What’s The Best Paper To Use With Copic Markers?
Check out all of these great tips from these amazing artists and drawing bloggers. Here is what they use…
When investing in top quality markers you want paper to show off the beautiful artwork you’ve created.
As Copic Markers use alcohol-based ink, it’s not lightfast. Your artwork fades over time. The key is to choose good quality paper so you extend the life of your artwork.
Copics also bleed through paper. A thicker paper like blending card minimizes this.
There are many paperweights, surfaces, and textures. Some papers have coated surfaces and others are don’t have any coating.
Best Sketchpad Paper With No Bleed Through for Copic Markers
Crescent Rendr
Click To Learn More / Buy From Blick
Best Mix Media Paper For Copic Markers
Strathmore 400 series Mixed Media
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Best Watercolor Paper For Copic Markers
Fluid 100 Hot Press Watercolor Paper – 140lb 300gsm
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonBest Bristol Paper For Copic Markers
Strathmore Bristol Smooth 300 Series
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonFactors To Consider When Choosing The Best Paper For Copic Markers
The way you use your Copic markers will affect the results you get on different papers.
For example, if you are heavy handed with laying down the ink. Or if using thinner papers, you will find the ink will seep to the other side.
Copics were traditionally created for the Japanese Manga Industry. These artists use uncoated paper like manga illustration paper.
For general illustration, artists recommend blending card. Alternatively stamping illustration paper or natural white sketchbook paper.
Paper Crafters recommend card stock to create designs with their markers. Preferably with a smooth surface and weight of at least 120lb.
Read more about each paper below:
Copic Marker Sketchbook
A Copics brand sketchbook with a white cover, perfect for decorating!
Pros
- Easy blending
- Works well with the colorless Copic blender
- Smooth surface
- Great saturation
- The ink lays down well
Cons
- Not bleed-proof. Put a scrap piece of paper underneath the opposite page
Too PM Marker Pad
– thin paper
– easy to blend
– can apply many layers and feathering is minimal
– not suitable for beginners
Bee Paper Bleedproof Marker Pad
– Smooth, elegant paper
– Excellent for marker, pen, pencil, ink work.
– Goes through Printers easily
– markers easily blend
– minimal feathering
– extends the life of the marker due to ink not being heavily absorbed
– economical
Choosing The Best Paper For Copic Markers Recommended By Artists
Jazza from Draw with Jazza, a famous Artist on Youtube, recommends this paper when using his Copics.
X-Press It Blending Card
No products found.
– Smooth ink laydown,
– Great saturation point with multiple layers
– Excellent blending quality
– Durable
The X-Press It Blending Card paper works beautifully with other alcohol markers such as Spectrum Noir, Blick Studio Markers, Prismacolor Premier Markers.
Check Out Other Papers Tested With Copic Markers By Well Known Artists
Unfortunately, Judy Winsor’s blog is no longer available. Although, her helpful Youtube reviews are. In this video, she tests many different papers with her Copic markers. It’s a very informative video. She gives an in-depth analysis of why some papers perform better with Copics than others.
Copics are known to bleed. So, having the best paper for Copic Markers is key to having beautiful drawings and illustrations.
Here’s a summary of her video review be Best Paper for Copic Markers.
Graphics 360 Bienfang- 13.5lb
No products found.– Rough surface, she prefers smooth surfaces
– Poor blend
– some seepage
– lifting with colorless blender
Strathmore Layout Bond Paper – 16lb 60gsm
– Good for blending
– Bleeds alot
– Ink seeps through
Regular Inkjet Printer Paper 24lb 90gsm
– Seeps through
– blends ok
– smooth surface
Bee Paper Co Drawing Paper
Pros
- Works well for mixed media
- Achrival-quality heavyweight paper
Cons
- Minor bleeding
- Texture is a rougher surface which she didn’t like
- She worried over time her copic nibs would wear
Canson Mix Media XL 98lb. 160gsm
– Rough texture and the ink looks splotchy,which she doesn’t like.
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonStrathmore Bristol Smooth 300 Series – 100lb 270gsm
F- Minor bleeding
– Slight texture
– Smooth blending and ability to add multiple layers.
– Durable
– This is her personal favorite because it is an economical choice
Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum 400 – 140lb 300gsm
– Minor Bleeding
– Has texture which she doesn’t really like
– Didn’t like how the copic blended on this paper
Click To Learn More / Buy From Blick
Fluid 100 Hot Press Watercolor Paper – 140lb 300gsm
– Smoothest, buttery texture which she was surprised by
– Bled a lot which was really disappointing.
– The blending was good.
Canson Fanboy Illustration – 150lb 250gsm
– Was impressed with this paper but laying down many layers didn’t come up well, so when using this paper she’d remember this point.
Click To Learn More / Buy From Blick
Strathmore Bristol Vellum 400 Series – 2ply
– Thick paper
– No seepage through paper but was surprised at the bleeding.
The paper Judy loved the most were the Strathmore Bristol Smooth 300 Series, this is her personal favorite.
She was also really impressed with the Canson Fanboy Illustration paper.
Here’s her full review.
A famous artist on Youtube, Baylee Jay, talks in her video about how important paper is. This is in regards to how the Copics will behave and the life of your artwork. She has a cheeky analogy about investing in expensive art markers but then buying the cheapest paper. It’s akin to going out for a costly dinner and eating it off the floor because you’re too cheap to buy the plate!!
Baylee Jay highly recommends investing in decent paper when using Copic Markers.
When looking for the best paper for Copic Markers, she recommends considering these factors:
– Smooth surface
– Acid-free
– Minimal ink feathering
– Allows for layering
– Vibrant colors
– Good blending
In Baylee’s video she shows the performance of her Copic Markers with these paper brands:
She says these papers would work with any alcohol based marker. (Prismacolor Markers, Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Spectrum Noir Markers.)
