You were told “Ohuhu is the Copic slayer! They’re like Copic Markers but better!”
Is it true?
Every Ohuhu Marker has different characteristics based upon its unique ink formula. No matter how great they say the marker is, test results do not lie.
So are Ohuhu markers as great as you’ve heard?
Let’s look at Ohuhu BG4 to find out.
WARNING: Ohuhu markers have numbers on the cap but not on the body of the marker. We do not recommend coloring with both caps off due to the risk of accidentally placing the wrong caps on a marker.
Test results: Ohuhu BG4 Mint Blue
REFILL WARNING! At this time, Ohuhu does not sell refills for BG4. To date, you must purchase a new marker when your current BG4 runs dry. See Ohuhu’s current list of refills here.
Temperature: A light bluish green
Resemblance: Cobalt Turquoise watercolor
Actual Value: N2
Unlike Copic, Ohuhu does not measure value— this is a glaring deficiency which makes finding blending combinations harder than it has to be!
All Copics are measured on a Neutral Gray value scale. The last number on the Copic cap indicates the value. We’re using the Copic scale to measure Ohuhu until Ohuhu releases a reliable value scale.
Cap Accuracy: The plastic on an Ohuhu Honolulu BG4 marker matches 1-2 coats of ink.
Copic Substitution: Ohuhu BG4 is slightly bluer than Copic’s BG11 but otherwise, they are a near match in hue and value.
Note: similar colors rarely behave the same way. From experience I can tell you that Copic BG11 is an easier marker to use. See staining results below for more info on why I do not recommend BG4 for beginners. See the test results for Copic BG11 here.
Buildup: BG4 reaches a maximum value at 3 coats.
Overinking: We do not recommend using more than 3 coats of BG4. As with most Ohuhu markers, four layers looks oversaturated and dull.
Shattering: This ink is a mixture of blue and gray inks. Noticable gray ink may appear along the edges of any area corrected with a colorless blender. Use caution when correcting mistakes.
Chromatography testing shows this ink’s behavior when it comes in contact with #0 Colorless Blender (solvent). High shattering colors may leak unexpected color when you make corrections or attempt to blend with any color that has a high solvent to colorant ratio. Shattering is not bad, it’s just something to be aware of.
Staining: Despite being a very light color, BG4 is a staining color.
With alcohol markers, a staining ink is generally a sign of a low quality ink. Staining inks bond to the paper fibers and are reluctant to release. Staining inks make blending harder than it has to be!
Lift: BG4 can be lightened slightly but the paper remains light blue and the color moves but not enough to really make a good correction. This is extremely unusual for a light alcohol ink. See staining above, this is a sign of a low quality ink.
See staining swatch. Sample was given 6 stripes of #0 Colorless Blender, drying between each stripe. Results indicate how much lifting you can expect.
Lightfast: BG4 faded 50% during the test period. This is significantly more than the average Copic and more than twice the fade of Copic’s BG11 which is a similar color.
Samples were swatched on X-Press It Blending Card. 1 layer of ink was exposed to windowsill sunlight for 21 days. Approximately 10 hours of sun per day based on weather conditions. Note: we do not recommend displaying original marker art under these conditions.
Ink Color Family: I would love to say that the “BG” in BG4 indicates that this marker is part of the BG family.
I can’t say this with certainty because the Ohuhu numbering system is complete garbage. Some blueish-greenish markers say BG while others are marked B, PB, and even G. Why even bother? You simply can not trust anything you read on an Ohuhu cap.
Cap Numbering: BG4 has no relation in tone or color to BG3 (a blue gray) or BG5 which is much darker and the two do not blend well. This is completely unacceptable.
As stated above, the Ohuhu numbering system makes no sense. The markers are not arranged in chromatic order so you can not trust the numbers to tell you whether this marker is lighter or darker than other Ohuhu markers with similar numbers.
I’m still early in the Ohuhu testing process. I will add more info to this article as I learn more and when I spot behavioral patterns.
From what I’ve learned so far, I will not be working with Ohuhu markers and I will discourage students from using them in my classes. They’re simply not worth the frustration.
