Markers and pens that feature brush tips are very popular right now in everything from hand lettering styles, to sign painting, coloring books, cardmaking, stamping, sketching, and much more!
The flexibility of using a brush pen, sometimes called a fude pen, allows you to make super fine hairlines AND wider strokes just by applying more or less pressure to the tip- which can create some beautiful hand lettering . They work great for coloring as you can reach super tiny, detailed spaces as well as larger areas with the same pen. You also get more control over the flow of ink and color, unlike having to remix and reapply paints separately when using a traditional paintbrush.
This quick overview compares the brush tip tools we have at Marker Supply and hopefully will help give you a better idea of which ones might be the best for you!
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BRUSH TIP TYPES
“FIBER BRUSH” TIPS
Brush pens that feature a fiber tip, or in some cases a rubber brush, have a tip made of durable but flexible fibers that resembles a tightly woven sponge. Fiber tips will bend as you use them and then quickly return back to their original shape. They are made of one solid tip, instead of individual strands- giving you more control over where your marks are made. Some are larger/longer than others, and some offer more “spring” (Sharpie Brush, Prismacolor Premier) as opposed to being more stiff (Zig Mangaka Flexible Medium), but all share the general quality of being able to use a decent amount of pressure on the tip as you write and draw without damaging it.
Some examples of fiber brush style markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Chameleon Color Tone Pens
–Marvy Color In Brush Tip
–Marvy Fabric 722
–Prismacolor Premier Brush & Fine
–Sakura KOI
–Sakura Pigma Brush
–Sakura Pigma Professional Brush– Medium & Bold
–Sharpie Brush
–Zig Art & Graphic (Rubber Brush)
-Zig Bimoji (coming soon!)
–Zig Blender Marker
–Zig Brushables
–Zig Eraser Pen Brush
–Zig Fabricolor Twin
–Zig Fudebiyori
–Zig Fudebiyori Metallic
–Zig Kurecolor (Optional Replacement Tip)
–Zig Mangaka Flexible Medium
–Zig Scroll & Brush
“BRISTLE BRUSH” TIPS
Bristle brushes are more like traditional paint brushes and have individual strands of nylon fibers that separate. (You can find natural hair fiber brush markers as well, but those listed below are synthetic.) They can give more of a “dry stroke” appearance depending on how quickly and heavily you color with them.
Some examples of bristle brush style markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Posca 350-F
–Zig BrusH20 Water Pens
–Zig Brush Writer II
–Zig Clean Color Real Brush
–Zig Cocoiro Brush
–Zig Wink of Stella Brush
“EXTRA FINE” TIPS
Markers with the tiniest fiber brush style tips can be known as “fine”, “extra fine” or “super fine”. These are a combination of the firmness of a fine tip and the flexibility of a brush tip. Best used with slower, smaller strokes, these tips are common with traditional Chinese lettering and certain sketching techniques. They are also often recommended for beginners as the stiffer tip gives nice control when learning to write in a new style. Be careful not to use too much pressure on these tips, as the fibers can begin to fray.
Some examples of extra fine brush style markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Pentel Sign Pen w/Brush Tip
–Sakura Pigma Professional Brush- Fine
-Zig Bimoji (coming soon!)
–Zig Cocoiro Extra Fine
–Zig Fudegokochi
–Zig Mangaka Flexible Fine
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INK TYPES
DYE-BASED
When a marker uses “dye ink”, it means that the ink is soluble and can be more easily blended around. Lighter colors can also be used to mix with and blend out darker colors. These qualities are very useful when you want to create special effects like multiple tones and shadows in your artwork. Dye-based colors also tend to be a lot more vibrant. The 2 main types of dye inks are water-based and alcohol-based.
Water-based dye inks can be moved with plain water. They are commonly used to make custom color washes and gradations, as well as watercolor-style art.
Some examples of water-based dye/watercolor markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Marvy Color In Brush Tip
–Sakura KOI
–Zig Art & Graphic
–Zig Clean Color Real Brush
–Zig Fudebiyori
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Alcohol-based dye inks are a little more permanent and typically water-resistant, so they need to be blended with an alcohol-based solution. (Most varieties have a “colorless blender” available within the color range.)
Some examples of alcohol-based dye markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Chameleon Color Tone Pens
–Prismacolor Premier Brush & Fine
–Sharpie Brush
–Zig Kurecolor (Optional Replacement Tip)
The type of paper does affect the results of dye-based markers, so make sure to play around with different kinds until you find the look you like! (Watch out for alcohol-based markers bleeding through papers..) Also, keep in mind that dye-based inks are not as permanent as pigment inks. They will be more prone to fading over time.
