Prisma VS Copic Markers
 

What is the difference between these markers?? I know copics are alot more money than prisma. Which one is "better", and please tell me why?

Thanks!

I prefer Copics for a couple reasons. I like the Brush tip that comes on the Sketch and Ciao markers. I also like the fact that Copics are refillable and the tips are replaceable so that means you buy the pen body once and you have a forever marker.

Asela Hopkins uses the Prismacolor markers and is pretty happy with them. Check out her blog.

I use prismas and love them. For the price, the quality is great! I am sure I would love copics, but I can't afford them. You can check out my blog or gallery if you'd like to see some samples.

I don't think one is "better" than the other... they both are the same "type" of marker - alcohol - but they have some differences. I think you will find people who are in both camps about them... some like Copics, some like Prismas...

I have them both. After working with both, I decided to expand my collection of Copics. I actually like the way the pen feels in my hand better. The Prismas are large and round... like those really big pre-school crayons... and I just had a hard time holding them since I have small hands. I think Prismacolors blend easier for the beginner, but once you get the hang of Copics, they blend awsomely too... I like the color selection of Copics better... and I like the brush tip on the Copic Sketches... although I do like the tiny nib on the Prismacolors. I also like that Copics are refillable...

so... there are pros to each kind... if you don't know which you prefer... find someone close and see if they will let you "play" with them to see how you like them... then make your decision.

Ok GREAT answers, Now where can I buy a few copics so I can play with them? And what colors or color sets should a beginner use?

I do have su markers, but I dont like them for watercoloring, too much ink comes out the big end and the other end is too skinny.

I'm just checking.....

You can't really watercolor with Copics. They are an alcohol based marker. You can blend one with another or use the colorless blender, but water will not work.

Based on your post, I just wanted to make sure you knew so you won't be disappointed.

Ok how do you blend the copics? is there a tutorial somewhere, sorry I really dont know this stuff.

I just found this blog the other day, and it's fabulous: I Like Markers

I have both the Prismacolor and Copic Ciao markers, and I have to say I like them both about equally. The brush tip on the Copics is nice, but the fine point on the Prismacolors is also nice, and I think I prefer it a teeny bit to the brush. The ink in each one behaves about the same. The only significant difference for me is that the Copics are refillable.

Be sure to smell the markers before you buy. To me, the Prismas have a strong offensive odor. The Copics in my opinion, have a light, rather pleasant lodor. I was all set to buy the Prismas, because they cost less, but purchased Copics instead because the Prismas were just too smelly for me.

I have a few Copics, but primarily use Prismas, the sole reason being cost. They are considerably cheaper than Copics, and I haven't found that - for me - Copics perform THAT much better to justify the considerable extra cost. I can get soooo many more Prismas for the same price as just a few Copics...so for me, it's the best choice.

Where to buy? Hobby Lobby carries individual sketch copics, but they are pricy, so you could get one at a time with a coupon. If you want to try ciaos (which are the less expensive copics) then I would look at eclecticpaperie.

carpediem has copic sketch on sale for $3.95 each (that price does not show up until you put them in your cart) and after your first order, they'll take 10% off any additional orders for copics (I believe through the end of the year). I only just put in my first order so I don't know if that will be 10% off the $3.95 or 10% off list ($5.95) or 10% off of their normal price ($4.46).

As far as shipping, I picked up 22 for $13.06 shipping. I believe initially the shipping was $12.12 for 1-10 markers. Just playing around it looks like the next shipping break point was at 30 markers (maybe $115).

You can check ebay as well. I got mine from a seller named oozakonline. If I remember correctly, he sells the boxes of 36 Ciaos for like $110 and free shipping. The only negative to that is you don't get to pick your colors - you are buying the pre-selected sets.

Copic Markers and embossing
 

Has anyone had any experience/problems using these markers with an embossed piece? I keep getting smudges pieces and the embossing seems to run and discolors both my paper and the tips of the markers. Any ideas?

I haven't tried the Copics with ep but I've had the same problem with other alcohol markers; and someone posted that the alcohol can break down the embossing powder? So that would make sense, that you are experiencing a problem with that.
I haven't found any perfect ink yet. I just got some Copics. The Memento ink works to a point, but it will still run if you blend too much, in my experience. I think that was on SU Whisper white, though, and then I read that WW isn't the best paper for Copics, so maybe that was the whole problem.
Oy.

