TOUCH alcohol markers explained: nibs, caps, colour codes and which set to start with

A TOUCH alcohol marker is a twin-tip pen: a broad chisel nib at one end for laying flat colour and blending, a fine bullet nib at the other for line and edge. The cap is moulded in the colour of the ink and printed with the colour's code and name. Every marker in every set is that same pen; the sets differ only in how many colours they hold, from 12 up to 262.

What are the two nibs for?

The chisel nib is the one you will use most. Its flat face lays down an even band of colour, and its edge gives a thinner stroke when you turn it, so one nib covers fills, gradients and medium lines. The bullet nib is for outlines, small shapes and detail where a chisel would be clumsy. Because both nibs draw from the same ink reservoir, the colour is identical from either end.

Why are the caps colour-coded?

So you can find a shade without uncapping it. Each cap matches its ink and carries the code and name printed on it — the shade you used on Tuesday is the shade you find on Friday, even once the markers are loose on a desk. Larger sets come in a zipped case that keeps them in order; the 60-colour set, for example, ships in a black fabric zip case.

What is in the range?

Ten sets: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 80, 120, 168, 204 and 262 colours. Larger sets add steps between shades rather than swapping colours out, and some colours only arrive at a certain size: the three fluorescents and the fuller run of skin and flesh tones first appear in the 60, which is why that set is the usual choice for portrait and character work.

Which set should a beginner start with?

It depends on whether you intend to blend. If you are colouring casually or buying for a child, 12 or 24 gives one of each colour family and is genuinely enough. If you want to shade — a face, a fold of fabric, a sky — you need two or three tones of the same hue, and that starts at 36 and works properly from 60. Regular colourists mostly settle at 80 or 120. We go into the reasoning set by set in how many alcohol marker colours do you actually need.

How is the price worked out?

Every set page prints its price per marker beneath the set price, and that figure falls as the set grows — without exception across the range. It is calculated live on each product from what the set costs today, not quoted from memory. The practical consequence: if you are choosing between a bigger set and a smaller set plus a top-up later, the bigger set is usually the better buy.

How do you look after them?

Cap each marker immediately after use — alcohol ink evaporates quickly from an open nib. Store the case flat so ink stays available to both ends. Use light pressure and let the ink flow; pressing frays the nib. Use paper made for markers and a backing sheet, because alcohol ink goes through ordinary paper. The full list is on the marker care and tips page.

What if a set arrives with a problem?

Every TOUCH set is covered by our 30-day Full-Set Guarantee on top of your statutory rights: if a set arrives dry, cracked, leaking or short of the stated count, email us within 30 days of delivery with one clear photo and eligible claims receive a free replacement. The exact terms are on returns and refunds. We ship direct from the manufacturer with tracked delivery to mainland Great Britain, and arrival is estimated at around 15 days — how we source explains why.