Ohuhu Markers
Learn why Ohuhu markers are a fantastic budget option if you want to try out alcohol markers!
I’ve been using Ohuhu alcohol markers for over 5 years. Ohuhu markers are very similar to the costly Copic Sketch Markers that I’ve been using on a regular basis for the past 10+ years, but Ohuhu markers are only a fraction of the price. How do they compare? Read on for my in-depth analysis! I'll also show you several examples of artworks I made using Ohuhu brush markers.
Why Trust My Opinion?
I’m a full-time professional artist with over 10 years of experience with using alcohol markers. As a coloring book artist whose books have sold over 4 million copies, alcohol markers have been an essential part of my day-to-day workflow for over a decade.
I started out using Copic markers, which were the first artist-quality alcohol markers on the market (invented in 1987). Until recently, Copic was the dominant player when it came to alcohol markers. I mention this because as a long-time user of Copic, I have direct personal insight into how well Ohuhu markers compare to the long-time industry standard.
In 2019, a representative from Ohuhu contacted me and offered me a set of their Honolulu markers to try out. I will admit that given the low price point in comparison with Copics, I didn’t have high expectations. To my surprise, the Ohuhu markers really blew me away!
I currently own nearly 500 Ohuhu markers (from their Honolulu and Kaala sets). Some sets were gifted to me by Ohuhu and some sets I purchased myself. Read on to learn more about Ohuhu alcohol markers, and find out if they’re right for you!
Table of Contents
Set of 120 Ohuhu Alcohol Dual-Tip Brush and Chisel Markers after I organized them by color
Types of Ohuhu Markers
Ohuhu offers several different types of alcohol markers, each with different nib types and barrel shapes. They call the different marker types “series”.
All Ohuhu alcohol markers are double-ended, which means they feature different nib types on each end. This is a really handy feature because you can create different effects with the different nibs.
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The 4 main series of Ohuhu alcohol markers are: Honolulu, Honolulu B, Oahu, and Kaala.
Honolulu Markers contain CHISEL and BRUSH nibs with a round barrel. Comes in 344 colors.
Honolulu B Markers contain FINE and BRUSH nibs with a round barrel. Comes in 344 colors.
Oahu Markers contain CHISEL and FINE nibs with an oval barrel. Comes in 320 colors.
Kaala Markers contain SLIM CHISEL and FINE nibs with an oval barrel. Comes in 151 colors.
The main difference between the 2 Honolulu series and the Oahu and Kaala series is that the latter do not contain brush nibs, and they are oval-shaped.
Honolulu and Honolulu B are the most popular series, because the handy brush nibs are ideal for blending. Plus, they come in the widest color range.
Ohuhu also offers 2 other series, Molokai and Mokauea, though they come in far fewer colors (24 and 12, respectively). Also, the Molokai markers are not double-ended.
In this review, I’ll focus on Ohuhu Honolulu markers. These are the markers I’ve used the most, mainly because the brush nib is by far the most useful and versatile nib type.
if you’re interested in bullet-chisel tip alcohol markers with oval barrels, check out my separate review of Ohuhu Kaala Markers.
Alcohol-based vs. Water-based
This article will focus on Ohuhu’s alcohol markers, NOT their water-based markers, which are a whole different category of marker. Check out my Art Markers article if you want to learn the difference!
Color Range
Ohuhu offers an impressive color range of 344 colors in their Honolulu series and 320 in their Oahu series. This allows you the creative freedom to draw just about anything you can think of.
Over the past few years, Ohuhu has regularly released new colors. Sometimes, the new colors are exclusive to certain regions (for example, there are Japan-only sets that are not available in the US unless you import them). This can be confusing and require extra research on your part if you’re eager to collect ALL of the colors.
In my opinion, you don’t really need every single Ohuhu color. Many of the colors are extremely similar - for example, R5 is only the tiniest smidgeon lighter than R6, and R4 seems the tiniest bit more red than R5, which is slightly more fuchsia. Since alcohol markers are transparent, if there’s a color you’re “missing,” you can try to create it yourself by overlapping colors.
Ohuhu 120 Colors Dual Tips Alcohol Art Markers Color Chart - Click to enlarge
That won’t work for very light, pale colors though. It’s worth noting that although Ohuhu’s color range is quite good and varied, they don’t offer as many super-light colors as Copic does. With Copic’s super-light colors, you can easily blend out from a color to the white of the paper, which can create a sense of luminescence in your artwork.