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PIGMENT-BASED
Pigment inks are much more stable and resistant to things like water and light. Some terms commonly used along with many pigment-based inks are “archival-quality” and “lightfast”. If you are using markers for anything that has a chance of coming in contact with water/rain/lots of sunlight, or if it’s artwork you want to last a long time, a pigment ink is the safest choice to prevent your marks from washing off or fading/becoming discolored.
Some examples of pigment ink brush markers:
(Click for a link to their page in the Marker Supply store!)
–Marvy Fabric 722
–Sakura Pigma Brush
–Sakura Pigma Professional Brush- Fine
–Sakura Pigma Professional Brush– Medium & Bold
–Zig Brushables
–Zig Fudebiyori Metallic
–Zig Fudegokochi
–Zig Mangaka Flexible Fine
–Zig Mangaka Flexible Medium
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ACRYLIC PAINT
Brush markers that use paint are harder to find as the acrylic is a thicker liquid and is harder to get flowing through a brush tip. There are a few choices however, and they will work great on a variety of surfaces- especially chalkboards and other non-paper objects. Try the Posca 350-F markers, OR you can try using water-based acrylic paint like the Zig Posterman Bottled Ink or the Montana ACRYLIC paint refills inside a Zig BrusH20 water pen! These tools are technically used with plain water for watercolor and other blending effects, but when we tried the paint inside, the results worked pretty well!
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COLORS
Some brush pens are only available with black ink, but many varieties at Marker Supply have a full range of colors to choose from as well!
Try the Zig Brushables– they each feature 2 tips, with a solid color at one end, and a 50% lighter shade of that color on the other end. Great for creating shadows and other fun effects!
Among the types of brush pens that have the widest color ranges are the Prismacolor Premier with 195 colors, Zig Kurecolors (can be converted into a brush with the interchangeable tips) have 134, the Zig Art & Graphic and Zig Clean Color Real Brush each with 80, Zig Fudebiyori with 57 (including metallics!), and the Sakura KOI Watercolor Brush Pens with 48.
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Check out the full selection in the BRUSH TIP MARKER SECTION of our webstore!
Use this handy chart to help you quickly compare the types of brush pens found at MarkerSupply.com:
Which brush tip pens are your favorite and why? Let us know and feel free to post photos of your brush marker artwork on our social media pages!
www.facebook.com/markersupply
Instagram #MarkerSupply @MarkerSupply
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Everybody here at Marker Supply has been excited about adding several new brands to our store this summer. Our most recent addition, Montana Cans, is definitely worth checking out- especially by urban artists, sign painters, muralists, mixed media composers, and designers of all kinds!
Take a closer look at the Montana ACRYLIC paint line…
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MONTANA ACRYLIC PAINT MARKERS
The newest line of water-based paint markers in the Marker Supply store- Montana ACRYLICS. Featuring a selection of vibrant colors modeled after the Montana GOLD spray paint line, including bold “Shock” colors, shining metallics, glowing fluorescents, earthy tones, and various grays. Empty markers and refill inks also make it possible to mix your own custom colors too!
Available in 5 tip sizes (with alternate tip styles available separately). Find super tiny tips for the finest of details, wide tips for calligraphic lettering, fine tips for outlines, jumbo tips for quick coverage of surface areas, even split tips that give a multiline effect.
See the different markers and the nibs that fit each one:
The high-quality paints in Montana ACRYLIC markers are waterproof, lightfast, highly-pigmented, and quick-drying. They are suitable for a variety of projects and surfaces including walls, windows, wood, canvas, metal, shoes, and more! Replaceable valve-action tips give a smooth, well-controlled flow of paint so you can apply like a pro. Marker barrels are transparent so you can easily view the levels of paint left inside. When you run out of paint, just fill them back up!
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MONTANA ACRYLIC PAINT REFILLS
Another great feature of Montana ACRYLIC that lots of other paint markers lack is that they are refillable! Use the 25ml or 180ml refills to always keep a fresh supply of paint in your markers.
The 25ml refill bottle can also be turned into a special “dauber” tip marker with the 10mm round cloth applicator tips! See the tip pack, which includes lids, HERE.
These bottled paints don’t have to be destined for just markers either, they work well with paintbrushes and airbrushes too!
The refill paints are also where the fun of color mixing comes in. Grab a few different shades and combine them to create your own custom colors unique to your project! There are empty refill bottles, empty markers, and widemouth jars available to help with the blending process.
**TIP**
How to refill a Montana ACRYLIC marker:
1- Unscrew, to the left, the top section that holds the nib.
2- Use your fingernail to help remove the next section, with the valve system springs.
3- Add the refill paint to the open marker. Only fill the barrel 3/4 of the way full, to leave room for the valve system part.
4- Press the valve system section back in and make sure it is tight.
