Copic markers have definitely stolen my heart as my all time favorite medium and brand of medium. Copics do cost a little more to get started with, BUT unlike other alcohol markers, they are REFILLABLE! So, a Copic Sketch costs 7.99 for a single, and a Copic Ciao costs 5.99 for a single (both retail values). Of course, the price for each goes way down when you buy a larger pack. For beginners, I wholeheartedly recommend getting either the Copic Ciao 72 A or Copic Ciao 72 B set on Amazon, where they will be significantly cheaper. Copic Ciaos are the same exact quality as regular Skecth but, they're skinnier and hold less ink = cheaper! Anyway, to buy the singles at retail value is between 5.99 and 7.99, so let's say 6 and 8. Another comparable marker to the Sketch, ... MoreCopic markers have definitely stolen my heart as my all time favorite medium and brand of medium. Copics do cost a little more to get started with, BUT unlike other alcohol markers, they are REFILLABLE! So, a Copic Sketch costs 7.99 for a single, and a Copic Ciao costs 5.99 for a single (both retail values). Of course, the price for each goes way down when you buy a larger pack. For beginners, I wholeheartedly recommend getting either the Copic Ciao 72 A or Copic Ciao 72 B set on Amazon, where they will be significantly cheaper. Copic Ciaos are the same exact quality as regular Skecth but, they're skinnier and hold less ink = cheaper! Anyway, to buy the singles at retail value is between 5.99 and 7.99, so let's say 6 and 8. Another comparable marker to the Sketch, in size would be the Prismacolor. Those retail at 6.99. But like most alcohol markers, are not refillable. With a Copic, you would spend the price on the marker, and then the refill at 5.99. That could be between 12 and 14 dollars. BUT each ink refill can refill a Copic Sketch 13 times, and a Copic Ciao a whopping 17 times! So basically, an average of 13 dollars for 14 to 18 markers. Whereas with others, it would be the "lower" start price of 6.99 times 13 for about $91. So yes, Copics cost more to start with, but are wayyy more value to you in the long run. Now, I love Prismacolors and still own some, but the value lies with Copic. I also live for the quality and look of Copics. They are unlike any other alcohol marker out there! But I will say, if they just cost too much for you, then you can start with a Copic Ciao set from Amazon which is way cheaper than retail OR try this other brand called Art n' Fly. They don't have as many colors but still a great collection of around 96 (or a little more), and they are also refillable!!! I recently got their new 12 pack of skin tones and I will say, these are some quality markers. They are actually pretty similar to Copics! Art n' Fly has some quality markers for less, and I love their skin tone 12 pack. So, I would say these are perfect if you aren't sure or aren't able to start off with Copic! I hope this helps!

I really can’t afford a set of Copic markers right now but I did get the flesh tones as I can’t find any other markers that mimic what skin really does look like tone wise. I’m 44 and getting back into drawing, fashion..people, etc. Copic truly are amazing and in this case you do get what you pay for. Settling if you have to fine but if you can get them, get them. I only wish there was one lighter shade for the deeper tones to add to the pack. Overall, love Copic and the variety of shades and mostly performance is amazing.