Also, Ohuhu’s selection of grays aren’t quite as cohesive or comprehensive as Copic’s grays. If creating smooth grayscale gradients is an important part of your artwork, you may want to supplement your Ohuhus with some of Copic’s grays.
Ohuhu Honolulu marker sets come with a small printed color chart (example shown here from their 120-set), along with a blank color chart. If your set doesn’t come with a blank color chart, you can email their Customer Service and ask them to email you a blank PDF color chart for the set you purchased.
I’d say that creating a color chart is essential—especially as you're getting familiar with these markers—to ensure that you're using the color you want. Sometimes the color on the cap doesn't quite match the actual color of the ink. For example, the cap on YR1 is somewhat lighter than the actual ink color.
Ohuhu’s color charts are organized according to the color numbers, which unfortunately aren’t in a logical order. This is one of the biggest complaints about Ohuhus (see my section on “The Downsides of Ohuhu Markers” for more info).
To help make sense of the colors in the Ohuhu Honolulu series, I’ve created two custom color charts for Ohuhu Honolulu markers. I organized the colors based on what the colors actually look like, as opposed to the color codes. You can check them out here. Note that these color charts are for the HONOLULU series only. The other series have different color codes and color names!
Quality of Ohuhu Markers
Ink Load
Straight out of the package, the ink load of Ohuhu markers is really great. Every Ohuhu marker I’ve owned always came well-saturated with ink, so I’ve never had any problems with brand-new markers being dried-out or streaky.
If you do happen to receive any markers that are dried out, they've included a pamphlet in the package that says they'll issue a refund if the product doesn't meet your expectations, and that if there are any problems, they'll send you a free replacement. Good to know!
Nib Quality
Overall the nib quality on Ohuhu Honolulu markers is quite good. The brush nib is soft and flexible, which makes it easy to create variable width strokes, as well as color in tiny spaces. The chisel nib is hard and inflexible, as it should be.
A side-by-side comparison showing an Ohuhu alcohol brush marker with a frayed tip (left) after just 1 week of frequent use, compared with an unfrayed Ohuhu tip (right)
When I create art with Ohuhu Honolulu markers, I almost always use the brush tip and rarely use the chisel tip. This means that the brush tips get a lot of use, so it's important that they retain their points. For the most part, Ohuhu brush tips hold up pretty well, but I have noticed that the colors I use heavily do start to experience some slight fraying in the tip.
Here's an example that shows a blue marker with a perfect pointy tip next to a fuchsia marker that I used a lot, which resulted in a slightly frayed tip. The fraying might not seem like too much of a big deal in this pic, but when you're trying to color in really tight spaces, even a little bit of fraying can make it difficult or impossible to accurately lay down the color precisely where you want it.
In my experience, Copic brush nibs last a lot longer. But one cool thing about Ohuhu Honolulu brush nibs is that they’re reversible (while Copic’s brush nibs are not). If your Ohuhu brush nib gets frayed, you can simply remove the nib from the barrel and reinsert it the other way round, which gives you a fresh new nib.
You can also purchase Ohuhu replacement brush nibs. They come in a set of 8 brush nibs, which are reversible, just like the graphic shows below. This means you essentially get 16 nibs, along with a little storage box and a set of tweezers for removing the nibs. Very handy!
Ohuhu Ink Refills
In June 2023, Ohuhu started offering ink refills! This is exciting because it means you can use your Ohuhu markers over and over. Currently, refills are available for 50 colors, plus the Colorless Blender. You can purchase Ohuhu ink refills directly on their website or on Amazon (affiliate links).
Learn more about Ohuhu Ink Refills, and check out my video to learn how to refill Ohuhu Markers!
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Ohuhu Marker Paper
Ohuhu offers a few types of papers and sketchbooks to use with your alcohol markers. Many years ago they sent me these sturdy hardbound sketchbooks with perforated paper (pictured below).
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I received a square 8.3 x 8.3 inch sketchbook and an A4-sized sketchbook (for those of you not familiar with A4, that's 8.3 x 11.7 inches). Both marker pads contain 78 sheets, which is 156 pages if you use both the front and back of the paper. The paper weight is a marvelously hefty 120lb and each overall book thickness is 1.1 inches.
The paper quality in these is sketchbooks is pretty good for sketching ideas, practicing and playing around. The downside is that the ink does ghost (show up on the other side of the paper) and depending on your ink usage, the ink can bleed through to the paper underneath.
