What papers are suitable for markers?

You'll need a thick type of paper. Ordinary bond paper is a bad idea as the markers will bleed through to the surface below.

Some art stores sell paper billed as "marker paper". I haven't used them myself but can vouch for bristol paper; I use this to draw my comics and they can absorb markers well. Illustration board is another good choice though it can be pricey. Smoother watercolor papers are another option.

As an example, this is one of my color comic strips; I used markers on watercolor paper - http://www.poisonivygulch.com/comic/poison-ivy-gulch-7-12-2020/

I know this isn't the official answer, but I wanted to give an easy one for people as I've been drawing with markers for years now.

• Marker paper. Yes it's that simple. It's pure white, and doesn't bleed or spread when you apply the tip. It also instantly absorbs the marker only where you apply the tip. Comic book art, illustrations, graphic drawing, cartoons, anime, etc. all look perfect on this.

• Cardstock. You have options of different colors and textures. But I like the benefit because it bleeds and spreads a little, which can help out when shading more because you can blend and fade the markers over really well. This helps when making a more realistic drawing.

Again I know this isn't the official answer but for newbies who don't want to learn everything there is about paper and just want a straight answer here you go.

"Bond" paper is usually best for markers, it has a smooth flat surface and is usually thick enough to prevent too much bleed through. If fact there are specifically made papers for magic markers called "Marker Bond", "Marker Layout" or just "Marker Paper".

With markers the main issue you will face is bleed, where the ink soaks in and expands in the paper. Bonds and Marker papers are made in a way that minimizes this. Also markers do not gain any benefit from roughness or tooth in a paper, so avoid papers with a lot of texture, like charcoal paper, watercolor paper, or even a lot of sketch papers (where bleed will be an issue anyway.)

I'm not sure what you're defining as "normal drawing paper" or "sketch paper," but you can ultimately use markers on any surface, however you will experience different results depending on the qualities of the paper.

Weight

Markers will generally soak into the paper and bleed to some degree (with some brands tending to bleed more than others); working with a thicker paper like bristol or watercolor paper will tend to resist bleed-through better than thinner papers like newsprint.

Tooth

You'll generally get a smoother result with a smoother surface, though depending on the result you're looking for, you may like the look of using a paper with more tooth to it. Experiment here to see what you prefer.

Coatings

Some papers (marker pads, for instance) will be coated to prevent bleed-through on a thinner sheet; this can allow for better workability in blending, but may also result in less saturated colors as the ink cannot soak into the surface. This can also create issues with layering multiple colors or extensive blending; again, this may come to personal preference and style.

Absorption

If you're planning on extremely heavy blending, particularly using water and water-based markers, you may wish to consider a paper that is better suited to heavy water applications such as a smooth watercolor paper over a lighter paper that may warp or disintegrate when saturated with water.

Bleed

You may also wish to experiment with the amount of bleeding your chosen markers will exhibit on different papers. All markers will bleed to some degree (except, possibly, on coated papers), but some papers will wick the ink away from where you deposited it more than others. You'll want to find an amount of bleed that works for you, and learn to work with it as you're drawing.