5- Screw the nib section back on, to the right, and make sure it is securely tightened.
6- Prime the nib by pressing up and down on a test surface.
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MONTANA ACRYLIC VARNISH GLOSS
Montana ACRYLIC Varnish Gloss is used to further protect and seal your painted artworks by keeping them extra water-and-abrasion proof.
Varnish Gloss also enhances the visual effect of the Montana ACRYLIC paint colors, and helps to color match them with the Montana GOLD spray paint color line. It can also be used to create depth and intensify how light interacts with your designs.
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MONTANA ACRYLIC EMPTY MARKERS
An exciting feature of the Montana ACRYLIC line- and an often-requested item that finally made its way to the Marker Supply store- empty barrel markers! Now you can create the exact color you need, diluted to the exact consistency you like, with whichever marker tip size you want.
The transparent plastic of the barrel allows you to easily see inside your markers to check paint levels and colors. They are available in 5 marker sizes, as well as empty 25ml and 180ml bottles.
**To get the best performance out of these markers, we recommend using them only with water-based acrylic paints.
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MONTANA ACRYLIC REPLACEMENT TIPS
If ever you run across the issue of a dried out, worn down, or otherwise damaged marker tip- you can simply pull out the old one, and pop a new one right in its place!
The selection of replacement tips also includes some that don’t come on the regular markers, such as the extra fine .5mm, the 6mm slanted chisel, and split “multiline” tips, so you can further customize your marker by changing the tip to suit your writing and drawing style.
You can also convert the 25ml paint bottles into markers by adding the 10mm rounded cloth tip.
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MONTANA BLACKBOOK A5 LANDSCAPE SKETCHBOOK
A helpful tool for artists of all kinds, this hardcover sketchbook features 144 pages of 120G coated white paper that works with pencils and markers. Measuring only 6 x 8.5 inches, it fits easily in your workspace, and is perfect to take on-the-go for drawing out your designs wherever inspiration hits.
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We hope you enjoy the many possibilities of the Montana ACRYLIC paints and artist tools. If you have any artwork done with these markers, feel free to post your projects on our social media or tag us with #markersupply!
Keep an eye out for more brands and products being adding soon to the Marker Supply store! 🙂
As we wrap up our Pen Pal contest, (thanks again to everyone who has written to us!!) we’ve noticed a TON of folks that love to use glitter pens and markers on their envelopes, cards, and letters… as well as mentioning to us that these shimmering tools are their favorite to use in journals, coloring books, scrapbooks, and other paper & fabric crafts.
So we decided to do a little highlight blog that gives you a closer look at different types of glitter pens we have here at Marker Supply!
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SAKURA GELLY ROLL STARDUST
Gelly Roll pens.. Everyone’s favorite, right? These roller ball tip pens use a smooth-flowing pigment gel ink. The Gelly Roll Stardust is a special line of these popular pens that packs an incredible punch in the glitter department. And just like other types of Gelly Rolls, they are able to add fun effects to both light AND dark papers:
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ZIG WINK OF STELLA
The Wink of Stella markers have become very well known for their ability to add a fun glittery look along with their color. Water-based ink is safe for kids to use too!
They are available in a variety of colors both in a sleek marker with a fine plastic tip– great for writing and outlining, and also in a bigger marker with a squeezable body and bristle brush tip– for brush lettering styles and coloring larger areas and backgrounds quickly.
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POSCA PC-3ML
The same great Posca paint you love- only these pens have glitter particles mixed in too! Posca markers use an acrylic type water-based paint (different from the other pens that use an INK) that works on a million surfaces- from paper, to chalkboards, to plastic, to glass. Plus, it washes off non-porous surfaces with standard household cleaner- so it’s great for temporarily decorating things like mirrors and windows!
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MARVY DECO JUST GLITTER
The Marvy Deco Just Glitter pens are exactly that.. just glitter! For when you want to add some sparkle to paper OR fabric crafts! Find these markers with gold, silver, or multicolor glitter- a mix of red, green, and silver.
MARVY DECO JUST GLITTER PREMIUM
The Marvy Deco Just Glitter Premium markers have the same properties (no color in the paint, just colored glitter) but are available in 6 sparkling colors! The rounded bullet tips give you nice control over the amazing laydown of glittery color. Works great on light and dark surfaces.
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MARVY DECOFABRIC
The Marvy Decofabric Glitter Markers have a 3mm fine valve-action tip so you can always access fresh paint to add some special shine to your clothes, backpacks and purses, shoes, hats, doilies and placemats- anything fabric, whether it’s light or dark!
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OTHER PENS TO USE FOR ADDING GLITTER..
ZIG EMBOSSING PENS
If you like to use glittery embossing powders, check out the various embossing markers we carry- all featuring different tips that work great for lettering, adding details and borders, and more!
