A general comparison between thin and thick marker paper

Thicker paper         100-250 gsm                Thinner paper                  45-90 gsm

The paper use more ink	The paper use less ink
Front and back are the same on most thicker paper	Front and back are seldom the same; you can not use the back
Large value change, especially on dark and dull colors	Value change but not as much (dark colors looks darker on thin paper)
The time it takes for the ink to dry is normally quicker	The ink stays wheat longer (allowing you to blend wet in wet)
Easier to layer more (there is no problem to layer).  I have never experience the ink staying on the surface and creating puddle.	Will not take as many layers (to many layers will create problems). If you put down a lot of ink you may end up with a puddle.
Feathering and bleeding is less common on thicker paper	Feathering and bleeding occur more
Bleeds normally through to the next page	Are more often bleed proof; that is, it doesn´t bleed through to the next page
Colors can look milky on thicker paper	Very rare that colors look milky on thinner paper

I also found that if you work on a thin paper you might want to work fast, because your ink can create lines that are difficult to cover up when the ink has dried. On thicker paper however, it isn´t as sharp lines so you can take your time, and if you want, stop the drawing and continue later on.



All papers that I have reviewed in a glance: 

Conclusions of group one: Thin layout paper (45-65 gsm)

Best

Letraset Layout paper

Borden & Riley  #125 marker paper

AMI Design-Block

Ok

Deleter Neopiko

Poor

Bienfang Graphic 360

Copic manga illustration paper

Strathmore Marker paper

Conclusions of group two: Thin layout paper (70-85 gsm)

Best

Stylefile marker paper

Hahnemühle fine art manga paper

Letraset Bleedproof Marker pad

Clairefontaine paper

Schoellershammer Marker paper

London Graphic Centre Marker Paper

Daler Rowney Graphic Series Marker Paper

Shinhan Touch Marker Pad

Ok

Cass Art London Marker Paper

Copic My bleedproof Marker pad

Canson Marker paper

Magic Marker Bleedproof

Poor

Mont Marte Bleedproff Layout paper

Bienfang Young Artist marker paper

Graphics direct Marker paper

Frisk Graphic Art materials bleedproof Marker paper

Goldline Marker pad

Monochrome Crafts marker paper

Conclusions of group three: thick paper (110-120 gsm)

Best

Hahnemühle manga illustration paper

Ok

Montana Marker paper

On the Run Marker pad

Stylefile Marker pad

Molotow marker pad

Poor

Conclusions of group four: Thick paper (170-250 gsm)

Best

Strathmore 500 series Bristol Plate Surface

Canson Illustration

Neenah paper

Bee Paper Aquabee Manga Artist pad

Ok

X-press it blending card

Holtz Perfect Coloring Paper

Borden & Riley #234 Paris Bleedproof Paper

Maxon

Poor

Malzeit Manga Skizzenblock (AMI)

Goldline Bristol Board

Winsor & Newton Promarker paper

Prelude

I have compared 45 different papers for markers. I have not included any papers that are not specified for markers by the company that produce them. It is not uncommon that an art store will market a paper as a marker-paper but if you look at the brands homepage they are not label as a marker paper. But with that said, a lot of other kinds of paper can work very well with markers, for example watercolor paper (even though they will “eat” the ink in the marker a lot faster than any other paper). I also tried some Japanese sumi-e paper with good and interesting result.  I might write more about that in the future. For now, this is a marker paper review.

The theory and method for thinner marker paper (70-80 g/m²)

I started with some small samples to se color saturation and value, bleeding and feathering.

I am a firm believer in working the paper as you normally would, to be able to fully understand the potential the paper has, so I decided to do a drawing on every paper.

I especially wanted to test the blending and layering abilities. With blending I mean that I work wheat in wheat, and with layering I let the ink dry before I put another layer on top.

Before I started my drawing I wrote down the name of the brand on the paper. I then covered the name so I wouldn't se which paper I was working on. I wanted it to be a blind test.

