I have to admit coloring is not my favorite thing to do because I’m not a patient crafter and I prefer faster crafting such as die cuts, however, when I do color (I love coloring stuff in art journaling), these are the products i use and recommend.
If the product(s) are available online (usually where I purchased it), I will be list and link for you. I do link to products in my store and I use affiliate links when possible (at no cost to you), but none of the products I’m listed were provided or sponsored by anyone. (I stock my store with my favorite products!) These are simply my personal favorite products that I use when crafting. Full Disclosure Here.
Alcohol Markers
Copic Sketch Markers
I have been collecting Copic Sketch Markers for years and although I’ve tried others, I always go back to my Copics. Yes they are SPENDY but they are refillable and they blend easier than any other marker I’ve ever tried. I’ve written a few (older) blog posts about Copics including my favorite starter colors and color trios, etc. You can find all my copic posts here. (There are also several posts on different storage methods I’ve used over the years but I’ll get into that in my Storage and Organization post in this series).
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Copic Marker FAQ’s for Beginners Part 1 & Kat’s Favorite Copic Color Combinations
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COPIC FAQ Part 2: What is the Best Cardstock to Use with Copic Markers?
If you are considering getting copic markers, you should learn about them first. Then I suggest getting three colors that coordinate and blend well together and TRYING them before you start investing in them. You do NOT need every color but it is HARD not to WANT every color LOL. (we call that full set syndrome when you need every color in set of a particular product LOL).
Here are some additional links that will help you learn more about these markers:
- What is Copic?
- Different types of Copic Markers (also included in my links above)
The links in this post are all for Sketch Markers, because that is what I use and prefer. However, THIS is a link to Ciao Markers which are less expensive but I do not believe you can refill them and they are shaped differently.
Okay so they sell Copic Markers in singles, and sets. (Scroll down past the sets to get to the single marker listings. You can buy them in MANY different sets in many different sizes. My recommendation is to buy them in singles OR in the sets that match such as the fusion sets or blending trios which are meant to be used together to blend three shades of a color family to begin with and then add on with singles that you like.
Here are some places you can find the Copic Sets:
Copic Trio Sets
- Amazon
- Dick Blick (RECOMMENDED)
- Check your Local Michael’s Craft Store as well as Joann Craft Stores. Also, if you still have a LSS check with them too.
- Special Order: You can special order Copics in singles or sets at Kat Scrappiness through me. If you are interested please use the contact form on the KS website and include which colors or sets you are interested in and I will check the availability and price and get back to you asap.
Other Copic Sets
- Again, you can special order them from me with the information above, your local craft stores, or alternatively, here are some links from Amazon and Dick Blick, who I highly recommend.
- Copic Sets on Amazon
- Copic Sets at Dick Blick (RECOMMENDED)
- Special Order: You can special order Copics in singles or sets at Kat Scrappiness through me. If you are interested please use the contact form on the KS website and include which colors or sets you are interested in and I will check the availability and price and get back to you asap.
ALTERNATIVE TO COPICS:
NOTE: For anyone who cannot afford or simply do not want to invest in Copic markers. There is an alternative that some of my friends swear by. I have NOT PERSONALLY used them but they love them. They are called Ohuhu Alcohol Markers and you can get them on Amazon. They look just like Copics and you can get them in sets. The largest set has 120 markers for 99 which includes a case. You can see it Here.
Water Based Markers
Water based markers are made with water while alcohol markers are made with an alcohol solution. With water based markers, you can dip the brush in water and smooth out the color or blend it more. It’s like watercolors but in a marker.
I have a few water based markers that use and I like them all. These are the ones I use the most:
Tombow Dual Brush Pen
Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Sets – I bought these from a LSS when I was visiting in Canada but you can get them online at Blick Art Materials aka Dick Blick or for a little more money you can get them direct from Tombow.
They are a lot of fun to color with and much less expensive than copics. This marker has a flexible brush tip as well as a fine point tip so it’s easy to color with and are easy to blend. I would recommend trying these before copics if you are on a budget. They come in many different sets OR you can by them one at a time. When you click on this link, scroll down past the sets to get to the single markers.
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens
These are basically watercolors in a marker. There is a learning curve (at least there was for me) when using them. But once you get the hang of it, they are fun to color with. They have a bristle tip and blend wonderfully. You can buy them in sets or singles here.
Tim Holtz Distress Markers
These are water based inks that are great for coloring, journaling and stamping! It has a dual tip which is very useful. You do have to store them horizontally and there have been complaints that they dry out rather quickly and need to be replaced about once a year or so. ( I purchased the whole set and I’ve had some of mine dry out but I just replace them one by one when that happens.)
They are fun and EASY to color with and you can blend them with a tiny bit of water. I like them and use them often but I had to mention the downside which was that they can dry out so be prepared to replace some of them now and again. The price point on a single marker is usually around $3.50.
- You can buy them direct from the manufacturer here: Ranger Ink
- Or here from Scrapbook.com
- They are also available at Amazon.
- Special Order: You can also special order a full set from Kat Scrappiness. If you are interested please use the contact form on the KS website and include which colors or sets you are interested in and I will check the availability and price and get back to you asap.
Colored Pencils
Chameleon Color Tones Colored Pencils
I have several brands of colored pencils but I like and use the following two the most. My top are my Chameleon Color Tones Colored Pencils because they are double ended by color and shade so you automatically know which colors to shade together! It also comes in a container that stands up. Here are some close up pictures that show you the colors on both ends and how it stands up.
My second favorite colored pencil is Derwent Inktense Pencils
As the name suggests, the color on these pencils is INTENSE. They are super fun to color with and you can color with them dry, or add a bit of water for a more translucent look. They come in sets or singles here.
Gamsol
When coloring with colored pencils, I like to use gamsol to blend them together. It comes in a little kit with a bottle of gamsol, little sanding sticks and blending stumps which is what you use to dip into the gamsol and go over your colored areas. This gives you a much smoother look and you cant see the lines as much. (which is what I prefer)
Spectrum Noir Gamsol
There is one other brand of gamsol I use a well and it is Spectrum Noir Gamsol. They both work equally as well but the first one comes as a kit so it’s good for beginners.
There are other mediums that I color with but that is mostly for art journaling and mixed media so you will find those products in that blog post in this series. The products on this page are what I use to color stamped images.
If you have a question about a product not listed here, or if there is a something you’d like for me to try, please contact me here.
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