Acrylic Paint Markers: Sharpie Creative v Posca

With craftraven up and running, I can pour more energy into creative pursuits. Some time ago, I purchased Sharpie’s new Creative Markers. They are acrylic paint markers; I chose the brush tip, but they also come in a bullet tip, which I have not yet tried.

Sharpie Creative Markers, set of 12 brush-tipped with color swatches.

I prefer a brush-tip marker, whether acrylic, alcohol, or watercolor. I like the precision fine lines you can achieve while also retaining the ability to lay down a lot of color in large swaths if you wish. Sharpie’s Creative Markers were the first time I’d tried a brush tip in an acrylic marker. I have been pleased with them. 

First, you don’t have to pump the nib to get the ink flowing. The markers are loaded right out of the box. Priming a brush tip risks damaging the point. The ink flows well and covers decently. The only time I found I needed to add more than one layer of paint was when laying a lighter color over a darker one. (Granted, I’ve only used them to draw/color on white paper, not a dark paper.)

The colors lay down more streakily the longer you use one marker without allowing it to rest. And, the brush tip does lose its sharpness sooner than, say, a quality alcohol marker does. However, I would rebuy them and have ordered Sharpie’s new line of earth tones in a bullet tip to compare them to my Posca acrylic markers.

Posca paint marker swatches for the colors I currently own.

Sharpie now has a color range of 24; however, I currently own 47 Posca paint markers, and more are available. You do have to pump the marker tips to prime Posca paint markers, even the brush-tipped ones. The paint flow is similar to Sharpie Creatives, but I like the brush tips on the Posca markers better. They feel smoother and sturdier, but time will tell how well they hold their shape. 

Examples of Sharpie Creative Markers with brush tips to Posca paint markers, one with a brush tip, one with a bullet tip.

The majority of my Posca markers are bullet-tipped. I’ve been enjoying the challenge of sketching with less detail. The larger, blunt bullet tip isn’t conducive to fine line work, forcing me to reimagine an image I might like to draw, satisfyingly stretching my creative muscles.

The Posca paint markers lay color down smoothly and are pretty opaque. Rarely do I feel the need to add a second layer to cover streaking. I might have to if I've used the same uncapped marker for an extended period to cover a large area with color.

I have been sketching in a Canson Mix Media 98lb 7"x 10" sketchbook with these markers. Paper fibers can pill if the paint is still wet and the paper is agitated too much. This pilling can gum up the marker nibs, causing streaking and interrupting the paint flow. I'm determined to fill this book before trying to find a book with paper that holds up better with paint markers, though.

Stop back on the 28th to see what I have drawn this month!