Art Marker Showdown: Copic Sketch Vs. ShinHan Twin Touch
It's been two years since I first started doing alcohol based marker comparisons, and these are some of my most popular posts. If you enjoyed this post, please consider checking out my other art supply reviews in my Reviews tab above. If you would like to purchase a set of Shin Han Twin Touch markers for yourself or a friend, please consider supporting this blog financially by using my Amazon affiliate search link for Shin Han Twin Touch markers.
As this blog is completely unsponsored, and I recieve no financial compensation from companies to write these reviews, nor do I recieve donations, I really depend on the goodwill of my readers. If you benefitted from this post, please consider contacting Copic or Shin Han with a link to this post and your thoughts. I would also sincerely appreciate it if you sent me an email with your thoughts, questions, or thanks.
If you enjoyed this review, please consider donating! Donations go towards the purchase of additional art supplies, which may include more markers for testing. If you found this review useful, please consider sharing it on your social networks. If you found this review useful, please consider sharing it on your social networks- a larger audience means I can afford to do things like Kickstart future projects and makes me more attractive to possible publishers. There's also a handy pocket edition of ALL my marker reviews in a beautiful little 4"x6" photobook. It's available for $3 in my Nattoshop, and proceeds go towards things like keeping the lights on and buying more markers to review.
I've pitted Prismacolor Premiers, Spectrum Noirs, and Pantone Letraset Trias against the heavy-weight title holder, Copic's Sketch markers. All of these markers share one vital aspect- they're all alcohol based art markers, used in a variety of ways. From scrap booking and card making to professional illustration, selecting the alcohol based art marker that works best for your needs is important. I've found that there are a plethora of marker reviewed geared at the hobbyist, but few toward professional illustrators looking for professional results. I hope that my reviews can help to fill that gap, and I try to keep in mind three very important aspects that I feel all art markers should have.
I'm particularly excited about today's review, as I've tested the South Korean ShinHan Twin Touch, which is considered by many to be Copic Sketch's closest competitor. I purchased my Twin Touch markers online, via Jerry's Art-a-Rama (link). Twin Touch markers come in two types: the nib tipped and the brush tipped, so if you want the flexible brush tip, you need to make sure that's what you've put into your cart. No matter which type you choose, both varieties utilize alcohol based ink and have nylon nibs.
I first saw ShinHan Twin Touch markers at this year's New York Comic Con, although I haven't had an opportunity to check them out until recently. The fact that they looked so similar to Copic Sketch markers caught my eye, and I wondered if they could possibly hold a candle to Copic Sketch markers' super flexible brush tip.
ShinHan is a South Korean art supply company that makes supplies such as poster colors, watercolors, and alcohol based art markers. It got it start in 1967, and began exporting in 1980. In 1992, the ShinHan Twin Touch was launched, and the brush tip came out in 2000.
Brush tip: $4.30 (Jerry's Artarama)
Refill Ink (good for 4 refills) $5.80 (MarkerPop)
Copic Sketch Marker Features:
Price per Copic Sketch $7.29 (Amazon)
Price per Copic Ciao $3.59 (Amazon)
Price per Refill $10.99 (Amazon Prime) (I've seen it for around $8 at the Dick Blick in Savannah, though)
At first glance, the Twin Touch is very similar to the Copic Sketch. They're about the same size and shape, although the Twin Touch is more square and the Sketch is more oblong. Both fit into the hand well, although the Copic Sketch feels a little heftier (in a good way).
Both the ShinHan Twin Touch and the Copic Sketch markers have color coded plastic caps that denote the color name, color family, as well as an approximation of the color itself. The Twin Touch label seems to be printed on, while the Copic Sketch is embossed.
Both markers have a stripe of grey plastic to help you find the brush tip of the marker easily, although the Copic's stripe is both larger and higher contrast, making it easier to find. The brushes are approximately the same size and shape.
The Twin Touch cap is pretty solidly on, so it wont fall off in your bag while travelling, pretty similar to Copic's cap. The plastic of the Twin Touch color coded cap is a little more translucent than the Copic Sketch's.
For both Copic Sketch and Twin Touch markers, the caps are pretty true to the actual color of the marker.
The test is a little blown out, as my scanner has a tendency to do that. As you can see, it was fairly easy for me to match colors (the hot pinks notwithstanding, as I ordered them to add to my actual color collection, so I went for colors I did not already have). ShinHan Twin Touch's Blue Greys are very similar to Copic Sketch's Cool Greys, and would make for excellent field skething markers, as they're much cheaper.
The ShinHan markers are a bit dry compared to Copic Sketch markers, and the brush tip is a bit gummy (it wants to stick to the page). The inks work well together, although it's easier to blend Copic Sketch into Twin Touch due to the wetter nib. Applying color with a Twin Touch marker is a little streaky (again, due to that dry, gummy nib).
