(Funny story, I figured this out recently, one day I used the paper and the ink would blend perfectly while the other day it wouldn't blend at all. All I had to do is flip the page *facehoof*. It's hard to tell since both sides are crystal white and almost the same feel of texture! Just keep it in mind :3 )

If you want to strat any alcohol-based marker adventure the first thing you should get is "marker paper". I is very important because it shows the true colors of the ink, blends the best, doesn't bleed onto the page below and doesn't "drain" the ink out of your markers (it will save you some money in the end, and your poor markers, SAVE DEM MARKERIES!). I use CANSON MARKER paper -> en.canson.com/sites/default/fi… I really like it, very thin, excellent blending. Just please note it has two coats: smooth and a little rougher one on either side.Here are a few Pro's and Con's about Artist Loft alcohol based markers:+Great price ($4 per marker if bought seperately, Copic is $8!!!), best buy in 6-packs ( img.michaels.com/L6/3/IOGLO/92… |1024:1024)+Vibrant colors+Good blending (on marker paper!)+no intense odor+nice design, look and feel-narrow selection of color tones and shades, meh :/-No ink refills or spare nibs-take a bit longer to dry (watch out for smudging)Of course they are still far from the excellence of Copic's especially when it comes to ink quality and selection of colors but I would definitely recommend them to any intermediate and beginner artist.Hope this helped a bit, ask me if you have any more questions I'd be super-happy to answer ^^Cheers!