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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 15, 2018 17:21:06 GMT
I'm not much of a stamper, but want to give it a try with coloring/blending with markers. Is there any recommended cheaper ways to get started in seeing if I like this, without making a Copic marker investment?
And this is an easy one, but as I'm not really a stamper I don't know--what recommended black ink pad type would be good for use with my trying this marker-coloring?
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139 
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Post by scrappington on Nov 15, 2018 17:25:52 GMT
Momento black ink.
MFT has a ink available. I like it better.
I think versafine is acceptable. But someone else should confirm that
Spectrum noir markers are cheaper. And I think Michael's even has their own markers.
Chameleon markers are backwards to copic style markers.
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JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,842
Location: Indianapolis
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Post by JustTricia on Nov 15, 2018 17:27:02 GMT
A lot of people love the Spectrum Noir markers. I personally did not like them.
Dick Blick has some brush markers that have gotten good reviews.
I use an ink from My Favorite Things that I really like, but I can’t remember the name off the top of my head.
Moments Tuxedo Black is extremely popular, but I don’t think it gets *really* black.
Paper makes all the difference. A specific type of Neenah is popular, and has to be that specific type. It’s pricey. I use XPressit Blending Card and like that much better. It’s also more white than the Neenah.
Last, consider what the investment is you want to make. While Copic are more expensive at the onset, you can get them for a good price online and they are refillable. The refills cost a little less than a marker and will refill it a dozen times. And they do work wonderfully. You don’t need a ton of them. Three or four in each blending family is enough.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
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Post by scrappington on Nov 15, 2018 17:29:36 GMT
What would you enjoy colouring? Or what do you have stamps of?
I would get colours that work with what you are looking to test colour with.
So if you want to do flowers get 3 greens. And choose flower colours.
Maybe 3 reds, 3 yellows and then 3 another colour.
Septrum I believe are sold in blending sets.
Even Michael's sells individual copics.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
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Post by scrappington on Nov 15, 2018 17:33:01 GMT
Ok just looked on Simon says stamp. Tonic sells Nuvo alcohol markers for $6 per set of 3 markers.
I haven't tried them. But I don't think you will get much cheaper than. That.
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Post by anniefb on Nov 15, 2018 18:05:06 GMT
For copics I always used to use Memento Tuxedo Black but Gina K’s amalgam ink works with all media and is a nice dark black. Versafine Onyx Black will run unfortunately.
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 15, 2018 20:05:43 GMT
What would you enjoy colouring? Or what do you have stamps of? I would get colours that work with what you are looking to test colour with. So if you want to do flowers get 3 greens. And choose flower colours. Maybe 3 reds, 3 yellows and then 3 another colour. Septrum I believe are sold in blending sets. Even Michael's sells individual copics.
I'm thinking of trying this out with holiday tags for packages--and thinking of some Lawn Fawn holiday stuff with little animals, elfs wrapping presents, maybe holiday houses, etc. So I know I need little animal colors and skin tone and some primaries--but I will have to pick something in the stamps to feature more with the shading--like greenery--as I won't have enough colors to shade as much as I would like. |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 15, 2018 20:09:33 GMT
Thank you for all of these suggestions, it is so helpful!! I will be happy to just get a good ink pad, and I wouldn't really have thought of picking the right paper (makes sense though.) I love the ideas of cheaper markers to try--as I experiment with this and see if it is something I want to continue doing.
Thank you! I am open to any more tips of suggestions too!
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Post by wendifful on Nov 15, 2018 20:18:34 GMT
There are a ton of videos on YouTube comparing alternatives. I just searched "best Copic alternatives" and a bunch of videos came up. Here's a video by a popular YouTube artist who gives her opinion on the best Copic alternative. It has a million views. |
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,452
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Nov 15, 2018 20:49:58 GMT
Just a thought...Do you have an art supply store nearby? If so you can go there and try out Copics or other alcohol markers. I have a local store that has a huge variety of pens. Copics are locked up, but they let me try them out. Or do you have a friend who has them?
I purchased a few sets of the Spectrum Noir pens and I didn't like them. They didn't seem to blend well enough for me. I also tried the PrismaColor Alcohol markers. I really liked how smooth these pens were, but not being able to re-fill was the turn-off for me. Plus they were almost as much as Copics.
For ink. I usually use MFT Extreme Black. I do have the Hero Arts Intense Black and the Gina K Amalgam, but because I'm so happy with MFT I haven't tried them yet.
ETA: I also use Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80# for all my Copic coloring.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 16, 2018 0:59:48 GMT
My DD loves watching craft videos on YouTube and she particularly likes the videos by a lady who goes by the handle Nerdecrafter / Saltecrafter. In one of her videos she used the Crayola marker maker set with an assortment of refills to make her own Copics. It was pretty interesting and well worth a watch. I’ll see if I can link it. HERE it is... |
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,362
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 16, 2018 3:23:05 GMT
Tombow makes a marker (water based) that you blend on a piece of plastic (like old packaging) and then use another colorless marker to transfer the ink to the thing you want to color. Sort of like watercoloring with markers. They are sold on Amazon and at M's.