Embossing markers write with an almost invisible ink that is slightly adhesive. Embossing powder is sprinkled on top, sticking to the ink marks. When heated with a heat tool, the powder melts and fuses to the paper- leaving a slightly raised design that looks amazing!
Read more about these markers and how to emboss in our blog post:
SPECIAL MARKERS TO USE WITH A HEAT TOOL
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SAKURA QUICKIE GLUE
Sakura Quickie Glue comes in a roller ball style pen. It lets you add glue in the form of letters as you write, designs as you draw, or in teeny tiny spaces. The super fine point makes sure that the glitter sticks only in the places you want it to! These pens also work well for adding other kinds of small papercraft embellishments like jewels or sequins.
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What’s your favorite type of glitter pen?
Let us know, and feel free to share your sparkling projects too, on our social media pages!
Instagram #MarkerSupply @MarkerSupply
With National Letterwriting Month in full swing, we are seeing a lot of black ink markers and pens being used for cards, envelopes, and postcards.
When picking out which marker you are going to use for your mail, it can seem like the only decision you need to make is the size and shape of the tip. Remember to also consider that the type of ink is important too! If your paper/envelope has a glossy finish to it, you may have issues with the ink smudging and smearing off. And what if it rains on your mail during its travels? Will the ink run when it gets wet?
Use these quick comparison charts for help picking the markers that will work best for you, particularly when using glossy papers!
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Meet the Markers
We gathered a group of black pens and markers we often use for writing here at Marker Supply that features a mix of ink types- pigment, dye, water, oil, acrylic, and alcohol-based pens. Then we did several tests with each to see how they held up on different types of envelopes.
(Find each of these markers at Marker Supply!)
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Plain White Envelopes
A lot of folks stick to plain white paper envelopes- and most black ink markers work great on them!
Rain Test
See what happens to each ink when the plain white envelope meets water..
While some of the inks smeared a little bit when rubbed over, they all stayed pretty intact. Dye-based markers (like the Marvy Le Pen and Pentel Sign Pen) have ink that is made to move with water (for blending effects, watercolor, etc.) Watch out using these types of pens if your paper is ever likely to come in contact with water as the color will bleed.
Bleed-Through Test
Keep in mind that oil-based (Marvy Decocolor, Sharpie Paint) and alcohol-based (Prismacolor, Kurecolor, Copic) markers, along with other permanent markers with a lot of ink (Sharpies), commonly bleed through papers- so write on your envelopes before putting the mail inside if using pens like these.
Also, if they get hit with water, other types of ink can bleed though as well, potentially damaging the contents inside:
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Specialty Paper/Glossy Envelopes
When addressing some snail mail recently, we ran into problems whenever we used fancier and make-them-yourself envelopes. The paper was smoother and shinier.. and our “go-to addressing markers” didn’t work well on that type of surface.
This example shows how inks worked differently on one of the trickier silver paper envelopes:
Some of the marker ink repelled right off of the surface, and some barely left any color at all!
The good news is that after just a moment of drying, none of the inks smeared around.
Rain Test
“Rain or shine, the mail must go through!” What if it rains on your glossy envelope?
If you’ve used a dye-based marker (like the Pentel Sign Pen or Clean Color Real Brushes), your ink can totally disappear! We loved the Posca Paint Markers and the Sakura Permapaque Markers for these envelopes- and both of those marker ranges include a nice variety of colors too!
So keep in mind that some inks may look ok when dry, but won’t hold up well on a glossy surface if they meet rain or snow while on their way to their destination.
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Ink Dry-Times / Smudge Tests
Writing with some pens and markers can be frustrating if they are prone to smearing and smudging- which happens a lot more when working with smooth, glossy papers.
Take a look at how these different inks stand up to smudging after different drying times:
Lightweight Glossy Paper
Ink smudging immediately after writing:
Smudging after 10 seconds of lightly blowing on the ink:
This definitely made a big difference with some of the pens! A lot of them still lost the dark black color that sits of top of the writing- common with glossy paper as it’s harder for the ink to soak into. Some others smeared in the areas the pen stopped writing each letter- where there was still a small dot of wet ink that needed a little longer to fully dry.
Ultra-Glossy Photo Paper
From photo-like postcards to regular photographs, this type of slippery surface can be tricky to mark on.
This is what the inks looked like on photo paper after being smeared immediately after writing:
We were pretty impressed with the results! Most of the markers did much better on this type of glossy surface than the smooth shiny paper! Some of the thicker ink markers rubbed away, leaving only a “ghosting” behind.
