Paint markers: every type, one page

Marker paint types compared

Every paint marker falls into one of a few families. The family matters more than the brand, because it decides what the paint sticks to and how you clean up.

If you are torn between the two big families, the acrylic vs oil-based paint marker guide goes deeper, and the marker picker gives a suggestion by surface.

Paint marker pen or regular marker?

A paint marker pen has a spring valve behind the tip. You shake it to mix the pigment, then press the tip down a few times on scrap so paint flows into the nib. A regular felt or alcohol marker skips all of that and starts writing at once. The trade is opacity: a regular marker is transparent, so yellow vanishes on black and white does not exist. If you need color on top of a dark or shiny surface, you need paint.

Liquid paint marker vs pump-action

Some sets are sold as liquid paint markers or direct ink markers. They feed thin paint without a pump, which makes them easy to start but less opaque. In Sarah Renae Clark’s direct ink round-up, most direct ink markers soaked into rock and lost coverage, while pump-action markers held up. For paper and journals, either type works.

How to choose a paint marker set

• Tip mix first. A paint marker set of one tip size covers less ground than a few colors in two sizes. A medium 1.8 to 2.5 mm tip plus an extra fine 0.7 mm handles most projects; see the tip size chart.
• Buy white and black as singles. They run out first, and the best white often comes from a different brand than the best set. Our white paint markers and black paint markers pages compare them.
• Match the paint to the surface. Water-based for porous and craft surfaces, oil-based for metal, glass and plastic that gets handled.
• Check refills if you paint big. Molotow says its ONE4ALL markers are refillable, and Montana says the same of its acrylic markers (Montana technical sheet). Posca markers are not refillable.

High quality paint markers vs cheap paint markers

High quality paint markers usually differ in three ways: denser pigment, so one coat covers; a steadier valve that does not flood; and tips that do not fray on rough surfaces. In the independent comparison, Posca and Pilot Pintor were the most consistent, while budget sets were mixed: Artistro’s white stood out but its other colors disappointed, and Liquitex scored low for watery, streaky paint (pump-action results).

Cheap paint markers still make sense for kids, party crafts and trying a hobby, and a cheap set plus one premium white is a common compromise. For the full ranking, see our best acrylic markers guide.

Where people use paint markers

• Rocks: water-based pump-action markers and a sealer; see paint pens for rock painting.
• Canvas and art: broad tips for blocks, fine tips for edges; see paint markers for canvas and art markers.
• Wood: sand smooth and seal; see markers for wood.
• Fabric: use a marker made for textiles, or follow the maker’s heat-set step; see fabric markers.
• Metal, glass and plastic: oil-based; see oil-based paint markers.

Sharpie’s water-based Creative line is sold for paper, wood, glass, ceramic, stone and canvas (retailer copy of Sharpie claims), and Sharpie’s Amazon listings describe its oil-based ink as resisting fading, smearing and water. Those are maker claims, so test on a scrap first.

More ways to shop: permanent paint markers for marks that last, graffiti art markers for wide refillable tips, pastel paint markers for soft colors, and watercolor paint pens if you want washes rather than opaque paint.

Getting a paint marker to flow

Most complaints about a paint marker pen come down to priming. Shake with the cap on until the mixing ball rattles, then press the tip on scrap paper in short presses until color appears. Do not pump hard on the artwork, which floods the tip. If a marker stays dry, the paint pen fix guide covers soaking and tip swaps. Want the bigger picture on acrylic paint pens specifically? Start at our acrylic markers home page.