Art Marker Showdown: Letraset FlexMarker vs. Copic Sketch
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 Letraset Flex markers for yourself or a friend, please consider supporting this blog financially by using my Amazon affiliate search link for Letraset Flex 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 Letraset 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-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.
In order to compete with the popularity of the Super Brush nib available on Copic Sketch and Copic Ciao markers, many alcohol based marker companies have been releasing an art brush option. You've already seen a couple in action recently with my Prismacolor Premier Art Brush review and ShinHan Twin Touch reviews, and I've got another in store. This week's contender is the Letraset Flex Marker, a super brush option available from the same folks who produce Promarker and the Tria alcohol based markers.
You guys know from my ShinHan Twin Touch review that there's three qualities I look for in an alcohol based marker.
I covered a basic history of Letraset in my review of their Tria and Promarkers, as well as a list of their available markers.
Flexmarkers come in a reclose-able blister pack that holds each marker snugly in place. The blister pack is not very sturdy, nor attractive, but it's free and portable.
Unlike Trias and Promarkers, Letraset's FlexMarker does not have two different caps to denote the end. Rather, there's a tiny symbol near the cap, but it's very easy to miss.
Unlike most of the brush tips I've encountered, this one is more conical
It's also a bit shorter than the Copic Superbrush tip.
The chisel nib doesn't seem to be as well fitted to the marker as the Copic Sketch's chisel nib.
A colorless blender came with my set of 12 markers.
Color comparison shots.
This test is my standard for all alcohol based marker comparison tests, and you've already seen it with my Spectrum Noir, Prismacolor Premiers, ShinHan Twin Touch, 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 as well as the compatibility with the FlexMarker's blender.
I found the FlexMarker to be a bit dry, and even when I saturate the paper with colorless blender, I still get patchy blending. Flexmarkers and Copics seem to play well together, and I believe Flexmarkers would make a very fair start for a marker collection, particularly as they're a fair bit cheaper than Copics. I've never seen them in person, so they may be harder to find in a physical store. I realize that this is a dealbreaker for many young artists, so if you cannot find Letraset Flexmarkers in stores, you should inquire about the Prismacolor artbrush, particularly if having a brush tip is important to you.
Liked What You Saw?
You can order your own set of Letraset FlexMarkers AND help support this blog financially by ordering through my Amazon Affiliate Carousel below. Your purchase through this link not only nets you your own set of Letraset markers, but a percentage of your purchase goes towards supporting this blog. Your purchase helps me purchase more art supplies to review, as well as provides a little financial compensation for the long hours I spend writing these reviews.
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 Letraset 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-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.
In order to compete with the popularity of the Super Brush nib available on Copic Sketch and Copic Ciao markers, many alcohol based marker companies have been releasing an art brush option. You've already seen a couple in action recently with my Prismacolor Premier Art Brush review and ShinHan Twin Touch reviews, and I've got another in store. This week's contender is the Letraset Flex Marker, a super brush option available from the same folks who produce Promarker and the Tria alcohol based markers.
You guys know from my ShinHan Twin Touch review that there's three qualities I look for in an alcohol based marker.
- Flexable nib that can mimic the flex of a watercolor brush.
- Refill-ability
- Blend-ability with other markers
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.Letraset History
I covered a basic history of Letraset in my review of their Tria and Promarkers, as well as a list of their available markers.
Letraset Flex Marker Vs. Copic Sketch
Letraset Flex
- Refillable- could not find information
- Replacable Nibs- could not find information
- 148 Colors
- Comfortable in hand
- Color sticker on cap
- Color coded on side of barrel, sort of hard to find
- Without cap, marker rolls
- This is the super brush option
- Availability: Amazon, Letraset website, eBay
- Same ink as Tria and Promarkers
- Twin tipped- chisel end and brush tip
- Blender marker available
- Sold individually, in 6 and 12 blister packs
- Price per marker: $2.02 (Amazon)
- Blendable
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| Source |
Copic Sketch
- Refillable
- Replacable 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
- Price Per Marker: $7.29 (Amazon)
- 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
It's also a bit shorter than the Copic Superbrush tip.
The chisel nib doesn't seem to be as well fitted to the marker as the Copic Sketch's chisel nib.
A colorless blender came with my set of 12 markers.
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, ShinHan Twin Touch, 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 as well as the compatibility with the FlexMarker's blender.
I found the FlexMarker to be a bit dry, and even when I saturate the paper with colorless blender, I still get patchy blending. Flexmarkers and Copics seem to play well together, and I believe Flexmarkers would make a very fair start for a marker collection, particularly as they're a fair bit cheaper than Copics. I've never seen them in person, so they may be harder to find in a physical store. I realize that this is a dealbreaker for many young artists, so if you cannot find Letraset Flexmarkers in stores, you should inquire about the Prismacolor artbrush, particularly if having a brush tip is important to you.
Liked What You Saw?
You can order your own set of Letraset FlexMarkers AND help support this blog financially by ordering through my Amazon Affiliate Carousel below. Your purchase through this link not only nets you your own set of Letraset markers, but a percentage of your purchase goes towards supporting this blog. Your purchase helps me purchase more art supplies to review, as well as provides a little financial compensation for the long hours I spend writing these reviews.
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