Greetings Copic readers! In our previous blog, we discussed how Acrea compares with Copic Multiliner pens (there are many similarities, read more of last month’s blog here). Today, we are going to explore how Acrea can be used with Copic Ink, which are very different products since one has a lot of control over the pigment and the other one doesn’t! With that being said, let’s take a look below and see how these products compare.

	Acrea	Ink
No. of colors	24 (debut range)	358
Nibs or nib sizes	0.8	N/A
Product shape	Circle	Circle
Ink base	Water	Alcohol
Year est.	2024	2020*
Refillable?	No	N/A

*Copic Ink is the new design of the older model of this product, Copic Various Ink.

 

Copic Ink colors BG13, Y13, and R22; and Copic Acrea colors Turquoise Blue, Lemon Yellow, and Coral Pink on various surfaces. Left: 50 lb. marker paper. Top right: 74 lb. Yupo Medium paper. Bottom right: glass panel.

 

What makes Acrea different from Copic Ink? The main difference is that Acrea is a water-based paint pen, while Copic Ink is an alcohol-based dye ink. This means that their blending capabilities are going to be different, as well as the variety of surfaces they can work on (see the above 3 surface examples).

Whereas Copic Ink is primarily known as the marker refill, this product can also be used to make beautiful ink art. However, it needs a non-porous surface to cling to once the ink dries, like the very popular Yupo paper (second example above), glossy photo paper, metal, resin, or glass. You will use A LOT more of Copic Ink if you use a porous surface like cold-press watercolor paper, for example.

On the other hand, with Acrea, you can use both porous and non-porous surfaces; you just need to be sure you wait a proper amount of time for the ink to dry so you don’t end up smudging the water-based ink around (especially on the non-porous/ “slick” surfaces like Yupo paper and glass). Acrea, with its water-based ink, is a great “in-between;” it can be used on the same type of paper you would normally use to color with Copic markers, and it can also be used on slicker surfaces, colored papers, canvas, and more! 

Top: Copic Ink used first - the ink is able to blend smoothly, with crisp Acrea lines on top.
Bottom: Acrea used first - the ink smudges and dulls the Acrea lines. Recommend using Copic Ink 1st and Acrea after the ink has dried.

 

Above: Copic Acrea (left) and Copic Ink (right) nibs.

 

Now that we know the main differences between these two Copic materials, how can we use them together? Or, do they need to be used separately?

The answer to whether or not you can use them together is YES; you CAN use these Acrea and Copic Ink together, but the order of which you use them matters (much like with the Copic markers). This goes back to what we just talked about, with the differences of how the pigment per product will soak differently into surfaces.

We recommend doing all of the blending with Copic Ink FIRST, then add Acrea on top or for additional details. This is to prevent the Acrea ink from smudging and becoming dull when Ink is placed on top.

 

 

Want to test out the differences between Acrea and Copic Ink yourself? Print the above template below, or here in our line art gallery, on a sheet of standard photo paper, and follow the simple instructions on the sheet! After trying out the order of coloring, you’ll quickly find out that you can use a LOT of different materials with Acrea; all you need to consider is the order in which you apply the materials to ensure the best creating experience and longevity of your materials!
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And with that, we wrap up today’s blog! Stay tuned for our blog next month, where we’ll be giving you a breakdown of the best papers to use with Acrea! We look forward to continuing our exploration of this new Copic paint pen with you!

Until then, don’t forget to follow us across our social media channels @copic_official_us, and sign up for exclusive discounts and prizes by joining the Copic Club! One last thing - use #copicwithus or tag us @copic_official_us for a chance to have your drawings featured on our Copic US social media channels and the homepage on our website!

Thank you so much for reading and enjoying Copic markers as much as we do! 😀