Trying photo paper marking again, we smudged each ink after lightly blowing on it for 10 seconds:
Again, just those few extra seconds of drying really seemed to help the ink set. A few pens still had trouble fully absorbing into the shiny surface, as the top black color still rubbed away after drying.
Another test with photo paper- we sprayed on a little water and watched how each ink reacted:
Some stayed intact but lost their black color on top when rubbed over, while also making a mess of black smear marks.
And others, like the Marvy Le Pen (which was one of the best, super fast-drying fine line pens for photo marking) instantly began to “melt” like the other dye-based inks (which are made to be movable with water), surrounding themselves with blue/purple color. Interesting to see the Zig Photo Signature, another of the best quick-drying pens to use on glossy photos, reacted to the water with an orange color, even though the black markings held up alright.
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So keep in mind as you decorate and address your mail that not all black inks are the same on various surfaces, and not all will hold up to certain conditions. Try some experiments first on a test envelope to see how your markers do!
Here at the Marker Supply warehouse, one of the most common things people come looking for are opaque white ink pens for writing on paper.
Unfortunately, we always have to say that these types of pens are still practically non-existent.
The main reason?
The type of ink required to make a functional white ink pen has been very difficult to produce. It would need to be both thin enough to flow through a pen tip AND thick enough to stay a visible white once it’s marked onto paper.
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Pigments vs. Dyes
There’s a little illustration we’ve heard that can help explain a big difference between two types of ink- Pigments and Dyes:
First, take 2 glasses of water.
In one glass, pour in some sugar.
In the other glass, pour in some dirt.
Both begin to cloud the water as you stir them up.
But notice what happens after just a minute when they settle..
The sugar is still there, but has fully dissolved into the water
and everything returns to a totally liquid state.
The glass with the dirt still has solid particles everywhere
and a thick layer of mud has collected on the bottom.
Most pen inks are colored with dyes (like the water example with the sugar), which are either liquid, or in a solid form that quickly dissolves, and then can easily flow through the pen. However, this property can also cause the ink to either leak through the pen tip too quickly, and/or soak completely into porous surfaces like paper and become transparent- meaning that this type of white ink won’t be seen because the ink isn’t thick enough to keep its color visible on top of an absorbent surface.
What helps some colors to show up the best when making ink is to use pigment. Pigments (like the water example with the dirt) are dense, finely ground particles that stay solid as they add their color. They don’t dissolve into fluid, but are rather just suspended in it. To get a good, opaque white, you need a LOT of pigment. When you try and put too much into a pen however, it won’t flow through the tip like a normal ink without clogging or drying up.
(Fun Fact: The most common pigment used to create the color white is Titanium Dioxide.)
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Gel Ink
The marking pen world made a big step in the creation of white pens with the invention of Gel Ink. Originally marketed in 1984 by Japanese company Sakura, it finally allows a roller ball pen to use a white ink.
(Fun Fact: As researchers worked to develop gel ink, they tried a wide variety of materials to get the consistency just right, including yams and egg whites!
For some more great history on the invention of Sakura’s Gelly Roll pens, read this interesting article:
https://www.gellyroll.com/history)
Gel ink is not quite the same as ordinary pen ink, as it is a lot thicker- causing issues like needing to move the pen more slowly as you write, and the marks taking longer to dry. Also, the roller ball tips still can occasionally clog. (If this happens, rolling the pen tip over a wet paper towel may help.) Despite their issues, we are still very happy to have them as an option for white ink!
Find these white gel pens at Marker Supply:
–Uni-ball Signo Gel Impact
–Sakura Gelly Roll Classic Medium Tip
–Marvy Gel Reminisce
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White ink comparisons on black paper
Other than gel pens, you can also find good white marking tools for paper when you look into pencils, oil-pastels, even correction pens! There are also valve-action markers that use more of a “paint” than an “ink”. Although paint markers tend to show up better on non-porous surfaces, such as glass or metal, some have been known to work adequately for certain paper projects.
Have a look at this comparison chart showing several white marking tools on plain black paper to see the ones that may work best for you! Find them all at MarkerSupply.com.
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As experiments continue in the pen industry, white ink is getting closer and closer to becoming more common!
But as for now, which white pen/marker have you found works best for you??
Let us know and feel free to share your white marker artwork on our social media pages!
www.facebook.com/markersupply
Instagram #MarkerSupply
Twitter @MarkerSupply
Wintertime is here! And for a lot of folks, this season brings along those frozen flakes of white that some of us love and some of us hate. Whether or not you are a fan of real snow, adding the effect of it to your artwork can really make it stand out!
So for those blizzards of art projects that involve snowflakes, snowmen, and other snowy winter scenes, see these quick and easy ways to add and enhance the effect of SNOW on your cards, crafts, and more!
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Salt & Watercolors
You can create a crystallized look on a watercolor background by sprinkling some sea salt on top before it dries!
