Copic Markers(0)

Whether you're inking your first manga panel, rendering a fashion illustration, sketching architecture, or bringing colour to a journal spread, Copic markers give you the depth and control to make it look how you pictured it. This collection pulls together everything you'll actually use: single markers, refills, blenders, and paper that keeps your linework clean.

Copic Markers For Every Creative Project

Copic markers are refillable, alcohol-based illustration tools with two working ends. Their transparent ink can be layered and blended, while the different nib shapes handle everything from broad areas of colour to controlled details. They suit almost anyone who picks them up, from a first-time manga artist testing character designs, to designers rendering architecture, fashion and product concepts, to journallers and hobby illustrators who just love working in colour.

At Riot we stock two lines: Copic Sketch and Copic Ciao. Both use alcohol ink, can be topped up with Copic refills and have replaceable nibs. Sketch carries the full 358-colour range, while Ciao offers a smaller selection of 180 colours at a more accessible price.

Sketch carries the full 358 colour range, while Ciao offers a curated 180. If you're weighing up brands, our wider alcohol markers collection shows how Copic sits alongside other options.

Copic Sketch Vs Copic Ciao, Which To Choose

This is the question we get asked most. Honest answer: neither is better in quality. They use the same ink, the same refills and the same replaceable nibs. The differences are range, size, feel and price.

Sketch gives you the entire 358 colour range and an oval barrel that many artists find more comfortable over long sessions. Ciao is smaller, rounder and cheaper, with a curated 180 colours and a safety-vented cap that makes it a sensible pick for younger artists.

Line	Colours	Barrel	Size	Best For
Copic Sketch	358	Oval	Larger, holds more ink	Serious illustration, pro work, full palette building
Copic Ciao	180	Round	Smaller, refilled sooner	Starters, students, younger artists (safety cap)

Both take the same Various Ink refills, so a marker you buy today keeps going for years.

What To Weigh Before You Buy

Four things make the biggest difference to how happy you'll be with your Copics. Get these right and the rest is practice.

Colour selection: Buying open-stock lets you build a working palette over time. Sets are great for beginners because Copic groups compatible blending trios together.

Nib choice: The brush nib gives you soft, painterly strokes for skin, fabric and shading. The broad chisel handles fills, backgrounds and confident linework.

Paper compatibility: Alcohol ink bleeds heavily on cheap cartridge paper. A dedicated marker paper keeps ink on the front of the sheet and protects your nibs.

Refill economics: A single Various Ink refill tops up a marker many times over, which is why long-term Copic users almost always spend less per hour of drawing than they would on disposable alcohol markers.

Refilling changes the value calculation. The initial cost is higher than it is for many disposable markers, but regular users can keep the barrel and replace the ink or nib as it wears out. Whether that saving matters depends on how often you draw and how quickly you use up a marker.

How The Copic Colour Codes Work

Every Copic colour has a code like E04, B21 or YR16. Once you can read it, choosing blending pairs gets a lot easier.

Letter (family): B is blue, BG blue-green, E earth, R red, Y yellow, YR yellow-red, and so on.

First number (saturation): How pure or greyed the colour is. Lower number, more saturated.

Second number (brightness): How light or dark it is. Lower number, lighter.

So E04 is an earth tone that's fairly saturated and quite light. E07 in the same family is a touch darker. That relationship makes E04 and E07 a natural blending pair. Once you spot the pattern, building a coherent palette of skin tones, greys or greens becomes far less guesswork.

Getting The Best From Your Copic Markers

Copics reward a bit of preparation. These are the notes we give customers before they start.

Test Your Paper First

Not all paper is created equal. Smooth, marker-friendly paper stops bleed-through and protects your nibs from fraying. Our artist pads include options suited to alcohol markers, and it's worth doing a quick test swatch before you commit to a final piece.

Protect Your Workspace

Alcohol ink bleeds through most standard paper. Put a scrap sheet or a protective mat underneath your work so you don't ink your table.

Work Light To Dark

Copic ink is transparent. Darker colours cover lighter ones easily, but not the other way around. Lay down your lightest shades first, then build up.

Blending Your Colours

A few options, depending on the effect you're after.

Single-colour blending: Layer one marker over itself to build a soft gradient.

Blending similar colours: Use the lighter marker to push the darker pigment around. Reversing that just paints over the top.

