Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Has anyone here used Copic Markers? Are they all that great? How do you compare them to SU markers? I can't imagine that they would be any better. I would love to hear from someone who has used both and let me know your opinions. Thanks in advance. BTW, I do have the new SU markers in all the new colors and am pleased with them.
I am so surprised that nobody had jumped in and answered yet.
Copic markers ARE that great! I can't color or shade with other markers, but I can with Copics.
I find traditional water-based markers get blotchy, color unevenly and are difficult (for me impossible) to create a nice graduated tone. Copics blend nicely and are easy for even a non-artist type like me to get some dimension in my shading.
The down side is that they are VERY costly. You can't just start with a single red, yellow, blue, green, etc. It doesn't work that way. You have to buy at least two (preferably three) shades in each color group to create good blending shades.
To get an idea of how they work, look for Suzanne J Dean's Copic videos on YouTube. I watched her videos several times a week for a couple months before I finally decided that I just had to give them a try. And I'm oh so glad I did!
I really didn't want to like them. I spent two years trying to resist, but I finally broke down and bought them. After the first two weeks of using them, I wondered why I had waited so long.
I never liked using other markers before then, but now I love the process of coloring with Copics. The depth and shading are stunning. So professional looking.
But as Melissa already pointed out, the downside is the price.
Copics are my favorite. They blend so nicely and I don't get the streaks that I did with the other markers. I hated coloring with markers before finding Copics. The paper you use with them also make a difference. I also bought an air compressor to use with my Copics, but haven't played with it yet.
There are several other examples in other people's galleries .
Do a search in the gallery for "Copics" and you will see hundreds of examples of beautiful work done by people who never thought they could do art work.
Also search YouTube for videos on how they work
As Melissa said they are not cheap, but what good are cheaper markers if you are not satisfied with the results you get from them ?
Some people can do great work with water-based markers I was not one of them.
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Last edited by Barbara Jay; 03-28-2012 at 08:12 PM..
I agree with my above fellow crafters' comments, especially Melissa 59 and Barbara Jay.
I now couldn't live without my Copic markers, they are my preferred medium to color with, and that said, they are an investment. However, if you're putting in time making a card for someone, it's your hobby, your love, your craft and you want it to look special, then use what makes YOU happy. This medium has helped (along with Suzanne Dean's on line classes) make me look like I know how to shade and color more like an artist. I also have learned a lot from Marianne Walker's blog as well. Both ladies are a wealth of knowledge and thank goodness willing to share it with us!!!
Again, choose a medium you can afford and enjoy using. I got frustrated with all the water based markers and trying to shade just right, also having to use watercolor paper and getting a good stamped image on that paper. Using copics and my Memento ink pad is not an issue. Also, the paper choices I now use, mainly X-press It by Copic, Neehnah, and Cryogen Iridescent White are my favorites.
Good luck on your decision. It's a hard choice to make, but I know I'm very happy with the choice i made. I still have and use the others at times, but the Copics are definitely my marker of choice!!!
Copic Markers?
