POSCA Assorted Paint Markers Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Helen Wyatt
I recently tried out a pack of POSCA paint pens. If you’ve not heard of POSCA before, they are the ones that you might see in a craft shop and possibly wince slightly at the price! POSCA was initially launched in the early 80s for the artistic community. Created in Japan, the first set contained four tips and 22 colours. Now they have 10 tips, seven shapes, and amazingly more than 70 colours.
I’ve always assumed that POSCA pens would be good quality but never had a chance to test them out. The set I received included 11 fine tip pens in various different colours including metallic, and one bold tip in black. The range of colours in this set is good however instead of a yellow and an orange, you get a yellow and an apricot which are very similar. The pens came with a reusable fabric bag designed for storing the pens and customising yourself. The pens feel well made, without feeling too heavy. The fine tips are really good for detail, and the bold pen works well for outlines.
The box claimed that the pens could be used on any surface, so we tested them on several different surfaces to see how true this was. The pens wrote smoothly on glass. The paint dried quickly, making it easy to design something bright and fun. Once dry, the paint stayed in place and you could layer it up to make the colours even stronger. The paint was however still removable with a damp cloth, which is useful if you want a temporary design, or even just to write a date on a glass jar in the kitchen. You do have to be careful to let the ink dry before you touch it as it smudges easily when wet. We had the same results with plastic; the box claims that the pens will work the same on any smooth material so you could these on anything like windows, mirrors, metal etc.
We also tried the pens on a chalkboard to record our dart scores, and again the results were really good. Most of the pens stood out clearly against the dark background and had a much brighter finish than chalk, but the darker colours were harder to see. Again, you could wipe them off with a damp cloth after use.
The fabric bag included in the set is practical for storage, but it also doubles as something you can doodle designs on, which was fun. The POSCA pens worked well on the bag, although you do need to put something in between the layers of fabric or it will bleed through to the other side. The colours were initially lighter on the black bag but you could layer them up to make them much bolder. The fine tips allowed for intricate designs but it wasn’t easy to get a very clean line on the fabric bag. POSCA pens are permanent on porous surfaces so are great for adding designs to clothes or bags.
The tips of the pens are washable and reversible, so if it got messy or clogged you could easily clean it. The ink is also UV resistant, meaning any designs that were subject to a lot of sunlight shouldn’t easily fade.
Overall, I was impressed with these POSCA pens and how you could use them across many different surfaces. The pens are easy to use even if you are not especially experienced with working with them. This set was enjoyable to use, and it would suit beginner artists who just want to doodle, and more experienced people alike. The added bag is a nice bonus.
Rating: 4.5/5
RRP: £33
This product can be purchased from Hobbycraft here: https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/uni-ball-posca-standard-pc-3m-marker-pens-and-pouch-12-pack/6924371000.html