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No matter how old you may be, rock painting is one hobby that brings out the artistic side in you. It’s enjoyable and straightforward to make.
Sometimes you might want to doodle your creativity or scribble down some quotes as a pick me up. Or better yet, paint your heart out. Though it might sound childlike to paint rocks, this hobby has gained popularity and is a rave among many.
No matter what your creativity makes out of it, it is a way to relax and have some fun too. You can paint or draw in any rock that you find. But the key is to have the right tools that will help you in giving that excellent finish.
So, to help you with that, we have prepared a comparison table for you to go through. The comparison side by side will give you an idea of the best one for you to buy.
1.ARTIQO PAINT PEN
Artiqo paint pen is oil-based, which makes it water-resistant. So, if you are planning to keep the painted rocks outdoor, then this is the pen for you.
The Artiqo colors are vibrant and rich and give a smooth finish. With the medium-sized tip, it will be easier to cover the rocks with paint pretty quickly. Moreover, the color is quick-drying too.
The pen has some issues regarding leakage after some use over time. The point where the metal reservoir meets the colored tip gets unscrewed easily, which is a hindrance. So, every time you use the pen, you will have to tighten it first before getting on with the painting.
You can get the pens at a sale price of $23 for 17 pens, which is quite reasonable. Plus, you get a complimentary ebook packed with 25 designs to hone your craft.
- Oil-based
- Water-resistant
- High quality color
- Good for coverage painting
- Quick dry
- Metallic colors are of the premium shade
- Slight odor
- Needs double paint to make the colors get the right shade
- Not recommended for detailing work
- Chances of facing leakage overtime
2. ARTISTRO ACRYLIC PAINT MARKERS
The marker pens from Artistro gives a glossy finish on both dark and even light surfaces. Now, that glossy, shiny finish is what gives it an edge over the numerous products.
Like any other marker pen, the Artistro pens are also quick to dry. It is easy to use, and the finished project comes out somewhat opaque. The shades of colors are bright and vivid too.
The high pigmentation of the acrylic ink gives the colors a depth not found in other products. Plus, the casing of the pen is also quite attractive and comfortable on the eye.
Now, moving on to the tip, the medium-sized tip is usually best suited for covering large areas. The round edge of the tip also makes it easy to use for writing letters, keeping in mind that the surface of the rock is smooth.
The pen owing to its medium tip does not work well for the finer details.
- Glossy and opaque finish
- No odor
- Highly pigmented colors
- Non- Toxic
- Good coverage and bright colors
- The most disappointing drawback is that the paint is not water-resistant
- The ink gets dried in the casing after some use
3.NIUTOP PAINT MARKER PEN
The extra-fine tip is what you need if you are planning to get those fine line detailing works. The nylon tip gives it that extra smooth flow of the ink.
When it comes to painting, getting the hands messy with specks of paint is guaranteed. On top of that, getting it off is more laborious. However, the Niutop paint washes off easily, which is a plus for any enthusiast. The extra-fine nylon tip pen is best suited for making those fine refined lines. It gives a clean finish every single time. However, the paint tends to accumulate at the tip quickly. Thus, it creates a big mess because of the blop of color caused due to the accumulation.
- Weather-resistant
- Suitable for the fine line painting
- True colors and durable
- Great for outdoor projects
- Issues with the clumping of the ink
- The inconsistent flow of the colors, so need to go for more touchups
- Not so quick dry as mentioned in the product
- After some use the tip gets worn out
4. Acrylico Paint Marker
Acrylico offers you a variety of paint pens for your painting needs. You can choose from a range of the extra fine tip to the medium-sized tip, depending on your project.
The paint marker from Acrylico is non- toxic and safe. The odorless marker is another bonus if your rock painting hobby is an intensive one. The Italian acrylic ink has a smooth flow, which is excellent for detail works and lettering too.
The pigmentation of the color is slightly different from the ones that you usually get hold of. The shades are sharp and pop out, which is useful if you have plans for keeping the rocks outdoor.
In comparison to the other pens, the Italian acrylic ink is the best as of now. The smoothness and the natural flow let you glide over the rocks, which is a plus for the marker.
