Copic Markers....Need suggestions

[Ching]

Ok ladies, I've been off the stamping market for several years and I apparently need to get these babies!!

now, I hear there are several types (some with a sketch tip and that may be shorter for smaller hands to handle)?

I'd love to hear your recommendations of which type I should try, and some starter color recommendations as I don't want to end up in the poor house here. lol

[debbiedee]

I am new at the Copic Marker rage too. In fact just today I got five of them at Hobby Lobby. At $5.99 a PIECE, I will be collecting these VERY slowly!

[Kristen]

I am not in the bandwagon with these yet. To much $$$. I mean for markers?? Sure the stuff I have seen done with them look great but I guess I don't stamp as much anymore and so I am not coloring things in as much either.

[Ching]

yeah, that's why I need to buy these very carefully. I get the feeling there are like 1000 variety of colors. lol...

so far, I've been using chalk and water pens. I also really love my radiant pearls which I have no problems using. I guess I 'll have to find a store around here in LA that carries them so I can test/see them in person. Its a scary thing to spend when each one is kinda pricey.

[Kristen]

I have seen little starter sets. What they consider to be the basic colors you would need to start with. I think is you but them in sets it ends up being less $$ than buying each marker separately.

[Ching]

ahh, that's good to know Kristen. I don't live anywhere near a Hobby Lobby as I'm in california, so I need to start looking at all of our art supply stores here.

[~michelle~]

I LOVE my alcohol based markers. I started out using Studio2 brand, but they went out of business a few years ago. I got LOTS of them cheap and LOVE coloring with the alcohol inks.

To really get the shading, get yourself one to three colors of the shades you like. Check out www.ilikemarkers.blogspot.com (http://www.ilikemarkers.blogspot.com) for all of the info from Marianne who teaches the Copic Certification workshops.

I like sketch markers, they cost more, but the have more ink and I like the feel of them.

You definately need a blender pen for erasing mistakes, laying down base layers and adding texture.

Since there are like 300+ colors available in the sketch markers, I'd just aim for several from each color family to start with to see if you like them.

Some of the starter sets will give you a pen of each color, but for blending it's nice to have several pens a few shades apart. That is why I hand-pick mine.

Feel free to ask more questions and let us know what you decide to do!!

Kristen, I never thought I'd see the day either....but I collect them on birthdays and mother's day and such and get SO much enjoyment out of them....I'm just plain hooked! LOL!

[Barb]

I have some and I've tried to use them but what I have done with them is pretty cruddy compared to the stars like michelle and some of the others. I just plain need lessons in how to use these babies! The color is magnificent and there are no brush strokes as with other markers, but like I said I need lessons!
Michelle? Where are my lessons! I know! You could start a copic thread and give us all lessons!

[debbiedee]

yes and Michelle is CERTIFIED now, so she's an expert!! Ü

[heidi baldini]

I'd like to try some too :-)