Copic Markers

Greetings! I am often asked about Copic markers. "What colors do I want to purchase? Where do I get them? How do I use them?" Today my post will answer some of those questions.
First of all, before purchasing any markers; think about what types of images you will be coloring. What types of stamps do you already own? Many people start off by purchasing a color set. I think often times they will be getting colors they will never use. So again consider your images.
I have many colors that fall into the "neutral" tones. Here are some colors, along with their functions I suggest starting with:
light walnut(a darker brown, I use it for rocks and the moose antlers)
celadon green
sand (a lighter brown, I use it on all my moose images)
cadmium red (a great red color-not too pink)
baby skin pink
skin white(both are great for coloring skin and insides of ears on animals)
moss
buttercup yellow(love this color i use it for frosting-a natural yellow)
warm gray no 2 (a must have for shading and outlining your images)
mint blue
pure pink (everyone needs pink)
pale blue
a multiliner;black for fixing up images or adding bubbles
black for coloring in hair (Asian girl stamps)
and of course the colorless blender (for taking away color for shading)
That is just a start......
Next, remember that Copics are alcohol based so you want to choose the proper ink to stamp your images in. I use Graphite black Brilliance. Some say heat set it before you color...it is best but sometimes not necessary. Paper is another consideration. I have used the Archiver's bright white cardstock but what works the best is cheap copier paper from WalMart. The kind that comes in the big pack. It pills less than some other cardstock I've used.
Finally, where to buy Copic markers. Well, locally you can get them at Dick Blick and Wet Paint on Grand Ave, but I highly suggest purchasing them online from a company called:
Eclectic Paperie. Joy and Daisy run a great company with all sorts of items. You can buy stamps, paper, Copics, Cuttlebug stuff and other goodies there. They have reasonable shipping costs and they ship fast!
Copics do come in a variety of styles as well. The Sketch markers have an oval barrel and come with a chisel and brush tip. The Ciaos (a little cheaper-but work the same) have the same tips.
And in case you didn't know all the markers have refillable tips so less waste!
If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer them-just leave a comment.
My post is some tags I made with the Bits and Pieces Hero Arts set. Simple but very useful and believe it or not I didn't color anything with my Copics. I DID use my Cuttlebug for dry embossing and Diamond Glaze for embellishing the heart images. Sorry the pictures are so poor-hope you can make the most of them.
Enjoy!