A paint marker is a type of

marker pen A marker pen, fine liner, marking pen, felt-tip pen, felt pen, flow marker, sign pen (in South Korea), vivid (in New Zealand), texta (in Australia), sketch pen (in South Asia) or koki (in South Africa), is a pen which has its own ink source ...

that is used to create permanent writing on a variety of surfaces such as paper, metal, stone, rubber, plastic, and glass.

Ink

Unlike with most

permanent marker A permanent marker or indelible marker is a type of marker pen that is used to create permanent or semi-permanent writing on an object. In general, the ink comprises a main carrier solvent, a glyceride, a pyrrolidone, a resin and a colorant, ma ...

s the ink is an oil-based paint and generally requires shaking before use, similar to an aerosol

spray paint Aerosol paint (commonly spray paint) is paint that comes in a sealed, pressurized container and is released in an aerosol spray when a valve button is depressed. Aerosol painting is one form of spray painting; it leaves a smooth, even coat, unli ...

can. In addition, the line is very opaque and, unlike spirit-based or other permanent inks, will not fade with exposure to UV light, and overlays all other colors beneath it. The paint from these types of markers is not truly permanent, as it can be removed using high pressure cleaning or paint thinning

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

s such as

acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...

Dangers

Paint markers, and permanent markers generally, contain the toxic compounds

xylene In organic chemistry, xylene or xylol (; IUPAC name: dimethylbenzene) are any of three organic compounds with the formula . They are derived from the substitution of two hydrogen atoms with methyl groups in a benzene ring; which hydrogens are s ...

toluene Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) a ...

. Like spray paint, these markers give off

volatile organic compound Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapour pressure at room temperature. High vapor pressure correlates with a low boiling point, which relates to the number of the sample's molecules in the surrounding air, a ...

s, which can be dangerous when used in a badly ventilated area or without a particulate mask. Gloves can also be worn to avoid absorption through the skin.

Solidified paint pens

Another type of paint marker is the solidified paint pen. This is a type of marker, often contained within a twist tube, that is a cylinder of semi-hardened oil-paint with a pointed tip. As one writes with it, the point wears down and must be advanced to in order to continue writing. The marker leaves a mark similar to that of

chalk Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Ch ...

. It is useful for marking on wet or oily surfaces. It is sold under the brand name Mean Streak in the United States and generic versions are also available online. It is made by Sanford, the maker of Sharpies, but there are many different brands and types of solidified paint pens.

Usage

Paint pens are used for a variety of purposes. Their most general usage is on windows, and they are often used to advertise sales or discounts meant to bring prospective buyers in. Restaurants often hire a professional artist to "paint" with the markers on their windows. Another popular use is for

tire lettering Tire lettering is the practice of putting, or drawing visible letters on the sidewall of an automobile's tires. In modern usage, the lettering is often big car brands or tire brands names, with custom lettering being a much smaller niche of that. I ...

, where auto enthusiasts use the markers to customize the look of their tires. Paint Markers have gained more general usage in the arts and crafts community for a variety of uses. These uses include sign design, on photographs in scrap booking, on clothing, glass home goods, as well as traditional art and street art (mainly graffiti). When deciding what to use paint markers for, an artist should also consider this list of qualities of different paint marker brands: removability, odor, pigmentation, and drying time.

References

Writing implements Visual arts materials Pens {{Tool-stub