In 2024, Ohuhu released bleedproof marker paper in sketchbook format as well as individual sheets. This paper is a real game-changer when using alcohol markers. Firstly, you can now use both sides of the paper without any fear of bleed-through, which is especially ideal for sketchbook use. Secondly, Ohuhu’s bleedproof marker paper is quite smooth and feels really similar to X-Press It Blending Card, which is a popular alcohol marker paper that’s been around for years. It’s designed for use with alcohol markers, which means they blend extremely well on this type of paper.
Organizing Your Ohuhus
Ohuhu Honolulu markers come in a zippered carrying case. You can see in this photo that the markers are shipped with the colors randomly distributed throughout the case, so it's up to you to organize them yourself (if you want to).
The case is certainly handy for carting the entire set of markers around, especially if you like to create art in different places around your house, or if you enjoy making art outside, in a library, at school or anywhere other than home!
But the downside is that there aren't individual holders for each marker. Even if you carefully organize the markers in the carrying case, if you remove a bunch of markers (which you are very likely to do when you are in the flow and you need quick access to a few different color groups for blending), the remaining markers can easily get jostled around and moved out of order. This can be a tremendous pain if you like to keep your markers in meticulous order, because putting the markers back into place then becomes a tedious task.
Since art is my profession, it’s important that I can quickly access the colors I’m looking for. I keep my Ohuhus organized in these handy trays that sit on my art desk. These marker storage trays have individual slots for each marker, which keeps everything neat and tidy. I organized mine by grouping all the color families together (Ys, Rs, etc).
If you prefer to keep your Ohuhus in the bag, you could order these plastic inserts that contain individual slots - just be sure that the dimensions fit your Ohuhu bag. Alternatively, you could purchase a whole new bag on Amazon that comes with those types of inserts, or use a marker bag with individual cloth slots like this one.
Alcohol Marker Videos
If you’re new to alcohol markers, check out my YouTube channel for videos on how to use alcohol markers! Here are some videos to get you started with alcohol markers:
For your convenience, I’ve compiled all of my alcohol marker videos into an Alcohol Markers Playlist.
If you enjoy my videos, be sure to subscribe to my channel so that you never miss a thing! 😃
Performance of Ohuhu Markers
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Over the past 5+ years, I’ve used Ohuhus are a variety of surfaces, including Ohuhu marker paper, card stock, X-Press It Blending Card, as well as my own published coloring books. I'm happy to report that the Ohuhu markers worked splendidly on all of these surfaces!
Learn step-by-step how to color in this vibrant wizard cat with Ohuhu Markers!
Above is an artwork that I created for my Wizard Cat Alcohol Markers Course. I printed the line art onto X-Press It Blending Card, which is one of my favorite papers for printing my coloring pages. The Ohuhu markers worked wonderfully on this paper and I was really happy with the results.
As you can see, the colors of Ohuhu markers are very strong and vibrant. They offer plenty of colors that allow you to create gradients, shadows and highlights in your artwork. Your artwork can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want.
Ohuhu Honolulu’s brush nibs are made for blending, and in time you’ll memorize which colors go together to create just the blend you’re looking for. Until then, it’s incredibly handy to create a color chart for all your favorite blends, noting down which markers you used to create that blend. Below you can see a sample of some of my favorite blends using only colors from Ohuhu’s set of 120 Honolulu markers:
Sample color blends for Ohuhu 120 Alcohol Brush and Chisel Markers Set
Here’s a cute cat I drew in the Ohuhu Bleedproof Sketchbook using Ohuhu Honolulu markers. You can watch my entire drawing process in this video!
Here are some more examples. Below is a page from my set of printable Happy Hodgepodge Coloring Pages that I printed onto a sheet of paper that I pulled out of the A4-sized Ohuhu art marker pad. The paper has a similar thickness to cardstock (120lb vs 110lb) and it went through my laser printer just fine. Because it wasn't designed to go through a printer, I did notice that a very small amount of the black ink (toner) came off in certain places if accidentally rubbed by my fingers, but overall that was no big deal. I don't know if that would happen if using an inkjet printer, but it's possible. All in all I was thrilled that the Ohuhu marker paper could run through my printer! If your printer can accept card stock then there's a chance it may be able to handle Ohuhu art marker paper too.
Raccoon coloring page from my set of printable Happy Hodgepodge Coloring Pages, printed onto Ohuhu marker paper and colored with Ohuhu alcohol brush markers
Sun Mandala from Thaneeya McArdle’s set of printable Sun Mandala Coloring Pages
Above is a sun mandala from my set of printable Sun Mandala Coloring Pages that I printed onto card stock and colored in using 11 markers from the Pastel set and 8 markers from the 120-set.
