Greetings
For those of you unfamiliar with my posts, I love to draw. As a full-time artist, I've spent countless hours becoming very well acquainted with my tools. Right now I'd like to share my personal opinions regarding two well-known and widely used marker pens within the ink-drawing community (as related to my personal drawing style):
Sakura Pigma Micron and Copic Multiliner Classic.
(linked to brand product pages)
Being a quick review, I'll not go too far into detail about these products ;)
The Pigma Micron marker sold by the brand Sakura is usually less expensive than the Multiliner marker sold under the Copic brand.
In my experience, on paper suitable for drawing in pen or ink, Microns tend to fade out noticeably when an eraser is applied. Therefore, I find underlying pencil is best kept very light when utilized as a guideline for the ink application. I have noticed almost no fading after erasing over strokes made with the Multiliner.
I have also noticed Microns are prone to feathering a bit when used with a wet media (on a suitable paper for wet/dry applications). However, water doesn't seem to cause strokes from the Micron to streak or smear. Unfortunately, I don't have adequate experience yet to comment on the qualities of the Multiliner when used in combination with wet media.
Please note, I am not being sponsored in any way by any of the brands or companies mentioned in this post. I am merely sharing my opinions with those interested in looking
In my opinion, none of these marker pens would likely create a dark enough stroke to appreciate on work sizes greater than 18" x 18".
| Size | Brand | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 005 (0.20 mm) | Micron | Finest-point marker offered by Sakura. Great for fine detail on work sizes ranging from 5" x 7" - 8" x 10". Great for outlining. Also useful for lettering when a steady hand is used. |
| 01 (0.25 mm) | Micron | Good for scribble/random lines and shading. Too large for fine detail on work sizes less than or equal to 5" x 7". Good for lettering and outlining. |
| 03 (0.35 mm) | Micron | Can be used to create bolder lines than taper to thin. Good for rough/bold hatching and bold outlining on work sizes less than or equal to 5" x 7". |
| 05 (0.45 mm) | Micron | Creates bold, heavy lines that lay down smoother than Sharpie brand Ultra Fine tip. Great for bigger, bolder lines on work sizes 5" x 7" to ~8" x ~10". Yields a solid, dark black, but beware of easy smudging before allowing sufficient dry time. |
| ------- | ----- | ----------------- |
| 0.03 | Copic | Superior marker for ultra delicate shading and refining, laser-sharp lines and crisp detail. Requires a very light hand for best results. Can yield similar value to harder pencils. Not recommended for work sizes greater than or equal to ~8" x 10". |
| 0.05 | Copic | Partners very well with 0.03 when adding slight weight to 0.03 lines. Great for a range of lighter - mid shading values on work sizes less than or equal to 5" x 7". |
| 0.1 | Copic | Great for detailed hand-lettering and outlining on work sizes less than or equal to 5" x 7". Can be used for shading and to create bolder lines than taper to thin. |
| 0.3 | Copic | Great for detailed hand-lettering and outlining on work sizes less than or equal to 5" x 7". Works well for patterns and texture. |
Below is my personal "field test" of these pens. Initially I was just making myself a kind of quick reference, hence the scattered placement of my strokes. At the very bottom of this page I was messing around with different types of letters just for the fun of it.
And here is the same page after I completed outlining my screen name. There might be some potential lurking, but then again, maybe not.