Aug 06, 2007
Prismacolor vs. Copic
If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard the buzz about Copic and Prismacolor markers. They seem to be the talk of the town lately. Well, the online paper crafting town, that is! I must say I haven’t heard much about them at my local grocery store or donut shop. LOL! Many of you have emailed me for my opinions regarding these markers, so I thought I’d take a few pictures and share a few things so it’s all in one spot. I must preface this by saying, I am not an expert. I’m simply sharing my opinions and insights about the markers I own so you can make a more informed decision if you choose to purchase these markers for yourself!
Following are the similarities between Copic and Prismacolor markers:
1. They are both alcohol-based markers. Alcohol-based markers lay color on more smoothly with the elimination of stroke lines that you get with water-based markers. To avoid being redundant, check out Julie’s post for more of the differences between alcohol-based and water- based markers.
2. They are both dual-ended markers.
3. They both come in a wide variety of colors, Prismacolor offers 156 colors while Copic offers 310 colors.
And now following are the differences between Copic and Prismacolor markers:
1. As you can see in the picture above, the different brands (and the different styles within the same brand) have different nib sizes and barrel styles. Pictured above from left to right is Copic Ciao, Prismacolor, and Copic Sketch:
Copic Ciao: chisel tip and brush tip with a rounded barrel.
Prismacolor: larger chisel tip and fine tip with a larger rounded barrel.
Copic Sketch: chisel tip and brush tip (exact same tips as Ciao) with an oval barrel.
2. If you’re a price conscious shopper (really, who isn’t!?), then you’ll notice right away that the Copic markers have a higher price point than the Prismacolor markers. Why?…
Copics are refillable: you are able to purchase ink refills.
Copics have replaceable nibs: you are able to purchase and replace the nibs if/when the nib wears down.
Copics are airbrush compatible: you can hook up your Copic Original or Copic Sketch markers to the Copic Airbrush System to create backgrounds or fill large areas. This feature is not available with the Copic Ciao style marker.
My Personal Favorite: I own each brand and style of marker I’ve discussed here, and after evaluating all the options, my personal favorite is the Copic Sketch marker. Why?…
The Copic marker is a lifetime marker! I plan to get some good use out of these so the refillable ink and replaceable nibs are an important feature to me. The Copic Ciao style also offers ink refills and replaceable nibs at a more affordable price than the Copic Sketch. However, my ultimate choice is the Copic Sketch because it is also airbrush compatible and comes in a wider variety of colors.
If you’re interested in purchasing some markers for yourself, Joy and Daisy at Eclectic Paperie can hook you up with all styles and colors of the Copic markers in sets and individual. Purchasing just a few individual markers is a great way to try them out before investing in a big set! My Favorite Things has the Copic Ciao markers available in sets of 36 as well! Below I’ve attached a color chart for the Copic markers. You’ll have to click on it to enlarge the scan, but you’ll see the colors are marked with a square or a circle. All colors are available in the Sketch style. The colors marked with a circle are also available in the Ciao style and the colors marked with a square are also available in the Original style.
I hope you’ve found this information a tiny bit helpful! It has probably sparked more questions than it has answered. If you post your questions below, I will do my best to find the answers and include them at the bottom of this post. I’m working on another post to tell you about all the different things you can do with alcohol-based markers. Hopefully I’ll have that up later this week! Thanks for stopping by today!
