Is X-Press It Blending Card a good paper for Copic and other alcohol markers? Pro illustrator Amy Shulke shares tips and observations for marker artists and hobby colorists.

After over a decade of pure coloring joy, my favorite marker paper was discontinued.

Now I’m shopping for a new best paper for alcohol markers.

This paper search isn’t just for me— between my online classes, monthly challenge groups, and my YouTube channel, I teach thousands of students every year how to color with Copic Markers.

Now I’ve purchased 40+ brands and styles of paper, searching desperately for a replacement.

Here are my test results for X-Press It Blending Card.

IS X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD GOOD FOR COPIC MARKERS?

In today’s video, art instructor and professional illustrator Amy Shulke tests X-Press It Blending Card to evaluate:

What is Blending Card?
Why is this paper so expensive? Is it worth the price?
How well do Copic Markers blend on X-Press It?
Is X-Press It a good paper for beginners? Is it good for artists?
Plus, Amy uses chemistry to prove why commonly recommended X-Press It “dupes” are absolutely NOT good substitutes for XPI.

Demonstration: Coloring a realistic, juicy orange slice.

Amy provides an eye-opening look at popular brands of paper. You'll never look at marker paper the same way again.

Click below to begin video OR watch at YouTube here.

X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD: FACTS & SPECIFICATIONS

X-Press It Blending Card, 8.5 x 11 inches, Pack of 25 Sheets (XPBC25) Buy on Amazon

WEIGHT: 250 gsm. / 92 lb.
COLOR: Cool White (looks bluish in comparison to standard white)
BACK/FRONT: color on either side
BLENDABILITY: A self-blending paper. Makes blending extremely easy.
FINISH: Hot press with a secondary polish. Almost no tooth, feels very slick and almost glassy.
SIZING: We suspect there’s a light sizing spray.
LONGEVITY: Acid free and archival
COMPOSITION: Cotton fiber blended with high levels of calcium carbonate
FEATHERING: No feathering
ABSORBENCY: Not thirsty, ink stays on the surface of the paper for several minutes before sinking into the fibers.
DRY TIME: Long open time— prolongs the dry time for alcohol ink
SATURATION POINT: 16 layers of Copic (bleeding-through to the paper below)
MIXED MEDIA: Not suitable for mixed media— Almost no tooth for colored pencils. Easily damaged by water.
AVAILABILITY: In the United States, only available as 8x5x11” loose sheets in packs of 25 or 125. Available in other sizes and formats in Australia. Order online as this is a rare find on store shelves.
LIMITATIONS: Difficult to purchase in some countries.
MADE IN: An Australian company. Manufactured in the EU but cut, packaged, and distributed from Melbourne, Australia.

HOW TO TEST PAPER FOR ALCOHOL MARKER COMPATIBLITY:

The most common paper testing videos on YouTube are worthless. Someone draws a box, then blends inside the box with a random combination of markers.

This is NOT how to test paper for alcohol marker compatibility! Learn how to test and what to look for with Amy from MarkerNovice.com — *YouTube style marker testing tells you nothing about the paper. On the other hand, it reveals a lot about the inexperienced person doing the testing.*

Here’s the problem:

They often butt the colors next to each other, then use several markers to scrub the connection points to “see if they blend”.
Then they draw a circle and attempt to shade it into a sphere, often using incredibly bad blending combinations which would challenge even the professionas. They over-ink the paper, scrub, and work the blending zones to death.

Now ask yourself: Who blends like this? Nobody.

Paper testing should mimic real-world coloring situations.

Test with a blending combination you’re very comfortable with.
Use the same blend for EVERY test so you can compare results!
Color a stamp or shape you know well.
Your tests should match the size you normally color.

If a test-paper makes you work harder or if it looks bad with your NORMAL coloring techniques— don’t give it extra ink or try to help the paper pass the test.

Good paper will easily pass the test without help.

Don’t waste time and money coloring on paper that requires help.

TEST RESULTS & OBSERVATIONS FOR X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD

Here’s what I learned about this commonly misunderstood paper

See the video for more in-depth observations and details.

X-Press It Blending Card is probably the most expensive marker paper on the market. At first glance, many people are put-off by the price. Our look at the ingredients and the manufacturing process helps to explain the expense. The benefits may make it worth the price.
XPI accepts stamp ink and dries quickly. Please use Copic compatible ink (Amazon link) because no paper can make an incompatible ink safe for use with Copics.
Easily feeds through a standard office printer.
Press very lightly when drawing on XPI with pencil. It is easy to damage the surface of XPI with firm pressure.
XPI is easily damaged by water. Do not use water-based markers. Do not eat or drink near your project. Try not to sneeze near it! (Not kidding)
XPI does not feather or wick color outside the lines.
Alcohol inks are visible on the backside but in years of use, I’ve almost never experienced any bleed-through… and in those cases, I was being stupid.
Strathmore Bristol tolerates more layers of ink than most papers I’ve tried.

8. XPI has almost no tooth and is not an easy surface for colored pencil. For best results, use soft and waxy pencils and don’t expect more than 2 layers.

9. XPI is a slow drying paper. This long “open time” instantly improves the look of even beginner blending.

10. XPI is ideal for beginners. I highly recommend this paper for learning and it’s mandatory in all my beginner classes.

11. Slightly blotch blends on XPI will often fix themselves overnight. I call this the Copic Fairy effect and I teach students how to encourage fairy results.

12. Bristol has a blue-white color and may not be suitable for card makers or paper crafters. It clashes with white cardstock and many patterned papers.

X-Press It Blending Card, 8.5 x 11 inches, Pack of 25 Sheets (XPBC25) Buy on Amazon

ARTIST RECOMMENDATIONS:

BEGINNERS: Yes, I highly recommend X-Press It Blending Card for beginners or anyone uncertain about good blending technique. The smoothness and ease of blending on XPI encourage the development of excellent marker technique.
HOBBY/STAMP/COLORISTS: I recommend X-Press It Blending Card for every level of coloring; but remember, price is an issue. Evaluate whether your coloring style truly needs a high performance paper.
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED COLORING: Highly recommend for skilled colorists, realistic marker painting, marker sketching, and anyone who draws/colors with alcohol marker only.
MIXED MEDIA: Recommend with caution. XPI accepts light amounts of colored pencil but do not expect many layers. Do not use watercolor or water-based products.