Hi friends! Copic recently reached out to me to see if I wanted to try their popular Copic Sketch Markers. I told them I would love to compare them to the 16-year-old ones I currently use and they said yes and sent me some to review. There has been some speculation about the quality of Copic Sketch markers declining over the past few years so I wanted to compare the new vs old markers to see if I could notice any changes.
BTW if you would like to try a Copic Sketch marker for $1 (shipping included) to see the quality for yourself you can here https://too-corporation-americas.myshopify.com/?rfsn=8394850.047072 (Affiliate link) and if you see any sets you want to buy you can save 25% off with Coupon Code FRUGAL25 (I am not sure when the coupon code expired but the #1dollarcopic deal is on until the end of January 2025, they will send a random color, one per household.)
If you live in the United States Blick Carreis Copic Products for 24%-44% off everyday so don't feel like you have to rush, plus they have a 365 guarantee on all products: http://shrsl.com/4t69u (affiliate link)
*I recommend buying from a dealer because there are known issues with the caps so if something goes wrong you can get a replacement. You run a risk buying from Amazon or Ebay because you might get some products from a bad batch and not know it. As far as I know the Copic Sketch are the only markers affected, the Classic and Ciao markers and refills are fine so go for the best price.
Copic Sketch Pros:
Refillable
Nibs are replaceable
Color is consistent across batches
Long Lasting/Eco Friendly
Flexable, durable neoprene (foam rubber) brush nibs
Probably the best matching color chip on the marker
You can use the free app to catalog your inventory and color match (and it's free!)
Cons:
Cost: These list for $7.99usd (Blick sells for $5.85) so they are a fair bit more than other neoprene brush markers that are equivalent (Blick and Altenew markers are about $4 each nad the refills are cheaper and 2x the size) and about 10 times more per marker than budget brush markers that are sold in sets such as Ohuhu or Artify.
in 2019 They shrunk the refills to 12ml from 25ml and kept the price the same.
There is a well-documented issue of hairline cracks in the marker caps making the markers dry out within months of purchases or arriving to customers dry. This is why I recommend buying from a reputable dealer so you can send them back for replacements if needed. My markers were fine tho.
Bottom Line: The only difference I found between the old and new Copic sketch markers is that the caps are a bit looser after the initial uncap in a coloring session but seem to tighten up overnight. I still recommend them but be careful where you purchase and inspect them when they arrive to ensure none are dry and they don't have cracks in the cap. The caps match the ink color better than other brands (that is where they stand out) and they have the beautiful neoprene brush nib which you won't find on cheap markers. Still, there is a lot of competition right now and you can still make beautiful art with the budget options. The good news is you have a lot of choices, the bad news is there are a lot of choices LOL!
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