Every creative needs a set of the best markers. Whether or not marker pen is your chosen medium for creating artwork, playing around with marker pens can be a great way to experiment. Also, blocking out the basic shapes of your creation in marker pen and examining its silhouette can help you examine whether your idea is going to work in another medium.
To collate this list of the best markers right now, we've tested out various pens, asked our artist friends for their recommendations and also scoured the internet for markers with tip-top reviews. When choosing a marker, think about the size and shape of the tip, lightfastness – this is how the colour will fade when react to light – as well as the range of colours available.
Copic markers are well-loved by artists as they deliver consistent, vibrant colour. You can replace the tips, meaning they will last you a lifetime and they are dual-tipped making them nice and versatile. They don't come cheap, though.
There are four different sets in Ohuhu Kaala's series, one for basics plus special sets for illustration, landscapes and skin tones. We loved these when we tried them out and they're an affordable way to get started with markers.
These markers are fantastic for colouring, and the dual-tips enable you to create both fine lines and fill in easily. They blend nicely and work on a range of materials, including plastic, glass and wood.
If you want a lot of markers for not much money, then this set from Tongfushop should suit you. They won't last as long as the most expensive markers on this list but they'll be plenty good enough to get you started.
These dual tipped markers come in a giant bag, with 320 colours, including special pens for blending. The range of colours is really impressive and although they're not refillable, this set should last a long time.
These classic markers are a cheaper alternative to Copic and are beloved by many artsists. There's just the one tip here, but you can use it to get three different weights. They are a bit smelly, though.
Why you can trust Creative Bloq
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best markers overall
(Image credit: Copic)
01. Copic Ciao Marker Set of 6
The best markers are well-loved for a reason
Reasons to buy
+
Refillable ink
+
Dual-tips
+
Long-lasting
Reasons to avoid
-
An investment
Copic markers are popular with artists for a reason. These reliably good markers won't let you down, delivering consistent, attractive colour across a range of surfaces. They'll last a lifetime too, as you can replace the tips and refill the inks, and are versatile, with a super brush nib on one end and a medium broad nib on the other. This six-pack is a good starter set, which can be built on in future, once you get the Copic bug, and we've no doubt you will.
The Ohuhu Kaala series consists of four different sets. There's one for illustration, one for landscapes, one for skin tones and one 'basic tones' to get you started. We tried them all and found them to be a joy to work with. Coverage is clean, even and dries quickly, and they were easy to hold and work with for long periods. Which set you choose will depend what you're after, but we liked the illustration set, as we detail in our Ohuhu Kaala review.
Best markers for colouring
(Image credit: Winsor & Newton)
03. Winsor & Newton Promarker set of 24
The best markers for colouring
Reasons to buy
+
Gorgeous hues
+
Dual tips
Reasons to avoid
-
Bleeds through paper
Winsor & Newton is a well-respected maker of art materials, and its Promarker pens are fantastically vibrant and brilliant for colouring. These alcohol-based markers have a dual tip, so you can use one end for fine details and another for filling in between the lines. They also blend nicely together, and can be used on a variety of materials including plastic, glass and wood. Note that if you're using these on paper, they can bleed through unless you're using high-quality artists' paper. There are various sets available but we think this set of 24 should be perfect for getting you started.
Best cheap markers
(Image credit: Tongfushop)
04. Tongfushop 80 coloured markers
The best cheap markers
Reasons to buy
+
Cheaper than Copic
+
Comes with case
Reasons to avoid
-
May dry out
For those who want a lot of markers for as little money as possible, Tongfushop has an interesting offering in the form of its 80 coloured marker set. They are marketed for drawing manga in particular, and like the markers above, have a dual tip – one for fine drawing and another for colouring and shading. The markers come in a handy bag for storage. Just be wary that these won't last as long as the more expensive markers above, and some may be prone to drying out.
Ohuhu is a Copic competitor and this set has dual-tipped markers with one end for brush work, and another for broader strokes. This set comes with a whopping 320 different colours, with a carrying case and colour chart included. We enjoyed using the set in our Ohuhu Honolulu review, our only gripe is that they're non-refillable, so they won't last forever. But with 320 pens, there's enough to keep you busy for a while, we're sure.
Best Copic alternative
(Image credit: Chartpak)
06. Chartpak Ad Marker
These classic markers have 3 weights in 1 tip
Reasons to buy
+
Nice colour selection
+
Even coverage
Reasons to avoid
-
Weights take getting used to
-
Smelly
These classic markers are still beloved by artists. They are built to last – the tips are replaceable – and are a cheaper alternative to the likes of Copic. These markers take a different approach to different line weights, having just the one tip that you can manipulate to achieve three different weights, rather than the dual tip like some of the other markers on this list. This can take a bit of getting used to, but once you get it, it works well. Note that although these markers are blendable, the amount of bleeding can be an issue for fine detail work. Also some people find their odour overwhelming, so make sure you're working in a well ventilated room.
Best markers for writing
(Image credit: Sharpie)
07. Sharpie Color Burst Permanent Markers
These markers are much-loved by kids and adults
Reasons to buy
+
Vibrant colours
+
Good for detail
Reasons to avoid
-
Not refillable
Sharpies are much-loved around the world, and have a great reputation for a reason, they're great for drawing as well as colouring in. We particularly like Sharpies for fine detail, and there are lots of different sets to choose from. We also like how the colour of these pens stays, without running or streaking. This set of 24 is particularly bright, as the name Color Burst, suggests, ideal for livening up your sketchbook.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.
