If you've ever looked at a Copic color code like BV23 or YR68 and thought "I have no idea what that means" — you're not alone. At first glance, Copic's alphanumeric system looks random. But here's the thing: it's actually one of the most logical color coding systems in the art supply world once you understand the rules.

Learn it once, and you'll be able to decode any Copic color instantly — and find your closest match without ever opening a swatch book.

Copic Sketch markers are available in sets of 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 72 as well as the complete set of 358

The Four Parts of Every Copic Code

Every Copic color is described by a code made up of four components: a color family letter, an optional second letter, a saturation digit, and a brightness digit. Let's break each one down.

Part 1: The Color Family Letter(s)

The letters at the start of the code tell you the color family. Copic groups all 358 colors into these families:

B — Blue

BG — Blue Green

BV — Blue Violet

C — Cool Gray

E — Earth (browns, tans, skin tones)

G — Green

N — Neutral Gray

R — Red

RV — Red Violet

T — Toner Gray

V — Violet

W — Warm Gray

Y — Yellow

YG — Yellow Green

YR — Yellow Red (oranges)

So BV23 is a Blue Violet. YR68 is a Yellow Red (orange). E47 is an Earth tone. Already making more sense?

Part 2: The First Digit — Saturation

The first number after the letters tells you how saturated (vivid or muted) the color is. This is where Copic gets a little counterintuitive:

0 = most saturated, most vivid

9 = least saturated, most muted/neutral

So B00 is a brilliant, vivid blue. B99 is a nearly gray, very muted blue. The lower the first number, the punchier the color.

Part 3: The Second Digit — Brightness

The second number tells you how light or dark the color is:

1 = very light (almost pastel)

9 = very dark (almost black)

So B01 is a light, vivid blue. B09 is a dark, vivid blue. B91 is a light, muted blue. B99 is dark and muted — basically a blue-gray.

Putting It All Together: A Real Example

Take BV23:

BV = Blue Violet family

2 = fairly saturated (vivid, not washed out)

3 = medium brightness (not too light, not too dark)

Result: a medium-brightness, fairly vivid blue-violet. Exactly what you'd expect if you pulled the cap off a BV23 marker.

Now take E47:

E = Earth tone

4 = medium saturation

7 = fairly dark

Result: a dark, medium-warm brown — which is exactly what Dark Brown looks like.

The One Exception: 0-Series Blenders

Copic also makes colorless blenders — 0, B000, BV000, etc. — that have a 0 in the saturation spot. These are used for softening edges, lifting color, and blending transitions. They follow the same family logic but contain no pigment.

How to Use the System Practically

Once you understand the structure, the Copic system becomes your best shopping tool. Want a lighter version of BV23? Try BV21 or BV20. Want a more muted version? Try BV34. Building a gradient? Go BV20 → BV23 → BV25 → BV29 for a seamless light-to-dark progression in the same family.

This is how Copic artists build sets so deliberately — they're not randomly collecting colors, they're choosing specific positions across the saturation/brightness grid to guarantee smooth blending.

A complete set of Copics includes 358 colors

Finding Your Copic Equivalent

Already own Prismacolor pencils or Ohuhu markers and want to know which Copic color matches? Or following a tutorial that calls for a Copic you don't own and want to know if something in your stash is close?

Upload the reference to MyKindofColor, or type in the hex code of the Copic color, and the tool will show you the closest match across every supported brand — ranked by accuracy using Delta E 2000 color science.

No more cross-referencing three different PDFs or hoping the Youtuber mentions an equivalent.

The Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet

Here's the Copic system at a glance. Screenshot this:

Letters = color family (BV = Blue Violet, YR = orange, E = earth/brown)

First digit = saturation (0 = vivid, 9 = muted)

Second digit = brightness (1 = light, 9 = dark)

To blend smoothly: stay in the same family, step by 2–3 on the brightness digit

To find a lighter version of any color: lower the second digit

To find a more muted version: raise the first digit

That's the whole system. Once it clicks, shopping for Copics — and following tutorials that use them — gets dramatically easier.

Find your Copic matches →

---

MyKindofColor includes the full Copic Sketch range. Type any Copic code into the hex matcher or upload a reference image to find equivalents across Ohuhu, Prismacolor, Faber-Castell, and more.

How to Read Copic Codes: The Complete Copic Sketch Color System Explained