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View Full Version : Copic vs. Prismacolor markers - follow-up to Robin's post



tojoco
03-21-2008, 02:09 PM
I don't have any Copic markers but I do have a lot of Prismacolor markers. I'm not real fond of them because the color always seems to overpower the image and I end up throwing the image away. Am I doing something wrong? Do I not know how to use the markers? Do I need to take Coloring 101? Should you use a certain kind of paper like you would use watercolor paper for watercoloring?

It seems every time I see a card colored with markers, whether it be copic or prismacolor, I love it but when I go to do it, it never works. How can you convince me that markers are a great tool to use? I always reach for my pencils.

directmailscrapper
03-21-2008, 03:19 PM
Joanne -- this is why I think you need to stick with the lighter colors of Copics. You get a strong base color that you can then shade with a darker color (try touching the tip of the lighter color to the tip of the darker shade and then shading with that). I started with a couple of darker copics cuz I liked the color -- but I almost never use those colors.

Vintagegal
03-21-2008, 03:22 PM
Joanne, I don't know if any of us can convince you until you've tried the COPICs. I have the SU markers and they don't "do it" for me like COPICs do. That being said, I think you will always go back to pencils because you're so comfortable with them. I think I'm the opposite of you. I'll reach for my prismacolors once in a while, but I end up reaching for COPICs when I want instant grafitifcation. With prismacolors pencils, I feel like I have to color slowly with them, and build up layers a little at a time, just to get the 'intensity' that I'm looking for. I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you're coloring, per se. I think that the markers just might be more bold than you care for.

workin4stamps
03-21-2008, 03:23 PM
Personally, I prefer to not color with markers at all. I don't like the look I get. I like to use my SU blender pens with my SU ink pads. It's the only coloring method I like. No matter what color you use, it always looks soft and watercolor like...not too harsh. Plus you have the added benefit of all your colors matching with your SU paper, etc.

Just my personal preference!

Traci

JBgreendawn
03-21-2008, 06:37 PM
I have both prisma markers and pencils. I use the pencils all the time and rarely the markers.
but, when i do use the markers i tend to go over the tops of the say flower petals with a pale pencil in that color tone for shading.
and that helps me like it better if i have colored it with markers.

I like my pencils better because when i color I'm not so concerned with putting the "light" to hit the what ever in a realistic way but, more of a I like to take two or three colors over the top of each other and blend them ( I use the color less blender pencils) that seems to make the colors really pop for me.
( nearly the same as the gamsol trick but with less work and less chance of a mess)

I think i have read the main differences between the two kinds of markers is that the copic ones you can re-fill them and buy new nubs if you wear them out.

anyways i do like my prisma markers better then my waterbased markers for large areas being colored because of that touch effect.
something fun i have found recently is if i color an image that was stamped on shimmery cardstock the alcohol based markers allow the shimmer to come through the color after they are dry and it almost has this alcohol ink background effect going on if you look at it really closely.

anyways, just some random thoughts,

GSMom385
03-21-2008, 07:23 PM
Joanne, I have a few copics ( which I totally love but can't afford ) some prisma markers ( which I totally hate ) and a new brand I found at dick blick called Tria ( love them like the copics only they are affordable ). I have to agree with the lighter shades and then only using the darker colors for accents, I pull out the lighter colors far more often then the darks. I have also found that heavier weight cardstock with a slight finish seems to work better with markers. I use a lot of Epson 110# cardstock because of the cost, but if I am going to color with markers I pull out my good CTMH cardstock. It seems to bleed a little bit on the cheaper cardstock. The thing I like about the Tria brand besides the cost is you get three tips in one marker. I know that sounds weird but it is true, one end is chisel point, and then the other end has two caps one for brush and one for a fine point, they are way cool, but I have only found them at dick blick art supply. They don't have the smell like the copics, but they seem to cover in the same fashion, with the prismas I always seem to get uneven coverage and it looks weird to me. Love my prisma pencils hate my markers. I keep reaching for my markers more and more and I use to be a pencil only person. Gotta tell however I threw alot of images away while I have been playing with them that I totally hated what I did. They take some getting use to.