Here are some sketches I did in the Ohuhu Bleedproof Sketchbook:
Which Set Should You Buy?
My Recommendations
“Which Ohuhu set to buy” is by far the most common question that beginners have before they purchase their first set. Ohuhu offers so many different sets that it can be overwhelming and confusing!
If you’re a complete beginner and you’ve never used alcohol markers before, then you don’t know yet whether you’ll like them. So when buying your first set, it’s a balance between NOT wanting to spend too much money, while also buying ENOUGH markers so that you’ll have plenty of colors to make the kind of art you want to make. If you have too *few* colors, you won’t be able to create smooth blends (though you can still overlap colors to create shading, texture and other interesting effects).
Note: Aside from color range, the biggest factor is nib type. I strongly recommend you buy markers with brush nibs, since that's what most people seem to prefer for its superior blending capabilities over the other nib types. With regards to the nib on the other end of the marker, the chisel nib is more useful to me personally than the fine/bullet tip, so this narrows down my recommendations to the Honolulu series. Feel free to explore Ohuhu's other marker series if your needs are different!
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With all those factors in mind, I’d suggest buying a set of at least 120 markers. This will give you enough colors to create nice blends, and you’ll be able to get a really good idea of whether you like using alcohol markers or not. This might be all the colors you ever need, but if you discover that you like using them, then you can buy more sets to grow your collection.
If your budget allows, you could dive right in with their bigger sets:
If you want to buy a smaller set, you should think about what type of art you want to create, then buy a set whose colors most closely correlate with your style of art. For example, if you want to draw portraits, then you’ll want to get the skin tone set. If you like to create art with soft pastel colors, you can’t go wrong with the pastel set. In reviews on Amazon, people often post the filled-out color swatch charts, so be sure to check those out!
But if you're on a super tight budget or still aren't sure whether you'll like alcohol markers, feel free to buy one of Ohuhu's smaller sets. They're good value, and even if you decide not to expand your collection later, it's always good to have a few markers in your art stash to use with other art media (like colored pencils!).
Custom Ohuhu Color Chart
With so many colors to choose from in Ohuhu’s huge set of 320 Honolulu markers, it can be mind-boggling to find the best colors to blend together. To make it easier, I created a custom Ohuhu color chart that organizes the colors chromatically, according to hue, value and saturation! This color chart also includes colors from Ohuhu’s Skin Tone set.
Learn How to Use Your Markers
If you'd like to learn more alcohol marker blending techniques, check out my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers, where I take you step-by-step through the fundamentals of blending, and then demonstrate advanced techniques so that you can create any genre of art with your alcohol markers!
The Downsides of Ohuhu Markers
As much as I love my Ohuhu markers, there are some downsides. Here are the biggest complaints I’ve seen about Ohuhu alcohol markers:
The numbering/naming system makes no sense. The colors don’t follow any logical order. For example, you would assume that all the colors labelled “Y” must be “Yellow” and that they would be numbered in order from lightest to darkest, but no. Some of the Ys are more like Browns, and some are more like Oranges (which they label “YR”, for Yellow-Red).
The markers have different color codes and color names across the different series. So if you have a set of Honolulus, the color codes will NOT be the same as the Oahu series. Another source of confusion.
Because Ohuhu continues to release new colors, including colors exclusive to certain countries, it’s difficult to collect ALL of the Ohuhus. This is a source of frustration for many Ohuhu users, but I personally don’t mind.
If you buy a set, it can be difficult to know which OTHER sets you need to buy if your goal is to eventually own ALL the colors. Another source of frustration.
So, are those 4 issues dealbreakers? In my opinion, no, not at all! But it helps to be aware of them, and to realize that you’re not alone with it comes to certain aspects of Ohuhus that might be frustrating or confusing.
Aside from those 4 things, the only other downside of Ohuhu alcohol markers is that they will eventually fade over time. I made a whole video about this, because I kept seeing posts by people who were selling their original marker art, not realizing that marker art will fade over the years. This issue is not specific to Ohuhu though. Copics, and any other brand of alcohol markers, will fade over time, due to the chemical nature of dyes. This also doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker though. See my video for more info about what you can do to protect your art and help it last as long as possible!
Is Ohuhu a good brand?
