I look around my desk and see dozens of black Sharpie markers. Fine point, thick, the new ones with clear bottoms and plastic grips.
Sharpies come in dozens of colors (including metallic silver and gold), shapes (fine, thick, flat, bold), and sizes. Why do I love the black ones so much?
Probably because they are actually BLACK. Its a rarer thing than you may think. As an artist I am always on a quest for the right color. The hardest thing to get right is black. Often times black markers end up looking grey, or like a darker version of some other color like red or blue. Worst of all, different permanent markers have different tints.
Sharpies are the best because they are dark. Really dark. I have also found that they last longer than most other permanent markers I have used (in terms of how long you use them, not how long the marks stay. I haven't tested that yet). The Sharpies with fine points are great for outlining illustrations and the thicker ones for coloring in large areas. They are water resistant and dry quickly which is a big plus because then one can color over them with whatever medium one prefers.
For more information about the technical stuff behind sharpie markers visit the sharpie website: www.sharpie.com.