I have another question, and rather than start another Copic thread I am hoping someone will see it here and answer...I hope this doesn't sound negative, I am just frustrated and confused LOL
I read about the color numbering system, and how you should pick 2 or 3 colors that were 2 or 3 numbers apart in the last digit (example, E00, E02 and E04) for blending. However, I am finding that this doesn't work in many cases. The colors are quite a bit darker/lighter and may even have a completely different hue (in my eyes, at least!) Just as an example, on the Copic to SU comparison chart, Y15 is listed for Yoyo yellow, and Y17 for Summer Sun. Now, those 2 colors are quite different to me! Yoyo is more of a pure, bright yellow, to me; whereas Summer Sun has quite a bit of orange to it and is quite darker. Yet they are only 2 digits apart in the Copic scheme? Another example, G14 is listed for Green Galore and G17 for Glorious Green, and to me those 2 colors are quite different.
Ok, this could be because neither matches the SU color exactly, I know...so here's another example. I bought E00 (Skin white) to use for skin, so I got E02 and E04 for blending--whoa, E04 is waaay different to me. It's like a brownish pink and a lot darker than E02. (this is on Georgia Pacific white paper, btw).
So, anyway, is it just my eyes (which I will totally believe if you say it is!), or did I just pick bad examples and this "rule" works most of the time?!
I love the examples I see using Copics but I'm thinking that it's a "user error" problem and my work will never look like those even if I invest in the best tools out there LOL
Any insight would be appreciated (I did check out the ilikemarkers blog, and I've been lurking on the copic threads for awhile)...

I like both since they are both alcohol markers - you can blend/mix both brands together too when you color. Copics for me have the upper hand as I can airbrush and refill them.

Lynn, I have frustrations with colors like those too. You can try making them darker by adding greys and lightening by using your colorless blender direct to the marker and then color to your paper. You can also try looking for different colors to match/blend with the color. I hope I am making sense.

It's not just you. Go read this thread about how the colors are not what you think.

Oh, thank you...I tried to do a search but didn't come up with that one, or at least it wasn't on the first page of "hits."
So, it sounds like there really isn't a solution? I mean, to fill in the chart you have to buy the markers first. I'd like to know WHAT to buy. I would not know about the layering of colors you described in the other thread; that seems kind of overwhelming to me to remember all of that. From everything I was reading I expected to get 2 or 3 colors "2 or 3 digits apart in the last position" and be able to blend them together. Guess that's not really true, then?
I did see other colors that seemed to match better, so maybe I should just go with my eye then, rather than try to follow some rule? I just wasn't sure I could trust a swatch....

ETA: I am not finding the "filled out" chart on the Copic site, is there really one there?

One big difference is Copic have no odour....Prism brand stink!!!!!:rolleyes: Love all their colours but if you are sensitive to odours-stick with the Copics. I heard some people are using Sharpies and Bic brands-these are great too , but also stink!!!!

Prismas will last. Promise!
 

Okay, a bit of history to back my claim. I once upon a time, a long time ago, had a boyfriend who was a rare creature - an artist with money! I can't draw worth a darn, but I love to color. So he spoils me with the full set of Prismas to play with. I mean even all the grays that I have no idea what to do with. After we broke up, coloring went by the wayside for a long while, but I kept the markers. In a white kitchen trash bag with the handles tied shut in a loose knot to keep them all together.

So, almost 20 years later, I start making birthday cards out of small cross stitch designs. So I get into cardstock, paper, then stamps and inks of course. I keep seeing on the gallery all these beautifully colored stamped images and remember those old markers in the bottom drawer of the file cabinet in the guest bedroom....

I pull them out and they all still work. I swear. I couldn't believe it either. Even the metallic "paint pens!" (And if you're old enough, you now know that I'm talking a long time ago. Remember metallic paint pens on acrylic boxes? Remember what decade that might have been? :cool: )

So, I'm not saying they'll last 20 years with constant use, but still, I'd swear by my Prismas!

Hey Just some thoughts from a random passing through. In my personal experience (ive only use ciao and original markers) i have found the fine nib on originals far more useful than people make out and get a much more even blend than the brush tips. Also if you have medium to large hands the original is in my opinion far more comfortable than the ciao. If you are considering which system to invest in it is worth considering that the original has far more tip options but can effectivly only have one fine tip and one brush or broad tip at a time vs 2 broad or brush tips on a sketch marker but no fine tips. Also it is worth considering that the extra sketch colours can be filled into blank originals if you need them and that the entire copic system works with each other -some people like to use sketch markers for laying down colour and originals for highlighting.

Wrt blending I have found that once you accept that saturation is constant across a given range then you will normally find that the ink is darker in the higher numbers however if you only lay on one layer of some of the darker colours they apear lighter than the lighter ones but this normally rectifies with aditional coats also if you work the darker colour over the lighter blending improves. (I thought I had a similar problem while I was colouring but when I did a colour chart the colours were darker in the correct order.) It might very well just be perception.

Also some colours are sort of jump colours and you need to have an inbetween colour to make them work even if they themselves are close this is particularly true on gaps of three where there are inbetween colours available. Oh yeah the online chart is pretty hopeless (the lighter the colour the worse it gets) especially cos everyones screen is different. The physical shop where I buy my copics has a colour chart of all the copics and letterset pens which they have drawn up it is really helpful.

Help with Prismas
 

Hi everyone! I just bought the Prisma 156 marker set. I am wondering if anyone can help me here with a few questions I have. They arrived in numerical order and I changed them to be color cordinated, which didn't help. Can someone tell me what exactly the number means? I put them back in numerical order thinking that would be better but I'm not sure it is. Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks so much!
Kristy