Here’s how:
Step 1:
Begin making your background. You can use real paints like the Sakura KOI or Gansai Tambi watercolors, or use a dye-based “watercolor” marker like the Zig Clean Color Real Brush, Zig Art & Graphic, or Sakura KOI Color Brush Pens. Be sure to use a thick, watercolor paper for the best blending effect.
For this card, we used 3 varying blues in the Clean Color brushes and made layered marks using light and dark colors.
Step 1 1/2:
Use a wet paint brush or a water brush (like the Zig BrusH20) to easily blend the colors together to make the painted background.
Step 2:
While everything is still slightly wet, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt over it. The grains of salt will begin to soak up the color.
Step 2 1/2:
Leave the salt on the paper for a few minutes, and it will start to leave little crystallized marks behind!
Everything has a different effect on the results of this- the darkness of the color used, the size of the salt grains and how much you sprinkle on, how wet or dry the paper is, etc. Experiment a bit to get the look you want!
Step 3:
Once the paper has fully dried, gently brush off the salt. You can then use other pens and markers to draw designs over the top! Some recommendations that we used for this card- Posca paint pens, Zig Wink of Stella Glitter brushes, and Uni-ball Signo Gel Impact (one of the best opaque white pens you can find!)
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Marvy Snow Marker
With “snow” right in the name, you get the gist of this special marker right away. Snow markers write with seemingly normal white paint, but when the marks are heated with a heat tool, they puff up to create a snowy 3D effect!
Use this marker to draw or write something freehand, or use it to embellish cards, stamped images- anything you want some 3D texture on! To keep the paint nice and wet when you heat it, try doing smaller areas at a time. The thicker and wetter the marks are when heated, the bubblier the look will be. After each time you mark a section, give it a little blast with the heat tool and watch it puff up!
Try it in other colors!
Don’t just stop at white when you can make this same awesome effect in COLOR with the Marvy Puffy Velvet markers!
While these markers work well for papercrafts, they are also labeled as a fabric pen- so you can try them out on clothes, bags, and more!
(**Note: These markers need a heat tool to make the puffy effect, so it’s not a project for kids to do alone. Use caution with heat tools- they can blow air that is heated to over 600 degrees! If misused, it can definitely burn your project or YOU!)
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Glitter!
It shimmers and it sparkles. The qualities of glitter make it a natural choice for glistening winter effects!
Whether you’re doing cards, ornaments, scrapbooks, coloring books, or a craft of any kind- try adding a little glitter!
Our favorite marker picks:
Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust Gel Pens
Zig Wink of Stella Brush Tip Marker
Posca PC-3ML Fine Tip Glitter Markers
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We’d love to see your snowy projects this winter season! Share them on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages!
@MarkerSupply #MarkerSupply
The variety of warm metallic colors includes many shades of gold, along with other metals such as copper and bronze- but even with the same color name, they definitely do not all look the same!
Have a look at the Metallic Marker section at Marker Supply!
Use these ink swatches as a reference for how each marker appears on light vs. dark surfaces, which ones shine when turned to the light, and find the warm metallic markers that will work the best for you!
Water-based Papercraft Markers
The Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Markers leave a nice amount of glitter along with their color! Unfortunately with this type of marker, the glitter is all that shows up on dark paper.
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Colored Pencils
These colored pencils really show how metallic colors can completely change when used on light vs. dark paper! Most often, darker papers tend to show off the metallic properties, and white papers highlight the actual color of the mark.
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Gel Pens
Gel pens are great at demonstrating how some metallics can show dark, flat color at one angle, and then become super bright and shiny when hit with light at another angle. This property is known as a color’s sheen.
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Chalkboard/Poster/Window Markers
When using metallic colors on chalkboards, make sure to test in a small area how easily they clean off. Metallic paint contents can sometimes leave a mark (called ghosting) since some chalkboards are more on the porous side, and can soak in the color pigments.
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Fabric Markers
The color and effect of metallic fabric markers depends a great deal on the type of fabric used. Some can soak up the color, and some can soak up the metallic shine. Always test your paint in a small area first!
An interesting example of the same copper paint marker (Zig Fabricolor) used on various fabrics. The softer fleece left the color completely on top, while the thicker denim soaked in all but the bright metallic pigments.
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Oil-Based & Permanent Ink Markers
Permanent metallic ink markers can definitely have an impressive sheen to them when turned into the light (and then there are some that have none at all!) This is also a type of marker that will look totally different depending on the surface.
Most paint markers don’t look their best on paper and can soak in or appear flat. While some DO work on paper surfaces, it’s usually the thick/non-porous surfaces that show the most impressive results.
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We’d love to see what your markers are making!
