A quick enough marker guide [sorry, no images right now]
Now, I'm an avid marker user and collector; Chartpak AD, Neopiko, Promarker, Copic, TRIA, Touch!, Chafford, Prismacolor- I've tried most of 'em and have developed quite an opinionated stance on them and the brand-loyalty attached to them, so please allow me to let off some steam by giving a simple review of each brand I've tried.
1. Neopiko
These are markers by the Japanese company 'Deleter', known mostly for their screen tones and inks. These markers come in bold, bright colours and have a typically 'up beat' air about them. They're very popular as illustration markers, particularly in manga. They're reasonably cheap and have the much coveted brush nib that seems to be a requirement for 'brand' markers these days. Their colours stain well and are quite opaque as far as markers go, seeping right in to the grain of most marker papers. As such, they're good for strong, fast application of colour. They seem to work best on more resistant and thick paper like Bristol board. They're not great at blending with other brands, or even with themselves a lot of the time.
Their downfall is, unfortunately, their dryness. These guys pretty much arrive half dry; I don't know if it's a problem with the design of their caps or what, but they're VERY squeaky and don't seem to last long. Their shape is also a bit uncomfortable as their almost octagonal shaped caps tend to get stuck whenever you try and use them straight from the box; this has caused me a few paper cuts when working quickly.
2. Copic [More so Copic Sketch as they seem to be more popular than regular copics.]
Another Japanese marker that's popular for use in Manga illustration, but also car design and grafitti black book work. These things are considered the big boss of all markers, smiting all with their fanciness. They offer a bright, watercolour-like ink with a soft brush which many people love. They're like a wetter, girlier version of Neopiko, to put it simply. They’re also cheaper than Tria, but less widely available in Ireland and the UK.
Their downfall: aside from being hailed as THE marker brand and being hyped beyond what they can sometimes realistically provide, these things are incredibly fragile. Their ink, while highly blendable, is quite transparent and almost watery. These pens are like roses or models; very beautiful and delicate in their prime, but stink up the place and shrivel into frightening, dry husks of their former selves when they've reached the end of their life spans.
While good in their own right, especially for more watercolour-like work, I wouldn't recommend these to people who aren't used to markers or haven't developed good, personal blending techniques; Copics seem to blend uncontrollably [and bleed; oh God do they bleed], so I would think it's better for people to learn to blend with blockier markers first before moving on. These are in no way a beginner's marker and should be approached with trained eyes and a quick wrist.
Their liner pens are top-notch for marker work of any kind and their warm lilac [?] colour is BEAUTIFUL for skin tones- I’ve become very fond of it alongside their glowing peach pink. It cannot be denied; Copic makes nice skin tones even if a lot of their other colours leave a lot to be desired. Unfortunately the markers leave weird, white spots on most of my papers, however. A thick board like Bristol works best with these.
I've never tried their student range, ‘Ciao’, though- are they any good?
3. Tria
Developed by the company Letraset alongside Pantone, Tria markers are a classic design tool that are mostly used for illustration [including fashion], layout work, car-design, product design and more recently, Manga.
Pros: fantastic colour range, a nice array of sturdy nibs available, highly blendable, great for mixed media, a tolerable smell, solid inks and they last for years; one of my favourite markers. These things are very versatile and quite customisable; the amount of nibs available is almost silly, as is the colour range, but damn if they aren't classy. Their ink laydown is very even; streaks usually seem to mould in to each other, particularly if worked on quickly. They're not as blocky as Prisma or as wild as Copic; they have a distinctly 'stoic' feel to them - almost as though they keep a stiff upper lip. They're a dependable marker, much like Prisma, and they don't like to be screwed with. Their brush nib is very durable and stark. All in all, these are not a marker for flower-colourin', anime-eye illustratin' yellow bellies. No; these are man-markers!
Downfall: FUCKING. EXPENSIVE. Christ these things are dear! Sure they look all slinky with their removable cartridges and cases but they leave a dent in your pocket the size of Arkansas. Still, you pay for what you get; some long-lasting, high quality professional tools.
My advice is; if you want to get a basic grasp of what Trias feel like, try some Promarkers; they're like Tria's cheaper little brother.
3b. Promarker
As I said, they're Tria's cheaper little brother. The range of colours here are very 'cute'; bright, bouncy and broad. Like Trias they give smooth coverage and have surprising longevity [longer lasting than any other marker I've tried, even Tria]. These are great markers for starting out as they blend well, but not so easily that you don't learn a few cool tricks from playing around with them.
Their nibs are interchangeable with Trias, so whenever a Promarker goes dry you can take out the nibs, 'clean them' [this is done by inserting the nibs in to a blender marker barrel for an hour or so] and leave them to dry; tadah! Instant replaceable nibs for use with Tria, Promarker and some marker called 'Kurecolour', apparently. Tria ink can also be used in old Promarkers, so you can mix up your own colours using Tria inks and storing them without having to go out and buy blank Trias. Personally I love these little fellas and would recommend them to anyone at any skill level.
4. Prismacolor/ Chafford [they're like a rip off of Prisma, I think.]
Developed by the Prismacolor Company in America, famous for their waxy and highly blendable pencils, the Prismacolor premier marker is short, stout and tough. Much like its distant English cousin, the Promarker, Prismacolor markers provide a decent range of colours backed by considerable longevity and an attractive price tag. These things, while streakier than most other markers, provide great coverage; if you want opaque, stark and blocky colour fast then look no further than Prismacolor markers.
Their downfall: their itty-bitty nib! You'll essentially be using the chisel nib with these babies, although newer versions of the markers have a larger 'fine nib'. While you won't get 'gorgeously blended' effects as easily with these markers as you would with others, they're hard workers who don't take shit from anyone.
They work well with Pro and Tria markers and leave a sharp, defined line over copic work.
5. Chartpak AD
These things STINK; they're quite good as markers, but oh Christ the stench from them is mind-bending. Mine are very rarely used [if at all] due to their overwhelming fumes. They're larger and broader than any other marker [except the Copic wide], so I'd say they'd be great for Grafitti work. I'm sorry I can't speak more about these, but even in a well ventilated area these things make me dizzy.
6. Shinhan Touch! Markers. [Normal and brush]
Ah, Touch markers! If you crossbred Neopikos with Promarkers in a lab in Seoul, this would be the outcome. While their brush range is admittedly poor [their skintones are very orangey and neon, not to mention slightly dry and very squeaky], their ordinary range gives great coverage for a very reasonable price. Their colours are quite dark and deep; as such they're not very popular with illustrators of brighter-looking manga and the likes, but I've heard of them being used in auto-design. I have to say that I'm very fond of their 'Potato Brown' colour in particular. GO IRISH BROWN!
In conclusion; for the love of God, find the marker brand that suits you! Forget about what your friends say; just because they like super-expensive, 'professional' markers like Copic and Tria doesn't mean that you must use them. Don't be swayed by what others use in favour of what kind of handling you need; not everyone likes the dryness of Neopikos, the short life of Copic, the expense of Tria or the apparent 'underdog' status of Prisma, Touch and Promarkers. The key is to find a marker for you, not anyone else. Borrow a marker or two from your friends, test them in shops, even save up some money and buy a few; just be sure to make sure you're buying them for how appropriate they are for your skill level, style and budget. Remember; price and reputation aren't everything.
P.S: have fun!