A marker’s ink tells you part of the story. The nib tells you how that color reaches the page. Before you choose a set, think about the smallest detail and the largest area you expect to draw.
Fine tips: small, deliberate marks
Fine tips are useful for outlines, tiny shapes, journal notes and the narrow spaces in a coloring page. A firmer, smaller point can feel predictable when you are learning line placement. Choose it when control matters more than filling speed.
Try drawing a row of small leaves. Leave a little space between them and turn the page to keep your hand comfortable. If you need to fill a whole background, switch to a wider tip instead of repeatedly working the same small point across a large area.
Brush tips: one nib, different widths
A flexible brush nib can make a light hairline or a broader stroke as angle and pressure change. It suits expressive outlines, petal shapes, hand lettering and flowing fills. Flexibility varies between products, so practise on scrap paper before adding it to a finished drawing.
Make five strokes from light to slightly heavier pressure, then five in the opposite direction. Let the flexible part do the work. Heavy force is not necessary and can damage some nibs. Keep your wrist relaxed and build control gradually.
Chisel and broad tips: think in planes
A chisel nib has an angled face. Its wide side can fill a shape; the narrow edge can make a different line. Broad tips are useful for poster lettering, graphic blocks and larger areas, but a wide nib still needs a surface and ink suited to the task.
Practise three rectangles: one using the wide face, one using the narrow edge and one combining both. Rotate the pen slowly until you understand how its contact area changes. If the edge feels rough, check the angle rather than pressing harder.
Should your first pen be dual-tip?
A dual-tip pen can be convenient when you often move between outlines and fills. Look at the exact pair: fine plus brush is a different tool from brush plus chisel. Check the listing rather than relying on the phrase “dual-tip.” A single tip that fits your project is also a perfectly useful starting point.
Try a one-minute comparison
- Draw a 2 cm square and a small five-petal flower.
- Use the nib lightly to outline both.
- Fill the square and add the smallest petal details.
- Notice which task felt easy and which felt slow.
Choose your next nib to solve the difficult part. You do not need a new set simply because another tip exists.
Ready to compare ink as well as nibs? Visit Find your markers.
Care reference: Copic’s official FAQ cautions against excessive pressure on its nibs. Follow the care guidance supplied with your own markers.
Compare the tip combinations in the JusArt range
For acrylic paint, browse single brush tips, brush and fine dual tips, or jumbo broad tips. For paper coloring, compare fine-and-brush water-based coloring sets. Similar tip names do not make the inks interchangeable.
Need to choose the ink first? Read our three-family marker comparison. Have your pens already? Try a five-color acrylic study.