Copic Doodle Pack Brown Ink Review

(This is a guest post by Nick Folz. You can find more of Nick and his work on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.)

Okay listen, I'm a black and white sort of fella. No no no, I like grey as much as the next person and life is so rarely as simple as the bright clear white and the rich dark black, but when I'm doodling I prefer the starkest of contrasts. Good ol' B & W.

That said, comfort zones are made to be stepped away from. Markers are decidedly outside of mine. Sure, as an awkward youth I burnt through many a flimsy yellow cardboard box of brightly toned cylinders, and had fun while doing so, transforming white sheets into worlds where the grass really was green and the sky always a brilliant blue. I think I was probably in high school when I abandoned colors in general in my drawings. Too much work! The thing was done and now I have to risk ruining it by coloring? No thanks. I have talked to many people who feel the same way about inking, which I have always found relaxing and a general refinement of the previous version, but I digress. Let’s get down to the business at hand - Copic Markers Doodle Pack in Brown. A fine way to test the swirling waters of color.

Here is the (my) thing about colors: when given all of the choices in the world, it is crippling. It can be overwhelming trying to choose the right color when there are limitless options. It is much easier and even more effective to limit a pallet and work within constraints. That is what piqued my interest in these packs. You are giving various tones of a single color group and a variety of tools as well. Let’s do a quick breakdown of the four items:

• Copic Ciao Marker - E31 Brick Beige: dual edge (one chisel, one brush) perfect for large area toning. A light (but not too light) brown.
• Copic Ciao Marker - E35 Chamois: dual edge (one chisel, one brush) perfect for large area toning. A dark (but not too dark) brown
• Copic atyou Spica Glitter Pen - Chocolate: Lays down a decent sized deep dark brown. 
• Copic Multiliner Pen - 0.3 mm Brown: Lays down a super fine deep dark brown.

For an analogy, let’s say you are painting a room: Your Ciao Markers are your rollers, Spica is your edge brush and the Multiliner is your tiny-detail-single-hair brush. They work wonderfully in concert with one another, each doing a job the other couldn't do and making the whole better.

To be honest I totally forgot how to use markers and started to do line work with one of the Ciao markers. Rookie move. Markers bleed like my nose in allergy season, what was meant to be a fine line wound up a broad stroke and I sat agape watching the pigment do it slow march outward. Oops. I shrugged it off, finished lining it with the marker and relined it with the Spica. Went back with the Ciaos to fill and then finished it up the details with the Multiliner. Suffice to say it was like riding a bike and before long I was grinning like that awkward child I once was (I am now an awkward adult, thank you very much).

One of my favorite aspects is the layering effect of the Ciaos. You might have only two colors but you can overlap the color for slightly darker shades of each, adding nuance to the shading. The Spica was my main outliner, the flow was solid and clean. Yes, it is a glitter ink pen but I hadn't noticed HOW glittery till the next day in better light. Glitter ink is, admittedly, not my bag, but it has a very nice look to it! The Multiliner worked well, but I am not wild about the tips on these types of pens. The super fine point is made of what feels like felt and they crush too easy for me, but tip works perfect for details and the shade is close to the Spica, so they work well together.

All in all I would highly recommend the Doodle packs to anyone interested in trying either expanding their marker knowledge or color palette. They are extraordinarily fun to use and will add some variety to an otherwise drab sketchbook. They can be purchased at JetPens and are available in a variety of color spectrums (I have my eye on the turquoise next).   Cheers.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided for me free of cost but I am not otherwise being compensated for this review. The opinions contained are my own.)

The Work/Play Limited Edition By Baron Fig (Sponsor)

We are big fans of Baron Fig notebooks around these parts, and their latest release is poised to be their best one yet.

The Work/Play Limited Edition is designed with balance in mind. Every spread has a dot grid page on the left and a blank page on the right. This is a wonderful setup and a fantastic looking notebook that is sure to sell out quickly. Click here to buy yours today !

I was able to ask Baron Fig designer Joey Cofone a few questions on how the Work/Play edition came about:

1. What was the inspiration behind the design of the Work/Play edition?

Good question! We here at Baron Fig are huge proponents of balance. The Work/Play edition came from the desire to manifest that idea in a Confidant. Most would agree that being a hard worker is a valuable quality in a person, but we need to remember that it's equally important to be good at play. This edition reminds us to do both!

2. This is a limited edition, but do you see a black cover Confidant in the standard Baron Fig lineup at some point in the future?

Do you remember the Maker edition? We released it in March to celebrate our anniversary. It had a charcoal cover---and sold out in just a couple of days. That was a solid lesson for us, and I expect the Work/Play to go out in a similar fashion. I can't answer your question directly, but just know that I'm winking at you as I type this.

3. Finally, and this is a big one, why is blank on the right and dot grid on the left, and who had the final say in the decision?

We put a lot of effort into engaging the community, whether it be via email, Facebook, Twitter, or even in person. One particular thought we heard often was, "What if you put two paper types in one book?" It took a while to figure out how that could manifest, but I think we did a great job. In my mind dot grid represents Work and blank represents Play---each spread delivers a message of balance. Hope you enjoy!

The Pen Addict Review of the Baron Fig Work/Play Edition

I've been able to test out the Work/Play edition for the last two weeks thanks to my good friends at Baron Fig. It's a great release, and my favorite so far. The black linen cover alone would have me sold, but the addition of dot grid ruling on one side of the page and blank on the other sealed the deal. Add in a limited release and a wonderful presentation and you have the makings of something great.

From a usage perspective, gel ink pens and pencils of any variety are the standout writing instruments for the Work/Play edition. Gel ink goes on smoothly and colored inks retain their vibrancy. Pencils of all types are exceptional on this paper. There is slight feedback when writing, which is what you want with graphite for the utmost control.

Fountain pens have historically been hit or miss in Baron Fig's offerings. The batch I tested this time around has done better than any I have previously, with only one nib and ink pairing feathering and bleeding. Noodler's Dromgoole Blue Steel in a Franklin-Christoph fine cursive italic nib was the culprit, but then again, this ink feathers on nearly every paper I have tested it on. Other combos - Sailor Jentle Apricot in a Sailor B nib, Pilot Blue Black in a medium cursive italic nib, Platinum black in an EF Nakaya nib - had no feathering or bleeding issues at all. Still, your mileage may vary, especially with wide nibs and wet inks.

The biggest question I had about this edition is would I actually use both sides of the page as designed? I don't know that my brain functions in a way to be able to handle it, but it is done so well it makes me want to try. There is some ghosting on the pages (seen at the top of the above image), with one sides writing able to be seen on the back side of the page, but it is manageable. If you do write on both side of the page you are likely well aware of what type of pen works best for that task. Either that, or you just embrace the situation and write away.

I don't see any reason why the Work/Play edition won't be the most successful Baron Fig limited release yet. It has a lot going for it, including a great team behind the brand. I look forward to filling this book up and keeping a keen eye on what Baron Fig has in store for us all next.

The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 163 - I'm Just Wasting Ink Here

I loved this weeks episode. Myke and I found common ground in many areas, but the topics we disagreed on provoked some great discussion. We hit on personal journaling, the lost art of handwriting, some of my latest purchases, and Myke's newfound love for mechanical pencils.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Harry's: An exceptional shave at a fraction of the price. Use code PENADDICT for $5 off your first purchase.

Fracture: Photos printed in vivid color directly on glass. Use code 'PENADDICT' to get 15% off.