I just bought about 50 Copics (including some sketch ones) for school…
never used them before. So three questions:
Can anyone tell me how long they last? They were certainly NOT cheap so I’d hope to get a few semesters worth out of them.
What’s the best paper to use them on?
Also, I noticed that ChartPak markers seem to be a little cheaper and they have a wide color assortment. Anybody have any experience with Chartpaks?
Thanks!
Not sure what you mean by how long they will last. You can buy refills and new nibs so I would say “forever”. If you’re wondering if they will last a couple semester without a refill, I’d say no (perhaps the colours you’re not using that often).
As far as paper goes I’m still trying to figure that out myself. Currently I´m using Copic’s bleedproof marker pad and have no complaints, but as long as it’s marker paper I’m usually happy. One thing is that to me it seems like Schoellershammer’s markerpapier “sucks” more ink out of the marker so i need to work quicker with the marker. Still undecided about if this is a good or a bad thing for the sketch/rendering, but if it is the case (and not just my imagination) it should mean that I’m using more ink on this paper.
Touch is a nice brand, but they are hard to get in N America. I use Letraset trias. I like them a lot, but copic sketch is also awesome. I like how copic’s have the brush nib. The best paper is Benfang 360, IMPORTANT: use the back side of the paper, it will look better. the ‘front’ will be a little streaky. The front is the side that faces you when you open the front cover of the pad. If you get it from dick blick or ultrac you can get it cheaper and the pads are 100 sheets instead of 50 sheet packs.
A few semesters??? Dude…you need to be on super-saver-half-a-render-a-day mode to pull that off!!!
I got some Copics 2 months back & even though I was using them on marker paper, they’re already drying up. But yeah, as long as it’s marker paper, I don’t mind the overuse/abuse!
There’s this 70 gsm paper called “Sunlit Bond” that we get in India…they’re cheap & they work almost as well as the bleedproof marker paper.
I’ve heard good things about Chartpaks…dunno the details (apart from the usual yeah-they-work-wells & the they-blend-greats). I’ve tried the Letraset Trias though and there’s a good range of colours you get in them, they’re much cheaper than Copics, AND they blend really well on paper!
Chartpaks are cool, they are really smooth though tend to bleed quite a bit. Word of warning though, they are strong! First time I ever used them for a whole day at the end i had one of the worst headaches i’ve ever had and came out of work not seeing straight, no lie lol. Now i just make sure i take breaks, personally for that reason I’d go with something else.
For me it gets no better than copics and canson marker paper. I’ve used bienfang and I hate it with a passion. It just seems to have a little too much tooth in my opinion, and the markers tend to bleed onto the table. I love canson so much because it has a very smooth surface which I think is great for both sketching and renderings. That and the fact that it costs a good deal less than other marker papers makes Canson my paper of choice.
What is the exact name of the canson paper? If you want to revive a dead marker you can inject (with a syringe) xylene into it. All the really good markers from back in the day have xylene in them. It is super bad for you and evaporates pretty fast so look out for that. But I feel it is like lead paint (and gas) it just works so much better for something’s.
It’s called canson pro layout marker paper. do a search on dickblick for a good price.
cool, thanks
Copics are OK but way overpriced. I’ll never buy them. I go for Prismacolor because there cheaper and work the same for me.
I’ve been using Chartpaks on the Canson Pro Layout paper lately. They’re ok, they bleed quite a bit which can get annoying, and if you don’t step away from your work every so often you can start to feel sick, and my girlfriend complains everytime I use them, oh and the dog hates the smell too… but they’re cheap. I’d prefer to work with Copics but can’t justify the price differential. I think Copics have been mythologized within the Manga community which keeps the prices high.
While it’s true that copics are more expensive than prisma’s I think they are a worthy investment. Often times, I find that prisma’s seem to run out of ink faster than copics. I also like the fact that I can buy refills for the copics so my set of grays seem to last forever due to that fact. From my personal experience, My set of copics have lasted longer than my prismas which in my mind justifies (at least partially) the higher price.
I didn’t know they had refills. I’ll have to check it out.
I know TRIA did but Copic???
If so if any do find an internet for Europe shop. please poste the link.
http://www.copicmarker.com/features_inks.html
ofcourse copics have refills…they come for 10-12$ per bottle
these are definitely not premium markers, but they are made in Italy and they’re only 20 smackers for 100.
i use them for practice. anyone else?
guys, try this site.
http://www.copicmarkers.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sfid=78416&c=166011&i=7983615
I am not sure if they are legit, but their prices are good. Dick Blick also sells Copics, cheaper than any place I have seen so far, but they don’t sell the refills yet. Dickblick.com
I’ve used copic for years and I absolutely love it. I have tons of refill stocked up for cool grays because that’s what I use most. I also have a set of colors that I use. You really don’t need to buy every single color, just get those that is enough to do the job.
As for color, Tria Letraset is the most suitable paper for copic. It has a layer of plastic film as backing which not only prevents bleed through, but also allows the ink to “puddle” up, makes it easier for you to blend the ink.
Why would you buy 50 markers before you’ve even tried it yet? I’d have just bought a set of 8 grays or something, play with them for a while before deciding to get more.
Also, I get my supply from Asia, super cheap, but I have friends to help me bring them over. I suppose if you are buying a large bulk of them, it’s worth spending the money on the shipping.
molested_cow
PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject:Why would you buy 50 markers before you’ve even tried it yet? I’d have just bought a set of 8 grays or something, play with them for a while before deciding to get more.
it was required for my Furniture Rendering class. the class is all about rendering all types of wood/metal/glass furniture with markers. the professor has a comprehensive list of all required colors and i just had to get them all. yes they were very expensive, but i suppose if it’s necessary then i just can’t say no.
What kind of professor will require students to spend $300 on markers? Does he work for Copic or something?
Did you think about sharing them with your classmates? I mean, chances are that after this class is over, you probably won’t need most of them.
Personally, when I use markers to illustrate materials, it will be generalizations, like wood, metal(brushed, satin or chrome), gloss, matte etc. If I want to specify a particular kind of wood or texture, I will probably apply them in photoshop or include a side palette for clarity. Everyone has a different technique, so unless you are able to do it to photo realistic level, I think it’s really not necessary. Just my opinion.
