Short answer
Buy blue in at least two shades: a light or sky blue for skies and highlights and a navy or deep blue for water, shadows and night backgrounds. For paper, rocks, wood and canvas, use a water-based acrylic such as Posca PC-5M in blue, sky blue or navy. For metal, plastic and outdoor labels, use an oil-based blue such as Uni Paint PX-20 or Sharpie oil-based.
Blue paint pens by shade
Blue paint markers by shade
| Shade | Use it for | Example pen |
|---|---|---|
| Light or sky blue | Skies, highlights on water, pastel art | Posca PC-5M sky blue or light blue |
| Mid blue | Water, denim, flowers, lettering | Posca PC-5M blue, Molotow ONE4ALL True Blue |
| Navy or deep blue | Night skies, deep water, shadows, outlines | Posca PC-5M navy blue |
| Metallic blue | Accents on black paper | Posca PC-5M metallic blue |
| Oil-based blue | Metal, plastic, tools, outdoor labels | Uni Paint PX-20 blue, Sharpie oil-based blue |
Brand names for blues do not match each other: one maker’s “blue” can be another’s “cobalt.” Swatch each pen on the paper or surface you will use before starting a big piece.
Navy blue paint pen
Navy is the most useful blue for rock painters and black paper artists, because it makes a softer dark background than black and every bright color pops on it. Posca sells navy blue in the medium PC-5M. Use it for night skies with yellow moons and white stars, deep sea at the bottom of a beach scene, and outlines that are less harsh than black.
Light blue paint marker
Light and sky blues fill skies and water fast and mix well visually with white highlights. On dark rocks or black paper, light blue needs two coats, or a white underlayer for the brightest result. Posca lists both sky blue and light blue in the PC-5M range on Amazon.
Blue for skies and water
- Light at the horizon
Paint the sky pale near the horizon and deeper blue at the top; for water, the reverse: pale at the horizon, deeper toward you.
- Two blues side by side
Put a band of light blue next to a band of mid or navy blue while both are fresh, and dab along the line to soften it.
- White last
When dry, add white clouds, wave lines or sparkle dots with an extra fine white.
The full method for water on stone is on beach rock painting.
Oil-based blue paint marker
For color-coding tools, cables, pipes and parts, use oil-based blue. Uni Paint sells blue and light blue in its PX-20 medium, per its listings, and the PX-20 listing describes opaque, glossy marks on metal, glass, wood, rubber, concrete and plastic that withstand weather, heat and abrasion. Sharpie sells a medium oil-based blue in packs of three. More on oil based paint markers.
What blue paint marks mean on the ground
If you see blue paint on a sidewalk or a lawn, it is probably a utility mark. In the color code used to mark buried lines, blue means potable water, red electric power, yellow gas and petroleum, orange communication lines, green sewers and white proposed excavation (Virginia 811). Keep your own blue paint marks off the ground where crews may dig.
Blue with other colors
- Contrast: blue with yellow or orange; see yellow paint markers and orange paint markers.
- Patriotic designs: blue with red and white; see red paint markers and white paint markers.
- Night scenes: navy with metallics; see metallic paint markers.
Blue paint markers on Amazon
Water-based, refillable and oil-based blues, each listing checked by hand.
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Posca PC-5M blue, 3 count
Three medium water-based blues for water, flowers and lettering.
- 1.8 to 2.5 mm
- Blue
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Posca PC-5M navy blue, 3 count
Navy for night skies, deep water and soft dark backgrounds.
- 1.8 to 2.5 mm
- Navy
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Posca PC-5M sky blue, 3 count
Sky blue for skies and light water.
- 1.8 to 2.5 mm
- Sky blue
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MOLOTOW ONE4ALL acrylic paint marker, 2 mm, True Blue
A refillable 2 mm acrylic blue for artists who want one pen system.
- 2 mm
- Refillable
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Uni Paint PX-20 oil-based paint markers, medium, blue 2 count
Oil-based blue for metal, plastic and outdoor labels.
- 1.8 to 2.2 mm
- Oil-based
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Sharpie oil-based paint marker, medium point, blue, pack of 3
Three medium oil-based Sharpie blues for color-coding and labels.
- Medium point
- 3 pens
Each pick links to an Amazon listing we checked by hand. Prices, colors and pack sizes change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Questions people ask
Is there a difference between a paint pen and a paint marker?
No real difference: both are markers filled with opaque paint instead of dye ink, and sellers use the names interchangeably. What matters is the paint inside, water-based acrylic for art and porous surfaces or oil-based for slick and outdoor surfaces, and the tip size.
What does blue paint marker mean?
On job sites and sidewalks, blue paint marks have a specific meaning: in the color code used to mark buried utilities, blue means potable, or drinking, water lines. Other colors mark other utilities, such as red for electric and yellow for gas. In art and crafts, a blue paint marker simply means a paint pen in blue.
Will paint markers wash off?
It depends on the paint and the surface. Water-based acrylic paint markers are permanent on porous surfaces such as paper, wood and stone once dry, but can wash or scratch off slick surfaces such as glass and glazed ceramic. Oil-based paint markers resist water on most surfaces. Fresh marks of either kind are easiest to remove before they dry.
Is there such a thing as paint markers?
Yes. Paint markers, also called paint pens, are markers that hold liquid paint, either water-based acrylic or oil-based, with a valve or a fiber feed. They draw like markers but leave opaque paint, so light colors show on dark surfaces. Common brands include Posca, Molotow, Sharpie and Uni Paint.
What is the most beautiful blue paint color?
That is a matter of taste, but painters often name ultramarine, a deep violet-leaning blue, and phthalo or cobalt blues as classics, while sky and turquoise blues feel bright and fresh. With paint markers, a deep blue and a pale sky blue used together usually look better than any single blue on its own.