markers, I tend to lean towards Crayolas.

But overall I just fail at Markers as a medium. *sad panda* Bristol paper, is about $5 - 7.00 depending on where you find it, is fantastic for prisma or copic. I have only like 3 prisma and i have no issues on Bristol. I think it's b/c card-stock doesn't have a gloss finish on it at all usually, while Bristol has the smallest bit of a glossy finish.

Not so expensive thin, and/or as shiny as marker paper, but it works well and allows for blending and coloring much better then a dryer paper type.

I have about 200+ Prisma markers and maybe about 10 Copic. I haven't bought markers in awhile lol

I do most of my work in either Marker - preliminary work, "fun art", comic pages, etc. I'm an art student in college and I use a lot of markers during class assignments and such.

When I'm working in markers, Bristol is the preferred/recommended paper material. However, Marker will still bleed through Bristol. Not as badly as Tracing paper or printer paper, but it still happens. Companies like Strathmore and Canson have decent quality Bristol paper. If you're working in Markers, you also want to use "Smooth Bristol", not "Vellum Bristol." (Vellum is better if you're working in graphite.)

However, one thing you should be warned about Markers is that they are not very "Light fast". Meaning, over time, the colors will fade. So keep them in a portfolio and out of direct light - be it sunlight or overhead light.

I have the complete set of Prismacolor markers as well as an ever-growing collection of Copics. I use them mainly on bristol board and a paper made by Borden & Riley that I think is called Paris Bleedproof Paper for Pens. I tried using actual "marker paper" but I didn't like how the markers behaved when I used it.

I've found that the Prismas smell MUCH more than the Copics and MUST be used in a well ventilated space. Trust me.

I'm still pretty new to using the Copics, but I've fond that for the most part they're a lot easier to use, though one of the ones I have actually sort of leaks ink out of the tip and I have to be super careful when I'm using it.

For detailing, the thin tip of the Prismas is better than that of the Copics, and as far as the really vibrant, neon shades go I think the Prismas have the Copics beat rather soundly.

Copics are more forgiving though and blend like a dream; something that the Prismas are AWFUL at doing.

Um... My markers are an assortment of whatever I have over the years. I actually just went through a box full of different art tools. I tossed out the no longer working and made sure what still worked had a lid. @.@ I've never really bought any specific ones like those. But! This thread has given me insight. I can't use anything with too much scent, or I begin to suffocate. (Really bad allergies.) Sooo, thanks for having this thread, r0o. This is really good future reference!Especially everyone's telling about what they are good and bad for etc.

R.M. Avalon wrote:
though one of the ones I have actually sort of leaks ink out of the tip and I have to be super careful when I'm using it.

For detailing, the thin tip of the Prismas is better than that of the Copics, and as far as the really vibrant, neon shades go I think the Prismas have the Copics beat rather soundly.

@Bleeding copics. One of the only down sides i find to my copics is Bleeding, BUT that's easy to solve! You actually need to flip your copics, more then likely you have yours standing up in a vertical of some sort, all the ink runs towards oneside, and then bleeds when you use it. that is annoying! the easy fix to this? simply flip it upside down for a bit and let it level out, or lay it flat. I actually have mine in a box ^^ as seen at the top of the thread, thankfully i can simply flip the whole box over on its side or upsidedown, which i do about monthly, so i dont have too many issues with this anymore.

@ Tips, Copics actually come in a wide variety of styles:

'copic'

'sketch'
see side:
'ciao'
Which while they look like sketch are smaller:
and 'wide'


You just have to find the one that works best for you. I personally find i like Sketch best for their brush feature, i haven't found anyplace that sells Ciao near me ever so i've never tried them but i do have 2 'wide' one is black and the other is a colorless blender, i find so far that's all i've ever needed.