Hello...
You've had some great suggestions already, but I thought I'd add a few things to help:
* what is better, copic sketch or copic ciao?
The Sketch and Ciao (any of the markers) are the same colors. If the marker is E31 - Brick Beige, the color will not vary between the shapes. The difference in the offering has to do with the audience.
Sketch markers have 322 colors in an oval shaped body, with a chisel and a brush tip.
Ciao were created with a lower price point for students. The holes in the cap were actually added for young artists - no choking if swallowed. The Ciao markers do not come in all the colors that the Sketch do. The other drawback is that the capacity of the "sponge" on the inside of the marker is less than a Sketch marker and you will have to refill more often.
There is also the Copic marker (as a shape). It is the largest marker body style with a more square shape. It has a bullet tip and a chisel tip and was designed as the workhorse for airbrushing, as it has the largest "sponge" capacity.
* do you use the colorless blender with both types?
The colorless blender can be used with any and all of the marker types. The blender is used to lighten a color and push color. It's not the same as a Dove blender pen. Marianne Walker (
www.ilikemarkers.blogspot.com) has several entries on how to use a blender pen.
* where can I get cheap sets?
These are expensive markers, no question. I have bought sets from
www.ellenhutson.com in the past, as well as Carpe Diem art supply. I have been happy with both retailers.
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A couple of added notes for you:
1. Buy colors in the same blending family. By this, I mean BG10 - BG18 are all in the same blending family... the way the Copic markers list their product number are:
Letters in front - designates the color of the marker (BG = Blue-green, R = Red, etc.)
First Number - designates the blending family.
Second Number - designates the shade in the color family... in the example above, BG10 is the lightest color in the blending family and BG18 is the darkest.
To get a good color combo, it works well to have two colors in the same blending family.
2. Separate the colors you pick by a couple of values so you see the difference in shade.
I bought E31 and E33 (fantastic earth tone browns that are middle range). I wouldn't purchase E30, only because the variation in tone between E30 and E31 wouldn't be very noticable.
3. As you increase the first number in the product code (BG10 vs BG93), the colors get increasingly more grey.
Have fun shopping! I hope this helps,
lise
New to Copics-Help, please!
