Are Sharpies alcohol based or water based?

Professionals prefer alcohol markers because they blend easily and come in a variety of sophisticated colors. However, alcohol markers are more expensive and call for specific skills and paper. They might be excessive for making cards, and they don’t work well in diaries or coloring books.

Note: this article contains affiliate links to products mentioned. We only link to goods we support, and we get them from merchants we know and trust.

It’s all about the solvent. The liquid part of marker ink, or solvent, is what makes a marker wet.

Markers are just a tool. Your markers don’t provide the skill, technique, talent, or creativity. That part is up to you.

If you aren’t using expensive markers on the appropriate paper or on projects of the appropriate size, they are also a complete waste of money.

I’m sure that some of my regular readers will be surprised by this; after all, I teach Copic Marker classes and am an enthusiastic supporter of the priciest brand of alcohol markers.

In general, I believe alcohol markers are superior to water-based markers for coloring, but there are occasions when a water-based marker is actually very useful.

Professionals prefer alcohol markers because they blend easily and come in a variety of sophisticated colors. Because they are refillable, offer replacement nibs, and allow for open-stock replacement of individual markers as needed, Copic Markers are particularly favored by professionals.

Because they are less juicy than alcohol markers and therefore less likely to bleed through or feather, water-based markers are a better choice for coloring books and journals. Additionally, when coloring a small area, water-based markers frequently match the quality of their more costly alcohol counterparts.

Drying time – Alcohol-Based Markers

The drying time is the primary distinction between alcohol markers and water-based markers. Because alcohol evaporates more quickly than water, unlike water-based markers, they don’t smudge and smear as much.

First Things First…

The links below may be affiliate links where appropriate. This means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small payment to support the creation of more resources like this one, but I will never recommend products that I do not fully endorse and personally use.

So which are better: water-based or alcohol-based markers?

It can be difficult to choose between water-based and alcohol-based markers once you make the switch from Crayolas to artist-grade markers, so I suggest that you try both, as I did when I first started using them. Even though reading about markers online can be helpful, it’s important to use them yourself to gain a better understanding of how they function and to determine which ones you prefer using. Both kinds of markers are fortunately open stock (singles) or sold in small sets, allowing you to test them out without spending a fortune.

Here’s a little summary between these two options:

Water-based markers are ubiquitous, usually in those inexpensive kid-friendly sets, but you can also purchase artist-quality water-based markers that are incredibly versatile. Water-based markers work well in coloring books because they don’t bleed through the paper as much. The main drawback is that if you apply too much color, the paper may warp or become damaged. Water-based markers are also extremely popular for hand-lettering.

Because they blend more smoothly and predictably (see below), alcohol-based markers are frequently the preferred choice of artists. You can also create shades, tints, and ombrés by layering different colors on top of each other. They do have a tendency to bleed through the paper, so coloring books that are double-sided are not ideal. Visit Tips for Using Alcohol Markers in Coloring Books for more information.

Below is a comparison of how smoothly alcohol-based and water-based markers apply color. These are relatively large 3-inch circles on cardstock. As you can see, when the colors are combined to form a solid fill, water-based markers can be streaky. Alcohol markers can have some variations in saturation, with some areas appearing slightly lighter or darker than others, even though they don’t have the same streaky appearance. It depends on your personal style whether you love or hate these characteristics. For instance, some people (like me) appreciate the subtle variations in alcohol markers because it gives the artwork a more natural, organic feel, whereas I get frustrated by the streakiness of water-based markers when trying to fill large spaces.

A comparison of the color coverage on cardstock achieved by water-based and alcohol-based markers

My complete Copic Sketch Markers collection

Because it facilitates better tonal gradation with your blending, color range is significant. This is because you can smoothly transition from one color to another by using a range of tones that are similar to one another.

The most color options are provided by alcohol-based markers, which are frequently bought open stock (one at a time). To be completely honest, I hardly ever need that many colors, so don’t feel like you must purchase every single one of these Copic Sketch Markers in order to create amazing artwork.

It’s a good idea to make a color chart to use as a guide after purchasing markers. Here is a template that Copic, a company that makes markers, made. I keep this handy reference with me whenever I use my Copics to create artwork. Here’s my completed version:

Visit my in-depth review of Copic Markers to learn more about Copics and the various products they provide.

When creating art, having the ability to blend smoothly can really bring a piece to life. It’s possible for the outcome to be so stunning and expert-looking that you wouldn’t even know it was made with markers!

Here’s an example from my Holiday Cheer Coloring Book that I colored with Copic Sketch Markers. I employed blending in just about every element, especially to bring out the highlight on the hat!

Both alcohol- and water-based markers can blend, but each has advantages and disadvantages. Note that the paper you’re using has a significant impact on how well your blending performs. Alcohol-based markers, for example, blend beautifully on marker paper, but when I tested them on heavyweight multimedia paper, it was challenging because the paper was too absorbent. Stay tuned as I work on a different article to test a variety of markers on various papers.

Water-based markers can leave streaks when you’re blending, and create unwanted darker areas when you accidentally layer strokes.

Excessive blending can can also warp or damage paper, which is why you should use watercolor paper (because it’s tough) or marker paper, which is less absorbent, thereby allowing you more time to blend. (That said, water-based markers can tear or pill just about any type of paper, including watercolor paper and marker paper, depending on your technique.)

Water-based markers can be re-activated after they’ve dried, which allows you to lighten them with water or create washes (but the downside is you might accidentally ruin an area you’d already finished by getting it wet).

Blending with water-based markers can be more unpredictable than blending with alcohol markers because water can react with the dye in unexpected ways that can be difficult to control. While some may find this frustrating, it’s a trait that many watercolorists appreciate, so if you’ve got experience with watercolor paint, your skills will transfer well to blending with water-based markers.

You can also dip the tip of your marker in water to create a smooth transition in tone and saturation (from light to dark).

Alcohol-based markers, on the other hand, blend more smoothly, but because they dry very quickly, you have to move fast. And once they’re dry, that’s it – the colors are very difficult to remove and any additional blending will darken or alter the existing colors. These qualities can make it difficult to smoothly cover large areas with alcohol-based markers or create large gradients (but it’s perfect for smaller areas).

Because alcohol markers are partially transparent, you can layer colors on top of one another to create different shades or tints.

Blending with alcohol markers is more predictable than blending with water-based markers, in that you know how the colors will interact so it’s pretty easy to replicate previous blends.

One downside with alcohol markers is that they can bleed through the paper. For this reason, I like to use my Copics on thick cardstock or marker paper. But if you’re planning to use them in coloring books (most of which have thin paper) you should put some scrap paper behind the page you’re coloring (or gently tear the page out and then color it on top of scrap paper) so that the dye can’t stain other pages.

ALCOHOL Vs. WATER (Markers) – Which is best?…