Compiled from 10 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Copic Sketch is Copic's standard double-ended alcohol marker, with a flexible Super Brush nib and a chisel Medium Broad nib. Copic Japan sells it in 358 colors at ¥495 (about US$3.10), lists an oval body of 11 × 16 × 150 mm, and says each refill takes about 1.8 ml of Copic Ink.
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The Copic Sketch in B24 Sky, drawn to scale from Copic Japan's 11 × 16 × 150 mm body size.
$$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas. Country of manufacture not stated: Copic's own pages don't state a country for the Sketch. Search snippets of Muziker and Faire listings for single Sketch markers say made in Japan, while Digitec lists Japan and Vietnam for a 6-marker set; we couldn't open the Muziker or Faire pages, so check the pack. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Copic Japan's history page: the Sketch went on sale in 1993 with 144 colors; the original Copic (now Copic Classic) launched in 1987.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Copic Japan lists the Sketch body at 11 × 16 × 150 mm (5.9 in long), an oval barrel; Amazon gives the 100 Black at 0.32 oz (about 9 g).
It comes in 358 colors, including the colorless blender 0, the widest range of Copic's three alcohol markers (Ciao has 180, Classic 214).
Each refill takes about 1.8 ml of Copic Ink, and one bottle refills a marker about 7 times, per Copic Japan; both nibs can be replaced.
Copic launched the Sketch in 1993 with 144 colors, adding a brush nib to the 1987 Copic (now Copic Classic) for comics and illustration.
Copic Japan lists it at ¥495 (about US$3.10) with tax; in the US a single marker falls in our $$ band ($5–20).
What is a Copic Sketch marker?
It’s Copic’s standard alcohol marker: an oval, double-ended marker with a flexible brush nib at one end and a chisel nib at the other. Copic Japan calls it its standard model, used by professionals in design, illustration and art, and sells it in all 358 Copic colors.
Copic is a brand of Too Marker Products, based in Tokyo. Its English history says the first Copic of 1987 was named after “copies”: it was made to color over photocopies without smearing the toner. The Sketch followed in 1993 with a brush nib for comics and illustration.
Copic Sketch specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo, Japan)
Nibs
Super Brush + Medium Broad (chisel); both replaceable
Ink
Alcohol-based dye ink
Colors
358, including colorless blender 0
Body
11 × 16 × 150 mm (5.9 in long), oval
Weight
0.32 oz, about 9 g (Amazon, 100 Black)
Refill
About 1.8 ml of Copic Ink per refill; about 7 per bottle
Price in Japan
¥495 (about US$3.10) with tax
Launched
1993, with 144 colors
Made in
Not stated (listings say Japan, or Japan and Vietnam)
Size, nibs, ink, colors and refills come from Copic Japan’s product page; Copic also says the Sketch works with its airbrush system. Copic doesn’t publish a weight, so we use Amazon’s for 100 Black.
The 11 × 16 mm oval barrel at 1 mm = 8 px, and how to read a Copic color code.
How do the two nibs differ?
The Super Brush flexes like a paintbrush for tapered strokes and blending, while the Medium Broad is a firm chisel for flat fills and straight edges. Copic Japan says the Super Brush has just enough stiffness and is known for being easy to control.
For fine lines, Copic sells a separate Fine nib that fits the Sketch only; its FAQ says the Ciao’s nib socket is a slightly different size. Swap a worn or dirty nib with Copic’s tweezers rather than replacing the marker.
How do Copic color codes work?
The letters give the color family, the first number the group of close hues, and the last number how light or dark the color is. Copic Japan’s FAQ uses B000 (a very pale, basic blue) and B95 (a dark, dull blue) as examples.
Values run in 12 steps, from 000 to 9. Copic says markers that share a family and group, such as B21, B24 and B26, have similar colors, which is why artists blend within a group. Copic Japan renewed its Sketch sets in 2017 with color choices easier for beginners, and now sells Basic sets of 12, 24 and 36.
Can you refill a Copic Sketch?
Yes: Copic Japan says each refill takes about 1.8 ml of Copic Ink, and one bottle refills a marker about 7 times. The ink comes in all 358 colors and also fits the Ciao and Classic.
