CopicMarkers Multiliner Sepia Pigment Based Ink, 4-Piece Set

The depth of the black of the copic ink multiliner ink is breathtaking. I read about it and knew I was ready for more than the disposable plastic Micron pens. But I didn’t want to go back to fountain or dip pens. I’m a clutz and an artist and I just don’t need those kind of messes in my life. I got an insane deal on these on Prime day. So I got to try out all the nibs. Few things…. They have a larger girth that any disposable drawing/technical pen I’ve found before and that’s huge for me. The less I have to grip, the longer my grip lasts. They’re metal, and therefore cool to the touch. Not cold, cool. A soothing cool. I can get lost drawing for 10-12 hours at a time sometimes, and being perfectly weighted matters. This is the first technical pen I’ve come across that feels like an extension of my hand.If you’re coming from Prismacolor or Staedler, these are gonna feel big. Coming from Sakura Micron, they’re feel more like luxury than big. Sakura makes a metal case for their pens to give a feel like Copic’s SP. I didn’t realize the numbering of Sakura’s Micron pens are exclusive to their own line, so that was an odd learning curve for me. An 01 is a .25 with everyone else. So getting to use Copic’s .03 is pretty insane and frankly, for me, novelty.I post couple artist trading cards I drew with the .1, .2 and the brush pen from this set. The one with the hexagons, I used cool grey Tombow dual brush pens to shade as well as a disposal Copic multiliner .3 in grey for the series of vertical lines. Didn’t effect the depth of the black in any way. The one with the orbs, I used Faber-Castell’s Pitt Artist Brush Pens in Cool Greys and it definitely had some lift. However, aware of this, the hexagon doodle came after and I may have slightly compensated by laying down a little more black. Hard to say for sure. Both are on white Strathmore Bristol Smooth.I have found the refills available on Amazon yet, but a simple google search brought me several options that worked out effortlessly. The nibs and inks can be changed with a coin by the tool is available here on Amazon for a few bucks. If you steer clear of paper with a lot of tooth, you won’t have to change those nibs as often. If you’re a pen and ink junkie, or even a hard core zentangler or zen doodler, these are pretty awesome sauce.

I've been exploring various types of inking mediums from felt-tip Microns to Staedtler's fineliners and even to Japanese pen nibs you dip with ink, and I was unable to find something that really worked with the way I drew. Microns weren't a true black, dried out much too quickly even when not in use, and the felt tips would wear down quickly. Staedtler's fineliners worked great, but they lacked the small sizes I needed for detailing. The Japanese nibs were also wonderful, me having brought a German ink which dried instantaneously just for it, but the lack of fluidly and control in my strokes from using nibs (ex. calligraphy pens) made outlining more of a chore than anything. Dipping was no problem, but having to keep turning my piece of work in all odd directions just so I can stroke upwards just didn't sit well with my quick-marking way of drawing while attempting to be precise.So, when browsing at Utrecht, I chanced upon the Prismacolor Illustration Marker set as well as these Copic Multiliners. I tried out the Prismacolor first only to dislike how shaky my outline appeared on the thinnest tip. Even then, the thinnest tip was fairly large. Then when I tried out these multiliners, lo and behold, the pen scraped across the paper seamlessly without any undesired shaky lines of any sort. The tiny .03 pen-tip gave me the ability to detail my drawings in a tiny space - - something that I had been trying to find for years! And the brush-tip pens are just wonderful for effects and filling in black (although you could possibly use another, cheaper kind of pen/marker to do that.) The ink also dries quickly so if your hand were to rub over it right after being drawn, it won't smudge (but this probably differs depending on the paper.) I've been using a few I brought from a local art store for a while now, and the tips are still in good condition. Therefore, I'd say this set is great for illustrationists and comic artists as they give you the range of thickness you need, packaged along with the two different sized brush pens. Great stuff, really!Otherwise, I highly recommend this product for those who prefer to outline with quick strokes while having the ability to place the lines down precisely. I can't guarantee you'll have the same reaction I did as each person has a different preference towards the mediums they use, but here's my two cents for this awesome product.

I got tired of the SAKURA Pigma Micron fineliner pens. They really aren't as great as everyone is saying in the reviews, in my opinion. They consistently skip over any paper, dry out, and they just don't work good and if they do work at all it's for a short time. Sorry, not sorry, the Copic multiliners are so smooth and are far superior. They do cost a bit more but for me it's worth it because of my disappointment with the other brands. Also, it's a more comfortable pen to hold. All of these pros make them easier to use.