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Hi, I am wondering if anyone else is having the problem I am having with Copics.
Here is my marker history:
I have some Design markers which are about 13 years old and no longer made, but still juicy. They smell horrible and very strong but are alcohol based and blendable. They were very expensive in their day.
I found out about Copics and Touch markers here on SCS and bought about 5 Caios and 5 Touch markers.
The Touch markers were on clearance at Dick blick and worked great so I ordered more of them and now they are my main marker. I also ordered Canson Fanboy card stock which is made for markers.
I noticed with my Chrome green and orange copics and another green Copic that the ink had white splotches when I colored. My Design markers also do this. I looked closely at my Touch markers and some of them do this faintly but no where as noticeable as with the Design and Copics.
I got a a few Dick Blick brand markers and they don't really do this either.
You can see what I am talking about very clearly in this photo - the brown to the far right E44 Clay Copic. You can also see it in the Design marker colors. Forums at Splitcoaststampers
Alcohol ink markers (all brands) will give different results on different papers. If this is an alcohol ink marker paper, it will NOT give you the same look or feel as cardstock.
It's hard to say by looking at your photo, but it could be the paper or it could be that you are not using enough ink to saturate the paper. Typically if you aren't using enough ink it will look streaky, not speckled like yours. I'm thinking it might be your paper.
Also... be sure to check and make sure you are using the correct side of the paper. Often with marker papers, there is a "right side" and a "wrong side".
I hope that is helpful.
__________________ Colleen Schaan - Education Specialist at Imagination International Inc.,/Copic Marker
Blog - Distinctive Touches;My Copic Books!
Gosh, I have no idea why your Copics are doing that. I have never had any problems with any color of my Copics being blotchy. I wonder if it could possibly be the paper you are using??? I am eager to see if anyone on SCS has an answer to your question. If you don't get any answers here I would try the Copic Marker web site customer service. I had a faulty marker and they were great to work with... replaced the marker at my convenience and super nice about it. I hope you get some answers to your question.
I considered it was the paper also and was looking at Copic's website but then found that the same thing is noticable with E43 (I have E44 and notice this in Chrome green also), click on the link below and check out the right side of the cube. I would think Copic uses their own papers for their website.
I thought about the paper also and was looking on Copic's website and E43 does the exact same thing - I would think Copic would use their own paper for thier website.
See it here, scroll down to the cube and the E43 does the same thing I am talking about. This is in their tips and techniques section. TIPS & TECHNIQUES | COPICMARKER.COM
I don't have a bunch of Copics and not all the colors I have does this. :( It is pretty common with my Design markers but they are old and I actually thought it might be caused by the nibs breaking down over the decade.
I haven't tried with a second layer because I just got this color E44 last week and haven't used it on anything yet. My Chrome Green and Orange do the same thing so I've been avoiding using them. My green and orange are Caios so I thought I might not be using the brush tip correctly and I needed a couple more $ to spend to get a discount from DickBlick.com so I bought 2 original Copics.
This doesn't seem to happen with my Dick Blick brand marker or my Touch markers to such an obvious degree.
I wonder if it is possible for Copic ink to seperate somehow.
BTW, the original thread duplicated somehow, I was hoping one would be deleted before it got any responses. Sorry about the dup!
I haven't had any problems with mine, but I do not have the colors you are talking about.
I use Neenah papers with my copics.
You should try to contact a Copic rep. or certified instructor, maybe they can help.
I did some tests last night using my Copics, 9 different papers, more and less ink to saturate the paper, as suggested above. Papers used: Beinfang smooth Bristol board, Copic Blending, Copic X-Press, Papertrey PTI medium, Gina K heavy, Neenah Classic 80, PTI 110, SU cs, Wausau Georgia Pacific.
Sadly, I'm more convinced that Copics have issues with their inks. I will be emailing Copic and if any one has suggestions or techniques regarding this, please let me know! I would like to like the Copics is have.
In my opinion, If Their inks are not consistent quality across the board where some markers work great, some don't and some people have mottling and others don't, then they are not worth the premium price I have paid.
I will be taking pictures of my tests and posting them on my blog, if anyone would like to see the results. At the very least, how the paper makes a difference is interesting and seeing which paper works better and which paper I would avoid.
Paper does contribute for sure, some papers are not compatable with Copics.
The other brand markers did not mottle/blotch like my Copics. To me, it looks like it is the way the alcohol evaporates off leaves the Copic ink puddled, causing the mottled effect.