Copic Japan sells an empty Sketch for ¥429 (about US$2.70), which holds about 3 ml, for mixing custom colors. Keep caps tight: the FAQ warns that alcohol ink evaporates fast, and a cracked cap can dry a marker out.
Sketch, Ciao or Classic: which should you choose?
Choose the Sketch for the full 358 colors, the Ciao to start cheaply, and the Classic for design work with a fine nib.
Copic Sketch
Copic Ciao
Copic Classic
Colors
358
180
214
Nibs
Super Brush + Medium Broad
Same as Sketch
Broad + Fine
Ink
Same alcohol ink
Less ink per marker
Same alcohol ink
Price in Japan
¥495 (about US$3.10)
¥330 (about US$2.10)
¥638 (about US$4.00)
Launched
1993
Not stated
1987
For water-based blending at a lower price, the Tombow Dual Brush Pen is the common alternative. For lightfast pigment line work under Copic color, artists often use a Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen, and for opaque highlights on top, a uni POSCA PC-5M. Our best alcohol markers roundup compares the Sketch and Ciao with Ohuhu, Prismacolor and Arteza markers, and our Ohuhu Honolulu guide covers the best-selling budget alternative.
What paper and ink work with Copics?
Use smooth, bleedproof marker paper, such as the Canson XL Marker pad, and stamp outlines with an alcohol-safe ink. Alcohol ink soaks through ordinary paper, so put a scrap sheet behind your page.
For stamped line art, stampers use Memento Tuxedo Black, which its maker recommends for alcohol-marker coloring. For inked lines that Copic says won’t bleed under its markers, see the Copic Multiliner.
Where is the Copic Sketch made?
Copic is a Japanese brand, but Copic’s pages don’t say where the Sketch is made. Search snippets of Muziker and Faire listings say made in Japan, while Swiss retailer Digitec lists Japan and Vietnam for a 6-marker set.
Copic’s English history says the original 1987 Copic’s parts were made in Japan. Check the pack for your marker.
How much does it cost?
A single Copic Sketch falls in our $$ band ($5–20) in the US. That’s well above Copic Japan’s ¥495 (about US$3.10); sets and refills lower the cost per color over time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Copic Sketch, Ciao and Classic?
All three use the same alcohol ink and the same refills. Copic Japan sells the Sketch in 358 colors with Super Brush and Medium Broad nibs, the cheaper Ciao in 180 colors with the same nibs but less ink, and the square Classic in 214 colors with Broad and Fine nibs.
How many Copic Sketch colors are there?
358, according to Copic Japan, including the colorless blender, numbered 0. Copic Ink comes in the same 358 colors, so every Sketch color can be refilled.
What do the letters and numbers on Copic markers mean?
Copic Japan explains that the letters are the color family (B for Blue, YG for Yellow Green), the first number is the color group (0 to 9, close hues together) and the last number is the value, from 000 (palest) to 9 (darkest). B000 is a very pale blue; B95 is a dark, dull blue.
Are Copic markers refillable?
Yes. Copic Japan says each refill takes about 1.8 ml of Copic Ink, enough for about 7 refills per bottle, and you can refill straight through the body with the bottle's nozzle. The nibs are replaceable too.
Do Copic markers bleed through paper?
Usually, on ordinary paper, because the ink is alcohol-based and soaks in. Artists use bleedproof marker paper or put a scrap sheet behind the page; we haven't run our own bleed test yet.
How big is a Copic Sketch marker?
Copic Japan lists the body at 11 × 16 × 150 mm, so it is 150 mm (5.9 in) long with an oval barrel that won't roll. Amazon lists the 100 Black at 0.32 oz, about 9 g.
Where are Copic markers made?
Copic is a Japanese brand of Too Marker Products in Tokyo. Copic's pages don't state where the Sketch is made; retailer listings mostly say Japan, but one Swiss listing gives Japan and Vietnam for a set, so check the pack.
Why are Copic markers so expensive?
In Japan a Sketch costs ¥495 (about US$3.10), but US prices are much higher, in our $$ band. You pay for the 358-color range, replaceable nibs and refillable ink; refilling costs much less per use than buying new markers.
