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I've seen several mentions of these as a low cost alternative to Copics. Do you have to use the Copic blender marker (is that the correct term?) on these to get the same effect as the fantastic look of Copics for blending, shading & highlights?
By the way, congrats to all of you out there for some fantastic samples - the coloring is wonderful!
Karen, I have a set of 36 Bics and also 24 Sharpies. They both tend to have very bright intense colors, so I have gotten some pale pastel Copics to go with them. I went to Hobby Lobby each week with my trusty coupons and got them one at a time, because I can't bear to spend so much money on a marker.
In the Copics I got pale blue, green, lavender, green, pink and tan.
My coloring method is not exactly like people describe for the Copics, and I don't use a blending pen. I just start off with the palest color, and then outline and shadow with the darker colors in the same shades.
I am happy with the results I get. I'm not a professional artist, don't want to be published, and send my cards to family and friends, who like them just fine.
Here are a couple of samples of my coloring with Bics and Copics:
I agree with Buggin - despite the pale shades of the cap colors, the Bic Mark-its have no, repeat NO pale colors. Even what should be soft and subtle come out BRIGHT. So, I have also purchased pale shaded markers. I have gotten mine from Dick Blick. I bought about 8 very pale colors @ $1.49 each. Especially I bought some soft skin tones. From my experience the blender pens just don't do much with the Bics.
I have a very large collection of the bic pens, and use them alot. But they would be almost useless without the extra pastel shades I bought from Dick Blick. But I figure I'm still ahead. But I won't use the alcohol pens unless I am coloring on a piece of cardstock for layering. They will bleed through the cardstock and show on the other side. But for layering.....they are perfect.
My very all time favorite though, are my colored pencils and odorless mineral spirits. The pencils are cheap (compared to Copics) and I can blend and blend away.
__________________ A good dog, a sewing machine, and an old guitar......
I am a dedicated subscriber of the Bics & Sharpies. Of course, my coloring is more comparable to a child than some of these Copic users (whos coloring is unbelieveably beautiful).
I don't use any kind of blender, I just layer colors, lightest to darkest. As for the issue of brightness, I use good ol' fashion Crayola. I have a 50 pack of the slim Crayola markers and that more than fills in my collection for "pale" and "pastel" colors. In addition, I use Crayola colored pencils, too...especially for skin tones because I like the control you get with the pencils (and I'm too cheap and broke for good pencils - lol).
Right now is a great time to buy any Crayola products, too!
(ETA: As Buggainok said, I don't attempt to publish any of my cards, I just give them away to friends and family and occasionally fill monthly orders for them so I don't mind the "unprofessionalism" of non-Copics or whatever.)
I forgot to add that there is one downfall to the Bics that I have not expierenced with the Sharpies. When I'm coloring an image that's been embossed, the Bics tend to dry out almost immediately if it gets onto the raised image at all.
I purchased two sets because I thought I might have got a bad batch but it's happening with the second ones, too. As long as I am careful about avoiding the embossed border and color in small circles, it's ok.
I use Bics also. I bought a couple of Copics for a pale pink and pale aqua color. You might also consider Prismacolor as well. They have some softer colors.
Here's a funny OT on coloring. I have a good friend who is not crafty at all. I send her lots of cards, which she loves. We had lunch recently and she happened to have my latest card with her from her mailbox on the way to lunch.
She was sweetly gushing about how she liked it, and said: "Oh my gosh, you actually colored all this? I thought the stamps came already colored in all those colors.":mrgreen:
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I have the bic's but I am hesitant to use them.. what about bleeding, I have heard that some people emboss before they color with the bics.. do I need to emboss so they will not bleed??
I have the bic's but I am hesitant to use them.. what about bleeding, I have heard that some people emboss before they color with the bics.. do I need to emboss so they will not bleed??
I never emboss. I use Versafine Onyx pigment ink and be sure it is completely dry, which just takes a minute or two.
I am a pretty careful colorer, though. I don't run over the lines at all, just right up to them. I think if you color over the lines it will bleed a little. I guess that's why people emboss. I think the same thing happens with the Copics, as they are alcohol based, too.
I would suggest that you stamp some images and practice and see how it looks.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I have the bic's but I am hesitant to use them.. what about bleeding, I have heard that some people emboss before they color with the bics.. do I need to emboss so they will not bleed??
I always emboss. Then again, I always emboss everything - even if I'm not coloring. I just like how it looks and adds dimension.
I have the 40 count set of Bic and I too have filled in some spots with the DicK Blick markers...perfect and a lot cheaper than the copics..
blessings.
I use Palette Noir ink on PTI cs with my Bics and Sharpies and have no problems with bleeding. I'm too lazy to emboss. ;)
Also, I'm intrigued by the talk of pale colors of prisma or copic markers to augment my bics and sharpies. Never thought of that, but it sounds like something I would like. You people are diabolical, and I love you.
Bic Mark-It Markers