- Winsor & Newton Marker Pad
- Hammermill Color Copy Digital 100lb Cover Cardstock
- Canson cold press watercolor paper
- Strathmore Bristol Board
- Strathmore Mixed Media Paper
Here is a summary of her results.
Winsor & Newton Marker Pad
Pros
- Ink doesn’t soak through
- Blending is ok
- Vibrant colors
- Smooth surface
- Minimal ink feathering
Cons
- Layering results in a waterline
- Paper is thin so easy to crease if not careful
– Strathmore Smooth 300 Series Bristol Board
– Great for layering
– Blending is OK
– Colors not as vibrant
– A smooth surface
– Can take more layers to get an even, flat color
– Paper is thick and durable
Canson Cold Press Watercolor XL Series Paper
– Great for layering and blending
– Colors are vibrant
– Rough surface
– Ink does feather
– Easy to lay flat color
– Although thick and durable it’s very absorbent and soaks up a lot of ink.
– Strathmore 400 series Mixed Media Paper
– Excellent for blending and great for layering
– Ink does feather
– Colors not as vibrant
– A little rough in texture
– Easy to lay flat color
– Paper is thick and durable
Her personal favorite papers are the Hammermill Color Copy Digtal 100lb Cover Cardstock. This is her choice of paper to use when doing art with her Copic Markers.
When she’s wanting to use more pastel Copic colors, the Strathmore Mixed Media Paper is her go to. It is also something she loves using when adding some paint and/or pencil to her art.
See her full review here.
Other artists highly recommend this paper Crescent Rendr No Show Thru Paper.
Users report that there is “no bleed, not even the slightest and the blending is phenomenal.”
Copicmarker.com’s Product Specialist; Brandi York in her review of this paper said this:
“Excellent, solid coverage with some spotting from the texture of the paper. Some color shifting when the same color is layered over itself. Minimal blending is excellent. Extensive blending becomes more challenging (ink can take a while to dry when heavily layered). Colorless Blender has little effect. Some removal may be possible with great patience.”
In Lemia Crescent’s video review she set out to prove that the Crescent Rendr wasn’t bleed proof. Her initial thoughts were that to say it was bleed-proof was a big claim.
She set about creating some tests with many inks. She found that even though all her attempts to disprove, she found it was at they claimed, bleed-proof!
Her illustration of one of her characters. ‘Faye,’ using Copic Markers on this paper, is beautiful to watch and the results are stunning. Lemia highly recommends this paper.
For her full review see below.
So that is a wrap for Best Paper for Copic Markers but what about papers for other popular brands of markers? Glad you asked! Read on for the Best Papers for Prismacolor Markers and Tombow Dual Tip Brush Markers.
Best Paper for Prismacolor Markers
Prismacolor Markers are another type of alcohol Marker. Artists recommend Smooth Bristol is the best paper for Prismacolor markers. The reasons why are, it is incredibly cheap and has many properties perfect for these markers. On Smooth Bristol, Prismacolor marker colors are vibrant. They blend exceptionally well and experience minimal bleeding.
You can lay down many layers of the ink without the paper pilling or the colors becoming muddy. It’s also great because smooth bristol paper does not absorb lots of ink.
One type of Bristol paper to use with these markers is Strathmore Bristol Paper.
Artists have found that Prismacolor Markers work their best on medium-weight, non-rough papers. Apart from Smooth Bristol Papers, other types such as “smooth cardstock” are excellent because they have tight paper grain. This virtually eliminates bleeding.
Paper weight is usually not necessary. Type, not weight, is key. Excessively absorbent papers, such as thick watercolor paper, are undesirable. They suck up massive amounts of ink and produce splotchy art.
Best Paper For Tombow Dual Brush Tip Markers
Unlike Copic and Prismacolor Markers, Tombow Dual Tip Markers are not alcohol markers. Tombow Dual Tip Markers have water-based ink.
You can create beautiful watercolor effects with these markers. They blend very well.
The paper type that works well with Tombow Dual Brush Tip Markers is smooth that have little or no ‘tooth.’ This refers to the amount of roughness a paper has.
Here are some highly recommended Papers to use with Tombow Markers.
Best Paper For Illustrations with Tombow Markers
X-Press It Blending Card
No products found.– Smooth ink lay down,
– Great saturation point with multiple layers
– Excellent blending quality
– Durable
A semi transparent paper that blends beautifully is
Canson Marker Paper
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonBest Watercolor Paper To Use With Tombow Markers
Choose a hot press watercolor paper as opposed to cold press watercolor paper.
Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper is many artists choice but is a little pricey.
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonA more economical choice is the –
8×10 Hot Press Strathmore Watercolor Papers.
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonBest Papers To Use With Tombow Markers When Hand-Lettering
HP Premium Choice Laserjet Paper
For daily practice on printable lettering worksheets, go with HP Premium Choice Laserjet Paper. Users report that this brand works fine with Inkjet printers.
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonIf you are just beginning and require the assistance of guides, the Rhodia Dot Pad is an excellent choice. It helps with keeping your lettering a uniform size.
Rhodia Dot Pad
Click to Learn More/Buy from AmazonSumming Up
Thanks to all the artists for sharing their expertise with best papers for markers.
It makes it much easier having a starting point for suitable drawing papers for all your marker needs.
If you’ve found this super helpful, please share with a friend 🙂
I always using Bristol papers. It is good for pencil drawings and for sketches. Informative post
That’s great to hear Babas. Thanks for sharing what you recommend 🙂
Thank you for this list! I have always wondered about the different types of papers when it comes to watercolor and coloring pencils – now I have the answer. You have listed so many papers that I never knew existed – thank you