I had to watch a video to learn how to use them, but they are fun to play with. I'm not sure how they compare to Copics because I haven't tried them.
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JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,842
Location: Indianapolis
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Post by JustTricia on Nov 16, 2018 16:16:57 GMT
Tombow makes a marker (water based) that you blend on a piece of plastic (like old packaging) and then use another colorless marker to transfer the ink to the thing you want to color. Sort of like watercoloring with markers. They are sold on Amazon and at M's. I had to watch a video to learn how to use them, but they are fun to play with. I'm not sure how they compare to Copics because I haven't tried them. Tombow are a completely different marker type. They are water based (along with Zig Real Clean Color Brush Markers). They can be watercolored with or blended together without the use of water, but it does give a different look. I have Zigs that I use fairly often, but I reach for my Copics far more frequently. Copics are alcohol based. I echo the suggestion above to try out a few different types. Had I stuck with Spectrum Noirs, I would have given up on alcohol markers. The blending sets I bought did not blend together AT ALL even though they were sold together and just didn’t give that “alcohol marker” look. I bought a couple of Copics on a whim since I had a coupon I wasn’t using and have never looked back. |
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Post by riversong1963 on Nov 16, 2018 17:03:10 GMT
I have almost the entire set of Spectrum Noir markers, and I really like them. I can get the same blends with them as I do with Copics. Paper is very important. If you do a search for Copic paper or alcohol marker paper, you'll find what you need. I usually use Xpress Blending Card. (Affiliate link) |
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Post by gale w on Nov 16, 2018 20:12:54 GMT
Vicky P uses the Nuvo alcohol markers.
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Post by cmpeter on Nov 17, 2018 2:34:11 GMT
Scrapbookpal sells Copics at a much better price than many other places. You can also buy them with Michaels coupons.
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:17:15 GMT
There are a ton of videos on YouTube comparing alternatives. I just searched "best Copic alternatives" and a bunch of videos came up. Here's a video by a popular YouTube artist who gives her opinion on the best Copic alternative. It has a million views. This is an awesome video--thank you!!! I didn't even think of checking out youtube. These Dick Blick ones look really great in this video, I like how they perform. This is a really excellent option I am considering for sure! 
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:20:37 GMT
My DD loves watching craft videos on YouTube and she particularly likes the videos by a lady who goes by the handle Nerdecrafter / Saltecrafter. In one of her videos she used the Crayola marker maker set with an assortment of refills to make her own Copics. It was pretty interesting and well worth a watch. I’ll see if I can link it. HERE it is...This was so fun and clever! I really dig this idea and her ingenuity--thank you!! Could be quite fun for a little experimenting at a low price... |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:22:04 GMT
Scrapbookpal sells Copics at a much better price than many other places. You can also buy them with Michaels coupons. Thank you!!  |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:22:28 GMT
Vicky P uses the Nuvo alcohol markers. Will check these out--thank you! |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:24:12 GMT
Just a thought...Do you have an art supply store nearby? If so you can go there and try out Copics or other alcohol markers. I have a local store that has a huge variety of pens. Copics are locked up, but they let me try them out. Or do you have a friend who has them? I purchased a few sets of the Spectrum Noir pens and I didn't like them. They didn't seem to blend well enough for me. I also tried the PrismaColor Alcohol markers. I really liked how smooth these pens were, but not being able to re-fill was the turn-off for me. Plus they were almost as much as Copics. For ink. I usually use MFT Extreme Black. I do have the Hero Arts Intense Black and the Gina K Amalgam, but because I'm so happy with MFT I haven't tried them yet. ETA: I also use Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80# for all my Copic coloring. This is a good idea that I wouldn't have thought of--I do have Dick Blick and I'm sure some local spots as well. I appreciate the ink and paper recommendations too--thank you! |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 17, 2018 3:25:24 GMT
I have almost the entire set of Spectrum Noir markers, and I really like them. I can get the same blends with them as I do with Copics. Paper is very important. If you do a search for Copic paper or alcohol marker paper, you'll find what you need. I usually use Xpress Blending Card. (Affiliate link) Thank you! |
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Post by highkeycrafting on Nov 17, 2018 9:05:53 GMT
Just a thought...Do you have an art supply store nearby? If so you can go there and try out Copics or other alcohol markers. I have a local store that has a huge variety of pens. Copics are locked up, but they let me try them out. Or do you have a friend who has them? I purchased a few sets of the Spectrum Noir pens and I didn't like them. They didn't seem to blend well enough for me. I also tried the PrismaColor Alcohol markers. I really liked how smooth these pens were, but not being able to re-fill was the turn-off for me. Plus they were almost as much as Copics. For ink. I usually use MFT Extreme Black. I do have the Hero Arts Intense Black and the Gina K Amalgam, but because I'm so happy with MFT I haven't tried them yet. ETA: I also use Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80# for all my Copic coloring. This is a good idea that I wouldn't have thought of--I do have Dick Blick and I'm sure some local spots as well. I appreciate the ink and paper recommendations too--thank you! To add on to the Blick support, I bought their 24 pack of Illustrator markers last year around this time and I love them. That pack is a value pack for $20 that only shows up this time of year; I’m buying another one this year and might get the full 96 set of Studio markers st some point. I love Copics, but these are just as good to me. |
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Post by missymarlin on Nov 18, 2018 5:40:45 GMT
Copic is raising their prices effective 1/1/2019. I love them more than any other medium, but they are pricing themselves out of my limited budget range. I have a lot of Spectrum Noir, but found them hard to work with and prefer the lighter shades of Copics for most of my work. I started buying a couple of Copic colors a month from Scrapbook Pal during the last year. They have such good prices and free shipping at $25. The neat thing about Copics is that you do not need a whole lot of them and one marker can be various shades depending on how often you go over the same area. Just get 2 or 3 in each color family to start. I try to pick a light color, a medium shade of that color family and then a darker one (but not the darkest - I find I just don't need or use the really dark ones.)