But this happens more in some colors than others, I didn't test the black because it has worked fine for me in the past. My lipstick orange also was good enough on all samples that it didn't bother me.
Since this mottling (a better description for it) is shown on Copics own website (see link above) and I have read complaints about this on some mangna boards, I'm pretty sad the quality isn't on par with the price.
My opinion of Dick Blick and Touch markers has gone way up.
I am so glad that I have not had the problems that you have, jovian7........I own too many Copics and love them too much to give them up. I respectfully disagree with your comments about the quality--I've just not had the same experience as you at all. I always found my own issues in the beginning were paper, humidity, and operator error. I hope that you can figure this out with help of the Copic team.
Have you contacted Copic about your problems with the markers you have? I, too would be pretty upset if I bought a bunch of their markers and they mottled on all different kinds of papers like that. I would contact them straight away to complain.
Fortunately, I haven't had that problem at all, and I guess not too many other people have either which is probably why you haven't gotten too many responses to your post.
Did you buy your Copics in one place or several different stores?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jovian7
I did some tests last night using my Copics, 9 different papers, more and less ink to saturate the paper, as suggested above. Papers used: Beinfang smooth Bristol board, Copic Blending, Copic X-Press, Papertrey PTI medium, Gina K heavy, Neenah Classic 80, PTI 110, SU cs, Wausau Georgia Pacific.
Sadly, I'm more convinced that Copics have issues with their inks. I will be emailing Copic and if any one has suggestions or techniques regarding this, please let me know! I would like to like the Copics is have.
In my opinion, If Their inks are not consistent quality across the board where some markers work great, some don't and some people have mottling and others don't, then they are not worth the premium price I have paid.
I will be taking pictures of my tests and posting them on my blog, if anyone would like to see the results. At the very least, how the paper makes a difference is interesting and seeing which paper works better and which paper I would avoid.
Paper does contribute for sure, some papers are not compatable with Copics.
The other brand markers did not mottle/blotch like my Copics. To me, it looks like it is the way the alcohol evaporates off leaves the Copic ink puddled, causing the mottled effect.
But this happens more in some colors than others, I didn't test the black because it has worked fine for me in the past. My lipstick orange also was good enough on all samples that it didn't bother me.
Since this mottling (a better description for it) is shown on Copics own website (see link above) and I have read complaints about this on some mangna boards, I'm pretty sad the quality isn't on par with the price.
My opinion of Dick Blick and Touch markers has gone way up.
That's fine if you disagree, Nayttap. I'm not asking anyone to give up their markers or to agree with me and I am super glad you havent had the same problem becaue it is frustrating and not a fun problem to have. I don't just do cards, I do more artwork than card making and it is not fun to have a drawing look awesome and then find mottling when the ink has dried. I don't want to give up my Copics either, I paid good money for them.
This is nothing personal, but I have expected to get some smacks from people, which I think is just silly, like no one is allowed to question quality or dislike Copics (or any other popular brand) and are fearful to voice it due to fear of getting smacks. Anyway, people are loyal to their favorites, which is just fine.
But it is a fact I am having trouble with some of my Copics. Not just one Copic but not all my Copics either. It is a fact that some of them are mottled. I have used many different papers. It is very frustrating.
Look at it or don't, agree with it or not. The fact is this is my true life experience with my markers, how they work in my enviorment and how I use them.
My blog is a personal blog, not a scrapbooking blog so I'm not trying to lure anyone to my blog or sell them anything or have a hop or whatever. But I did find some interesting things which might interest people and you can see which papers work better with Copics and which don't.
You might be on to something with the humidity, though. When I think of humidity, I think of too much moisture in the air, rather than not enough moisure. I live in Alaska which is semi-arid and very dry. I run a humidifier 24 hrs a day.
While watching the Copics in question inks dry, I was sort of leaning towards cause being the alcohol pooling up and when it evaporated it would leave less pigment in those areas. I am guessing that alcohol might evaporate off faster in a dry climate than in a humid climate. So maybe the alcohol is evaporating at different rates and is leaving a mottled look.
Yes...I sat there and watched ink dry...at least it was faster than watching paint dry, haha!
Ahhh, I'm tired of thinking about it and just want them to work.
The only reason I was wondering if you bought them in the same place is because it could be that a certain batch of Copics were 'off'. There might've been a production problem that got past quality control somehow. It happens all the time with so many different products, that's what it sounds like to me. I would think Copic would send you new markers, no problem. Don't give up on Copic yet, let them have a chance to look into your unique issue.