Share your gold (or other metallic) art/craft with us and tell us which metallic markers you like the best!
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Instagram #MarkerSupply
Twitter @MarkerSupply
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Make sure you sign up for our Metallic contest before November 14th for your chance to win a metallic marker mega pack! Voting for your favorite shade of gold is one way you can enter!
See our contest blog for more details.
A heat tool can be very handy to have in the crafting world. Not only can it help to speed up the general drying time of some inks and glues, but it can also be used to make neat effects with special markers such as these:
* Zig Embossing Markers *
Zig’s Embossing Markers are double-ended, giving you 2 tips in 1 pen!
They come in 3 different styles:
*Zig Emboss Calligraphy (2mm flat chisel tip & 3.5mm flat chisel tip)*
Great for calligraphy lettering & straight edge designs!
*Zig Emboss Writer: (.5mm extra fine tip & 1.2mm bullet tip)*
Great for standard lettering & fine tip designs!
*Zig Emboss Scroll & Brush: (split-tip scroll & flexible rubber brush)*
Great for brush lettering & other special designs!
Embossing markers use a special ink that has a slightly “tacky” texture and acts as an adhesive for embossing powders (which come in all colors- even metallics, glitter, etc.)
Just write or draw something with your embossing marker and quickly apply some embossing powder on the paper over the top of your marks. The powder will stick to the ink, and you can easily tap off the excess.
Then use the heat tool over the powdered marks. The embossing powder will stay stuck to the ink and begin to melt in place. You are left with a smooth, slightly raised (embossed) image!
SEE IT STEP BY STEP:
STEP 1: Use the embossing marker freehand or with a stencil to make a clear mark on your paper.
STEP 2: Sprinkle embossing powder over the ink (as soon as possible, to avoid the ink from drying out). Don’t be afraid to use plenty, to cover the entire mark.
STEP 3: Lean your paper and let the excess powder slide off onto a second sheet of paper. (Make a funnel with that paper and let the powder slide back into your jar for use next time!) Use a few gentle taps, then clean off any remaining extra powder with a dry brush. You only want powder on the ink marks- any extra will still melt where it is and leave a spot.
STEP 4: Turn on the heat tool and let it run for a few seconds to heat up. Then aim it right at your powdered marks and watch the powder begin to melt! (Make sure it’s not TOO close, to avoid burning the powder/paper.) The melted powder fuses to the paper with a slightly raised effect!
STEP 5: Admire your newly embossed works of art! Use this technique to add a special touch to handmade cards and more! Try embossing on light and dark papers, or over a watercolor background!
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* Marvy Puffy Velvet & Snow Markers *
Add some texture to your paper and fabric crafts!
When used alone, the Puffy Velvet & Snow markers act like regular paint markers. Try heating up their marks with a heat tool! You’ll end up with exactly what the name suggests- a puffed up, velvety texture.
You can get 2 types of effects from these markers. If you use the heat tool right away, on very wet marks, you’ll get a bigger, bubbly texture. If you wait for the marks to be completely dry, you can get a softer, more even look.
No matter which type of effect you prefer, they each add a fun dimensional look to any craft project!
And they come in a variety of 24 different colors, including bright fluorescents!
Puffy Velvet markers are water-based and safe for kids to use! Just make sure an adult handles the heat tool part. (Heat tools can blow air that is over 600 degrees!!)
One of our favorite uses for the bubblier 3D effect as a kids craft- cartoon monster skin!
Another fun use of the Puffy Velvet markers to explore is stamping! The ink puffs up enough to create a raised image that can be used with other markers or ink pads and act as a custom-designed stamp!
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* Heat Tool VS. Hair Dryer *
A quick note about using a hair dryer as a heat tool, since we see people often wondering about this.
While they seem similar, it’s generally not recommended to use a hair dryer in place of a heat tool.
The main reasons: Heat tools slowly release VERY hot heat in a concentrated area. Hair dryers use cooler air, and it blows much faster into a bigger space.
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Happy crafting, everyone!
The new craze of coloring books has people searching for the best tools to bring color and life to their pages. There are so many kinds to choose from! Marker Supply is focusing several blogs on markers and more that are perfect for use in coloring!
See Part 1: Zig Double-Ended Markers
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Part 3: Alcohol-Based Markers
One of the most common tools we’ve seen that people like to use in their coloring books are markers with alcohol-based ink. This type of ink usually has bold color properties and flows onto paper “as smooth as butter”. These markers may also have unique properties such as being refillable, having interchangeable nibs, and more.
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A word of warning about markers with alcohol ink–
This ink is usually very strong and can easily bleed through paper!
Make sure you use single-sided coloring pages (with some kind of backboard underneath to catch any ink that soaks through) and/or use paper that is thick enough to handle alcohol inks!
