Copic markers are popularly used by thousands of modern artists who work with traditional mediums. As a choice medium of many popular viral artists, it is likely that you have seen a video of your favorite artists using them online. The reason that it is not uncommon to see big name creative bloggers using them is due to the consistent high quality drawing experience that Copic brand markers provide illustrators time and time again. That is why even professional illustrators are even known to use them in their professional art, which is also why those who are just starting out are also drawn to using them for practice.
Is Cost a Factor?
Copic markers can be a bit expensive, so there is no reason why anyone would want to buy all of the Copic markers that can be purchased. That would be thousands of dollars when bought at the typical retail price. So, this is why it is important to only buy the types of markers you will need for now. It is much more natural for artists to purchase other supplies they need over a period of time, in order to not overwhelm themselves with the startup costs. There are four total types of Copic markers that you can choose from. Before deciding on which Copic Markers online that you want to buy, try to figure out what your needs are as an artist. What will help you in terms of cutting down costs is doing your research on the types of markers available and figuring out which ones you will end up needing to purchase.
Know Your Types
The four types of Copic markers currently available include the original Copic marker, Copic Sketch, Copic Wide, and Copic Ciao. The Copic Original is one of the most commonly used by artists. It comes with a double sided marker tip, so that you as an artist have a choice between a more finer tip or broader tip that can be flipped to during drawing. The Copic Ciao is very similar to the Copic Original, but is less expensive due to them being of a lesser quality. These may be perfect for newer artists who just want something kind of nice to practice with. While the double sided feature is nifty and can help with most basic drawings, there are certain projects that would be better suited to the other types of markers. That’s where something like the Copic Wide comes in. This marker more resembles the wide tipped highlighters and can cover a wider area when needed. Copic Sketch is also double sided, with a broad tip on one side and a brush styled tip on the other.
Blending Capabilities
Keep in mind that Copic markers tend to blend a lot better than other markers. That is why they are so highly sought after. Not only are their pigments able to be built up easily, but they are also forgiving when it comes to running the ink over one another. With that said, you may be able to get away with buying less colors than you think if you are willing to blend and experiment a bit in your art. You can come up with some really interesting effects experimenting this way, too.
Another reason why Copic markers are so expensive is due to the fact that you do not need to throw away the whole marker. Be aware of the fact that you will inevitably end up running out of ink. At this point, you do not need to buy another marker of the same color, which can be way more expensive. Instead, all you need to do is buy the right color replacement cartridge and replace it in your pen.
For Color Theorists
A good little tip for those who are researching different Copic marker colors is that the color family can be identified on the outer shell. Each marker will be color coded in a specific “color family” by the letters and numbers located inside the rounded circle on each marker. Knowing what these all mean can really help you when buying these markers online.
Colorless Blender
Be sure to buy a colorless blender along with any markers you get online. What this does is blend out your markers even more smoothly, which can lead to a cleaner and more professional looking gradient in your art. It is made from the same exact ink as the markers, only it is transparent in hue.