Alcohol-based markers and water-based markers (sometimes called watercolor brush markers) are both very popular. When you are just starting to use markers for your art, it can be hard to decide which type of marker is best for your needs. There are several pros and cons for both types of markers.
Alcohol markers have vibrant colors and are better for blending without streaks, but they bleed through most paper and can be expensive. Water based markers are usually cheaper and can be used on thin paper without bleeding through, but blending with them can be streaky and can tear the paper. There are different situations where you might want one type of marker over the other, so let’s look more in depth at the pros and cons of each.
Are Alcohol or water based markers better?
Alcohol based markers and water based markers are both great in different ways. Alcohol markers are widely preferred by professional artists over water based markers. Alcohol markers tend to last longer, especially because some brands are refillable, and they blend well without streaking, leaving a smooth transition from one color to another.
Alcohol based markers are great for beginners as well, but they often cost more than water-based markers and have more of a learning curve when it comes to blending. With a little practice though, beginners can learn to blend alcohol markers fairly easily.
Water based markers tend to be cheaper than alcohol based markers, which makes them the preferred option for many beginners, especially adults who just want to color or journal with markers. Water-based markers are better for coloring or journaling, because they don’t bleed through the paper as easily as alcohol markers.
Water based markers are versatile because they can also be used mixed with water and diluted just like watercolor paint. Using this technique, water based markers can be layered on watercolor paper to create soft transitions and watercolor effects. It’s best to use watercolor or other absorbent paper for this so that the paper doesn’t end up soggy and full of holes.
In the image below, I used Tombow watercolor markers on marker paper that I use with alcohol markers all of the time. In the areas where I tried to blend the colors, the paper started to pill up and disintegrate. It’s most noticeable in the purple section right beside the butterfly’s body.
There are also sections where it looks streaky, especially in the darker areas like the greens, where the ink didn’t dry evenly.
What are the pros and cons of alcohol based markers?
Pros:
- Alcohol markers blend easily
- They come in a huge variety of colors and shades for blending
- The colors dry without streaks to give a professional look.
- Even with lots of blending, alcohol markers won’t tear the paper
- They dry quickly, with less smearing and smudging
- Some alcohol marker brands sell ink refills
- They are more colorfast and resistant to fading than water-based markers
Cons:
- Alcohol markers can be expensive, especially high end brands like Copic markers
- Alcohol markers tend to bleed through the paper, they need something behind the page to stop the ink from staining whatever is underneath.
- There is a slight chemical smell from the alcohol, use these in ventilated areas
- The colors will fade over time when exposed to sunlight (but alcohol markers fade more slowly than water based markers)
What are the pros and cons of water-based markers?
Pros:
- Water-based markers are non-toxic and water soluble, even kids can use them safely
- Water-based markers are cheaper than alcohol markers
- They can be mixed with water to create watercolor effects
- Water based markers don’t bleed through paper as quickly, and are good for using both sides of the paper like in a coloring book
- Easy to use, no advanced techniques required.
Cons:
- Can often be streaky
- If used too heavily in one spot or if blending two colors, the ink can saturate and rip through the paper, making tears or holes.
- Blending colors is very difficult – it will either be streaky, or there will be a harsh line between the colors instead of a gradual transition, or the markers will bleed through and tear the paper
- The water from the markers soaks into the paper if it’s too thin, causing it to become wavy or ripped in spots.
- Colors just don’t mix well unless used as watercolors
- Final product isn’t waterproof, drops of water spilled on finished artwork can reactivate the ink and wash it off the paper.
- Will fade fairly quickly when exposed to sunlight, these inks fade even faster than alcohol ink.
- Slow drying time, can lead to smudges or streaks.
Can you use water-based markers with alcohol based markers?
Alcohol and water-based markers can be used in the same art piece, because they will not react to each other. Alcohol-based markers will react to other alcohol-based inks, and water-based markers will react to other water-based inks. Alcohol ink and water based ink can be used together without fear that one color will be smeared or washed away in the process.
If you are using pens with alcohol ink to outline your work (including Micron pens), and then you color in that area with alcohol markers, it can cause the outline ink to run or smudge. Similarly, if you use a water based marker to outline and then color in that area with water-based markers, it can cause the outlined areas to run. To avoid this, use a water based pen to outline, and an alcohol based marker to color it in, or vice versa.
How can you tell if markers are alcohol or water-based?
Sometimes, especially if you are buying online, it can be hard to tell if the markers you are looking at are water-based or alcohol-based. There are several brands that make both kinds of markers, and the style of the markers and packaging can be very similar.
Both alcohol and water based markers can come with a brush tip on one end as well, so you can’t rely on just what the marker looks like. The best way to tell if a marker is alcohol based or water based (without having the marker in hand to test it) is to double check the packaging and the description of the markers before purchasing them. There will usually be a small line on the front or back of the package that says if the markers are water based or alcohol based.
Below are two almost identical looking sets of markers, sold by the same brand, Ohuhu. Without carefully reading the descriptions, it would be really easy to accidentally order water-based instead of alcohol markers.
If you look closely at the photo on the top, you can see that it says alcohol-based in the marker’s description. In the one below, it says water-based. Sometimes that’s the only way to tell. If you have the markers in front of you, you can usually tell by the smell of the marker (alcohol markers have a more distinct smell) or by the way the colors blend (water-based markers don’t blend as well and will start to tear up the paper unless you are using watercolor paper).
Regardless of which type of markers you choose, there are endless ways to create beautiful art with alcohol and water based markers.