Keep us posted!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jovian7
Hi Katerina, I am emailing Copic. I just can't imagine I am the only person who has EVER experienced this problem, haha. That would be something, huh?
I have gotten all my Copics through Dick Blick. com.
Michelle, you might be interested in this YouTube link, which mentions a similar "blotchy" issue near the end of the video, YouTube - First Impression - White Cardstock Comparison . Also, some of the 10 comments on that video discuss it.
I am going to forward this thread and your questions to Marianne Walker. She is the Product Specialist for Copic and whenever there is something that I can't answer as a Regional Instructor, I contact her. I'm sure she will be able to explain what you are seeing.
__________________ Colleen Schaan - Education Specialist at Imagination International Inc.,/Copic Marker
Blog - Distinctive Touches;My Copic Books!
Thank you, ladies! I appreciate the help. I have been commissioned to do the cover of a book and a custom tattoo design (yes..haha). I would like to use my markers but will switch to graphite and colored pencils if I can't get this resolved.
The splotchiness you see is because paper is made out of fibers from trees, which, depending on the milling, absorb ink differently.
Each marker brand reacts differently with the fibers of each paper brand. It also depends on the density of the dye particles for specific colors- so darker colors may not absorb in the same manner as light colors.
When magnified, yes, it is easy to see grain from the markers/paper. It is a known issue, but it is also a matter of the nature of the medium.
Colored pencils look a certain way, watercolors look a certain way, water-based markers look one way, and Copics look another. Whichever medium you choose to work with is up to you. If the results are not acceptable with one medium, then it is a personal choice.
Sadly, it is very obvious when it is not magnified, such as on my color swatch, which can be seen in my first post. With my eyesite (when I have my glasses on - hehe) it is obvious to at least 5 ft away. And then once I became aware of it, I can see it even if it is not next to a color which doesn't do it.
I can send you the swatches if you like so you can see what is happening clearly and you can see the back of the papers and the saturation levels and that it is obvious without magnification and at a distance. It's actually harder to see in the photos than it is in person.
I was really hoping it was just these individual markers and not a known problem.
Yes, you are correct about results being acceptable or not is a personal choice. But at least through this I have found 2 papers which give my perception of acceptable smooth ink coverage which mixes well with the other Copics and marker brands that I use (Papertrey PTI medium and Bienfang smooth bristol board)
But a final stab at hoping it's just my markers...I live in Alaska and the temperatures were below zero when I received the markers. I check the mail daily but if these were at below zero temps for a few hours, is it possible that the cold could have effected them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilikemarkers
The splotchiness you see is because paper is made out of fibers from trees, which, depending on the milling, absorb ink differently.
Each marker brand reacts differently with the fibers of each paper brand. It also depends on the density of the dye particles for specific colors- so darker colors may not absorb in the same manner as light colors.
When magnified, yes, it is easy to see grain from the markers/paper. It is a known issue, but it is also a matter of the nature of the medium.
Colored pencils look a certain way, watercolors look a certain way, water-based markers look one way, and Copics look another. Whichever medium you choose to work with is up to you. If the results are not acceptable with one medium, then it is a personal choice.
Now you really have my attention. I was worried about my Copics being left in my hot or cold car or mailbox, so I went to Copics website awhile back and found this question and answer.
Q: Will it hurt my markers if they get too hot or too cold?
No. If you leave them in your car during a snowstorm or in the middle of a heatwave they will not suffer. Copic markers have completely air-tight caps
I have been taking my Copics in from my vehicle when I travel with them this winter. Today the high temperatures where I live will not get above 0. So that makes me worry about the markers when I place an order and have them shipped to me, because they are bound to be in freezing temperatures as they travel. I really hope to get some accurate information on this subject because I don't wish to have markers perform poorly simply because they were mailed at the wrong time of the year.
OK, I heard back from the manufacturer. There is a physical difference between the drying agents of the Copics and the other marker brands listed. It has nothing to do with the markers left in the cold.
Copics have a faster drying time than Blick, Touch etc. This was desirable because it meant that they could produce crisper lines and a more vibrant color-range, less streaking, and low odor.
The slower drying markers absorb into the paper a little differently. So the manufacturer consciously chose that more vibrant colors and crisper lines were a good trade for seeing the fibers a bit more.
So, no worries about temperature. We had a store in Toronto who had one of her kids leave a ciao marker in their backyard all winter long. Once the snow melted and they found the marker it was just fine, as vibrant as ever. Ethanol (which the markers are based on) has a freezing point of about -90�.
Splotchy Copics