After using Ohuhu alcohol brush markers and Ohuhu marker paper for several years now, I can say that I am very enthusiastic about Ohuhu as a reliable brand that offers good quality supplies at an affordable price! I'm impressed by their personable customer service as well as their generous offer that if you receive any markers that are dried out or faulty, they'll be happy to send you a new one.
Are Ohuhu the best art markers for professionals?
As a professional coloring book artist who has sold over 4 million coloring books, I’ve colored a lot with alcohol markers for over a decade, starting with Copic Markers, which were the first alcohol markers on the market.
Now that I’ve been using Ohuhu alcohol markers for over 5 years, I can confidently say that Ohuhu markers are a wonderful option for professionals who are just beginning an alcohol marker collection. Now that Ohuhu offers a range of 344 colors, plus replacement nibs and ink refills, along with the ability to purchase markers individually, Ohuhu has become a strong competitor to Copic.
Are Ohuhu markers the best markers for coloring?
Hot Air Balloon Camper from Thaneeya McArdle’s Happy Campers Coloring Book, colored with Ohuhu alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll Pens
Ohuhu markers are fantastic for coloring! If you've never tried brush alcohol markers, Ohuhu Honolulu markers are a great intro because they show you what these types of markers can do. The brush tip is so versatile, allowing you to color in both tiny details and larger spaces. The brush tip is also great for blending colors to create ombrés and gradients.
Plus, as with all alcohol markers, you can layer gel pens, paint pens and colored pencils on top of Ohuhu markers to add details, texture and shading.
Note: if you're coloring in a page from a coloring book, it's best to either remove the page from the book before you color it in or place a sheet or two of spare paper behind the coloring page to catch any bleed-through that may occur. Most sets of Ohuhu markers even include a handy sheet of clear plastic that you can put behind your paper to prevent bleed-through, which is handy!
Who are Ohuhu markers best suited for?
In summary, Ohuhu markers are perfect for beginners, students, and anyone on a budget. They’re excellent for kids and teens who yearn to try out alcohol markers but whose parents blanche at the premium price of Copics.
Also, professional artists like myself—even though I already have the complete set of Copic Sketch Markers—might appreciate having an inexpensive set like this with its handy carrying case, which makes it great for travel or making art outside. You can take these markers to the beach or the park and create art without worrying too much about losing any of your expensive Copics, for example. If the carrying case annoys you because it's hard to keep the markers organized when you use a lot at one time, you could always invest in a marker carrying case that does have individual slots.
Ohuhu Markers Course
In this Ohuhu Markers course you can learn how to color in this adorable Wizard Cat using Ohuhus! 😍 In over 3 hours of narrated video instruction, you’ll learn essential skills like how to blend, create gradients, use the underpainting technique, fix mistakes, and more! Printable line is art provided, so no drawing skills are necessary. I also provide color swatches and names so you can easily follow along!
Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers
Learn how to get the most out of your Ohuhu Markers with my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers!
This fun online art course is designed to take you from a complete beginner level to an advanced level! With over 11 hours of instructional video, you’ll go from learning several different blending techniques, along with blending theory, to coloring in the 3 eye-catching artworks below! 😍
Printable line art is included, so you can follow along at your own pace!
In my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers, you’ll also get access to my exclusive custom Ohuhu color charts, where I’ve organized the colors based on what they actually look like! This makes it so much easier to choose colors to blend together, saving you valuable time in the long run.
I also provide a Copic-Ohuhu Color Conversion Chart for your convenience!
Keep learning!
Head back to the main Art Markers page to get an overview of this fun medium!
Learn about my Top 5 Alcohol Marker Brands that I love and highly recommend (for all budgets)!
Check out my Alcohol Marker Tutorials, with detailed step-by-step lessons for creating eye-catching art.
Browse my Alcohol Marker Art gallery and get inspired by the possibilities of what you can achieve with this medium!
If you’re interested in markers for coloring and making art, check out my in-depth guide to art markers which will help you understand the different types, learn what they can do, and decide which ones you want to try!
Did this article pique your curiosity about Copics? If so, have a look at my detailed article all about Copic Markers to learn why they’re considered the best of the best when it comes to alcohol markers.
If you’d like to try alcohol markers that have fine tips rather than brush tips, check out my detailed review of Arrtx Markers, which are budget-friendly and available in a wide range of beautiful colors!
If you’re into coloring, you might enjoy this brief article on Tips for Using Alcohol Markers in Coloring Books.
Read more about my favorite coloring supplies and brands - from markers and colored pencils to gel pens and paint pens! I’ve also provided links to where they can be purchased online.
