A Copic Marker / Prismacolor "Premier" Pencil Comparison

Click on this image: can you see the difference? Is that difference worth hundreds of dollars??

I'm being completely honest when I tell you that I'm a tool junkie. I love tools, all tools, any tools. I covet tools! And I don't discriminate, I want 'em all: markers, pencils, rulers, tapes, glues, punches, scissors, dies, eyelet setters, embossing tools, measuring tools, sanding tools, well, you get the picture!

When the Prismacolor Premier colored pencils first came on the rubber stamping/paper crafting scene, they were hailed as the greatest. thing. ever. to use for coloring. And while that's still true, and no secret to the hundreds of thousands of artists who'd been (and still are) using these amazing pencils, the rubber stamping/paper crafting world quickly embraced them, cherished them, and called them their own.

But now, suddenly, they've been pushed aside by the newest. greatest. thing. ever: Copic markers.

I own $80.00 worth of Prismacolor Premier pigment pencils ... or, 72 colored pencils. I also own $160.00 worth of Copic markers ... or, 48 markers. So, in a convoluted manner of speaking, I've paid twice as much for the Copic's and got half as many coloring tools ... and my marker collection is far from complete. I definitely need more of the lighter shades for blending. I figure I need at least another 6 or 8 markers (at 3.99 +/- each), to complete my somewhat limited palette.

I'd also like to point out that I'm purchasing Copic 'Ciao' markers; not the more expensive 'Sketch' markers.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm a beginner with the Copic's ... there's a fairly steep learning curve with these tools and I've got a long way to go. But today, as a test, I decided to stamp and color two images: one with the Copic's and one with the Prismacolor's.

I used the same card stock to stamp my image; I also used the same ink. And I tried to match the colors I used as carefully and as closely as possible. When completed, I mounted the stamped images on identical turquoise card stock.

Now, look again at the above photo ... they match up pretty closely, wouldn't you say?

As far as ease of use goes, I have to pick the Prisma's. In fact, I basically scribble in my colors, blending with an inexpensive paper stump and odorless mineral spirits, also quite inexpensive. I go back over my colored images with lighter tones in the same color family, creating highlights, and darker tones creating shadows. The truth is, most art-style rubber stamps are created with shading marks indicating where the stamp artist wants his or her shadows. If I make a mistake, or go out of the lines, I can erase the wayward pencil marks and continue. It's pretty hard to go wrong here.

Using the Copic's, I find I have far less brush control; even the super brush end is fairly wide. By and large, I'm coloring rubber stamped images and more often than not these images are small ... in fact, downright tiny in some cases! Imagine how much better these markers would be if that brush was half of it's current size.

Which causes me to mention this: there's no erasing your mistakes using alcohol-based markers. You may be able to remove some of the color using your colorless blender but it's not going away. Which is why most artists recommend that when you create an image to color, create two ... or even three, so that you're prepared for the almost inevitable coloring mishap.

One other thing I dislike about the Copic's is the bleed-through they create. I realize that most people aren't going to pull up my colored image to see what the backside looks like but I know it's there and I don't like it much. I always use top-of-the-line 110# card stock or Bristol vellum for stamping and coloring; this isn't about coloring on an inferior paper. I can't help but wonder what this bleed-through does, or might do, to the overall integrity of the card stock.

Also, you must be absolutely certain you've really snapped those marker covers on tightly; left open, or even slightly uncovered, they'll completely evaporate in a matter of hours. And I've discovered that a marker that looks tightly closed, isn't necessarily ... push harder a second time on your closed cap, and I'll bet you'll feel it 'snap' together. So, on top of all my usual craziness, I'm now paranoid about firmly capping (and double-checking), my Copic's!

The last thing is a minor detail but worth mentioning when using alcohol-based markers and inks. They stain. Badly. And usually, permanently.

On the Copic plus side, these markers are refillable and the nibs are replaceable. I've no idea what a new nib, or a set of new nibs costs, but I do know that it's not cheap to refill the markers. Having said that though, refilling your marker is far less expensive than replacing it.

I also like the wide range of colors available for the Sketch markers ... although the range is not nearly as wide if you're purchasing the Ciao's, as I am.

You can also airbrush with the Sketch Copic's ... you can't airbrush with the Ciao's, but I hear through the alcohol marker grapevine *wink* that there will be an airbrush system available sometime in the future for use with the Ciao's.

Somewhere here in blogdom I recently watched a video tutorial by a smart gal who uses dimensionals to adapt the airbrush fittings to accept the Ciao's. If anyone has a link or remembers the name and/or blog of this savvy marker person, let me know and I'll add it to this post.

The one thing I do love about the Copic's is that you can color-match practically anything with them. Don't have a ribbon to match to your project? Grab your Copic and color one to match! You can color acetate, metal, acrylic, fabric, and lots more. As a rule, if you can color it with alcohol ink, you can color it with your Copic's.

But as much as I love the idea of perfectly matching ribbon, I just don't think the end justifies the very expensive means. I can only go by my own experience and comparisons, but I honestly don't see all that much of a difference in these two samples. Do you?

Oh, the Copic colored image is on the left; the Prismacolor pencil colored image is on the right.

From my personal blurfing around in blogdom, I've noticed that lots of artists are really on the fence about purchasing these markers. The cost, obviously, is a huge factor. And the learning curve is steep. And by and large, most of us are using Copic markers to color rubber stamped images; which, while oftentimes beautiful, meaningful, and important, aren't exactly timeless masterpieces.

So, honestly, is the difference in these colored images worth the price?!?

You know what? I don't think it is ...

I'd love to have your opinion! Please feel free to post your thoughts and feelings on this subject so that we all might benefit from your knowledge. And it's a safe bet that you've got way more experience with Copic's than I.

Thanks so much for sharing part of your day with me!!

~Hugs, Deb

* EDITED TO ADD: I believe I've inadvertently caused a little confusion here. The Prismacolor pencils I'm referring to throughout are the Prismacolor 'Premier' pigment pencils ... NOT Prismacolor watercolor pencils (which are also terrific but not the subject of this post). Thanks!