- Easy to make the fine detail lines
- Smooth flow of the colors
- The colors do not bleed and dry up quickly
- Water-resistant colors
- Non-toxic and acid-free
- Easy to stack and store in the ‘cup’ container that the pen comes in
- Issue of the paint splitting
- Inconsistent coloring
5. ZEYAR Paint Markers
The Zeyar paint marker is probably the only one among the five that offers the choice of pastel colors. With Italian ink, it is quick to dry and easy to use for any project.
The paint has a larger capacity so that it will have a longer writing period. The casing of the pen makes it comfortable to hold while writing. It is light and easy to use; however, some shakes between intervals will give better results for letterings.
The water-soluble property of the ink makes it easy to make corrections with minimal effort; maybe a good scrape will do.
The extra-fine tip goes a long way for drawing details and outlines with precision.
- Long-lasting if kept according to the instructions
- Quick-drying
- Environmental friendly and non-toxic
- Colors tend to get flat after some time outdoors
- Not recommended for dark surfaces
- Not water resistant
Best Pens for Drawing on Rocks Buying Guide
As mentioned earlier, it is not so easy when it comes to choosing the right one. Before you make the decision, you need to weigh in the various factors that add to the product. Some of the essential things are:
Ink type : The marker pens come in numerous ink types. So, you can choose the pen-based on the project that you are going to undertake. You can make the selection from the acrylic paints to the oil-based or water-based paints.
Acrylic paint pens are more widely used and are a popular choice. However, if you are planning for more outdoor projects getting an oil-based paint pen will be better. The water-resistant property of the oil base will keep the paints from fading away in the out. Water-based paint pens are easy to use and are probably best for an indoor project.
Opacity – The opacity of the marker pen refers to the degree of transparency or opaqueness of the paint. You can determine the opacity by checking how the color shows on the rock. You can test by coloring a dark surfaced rock and check the visibility and vibrancy of the color.
Pen tip – Now, this is one crucial point that you need to focus on when looking for pens. Depending on your needs and the idea for your designs, get the right tip size.
For making detail and excellent outlining works, getting the extra fine tip of about 0.7mm – 1mm will be the best option. But if you are in for covering most areas, then getting the medium tip will be better.
Drying time – It is for the best to get pens that have the quick dry property. It will not only give you ample time to finish your work but also give you a clean finish.
Usually, when it comes to painting the rocks or drawing on the rocks, we end up using different shades of color. So, if the paint pens are not quick to dry, your work will end up getting smudges and mixed. Hence, this will not only make the work messy but also end up looking dirty.
Paint consistency – The paint consistency or the uniformity of the color is one factor that you need to keep in mind while hunting for pens. Imagine using the red color shade, and the consistency is not uniform. Then you will end up with something quite contradictory to the one that you pictured in your mind.
Finding the right shade with consistency is what will take your work to the next level. The blending and the mix and match of the colors will also work out eventually if you have the colors in consistency.
Pen marker material – It always comes down to the quality of the material of the marker pen. Very often, the casing of the pens and the point where the outer cover and the tip meet faces some issue. The issue being leakage or the loosening of the pen’s tip.
Buying the pens for your rock drawing is an investment. Therefore, you need to consider the quality of the cover material and casing while researching for the pen.
Besides the mentioned pointers, one last thing that you need to weigh in is the time span of the colors. You see, if you are painting or drawing the rocks for keeps, you would probably want it to last as long as it can. Therefore, get the one that is not only water-resistant but also weather resistant. It will eventually make the difference in keeping the colors intact for a longer period.
You should also know
Now, if you are in for more options, this section is solely to serve that purpose. Along with the above-reviewed products, some other products that will meet your needs are listed in brief below:
Posca paint pens – You can get hold of these pens for your rock works. The tip size ranges from the medium to the ultrafine tip. From outlining your works to shading the rocks, the Posca pen fits the bill.
Sharpie markers – Looks-wise, the markers may not be as attractive or alluring. But the shortcomings are made up by the quality of the colors with its vivid and vibrant shades. Sharpie colors come in a wide range of colors and tip sizes. Also, they are quite reasonably priced compared to other products.
Conclusion
Now that you have a gist of the different products, choosing the right one that suits you will be easy. On the grounds of pricing, all the products reviewed are quite reasonable considering the other expensive ones.
Since the pros and cons have been laid out for you, the rest is up to you to decide which product is the one for you. No matter which product you decide upon, each has its own merits and will deliver in terms of quality.
Last update on 2020-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