High Quality and Good for a Lifetime

I use Copic markers for coloring my hand stamped greeting cards. I am not a professional artist by any means of the word, but I have tried some other brands of alcohol markers, so I do have something to compare with them.Copics blend easily and the brush tips are flexible, but firm enough color accurately. The brand is well established and you can find a lot free video tutorials online in all aspects using the markers.Being able to refill my markers is more than about saving money. It is environmentally important to me to use a marker that can be refilled. I haven't found Copic Various Ink refills in stores, but they are widely available online. All of their handmade replacement nibs are also available and are interchangeable, allowing you to use the tip you ... MoreI use Copic markers for coloring my hand stamped greeting cards. I am not a professional artist by any means of the word, but I have tried some other brands of alcohol markers, so I do have something to compare with them.Copics blend easily and the brush tips are flexible, but firm enough color accurately. The brand is well established and you can find a lot free video tutorials online in all aspects using the markers.Being able to refill my markers is more than about saving money. It is environmentally important to me to use a marker that can be refilled. I haven't found Copic Various Ink refills in stores, but they are widely available online. All of their handmade replacement nibs are also available and are interchangeable, allowing you to use the tip you prefer. Once you own the barrel you can use it for a lifetime. The fact Copics don't fill our landfills is worth a lot. If you continue to refill them, the price evens out.I use the Sketch markers because the barrels are compatible with Copic's airbrush system. Otherwise, the Ciaos would probably be my choice, because of the cap. The Ciao barrel is round and the Sketch is oval. Being oval, the tip of the marker tends to hit the inside of the cap when it is being replaced. The ink that gets inside the cap transfers back onto the barrel of the marker. Eventually, the ink dries and becomes sticky, making it slightly harder to remove the cap. It's not a deal breaker for me, the cap and area around the marker tip need cleaning more often. If I didn't airbrush, I would own more Ciaos. The quality is the same and so are the tips. The only differences are the Ciao's smaller barrel doesn't hold as much ink, they aren't available in as many colors, and the caps don't seem to transfer the ink. I am pointing this out in such detail, because I don't think I have seen it in any reviews I have read. I still feel Sketch markers are high quality and I am glad they are what I invested in from the beginning.

I recommend, and would re-purchase

This is my first set of Copic markers, and I have enjoyed using them, these colors are more muted, but that is what I was looking for. The only minor con with these markers, is that they can sometimes bleed from the tips, which can ruin artwork at times. It's usually due to air trapped in the marker, so before use, just open both ends for a moment before using. That solved it for me. Sometimes it's due to manufacturer over filling. Otherwise, the best part about these markers is that they are re-tillable.

I will be buying more of these markers in future.

I love making cards, doing scrapbooking and journaling. I use many tools and I am new to Copic. I love how nicely the Copic pens blend. It is great that that Copic offers 3 lines of Copic pens. I choose the Ciao line for multiple reasons, size, shape and price. Ciao comes in 180 colors, Copic Ink refills Copic Ciao up to 9 times. I plan to purchase the Ciao markers but if I want colors not offered in Ciao I will purchase the Classic markers.Sketch comes in 358 colors and Classic has 214 colors available. #sweepstakes

Praise be to the Ciao brush!

I will never be fond of Copic's prices. They are worth it, mind, but I am not made of money and have gone most of my life without Copics simply because I can't afford them. I finally purchased a handful of them, Ciaos, and went to work experimenting with them. Compared to standard Copics, I think the Ciao is far better because of it's brush tip. For the kind of pieces I do, the brush tip is more ideal in most cases. For people who draw portraits of people or animals, or anime/manga-inspired/fanart pieces, Ciao (and Copics in general) are EXCELLENT products to invest in. While costly (and costly still when refilling, a bonus/convenient thing so that you don't have to replace the entire pen), they are worth it in my opinion, you simply must know what colors you're ... MoreI will never be fond of Copic's prices. They are worth it, mind, but I am not made of money and have gone most of my life without Copics simply because I can't afford them. I finally purchased a handful of them, Ciaos, and went to work experimenting with them. Compared to standard Copics, I think the Ciao is far better because of it's brush tip. For the kind of pieces I do, the brush tip is more ideal in most cases. For people who draw portraits of people or animals, or anime/manga-inspired/fanart pieces, Ciao (and Copics in general) are EXCELLENT products to invest in. While costly (and costly still when refilling, a bonus/convenient thing so that you don't have to replace the entire pen), they are worth it in my opinion, you simply must know what colors you're getting (finding photographs/samples is a good idea, going to the official site helped me decide what colors to get) because you may only ever end up using a small handful. The pens can achieve multiple shades by layering, so you needn't get too many colors unless you intend to do something super rainbow-y.My experience as a first time Ciao user and second time Copic brand user (I've owned multiliners for years and have used other Copic pens in the past) has been a good one, and I intend to eventually purchase more colors once I have the money to spare toward it.

The best markers at the best price!