As always, both markers reacted poorly to the Akashiya ink (it's possibly lacquer or shellac based, and the alcohol based ink dissolves that). Both markers tend to pick up a little of the other inks as well, but that's because I'm applying color immediately after applying the ink. I recommend waiting at least an hour to allow the ink to fully dry before applying color.
I think Twin Touch markers are Copic Sketch marker's closest competition with refillable ink, vibrant colors, and replaceable nibs, particularly as Twin Touch markers are cheaper than Copics and perform with similar results. I think Twin Touch markers are an excellent addition to a marker collection, particularly if you purchase colors you only occasionally use. My only issue is the gummy brush tip, which may be either the result or the culprit of the dry ink application. If you utilize saturation in your markering technique, you would have a difficult time doing so with the Twin Touch markers. Both of these alcohol based marker brands are an excellent choice for illustrators, although I would say that the Twin Touch is probably comparable to the Copic Ciao marker in price and features.
If you're looking for a cheaper Copic substitute for scrapbooking and stamping, the ShinHan Twin Touch may be just the marker to suit your needs. If you're looking for a marker that performs as well as a Copic Sketch marker or a Copic Caio marker, you may be disappointed with the ShinHan Twin Touch's features.
Like what you saw?
You can order your own Shin Han Twin Touch markers AND help financially support this blog by ordering Shin Han Twin Touch through my Amazon Affiliate Carousel below! I receive a percentage of each sale, and that money goes towards not only purchasing more supplies to review here, but also towards feeding me, my cat, and keeping the lights on.
Get It Scrapped!
Crafty Moira
As this blog is completely unsponsored, and I recieve no financial compensation from companies to write these reviews, nor do I recieve donations, I really depend on the goodwill of my readers. If you benefitted from this post, please consider contacting Copic or Shin Han with a link to this post and your thoughts. I would also sincerely appreciate it if you sent me an email with your thoughts, questions, or thanks.
If you enjoyed this review, please consider donating! Donations go towards the purchase of additional art supplies, which may include more markers for testing. If you found this review useful, please consider sharing it on your social networks. If you found this review useful, please consider sharing it on your social networks- a larger audience means I can afford to do things like Kickstart future projects and makes me more attractive to possible publishers. There's also a handy pocket edition of ALL my marker reviews in a beautiful little 4"x6" photobook. It's available for $3 in my Nattoshop, and proceeds go towards things like keeping the lights on and buying more markers to review.
I've pitted Prismacolor Premiers, Spectrum Noirs, and Pantone Letraset Trias against the heavy-weight title holder, Copic's Sketch markers. All of these markers share one vital aspect- they're all alcohol based art markers, used in a variety of ways. From scrap booking and card making to professional illustration, selecting the alcohol based art marker that works best for your needs is important. I've found that there are a plethora of marker reviewed geared at the hobbyist, but few toward professional illustrators looking for professional results. I hope that my reviews can help to fill that gap, and I try to keep in mind three very important aspects that I feel all art markers should have.
- Flexable nib that can mimic the flex of a watercolor brush.
- Refill-ability
- Blend-ability with other markers
I'm particularly excited about today's review, as I've tested the South Korean ShinHan Twin Touch, which is considered by many to be Copic Sketch's closest competitor. I purchased my Twin Touch markers online, via Jerry's Art-a-Rama (link). Twin Touch markers come in two types: the nib tipped and the brush tipped, so if you want the flexible brush tip, you need to make sure that's what you've put into your cart. No matter which type you choose, both varieties utilize alcohol based ink and have nylon nibs.
I first saw ShinHan Twin Touch markers at this year's New York Comic Con, although I haven't had an opportunity to check them out until recently. The fact that they looked so similar to Copic Sketch markers caught my eye, and I wondered if they could possibly hold a candle to Copic Sketch markers' super flexible brush tip.
Background Information on ShinHan Art Materials
ShinHan is a South Korean art supply company that makes supplies such as poster colors, watercolors, and alcohol based art markers. It got it start in 1967, and began exporting in 1980. In 1992, the ShinHan Twin Touch was launched, and the brush tip came out in 2000.