I have earlier tried to do the exact same drawing but found that this only works if you compare two or three of them. When you compare many items (as I have done earlier; I compared 29 markers, and now I compare a lot of papers) the chances are huge that the first couples of drawings are a less good than the following (because you are learning) and the last ones are pretty bad because it get so monotonous that it is very difficult to do a good job. At least that is true for me. I therefore chose to draw every drawing different but in the same manner and use the same subject (in this case, one girl stood model for all drawings). I also chose to use the same colors for the face and hair on every drawing.

Winsor & Newton Bleedproof Marker Paper  75 g/m²

Winsor & Newton pads are available in A4 and A3 size. It is made in Germany. It is acid free.

Winsor & Newton Promarker paper

The paper is smooth and white. The front side and the backside of the paper differ; you cannot use the backside to draw on. It will resist.

The overall feeling when I drew the portrait was very good. I picked out ten of the 22 (in the category: 70-80 g/m²) that I had hardly no complains about when drawing, and this was one of them. The paper took many layers wheat on wheat without problems. Winsor & Newton´s paper reminds me of Letraset and Daler Rowney among other very good papers. It doesn't become grainy, it doesn't feather out. It doesn´t bleed through to the next page and it doesn´t bleed out at all. This is the only paper in the category that doesn't bleed out at all. If you want to leave a small area white it will stay white. No other paper does that. 

Conclusion: this is a very good paper.

Drawing on Winsor & Newton Marker paper

Strathmore 500 series Bristol Plate

Prelude

I have compared 45 different papers for markers. I have not included papers that are not specified for markers by the company that produce them. It is not uncommon that an art store will market a paper as a marker-paper but if you look at the brands homepage they are not label as a marker paper. But with that said, a lot of other kinds of paper can work very well with markers, for example watercolor paper (even though they will “eat” the ink in the marker a lot faster than any other paper). I also tried some Japanese sumi-e paper with good and interesting result.  I might write more about that in the future. For now, this is a marker paper review.

The theory and method for thicker marker paper

I started with some small samples to se color saturation and value, bleeding and feathering. On thicker paper it is common to se colors becoming milky as well.

I am a firm believer in working the paper as you normally would, to be able to fully understand the potential the paper has, so I decided to do a drawing on every paper.

I especially wanted to test the blending and layering abilities. With blending I mean that I work wheat in wheat, and with layering I let the ink dry before I put another layer on top.

Before I started my drawing I wrote down the name of the brand on the paper. I then covered the name so I wouldn't se which paper I was working on. I wanted it to be a blind test.

I have earlier tried to do the exact same drawing but found that this only works if you compare two or three of them. When you compare many items (as I have done earlier; I compared 30 markers, and now I compare a lot of papers) the chances are huge that the first couples of drawings are a less good than the following (because you are learning) and the last ones are pretty bad because it get so monotonous that it is very difficult to do a good job. At least that is true for me. I therefore chose to draw every drawing different but in the same manner and use the same subject (in this case, one girl stood model for all drawings). I also chose to use the same colors for the face and hair on every drawing.

Strathmore 500 series bristol plate surface                                250 g/m²

Strathmore paper pad

This USA made paper is acid free and made of 100%cotton.

It is a smooth paper but not ultra smooth. The white has a slight yellow tone.  

It comes in pads in two sizes: 11x14 or 11x17 in and are also available in sheets.

On all of the thicker paper that I have tried, markers behave differently than on the thinner marker paper. Even if all markers change in value on all kinds of paper, the problem is more obvious on thicker paper. The value changes are more than just one degree. Vibrant colors usually stay true, but darker colors can loose a lot. But on Strathmore the colors keep the darkness better then other thick paper. 

Even though the colors look great a bit of a problem is that a little feathering arose on the places that I layer much ink.  Colors also can look a bit grainy.

Even though I love this paper, I would not recommend it to any Copic user. If you look at the drawing made with Copic you can se how milky the colors look. It is more than milky; it is as if the colors are dissolving. It is easiest to see on the throat.  

Conclusion: This is my second favorite paper among thick papers.

Copic on Strathmore, I hade some real problems as you can se. 

Drawing with promarkers on Strathmore paper

Color samples on Strathmore