Rasmetak guides · Beginners
The best markers for beginners: what should you buy first?
The short answer
Start with a Touch 24-colour box (JD 4) to try, or the 60 (JD 8) if you'll colour every week, plus an A3 120 gsm marker pad (JD 5.5), because alcohol ink bleeds through ordinary paper. That's a complete start for JD 13.5 (60 colours and the pad), or JD 6 for the Artist Starter Pack (24 colours, a colouring book and a fineliner). There's no need to begin with a professional brand where one pen can cost close to a whole box.
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In this guide (7 sections)
What is an alcohol marker, and how is it different?
An alcohol marker's ink is dissolved in alcohol: it dries fast and is slightly transparent, so you can layer colour and blend smoothly without streaks. The same thin ink, though, soaks through light paper. Here's how it compares:
| Type | Look | Blending | On paper | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol (like Touch) | Translucent and bright, dries fast | Easy and smooth | Bleeds through light paper — needs thicker paper | Colouring, colouring books, anime, architectural renders |
| Water-based (felt tips) | Lighter, can look streaky | Limited | Bleeds less, but heavy colouring roughens the paper | Children and school |
| Acrylic | Opaque, shows on dark surfaces | Hard | Sits on top of the paper | Wood, stone, canvas, card, dark paper and decorating |
To draw on wood, stone or dark paper, look at our acrylic markers. For colouring on paper, alcohol markers are where to start.
How to choose your first marker set
Number of colours
24 colours give you the basics, 60 is where blending and shading get comfortable, and 120 is for anyone who wants lots of greys and skin tones. For a beginner, the 24 or 60 is plenty. The full comparison is in our 24 vs 60 vs 120 guide.
Tips
Look for twin tips: a broad chisel for areas and a fine bullet for detail — every Touch pen we sell has both. Brush tips give a softer stroke but usually cost more.
Paper
Half the result is the paper. Alcohol ink goes through ordinary notebook paper, so use thicker marker paper with a spare sheet underneath. Details in the paper guide.
Budget
Price the box and the paper together: a 60 box with the A3 marker pad comes to JD 13.5. Here's a start for each kind of beginner:
| You… | Start with | Price today |
|---|---|---|
| want to try markers for the first time | The Touch 24-colour box | JD 4 |
| want clean results on paper | The 60 box + A3 marker pad | JD 13.5 |
| colour cozy books every week | Cozy Starter 60 Pack (60 box, two books, a fineliner) | JD 13.5 |
| are buying for a child or teenager | Artist Starter Pack (24 box, a book, a fineliner) | JD 6 |
| study architecture or design | Pro Pack (120 box, A3 pad, three fineliners) | JD 22 |
When is it worth paying more?
There are pricier brands such as Ohuhu, ShinHan's Korean Touch Twin (roughly US$4–8 a pen) and Promarker (more than JD 2 a pen in Jordan, checked 26 October 2026). These lines are usually sold as single pens too, and some offer brush tips, which suits people who draw every day.
They're worth it when:
- you do commercial illustration or design work that needs exactly the same colour every time;
- you'd rather replace one pen when it runs out than buy a new set.
Otherwise, a budget Touch set teaches you blending and shading in exactly the same way, at no more than 16.7 piastres a pen. We sell budget Touch markers only, not these professional brands.
Ready-made starter packs
- Artist Starter Pack: a 24-colour box, a Bobbie Goods-style colouring book and a 0.5 mm fineliner, for JD 6.
- Cozy Mini Gift Pack: a 24-colour box and two colouring books, for JD 8.5.
- Cozy Starter 60 Pack: a 60-colour box, two books and a fineliner, for JD 13.5.
Each pack costs less than its pieces bought separately.
Beginner mistakes, and how to avoid them
- Colouring on school paper: the ink will print onto the page behind. Use marker paper with a sheet underneath.
- Leaving caps off: alcohol ink evaporates quickly, so cap each pen straight after use.
- Starting with dark colours: work from light to dark — dark covers light, not the other way round.
- Pressing hard on the fine tip: a light touch is enough and makes the tip last longer.
- Storing pens upright on one tip: keep them lying flat in the case or stand so the ink stays spread between both tips.
- Skipping the test swatch: try each colour at the edge of the paper first — the cap colour isn't always exactly what lands on paper.
Delivery and cash on delivery
We deliver to every governorate in Jordan: JD 2.5 in Amman and JD 3 elsewhere, free on orders of JD 30 or more. Once we confirm your order it usually arrives within 1 working day in Amman and 1–2 working days elsewhere. You pay cash on delivery after opening and checking the order, and everything we sell has a 30-day guarantee against dry, missing or broken pieces.
Frequently asked questions
What is an alcohol marker?
A marker whose ink is dissolved in alcohol: it dries quickly, blends smoothly and gives bright, translucent colour. The main thing to know is that it soaks through light paper, so it needs thicker marker paper.
Are 24 colours enough for a beginner?
Enough to try and for simple colouring. If you'll fill a lot of books or want to blend and shade, the 60 is more comfortable, at JD 8.
Does it bleed through the paper?
On ordinary paper, yes — that's normal for every alcohol marker. Use thicker paper such as our A3 marker pad (120 gsm) and keep a spare sheet underneath.
Can I use it in colouring books?
Yes. Put a piece of card or a spare sheet under the page so it doesn't print onto the next design, and test each colour at the edge of the page first.
Touch or Ohuhu?
Ohuhu is a well-known brand whose sets usually cost more, and we don't sell it. To start, Touch works the same way (twin-tip alcohol markers); if you get hooked and colour a lot, compare then.
Can I check the order before paying?
Yes. You pay on delivery and can open and check the order before paying the courier.
Is it suitable for children?
It suits older children with an adult around and good ventilation, because the ink is alcohol-based and has a smell. For very young children, water-based colours are a better fit.