NEW TO COPIC MARKERS?
No matter what genre of marker art you’re interested in—
It all starts with the markers and that’s the confusing part!
Copic Markers are expensive!
Is there a way to save money in the beginning, maybe with an off-brand or by starting with just a few Copics?
That’s why Marker Novice is here; helping you understand the confusing maze of the marker world BEFORE you waste your money.
What’s the best paper for alcohol markers?
No matter which brand of marker you prefer,
Amy is testing popular papers to find the best match for you!
Are you tired of the non-stop marker ads and sponsored videos for inexpensive markers and marker supplies?
Amy gets angry about wasting money on Ohuhu’s Bleed-Proof Marker Pad and offers tips for dealing with deceptive videos and sponsored content.
What’s the best brand of paper for coloring and blending with alcohol markers?
Amy evaluates Ohuhu Bleed Proof Marker Pad, sharing how the paper reacts to Copic Markers. Learn the pros and the many, many, many cons.
What’s the best brand of paper for coloring and blending with alcohol markers?
Amy evaluates X-Press It Blending Card, sharing how the paper reacts to Copic Markers. Learn the pros, cons, and what makes this expensive paper truly unique .
What’s the best brand of paper for coloring and blending with alcohol markers?
Amy evaluates Strathmore Bristol 300 Smooth, sharing how the paper reacts to Copic Markers. Learn the pros and cons of this student grade Bristol Board.
What’s the best brand of paper for coloring and blending with alcohol markers?
Amy livestreams a survey of her vast paper collection, discussing the characteristics of good marker paper and how to test paper on your own.
Recent Articles:
Which Blue-Green Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which BG Copic Markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which aqua markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic BGs are versatile enough to color many different turquoise items?
Which blue-green blending combinations do we teach with?
Which BG markers do we use in our own work?
What is the point of a Copic Broad Chisel Nib?
The chisel nib is the most misunderstood and under-appreciated of all the marker nibs. And yet illustrators and professional artists all use them? Why?
Let’s look at what hobby colorers are missing when it comes to broad nibs…
Copic Marker Care and Maintenance
Copic Markers feature replaceable nibs because nibs do not last forever. For accurate coloring and easy blending, replace brush nibs when they show wear to insure juicy, springy, pointed nibs. In this article, we provide photos of worn nibs and offer tips plus the easy steps to install new Copic brush nibs.
Which Green and Yellow-Green Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which green and yellow-green markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic G and YGs are versatile enough to color many different green items?
Which green blending combinations do we teach with?
Which YG and G markers do we use in our own work?
Which Yellow Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which yellow markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which yellow markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic Ys are versatile enough to color many different yellow items?
Which yellow blending combinations do we teach with?
Which Y markers do we use in our own work?
Which Orange Copics are Best for Beginners?
We highly recommend Copic’s YR-Zero series orange markers for beginners and anyone building a small, versatile alcohol marker collection. YR09, YR07, YR04 are easy blending oranges which can be used for food, flowers, and holiday images…
Which Red Copics are Best for Beginners?
We highly recommend Copic’s R-Twenty red series for beginners and anyone building a small, versatile alcohol marker collection. R29, R27, R24, R22, and R20 are traditional reds which can be used for food, flowers, and holiday images. The lighter reds in this series can be used for pink objects.
Horizontal or Vertical Marker storage: Does it matter?
There are so many storage options for Copic Markers. When you’re ready to graduate from the free shoe box you’ve been using, you’ve got tons of options— everything from zipper craft bags to hard plastic locking boxes.
Some storage units stand the markers upright. Some store them laying down. But which option is healthiest for the markers?
I teach Copic Marker classes and work with a lot of beginners. A common question I hear from brand new students is:
“I’m new to Copic Markers. Is it okay to start with Ciao style markers or should I purchase the Copic Sketch?”
Many people say Ciao and Sketch markers are interchangeable. But as an art instructor, I disagree.
Let’s look at why.
Most people research a lot about markers before making that first purchase. And yet whenever I tell students in my Copic art classes that markers are not lightfast, a few people always gasp in complete shock.
Copic Markers fade? But they’re artist-grade markers!? This is not what I expected!
It’s true. All markers fade. Let’s look closer at why.
Beginners always want to know which markers are best for coloring— alcohol or water-based markers?
I teach with alcohol markers. I really, really love Copics.
But my marker coloring recommendations may surprise you.
“What’s the difference between Various Ink and Copic Refills?”
Sometimes people will say “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” and then snicker when you question something obvious to insiders.
Various versus Refill isn’t a stupid question! It’s an excellent question. For many years, people have been blogging and making videos using the terms interchangeably. Now for the first time in history, there’s an actual difference!
Some bottles of ink say “Copic Ink” and some bottles say “Various Ink”. Is there a difference?
Let’s look closer at what’s going on.
Learn to Blend like a professional
Do you struggle with basic Copic blending?
More stamp coloring classes will not help.
Let’s focus on The Blend
The Blend is a new 12 week beginner’s course by Amy Shulke, author and artist here at MarkerNovice.com
We test copic colors!
Which Copic Markers stain? Which colors fade faster than others? We put Copics under the microscope for you!
W0 Warm Gray No. 0
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
RV32 Shadow Pink
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
N10 Neutral Gray No. 10
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
E25 Caribe Cocoa
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
G19 Bright Parrot Green
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
RV25 Dog Rose Flower
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
N8 Neutral Gray No. 8
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
G09 Veronese Green
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
ready for more?
Join Marker Novice’s author and illustrator, Amy Shulke at her primary website, VanillaArts.com.
Amy has years of articles, tips, and mindset explorations designed to get you thinking deeper about how to use Copic Markers and colored pencils.
Explore the world of realistic coloring from the fine art perspective.