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Art Supply Review Disclaimer
As always, these art supply reviews are based on my own experiences and tastes, and may not be directly relevant to your needs and techniques. When investing in a product as expensive and potentially long lasting as alcohol based markers, it's wise to take into consideration a variety of sources, and to do your research.ShinHan Twin Touch Alcohol Based Markers Vs. Copic Sketch Alcohol Based Markers
ShinHan Twin Touch Markers |
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ShinHan Twin Touch Marker Features:
Broad/Chisel Tip: $3.40 (Jerry's Artarama)Brush tip: $4.30 (Jerry's Artarama)
Refill Ink (good for 4 refills) $5.80 (MarkerPop)
- Refillable
- Replacable Nibs
- 204 Colors
- Comfortable in hand
- Color name and Family on Caps
- Color coded caps
- Super Brush Option
- Availability: Jerry's Artarama, Amazon, MarkerPop
- Blender marker available
- Two types of marker- Chisel nib and Brush tip
- Alcohol based ink
- Available in individual and color themed sets
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Copic Sketch Marker Features:
Price per Copic Sketch $7.29 (Amazon)
Price per Copic Ciao $3.59 (Amazon)
Price per Refill $10.99 (Amazon Prime) (I've seen it for around $8 at the Dick Blick in Savannah, though)
- Refillable
- Replaceable Nibs
- Comfortable in hand
- 358 available number of colors
- Blend-able
- Color Name and Family on Cap
- Color Coded cap
- Super Brush
- Can mix own colors, blank markers available
- Availability: limited availability at Michaels, many art supply stores, Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama, Jetpens, Amazon
- Available in individual and color themed sets
- Alcohol based
- React to rubbing alcohol and 'blender' fluid
- Can be blended
The Comparison
The Twin Touch cap is pretty solidly on, so it wont fall off in your bag while travelling, pretty similar to Copic's cap. The plastic of the Twin Touch color coded cap is a little more translucent than the Copic Sketch's.
For both Copic Sketch and Twin Touch markers, the caps are pretty true to the actual color of the marker.
The Test Results
This test is my standard for all alcohol based marker comparison tests, and you've already seen it with my Spectrum Noir, Prismacolor Premiers, and Pantone Letraset Tria tests. I test the marker's compatibility with a variety of technical pens (Sakura Micron, Copic Multiliner, Pitt Pen, the waterbased ink found in Akashiya brush pens, the gel ink in Hi Tec C rollerball pens), as well as it's ability to blend and layer (shown on the sphere) and it's ability to mix with the other marker (show in the boxed area). New to this test is the compatibility with Copic's Colorless Blender. ShinHan also has a colorless blender marker available, but I don't have one to test for this supply review.
The test is a little blown out, as my scanner has a tendency to do that. As you can see, it was fairly easy for me to match colors (the hot pinks notwithstanding, as I ordered them to add to my actual color collection, so I went for colors I did not already have). ShinHan Twin Touch's Blue Greys are very similar to Copic Sketch's Cool Greys, and would make for excellent field skething markers, as they're much cheaper.
The ShinHan markers are a bit dry compared to Copic Sketch markers, and the brush tip is a bit gummy (it wants to stick to the page). The inks work well together, although it's easier to blend Copic Sketch into Twin Touch due to the wetter nib. Applying color with a Twin Touch marker is a little streaky (again, due to that dry, gummy nib).
As always, both markers reacted poorly to the Akashiya ink (it's possibly lacquer or shellac based, and the alcohol based ink dissolves that). Both markers tend to pick up a little of the other inks as well, but that's because I'm applying color immediately after applying the ink. I recommend waiting at least an hour to allow the ink to fully dry before applying color.
The Verdict
I think Twin Touch markers are Copic Sketch marker's closest competition with refillable ink, vibrant colors, and replaceable nibs, particularly as Twin Touch markers are cheaper than Copics and perform with similar results. I think Twin Touch markers are an excellent addition to a marker collection, particularly if you purchase colors you only occasionally use. My only issue is the gummy brush tip, which may be either the result or the culprit of the dry ink application. If you utilize saturation in your markering technique, you would have a difficult time doing so with the Twin Touch markers. Both of these alcohol based marker brands are an excellent choice for illustrators, although I would say that the Twin Touch is probably comparable to the Copic Ciao marker in price and features.
If you're looking for a cheaper Copic substitute for scrapbooking and stamping, the ShinHan Twin Touch may be just the marker to suit your needs. If you're looking for a marker that performs as well as a Copic Sketch marker or a Copic Caio marker, you may be disappointed with the ShinHan Twin Touch's features.
Like what you saw?
You can order your own Shin Han Twin Touch markers AND help financially support this blog by ordering Shin Han Twin Touch through my Amazon Affiliate Carousel below! I receive a percentage of each sale, and that money goes towards not only purchasing more supplies to review here, but also towards feeding me, my cat, and keeping the lights on.
Other Reviews of ShinHan Twin Touch alcohol based markers:
Invisible PaperclipGet It Scrapped!
Crafty Moira
Great review! For the first time I've found someone not going for the ShinHan bargain price.
ReplyDeleteI had a chance to meet with some guys both from Copic and ShinHan and I discover that ShinHan was actually sued by Copic for copying their heritage designs. Everything is a copycat, even the name of some colors. What a shame and lack of creativity and authenticity for a company that works in the creative industry. If you work for the same industry, will wouldn't like someone copying your work, right?
Copics are THE marker brand. They created these markers 25 years ago (refillable, green and stylish) and there is still no comparison today.
Nice review, and thank you for linking to mine. I just discovered that at least one view on my blog came from this post =) I like how your reviews are detailed and provides a lot of information. Thank you for taking the time to write it and to provide quite a few photos.
ReplyDelete