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,907
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Post by pinklady on Nov 18, 2018 16:06:37 GMT
I purchased the Studio 71 alcohol marker set because I wanted a cheap set of markers to play with. I think I paid $25 for a set of 48 markers on Amazon. I’ve only used them a couple times but they worked for me. I’m a COMPLETE beginner so take that with a grain of salt.  |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 18, 2018 19:38:19 GMT
This is a good idea that I wouldn't have thought of--I do have Dick Blick and I'm sure some local spots as well. I appreciate the ink and paper recommendations too--thank you! To add on to the Blick support, I bought their 24 pack of Illustrator markers last year around this time and I love them. That pack is a value pack for $20 that only shows up this time of year; I’m buying another one this year and might get the full 96 set of Studio markers st some point. I love Copics, but these are just as good to me. Thank you so much for this review! I'm definitely enamored with the other Dick Blick studio markers (24 are $62 right now, plus 10% off), but this price is terrific for 24 markers that are "similar enough"! At least for me to start, I'm thinking (I could always add on a couple colors to help with blends--maybe even with Studio or Copics). Right now they are $27 for the 24 set--do you think they will get cheaper?
I'm glad to hear these are a great alternative, esp. as I don't know if I will really get into this or not!
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Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 18, 2018 19:45:01 GMT
The young and poor artsy folks on YouTube really like the Touchfive markers from AliExpress:
BUT your cheapest alternative definitely remains one small set of decent quality watercolours, a few thin brushes and a bit of practice. That's how I colour all my stamped images.  The watercolour effect is beautiful too. |
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 18, 2018 21:20:12 GMT
Copic is raising their prices effective 1/1/2019. I love them more than any other medium, but they are pricing themselves out of my limited budget range. I have a lot of Spectrum Noir, but found them hard to work with and prefer the lighter shades of Copics for most of my work. I started buying a couple of Copic colors a month from Scrapbook Pal during the last year. They have such good prices and free shipping at $25. The neat thing about Copics is that you do not need a whole lot of them and one marker can be various shades depending on how often you go over the same area. Just get 2 or 3 in each color family to start. I try to pick a light color, a medium shade of that color family and then a darker one (but not the darkest - I find I just don't need or use the really dark ones.) Thank you for this info! I am thinking of buying a cheaper set and then enhansing with a few copics in colors I think will be goof for blending (and to try them out.) So it should motivate me to figure it out before the prices go up. Thanks! |
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Post by missymarlin on Nov 19, 2018 6:08:14 GMT
Copic is raising their prices effective 1/1/2019. I love them more than any other medium, but they are pricing themselves out of my limited budget range. I have a lot of Spectrum Noir, but found them hard to work with and prefer the lighter shades of Copics for most of my work. I started buying a couple of Copic colors a month from Scrapbook Pal during the last year. They have such good prices and free shipping at $25. The neat thing about Copics is that you do not need a whole lot of them and one marker can be various shades depending on how often you go over the same area. Just get 2 or 3 in each color family to start. I try to pick a light color, a medium shade of that color family and then a darker one (but not the darkest - I find I just don't need or use the really dark ones.) Thank you for this info! I am thinking of buying a cheaper set and then enhansing with a few copics in colors I think will be goof for blending (and to try them out.) So it should motivate me to figure it out before the prices go up. Thanks! If you are interested in blending with Copics, they do have 3 packs of blending colors in each family in the Sketch type of markers. I bought a few when I was first starting out, but then tried to put together my own 3 pack in the same colors in the Ciao type of markers because they are cheaper - same colors and nibs, but less ink volume than in the Sketch markers. At first, it was more important for me to be able to afford as many colors as possible and I could buy 4 Ciao markers for the about the same cost of 3 Sketch markers. www.scrapbookpal.com/search.php?search_query=Copic%20SKETCH%20Blending%20Trio%20Markers§ion=product |
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Post by pas2 on Nov 19, 2018 13:37:12 GMT
I started with Studio 71 markers that I got on a great sale from Consumers Crafts. Then I added in colors from Blicks when on sale and Artist Loft markers from M's with a coupon. They are basically the same markers in different packaging. They work and blend well together. I now have 80 markers for only a fraction of what Copics cost, great alternative if you don't do a lot of coloring.
Consumers Crafts has a Studio 71 48 pack for $46.97. They also run sales.
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The watercolour effect is beautiful too. 