My friend, the illustrator Kate Sheppard, came round a couple of weeks ago to show me the dummy of a picture book she’s working on. I was so impressed with the way she uses marker pens that I bought myself a few to play with.

I tried marker pens many years ago. You used to be able to get a spray thing that attached to them so that you can use them like an airbrush. That was a total waste of time! I never got on with the smell either nor the way the inks bled into the paper.

But these new Copic Ciao markers are wonderful. They have a hard square nib at one end and the wonderful soft pointy brush at the other. I was so impressed I bought a great big box of them. I have great plans for what I want to do with them. But first I need to learn how to use them!

Have fun watching this video in which I unpacked my big box of Copic markers and have a first go at colouring in my One Direction Cartoon drawing.

They did cost a lot, but you can get smaller sets. I think they are a great investment. You can replace the nibs and refill the pens too, which makes them much more economical over time.