Baylee's drawing tutorials website launch!

I'll definitely be posting more on this later, but want to spread the word on my friends new website.
Check out Baylee's new site at MangaLessons.com
Or subscribe to her YouTube channel if you like to draw anime or manga and need some tips.

Copic and Prismacolor Marker Storage

Copic Empty 72pc wallet

  So, HOW are you supposed to store your Copics or Prismacolor markers? Unfortunately, there is no one dogmatic answer to this question... But fear not, it's pretty easy to find something that works just right for you. There are many ways to store your markers and keep them organized... But it really comes down to your own personal preference and if you plan on being mobile and carrying a selection of colors on you all the time, some of the time or... Maybe you got your groove at the office, home, workshop, somewhere where you can leave something bulky and or that wouldn't exactly travel well. Lets take a look at some of the options that are typically available at your preferred copic marker store or stores that carry Prismacolor markers.

Open Copic 72pc wallet

  Why save the best for last? First, let's talk about my new favorite and in my opinion... most versatile option yet. The empty wallets offered by Copic. In particular the one that will hold 72 markers. I love this wallet because it holds a TON of markers and has a strap that you can throw over your shoulder for on the go. At the same time, the copic 72 piece empty wallet is small enough to throw in your backpack if you are running to school and won't break if you drop it or are rough with your bag running from class to class. The best part is that when you finally get to wherever you are going, you can spread the wallet open and stand it up for easy viewing of all your colors in tow. Another reason I dig on the empty wallets is that they are not as prejudice as most of us are about what goes into them. As you will see in some of the options discussed later on in this article not all marker storage containers are flexible as to what you can put in them. :( Good thing we got these wallets! Whether you Copic or Prismacolor or both, these empty wallets will work for you.

Empty Copic marker case

Prismacolor stand

  Next lets cover the lower zeny end of things. The empty plastic cases offered by Copic. (They aren't like the emperors new clothes... it's really in the picture to the left I swear!)These are clear and simple, and it's usually free when you order a set of markers, or purchase them in a set. OtakuFuel.com does offer the empty marker cases for a reasonable price though, and if you are planning on staying in one place or have a desk that is flat, these work best for the artist on a budget. The downside is that they will only hold one type of marker in them. If you bought a ciao plastic case, it will only hold ciao. Same goes for Sketch, Original, Wide etc. And forget about putting your Prismacolors in these. While we are on that subject lets dig right into the Prismacolor option that is included with their marker sets... If you are thinking about the stands that come with Prismacolor markers... While they look super cool, you first need to make sure that you will have a semi-permanent place to store / work with them. And second, you will probably want a beer while you try to figure out it's proper assembly, and then another beer for when you realize that you have one more reason to get the empty copic wallet I mentioned up above. In short, get someone smarter than me to build it for you and you might be pretty darn happy with it...

Sexy Copic Wire Stand

  A better alternative for desktops, is a Copic Wire Stand that holds 72 Copic Original or Copic Sketch markers. It wasn't intended for Prismacolors but those should pop right in there too. It's not very portable, or abuse-able, but set-up is a cinch and looks sexy-hot-hot when it's filled up pretty. I for myself am kind of messy and move things around a lot so I still prefer the rugged wallet. Also, the Copic wire stand is a little pricey at a MSRP of $70! Cha-ching! Bargain hunters can usually pick one up for about $50-60 on average though, depending where you shop...

  Next, the Copic Block Stand. This is a very versatile option, but can add up quick if you have a lot of markers or just wanna build a Jenga tower of markers... :p

Copic Block Stands

It's pretty sturdy but seems kind of pointless to transport it anywhere as the moment you do all the markers would fall out. Yep, this is best to also keep in a semi-permanent location. Each individual Copic Block Stand holds up to 36 Copic Ciao, Sketch, Original or Prismacolor markers. This is a fact. It may be made for Copics... but we won't tell, if your markers don't mind intermingling... ;)
If you stack a few of these together you can easily have over 100 markers at eye level on your desk. I don't know about you, but for me, that is plenty.