Blending different colours: Overlap where the two shades meet, then keep layering back and forth until the transition smooths out.

Feathering: Flick strokes with the brush nib, light to dark, for a soft textural finish.

Colourless Blender: Lifts and softens pigment, feathers edges into the paper, and helps you fade a colour out cleanly.

Work while the ink is still wet. Once it dries, lifting and moving pigment gets a lot harder.

Refills, Nibs And The Colourless Blender

The reason a Copic lasts so long is simple. Everything wears down except the barrel, and you can replace all of it.

Various Ink refills top up your existing markers and are what makes Copic economical over time. One bottle refills a marker many times over.

Replaceable nibs are available for both Sketch and Ciao, including brush, medium broad, super brush and standard chisel options. If a nib frays after heavy use, you swap it and keep drawing.

The Colourless Blender is technically a Copic marker, but it holds a clear solvent instead of pigment. It softens edges, creates highlights by lifting ink, and pushes colour around on the page.

Copic Multiliners are the natural companion for outlining before you colour. If you're building out a full drawing kit, our fineliners and drawing pens collection has more options that sit well alongside Copic work.

Copic Markers, Common Questions

What's the difference between Copic Sketch, Ciao and Classic?

All three lines use the same alcohol ink and all are refillable. Sketch has an oval barrel, brush plus broad nibs, and access to the full 358 colour range. Ciao is smaller, round, more affordable, comes in 180 colours and has a safety-vented cap. Classic is the original square-barrelled version with a chisel and fine nib. At Riot we focus on stocking Sketch and Ciao because they cover the two most common needs: full-range pro work and accessible starter work.

Are Copic markers worth the price compared to cheaper alcohol markers?

Yes, if you plan to keep drawing. A cheaper alcohol marker is disposable. Once it dries out, you replace the whole pen. A Copic is refillable with Various Ink and has replaceable nibs, which means the same marker can last for years. Over the life of a serious sketchbook practice, the cost per hour drops well below disposable options. For occasional casual use, cheaper markers can still make sense.

What paper is best for Copic markers?

Smooth, heavier paper labelled for markers or alcohol ink. It resists bleed-through, keeps ink sitting on the surface where you can blend it, and stops your brush nibs fraying on rough fibres. Sketchbook and cartridge paper will work in a pinch but tend to bleed heavily. Our marker pads and drawing pads include options designed for exactly this purpose.

How do you refill Copic markers?

Use a bottle of Copic Various Ink that matches the marker's colour code. Remove the marker's end cap, add drops of ink directly to the nib, and let it soak in. There's also a booster needle method for a faster, cleaner refill. Each bottle refills a single marker many times over, which is what makes Copic a long-term investment rather than a one-off purchase.

How many colours are in the Copic range?

Copic Sketch is available in 358 colours across families like blue (B), blue-green (BG), earth (E), red (R), yellow (Y) and yellow-red (YR). Copic Ciao offers a curated selection of 180 colours drawn from the same system. Every colour uses the same code format, so a Ciao and a Sketch of the same code contain the same ink.

What's the best Copic set for a beginner?

Look for a small set that includes ready-made blending trios, or a skin-tones set if you're drawing characters. A 12 or 24 marker set gives you enough range to try blending without overwhelming your choices. Ciao sets are a friendly starting price. Add the Colourless Blender and a marker-friendly pad from day one. Those two additions do more for your early results than doubling your colour count.

Can you use Copic markers on skin?

No. Copic markers are designed for paper and illustration surfaces, not for use on skin. The ink is alcohol-based and not formulated as a body-safe product. If you want to do body art, use products specifically made and tested for that purpose.

Why Australian Artists Shop Copic With Us

Riot Art & Craft has been supporting Australian artists for over 40 years. Our team works with these products every day, so if you're deciding between Sketch and Ciao, choosing a first set, or trying to work out why your paper's bleeding, you can ask us and get a straight answer. Alongside Copic we stock a broad range of complementary brands across drawing, painting and mixed media. Order online for delivery Australia-wide.

Explore More Marker And Drawing Supplies

Still comparing brands? Our wider alcohol markers collection is the natural next step. For the paper side, browse marker pads built to handle alcohol ink, or step up to artist pads for finished pieces. And if you want crisp linework before you colour, our pens and fineliners range pairs beautifully with Copic work.