R080 Pale Cherry Pink
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
YG080 Red Grey 08
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
Y070 Acid Yellow
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
PB3 Cobalt Blue
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
MG100 Blue Grey 09
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
G070 Lemon Green
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
R170 Lipstick Red
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
RG030 Red Grey 03
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
BG050 Cool Grey 05
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
RV070 Sakura Pink - Ohuhu
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
V340 Lavender Blue
Let’s take a closer look at this Ohuhu Marker and its ink characteristics.
W0 Warm Gray No. 0
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
RV32 Shadow Pink
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
N10 Neutral Gray No. 10
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
E25 Caribe Cocoa
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
G19 Bright Parrot Green
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
RV25 Dog Rose Flower
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
N8 Neutral Gray No. 8
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
G09 Veronese Green
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and its ink characteristics.
Y23 Yellowish Beige
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
RV17 Deep Magenta
Let’s take a closer look at this Copic Marker and it’s ink characteristics.
What’s the best paper for coloring with Alcohol Markers?
Are you new to Copic, Olo, Ohuhu, Spectrum Noir, or Pro-Markers?
Or maybe you’ve been coloring for a while and you’re finally ready to invest in better paper? I’ve got six excellent papers for you to try plus a list of not-recommended papers.
Which Blue-Green Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which BG Copic Markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which aqua markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic BGs are versatile enough to color many different turquoise items?
Which blue-green blending combinations do we teach with?
Which BG markers do we use in our own work?
What is the point of a Copic Broad Chisel Nib?
The chisel nib is the most misunderstood and under-appreciated of all the marker nibs. And yet illustrators and professional artists all use them? Why?
Let’s look at what hobby colorers are missing when it comes to broad nibs…
Copic Marker Care and Maintenance
Copic Markers feature replaceable nibs because nibs do not last forever. For accurate coloring and easy blending, replace brush nibs when they show wear to insure juicy, springy, pointed nibs. In this article, we provide photos of worn nibs and offer tips plus the easy steps to install new Copic brush nibs.
Which Green and Yellow-Green Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which green and yellow-green markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic G and YGs are versatile enough to color many different green items?
Which green blending combinations do we teach with?
Which YG and G markers do we use in our own work?
Which Yellow Copics are Best for Beginners?
I asked three of my favorite marker instructors about which yellow markers they recommend for first time colorers.
Which yellow markers offer students the best value?
Which Copic Ys are versatile enough to color many different yellow items?
Which yellow blending combinations do we teach with?
Which Y markers do we use in our own work?
Which Orange Copics are Best for Beginners?
We highly recommend Copic’s YR-Zero series orange markers for beginners and anyone building a small, versatile alcohol marker collection. YR09, YR07, YR04 are easy blending oranges which can be used for food, flowers, and holiday images…
Which Red Copics are Best for Beginners?
We highly recommend Copic’s R-Twenty red series for beginners and anyone building a small, versatile alcohol marker collection. R29, R27, R24, R22, and R20 are traditional reds which can be used for food, flowers, and holiday images. The lighter reds in this series can be used for pink objects.
Horizontal or Vertical Marker storage: Does it matter?
There are so many storage options for Copic Markers. When you’re ready to graduate from the free shoe box you’ve been using, you’ve got tons of options— everything from zipper craft bags to hard plastic locking boxes.
Some storage units stand the markers upright. Some store them laying down. But which option is healthiest for the markers?
I teach Copic Marker classes and work with a lot of beginners. A common question I hear from brand new students is:
“I’m new to Copic Markers. Is it okay to start with Ciao style markers or should I purchase the Copic Sketch?”
Many people say Ciao and Sketch markers are interchangeable. But as an art instructor, I disagree.
Let’s look at why.
Most people research a lot about markers before making that first purchase. And yet whenever I tell students in my Copic art classes that markers are not lightfast, a few people always gasp in complete shock.
Copic Markers fade? But they’re artist-grade markers!? This is not what I expected!
It’s true. All markers fade. Let’s look closer at why.
Learn more about BG4 Mint Blue, a blue-green Ohuhu Marker. We swatch and test Ohuhu colors- layering, staining, lift, value, lightfastness, saturation, and cap accuracy. | MarkerNovice.com | How to blend alcohol ink markers.