Copic Retail Display

  For the sake of being complete, I want to cover the coolest way to store your markers in a fixed location. This option is for deep pockets and lots of desk / work space. It's really popular in certain circles, but certainly aren't for everyone. If you are a professional, you can probably justify getting one of these. If you are marker-phile / hobbist-crackhead, you will justify getting one of these. WHAT IS "THESE"?????

Wall-O-Copics

I am talking about one of those plastic goodness thingys you see in a retail store. Yep, an empty Copic marker retail display is king. Obviously, this is QUITE excessive for the average artist, and your money is probably better spent on increasing your color range or other more necessary art supplies. And seriously, if you can control yourself, you don't need 5 of every color... Most of these markers we discussed last a VERY long time if you use them on the right paper. Add to your collection over time and either refill your markers with Various Ink to save on cash or if you hate the mess and buy new markers... don't throw them away!! Do something really Otaku like make a wall of dead markers like some bars do with bottle caps and junk.
You know you don't throw your figure boxes away, so don't dis' a dead marker either. They are memoirs of your art! Seriously, I think it's cool to hang on to dead markers... but do whatever you want. Chuck 'em - I may cry a little though ~sniff



Wrap Up:
  Although there are many shiny options to choose from and some no brainer stay the heck away from that one options - I vote for the Empty Wallet made by Copic simply for it's versatility, durability and cost.

-end-

Copic Markers

Besides loving to watch anime and reading manga... I love the creation of it as well. Not that I have ever animated anything, but something akin to model building... It's not like I actually build and pilot a Gundam, I just make plastic replicas of them. In a similar way with anime and manga, I love to draw anime and manga type characters.

However, I do love to color more than I love to draw. But I guess that is because I am not very good at the whole free hand drawing as "drawing" goes. Art teachers have told me that I just need to practice. While I don't mind doing that, hey, practice makes perfect... I have always enjoyed the coloring portion of completing a sketch. Copic Markers are my tools of choice and are simply the best tools to get the job done as far as markers go. I use the Copic Sketch markers because there are more colors than the Copic Ciao markers or the Original Copic markers. Plus the Sketch Markers hold more ink than a ciao marker. There's nothing quite like running out of ink in the middle of a project. But hey, that's what the Copic Various Ink refills are for!

The nifty polyester nibs last a while and usually I'll run out of ink a few times before I actually need to replace the nibs themselves.

I'm still on the hunt for some good scans of some fan-art for guys and gals like me that can't draw very well but still love to color in stuffs. If you have a good online resource, leave a comment or contact me on one of the various ways that's popular at whatever time you end up reading this... :)

Here's my good friend Danny doodling with his Copic Sketch Manga Wallet Set at my house:

Out with the Old Scrolls in with the new...

  Okay, so I thought I was a big-time Otaku having every spare inch of my walls covered with anime wall scrolls. However, I am now forced to re-evaluate my thinking. I just ran into this this site called WhatIsBlik.com where they have the most amazingly fresh and modern ways to decorate your walls, while not giving up your Otaku status. 

  Want to be immersed in the Atari yester-years? How about even further back, let's try some of the first video game ever... a tribute to "PONG"? Yes please. For some of the younger Otaku, they have a Super Mario Brothers theme! Skip to the end for a real hard core Super Mario Fan that got all techie with his new wall decals and motion sensors...

  All the decals are self stick and re-stickable. Easy self install, and if you make a mistake, no sweat, just move it! If you want to see more of this goodness in the otaku style, then email them and tell them to start making wall decals of scenes from your favorite anime! On that note, if you could have any of them in your house, apt, bedroom, whatever, what would you choose?!?

I'm thinking a whole bunch of SD Gundams would be king. Although..., I must say that I have really been enjoying this "Summer Wars" kick I've been on... How about a battle scene featuring King Kazuma?!?! WOOT!

Anyhow, check out the pics or mosey on over to WhatIsBlik yourself to see the full arsenal of their super nifty plastic wall paper: WhatIsBlick.com

Assuming you have the 8'x8' space required to stick-up this Scene from the DS version of Super Mario Brothers you get 24 decals in this set to arrange your Mario escape. The 24 decals are separated into 3 - 26" x 40" sheets.

I'm guessing these are gonna be great for the grown up gamer with way too big of an office... What room of yours would you put them in?

By the way, if anyone knows how he rigged the sound up, contact me to give me the 411. :)