My husband is a semi-professional artist. I call him that because he makes enough money off his art to fund his several hobbies. Even though the art marker market has become crowded in the past few years, Copic is still his favorite and Dick Blick's frequent sale prices makes this the best place to buy them.My favorite part is how easy it is to buy them as gifts. With more than 300 colors to chose from, I'd be lost if I had to pick a few to buy, but that's where Copic makes it easy with their number classifications, like YG05. YG05 might be the perfect color for a tennis ball on a sunny day, but to make the ball look more realistic, you want to add highlights and shadow. as long as you stay with YG0_ the colors will blend to make a realistic looking ball. So I ... MoreMy husband is a semi-professional artist. I call him that because he makes enough money off his art to fund his several hobbies. Even though the art marker market has become crowded in the past few years, Copic is still his favorite and Dick Blick's frequent sale prices makes this the best place to buy them.My favorite part is how easy it is to buy them as gifts. With more than 300 colors to chose from, I'd be lost if I had to pick a few to buy, but that's where Copic makes it easy with their number classifications, like YG05. YG05 might be the perfect color for a tennis ball on a sunny day, but to make the ball look more realistic, you want to add highlights and shadow. as long as you stay with YG0_ the colors will blend to make a realistic looking ball. So I know that if I get my husband YG05, YG03, and YG06, they will blend nicely. Plus it's a lot easier to use Copic's app on my phone to keep track of what he has and what he needs, so I can continue to fill the gaps in his collection!

The best, worth the investment, Blick price helps

It's easy to fool people into thinking I'm an artist when I color with Copic markers. It goes much faster than colored pencils, too. Instead of going over and over a tiny circle, you just touch the tip to the paper, and there's your lovely dot. And filling in an area, even blending several values of a color to one smooth transition, goes faster than rub, rub, rubbing to fill and blend with pencils. If nobody has told you, the blending keeps happening after you move on, so you can stop trying to make the transition smooth, it'll smooth out a little more while you're not looking. You really don't need all the colors, but it helps to pick up a color and try it. I wouldn't be able to visualize the color I'm after and mix it myself. Also, because you can refill them and ... MoreIt's easy to fool people into thinking I'm an artist when I color with Copic markers. It goes much faster than colored pencils, too. Instead of going over and over a tiny circle, you just touch the tip to the paper, and there's your lovely dot. And filling in an area, even blending several values of a color to one smooth transition, goes faster than rub, rub, rubbing to fill and blend with pencils. If nobody has told you, the blending keeps happening after you move on, so you can stop trying to make the transition smooth, it'll smooth out a little more while you're not looking. You really don't need all the colors, but it helps to pick up a color and try it. I wouldn't be able to visualize the color I'm after and mix it myself. Also, because you can refill them and replace the nibs, you'll always have them. Start with a few, and add to them a little at a time. The lightest colors, like B0, B00, B000 and B0000 will need refills first.

There really is no comparison

Ok so plain and simple, when it comes to alcohol markers, Copics are the real deal. I was skeptical for a long time, and really just chafed at the price of these because....well they're really expensive. I finally had a project that I needed really solid markers for and after perusing the shelves it just so happened I'd get the most bang for my buck with a pack of Copics. That's all I intended to buy. Well, as a result of using those for that project, I ended up buying several more packs. There really is no comparison for saturation, vibrancy and blending. They really are so very worth it. Definitely not for those start starting out, as you need enough experience to not ruin the markers given the cost, but if you know how to take care of them and can afford the ... MoreOk so plain and simple, when it comes to alcohol markers, Copics are the real deal. I was skeptical for a long time, and really just chafed at the price of these because....well they're really expensive. I finally had a project that I needed really solid markers for and after perusing the shelves it just so happened I'd get the most bang for my buck with a pack of Copics. That's all I intended to buy. Well, as a result of using those for that project, I ended up buying several more packs. There really is no comparison for saturation, vibrancy and blending. They really are so very worth it. Definitely not for those start starting out, as you need enough experience to not ruin the markers given the cost, but if you know how to take care of them and can afford the investment, they are well worth it. And the price on the website is a good 10 bucks cheaper than what i've seen and paid in other art stores.

This is the beginning of my purchase of Copic pens.

I am a homemade cardmaker. Striving to improve my skills. I do a lot of stamping and coloring and this is the beginning of my using Copic markers. They are expensive but I was given some gift certificated to Blick's for my birthday and have decided it's time to give them space in my craft room. I was so pleased when I went to choose the ones that I wanted and Blick's had every color that I choose. Very easy ordering and a quick delivery. Hope to make another purchase soon to add to my collection.