I love drawing with markers, but I don't like having to hunt down the right color when I'm trying to do a quick sketch with my pens spread all over the table.

 

There are tons of marker organizers out there but they come with fixed number of holes that rarely match how many pens the user actually has.

These holders are almost always configured in square patterns too, but there are many color layout patterns and theories that utilize different shapes like circles, triangles and even straight lines.

That led me to think of a modular additive holder system that could be arranged in any pattern imaginable.

My first concepts were intended to accept all pen, pencil and marker sizes. That required multiple parts, an adjustment mechanism and very expensive tooling.

I decided I would go for a single injection molded part design. If the simplified system was commercially successful, I would then implement the universal system at a later time.

The single injection molded part design links together like a chain. That allows them to be arranged in any pattern or shape, but to also easily change them without having to snap them together again.

The linked system allows the shape to be quickly rearranged flat for travel or storage too.

I have applied for and received patent pending status for the design.

I needed to choose what kind of pens I would develop colorchain for. The obvious choice was Copic Sketch Markers. They have a raving fan base (myself included) that loves them and they come in 358 colors!

It was very important that the way the links snap together be very intuitive. Once snapped together the links have some rotational friction so that they hold their shape in any position the user wants.

Each holder has an integrated locking feature that allows Copic sketch markers to be easily locked in for hanging, or to take the pens on the go. Just turn the pen 90 degrees to lock it in.

The 90 degree turn can also be used to remind the user which pen or series of pens are not being used for a particular sketch. This prevents the wrong color being chosen which, as you know with markers is not erasable!

Here is an example of ColorChain arranged in a hexagonal pattern. The pattern, divisible by both two and 3, forms the basis of many color wheel theories and can be expanded to any size from a few pens to hundreds.

ColorChain can also be tacked to a wall thanks to the locking feature that keeps them from falling out.

Here's a demo of the wrapping method that the chain linking allows. This works for any pattern the user can imagine.

 

ColorChain arranged in a square pattern. This pattern can be pushed flat (not shown) to create a very compact form, ideal for shipping or stuffing your entire collection in a backpack.