The contents of this type of ink are also usually not kid-friendly, so be sure to use them age-appropriately.
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PRISMACOLOR BRUSH & FINE
A great coloring marker with tips that are perfect for coloring books that feature small spaces, the Prismacolor Premier Brush & Fine is a double-ended marker with a fine tip opposite a flexible, rubber brush tip. (You can also find the same marker with Chisel & Fine tips). The silky smooth ink flow leaves your pages with nice, even color. Available in 195 colors and multicolor sets of all sizes!
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ZIG KURECOLOR
Our equivalent to the Copic markers, the Zig Kurecolor markers have all the same features you love- they are double-ended, refillable, have a variety of tips to choose from, and are available in OVER 100 colors!! Often used by graphic artists and other professionals, Kurecolors contain high-quality permanent inks. Choose from the Kurecolor Twin– with a larger, easy-to-grip barrel- and the Kurecolor Twin S– with a slimmer, square barrel, so it won’t roll off the table!
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CHAMELEON COLOR TONE PENS
One of the newest markers here at Marker Supply, the Chameleon Color Tone Pens have a very unique ability.
Each marker fits together into 2 parts. One part can be used alone as a regular double-ended coloring marker with alcohol-based ink. OR, if you take out the small section in the middle, you can place the colored tip into the second part of the marker- which has a tip filled with a clear blending solution.
Let the clear blender tip soak for a moment into the colored tip. Then take the colored section of the marker back out, color with it, and watch what happens! The color will start super faint, then gradually darken all on its own as you color! These markers make it VERY easy to color in a seamless gradation- letting you apply some awesome effects to your coloring pages!
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Hop on our social media pages and hashtag #MarkerSupply to let us know which markers you like to use!
Happy coloring, everyone!!
The new craze of coloring books has people searching for the best tools to bring color and life to their pages. There are so many kinds to choose from! Marker Supply is focusing several blogs on markers and more that are perfect for use in coloring!
See Part 1: Zig Double-Ended Markers
See Part 3: Alcohol-Based Markers
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Part 2: Pens & Pencils
If you’re unsure about how your coloring page paper will handle using markers, you can always go with alternative tools such as gel pens and colored pencils!
SAKURA GELLY ROLL PENS
The Sakura Gelly Roll pens are fantastic tools for adding special effects to your coloring books. You can use them alone or on top of already colored spaces. Color carefully however! The gel ink is very opaque (non-see-through) and will cover over the black outlines of your images.
Gelly Rolls come in classic colors, or try our favorites with fun features:
–Gelly Roll Stardust with super glittery ink!
–Gelly Roll Moonlight with bright, neon ink!
–Gelly Roll Metallic with a sheen of colorful metallic ink!
Or try our new giant 74-piece Gelly Roll Collection!
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ZIG WINK OF STELLA GLITTER PENS
Another great choice for adding some sparkle effects to your pages! These special glitter pens come in either a fine plastic tip, or a bristle brush tip, and along with their color, they lay down a nice amount of shimmer. Use them alone, or over already-colored pages! (The clear Wink of Stella markers are great for overlaying on top of color!)
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PRISMACOLOR PREMIER COLORED PENCILS
The Prismacolor Premier pencils come in a large range of 150 colors and a variety of sets, allowing you to find just the colors you need! There are even different styles to fit your coloring needs, including the Verithin with a more narrow lead and the Col-Erase with an eraser tip! The soft cores and high color pigments make these super easy, artist-quality tools to color with!
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PRISMACOLOR WATERCOLOR PENCILS
A fun type of pencil that will color normally as other colored pencils do, but when blended with water, the Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils with move along with the water and act like watercolor paints! You don’t need to use much for awesome blending and shadowing effects! (Tip: For best results, make sure your paper is thick enough or specially designed for use with watercolor mediums. When tools are used with water on too thin of paper, your pages can buckle, wrinkle, or tear.)
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POLYCHROMOS OIL-BASED COLORED PENCILS
A special type of colored pencil from Faber-Castell, the Polychromos use an oil base rather than a wax base- allowing for super smooth color laydown and blending. The thick 3.8mm leads come inside a premium cedar wood casing, making these super strong coloring tools. They are available in 120 rich, permanent colors.
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KOH-I-NOOR TRI-TONE PENCILS
A new and limited-time colored pencil line here at Marker Supply, the TriTone Pencils feature a blend of 3 different colors within each pencil tip- giving you some fun color effects! Color normally or twist the pencil as you color for a unique coloring style!
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Stay tuned to the Marker Supply Blog for more coloring book marker highlights!
Hop on our social media pages and hashtag #MarkerSupply to let us know which markers you like to use!
Happy coloring, everyone!!
