Marking the Page: All those Markers

What with various widths, colours, price, performance and ease of use, price, availability and even familiarity--not all markers are equal and personal preferences prevail.

After evaluating the shelf life of my markers, and in anticipation of learning and doing marker calligraphy, I decided to test out all the markers I have on hand. All of the written tests were done before taking on that Calligra-FUN class.

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Staedtler Pigment Liner; Penstix permanent EF; Penstix 0.7mm; Slicci 0.4;
Hi-tec-C, 0.4mm; Uniball Vision Fine

The Niji marker (below) now known and sold as a Yasutomo Y&C Stylist pen can be found at art suppliers and craft shops. It is a single end marker. The body of the marker is narrower than some markers and has a non-flexible nib. It appears to come in about 8 colours and sells for $1.29. It is good for drawing and fast doodling.

Yasutomo Y&C Stylist Pens (formerly Niji)

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Tombow; Galaxy; Niji Stylist; Marvey Artwin; Mars Staedtler Graphics 300; Fabrico

Tsukineko Fabrico

Tsukineko Fabrico markers come in about 36 colours and are most often found at quilt and craft shops. Generally sold in sets, individual markers average $2.89 each. I suspect I bought mine at the local sew shop when I lived in Park Slope. It just glides onto paper, fabric, glass and most other surfaces flawlessly.

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Itoya Double Header; Letraset; Marvy Single 55; Pentel Metallic Brush Tip:
Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen; Micron .5

Itoya Doubleheader Calligraphy Marker

Itoya makes quite a few markers. The Doubleheader Calligraphy Marker shown above is one of my all time favourites. It has a slightly smaller (1.5mm) tip than the average marker (2.0mm) on one side, and a 3.0mm on the other. It is light weight and easy to hold for my small hands. Colours are somewhat limited in this model: Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Aquamarine, Cabernet, Dijon, Evergreen, and Mocha. The average cost is $2.59 for individual markers. John Neal is selling a few sets, and Dick Blick* sells these individually for $2.12.

(*Dick Blick states the markers are 1.7mm not 1.5mm; perhaps they have changed the width since I bought mine.)

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Sanford Unique (M); Pentel Hybrid; Sigma Pigment Brush BR99; Kuretake XF (Disposable); Kuretake F (Disposable); Sanford Liquid Expresso EF; Zig Memory

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Pilot V-Ball XF; Uniball Vision Elite; Staedtler Triplus Fine Liner; Copic Multliner 0.3mm; Copic Multiliner 0.8mm; Sakura Gelly; Copic Multiliner 1.0; Copic Multiliner .005; 0.01

All of the above markers were tested in a 5.25" x 8.25" (13 x 21cm) 240 squared (graph) Moleskine Reporter Notebook.

Of note, fountain pen trials exhibited no feathering, bleeding or see through--a most remarkable Moleskine, needless to say!

After writing this up, I discovered here at Dawn DeVries Sokol's blog, another test of markers.