ScrawlrTips
Uni POSCA Pens
Featured In / September 2020 ScrawlrBox
We realise you may have never seen or used products like this before so we have put together a few hints, tips and techniques to test out and get the best from these supplies.
These POSCA Pens are the perfect tools for all of your marker needs. The medium tip of the PC-5M is one of the most adaptable in the POSCA range. It provides clear, precise line work and beautifully vibrant colour, making it extremely popular among artists and designers.
They have a water-based pigment ink that is lightfast, water-resistant and dries permanent on absorbent media such as paper or card. Of course, POSCA works on almost any surface, so you can also try them on woods, metals, glass, plastic, textiles and more. These versatile paint markers provide highly-opaque, matt colour that can be layered, watered-down and used for almost any multimedia project that you can think of.
Things To Try...
~ Getting started with your Posca pens: twist the top of the plastic to remove plastic covering.
~ Before you begin, your Posca pens will need to be primed:
Step 1: Shake the marker vigorously with the cap on.
Step 2: Press the nib several times onto a piece of scrap paper.
Step 3: You will start to see the paint seeping down the white nib.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have a seamless flow of paint through the pen nib. It may be worth keeping a paper towel at hand to clean the nib easily or to absorb any excess paint.
~ If the flow of paint ceases during use, be sure to shake the pen well and repeat the priming process. Don’t forget to replace the cap before you do this to avoid paint projections.
~ If needed, you can clean the nibs and wipe excess paint with a dry paper towel. If you find that your markers are drying out after repeated use you can leave them to soak in a glass of water.
~ Posca’s are water-based pigment paint markers so you can dilute them with water for a watercolour effect. You can also mix colours as long as the paint is still wet – either directly onto the paper or on a mixing surface before application. You will need to work fast though as they dry quickly and you cannot reactivate the pigment once dried.
~ These pens dry very quickly and should look matt when completely dry. You can layer colours but make sure the first applied layer of paint is completely dried before layering another colour to avoid bleeding. All of the pigments are completely opaque which means lighter colours can be layered on darker colours and visa versa.
Notes From The Artist
SP:Zero
Just have fun with them. Maybe experiment with drawing on different things. I’ve worked with Posca a lot over the years and used them to draw on everything from Surfboards, Skateboards, Tees, Even Furniture, Windows, Caps, and a VW van to name a few.
I always pencil the art in first until I get it right, then go in with the pens. If you do make a mistake, wait until it dries and use the white to blank it out. (Might need a couple of coats and a pen nib clean during and after). Lighter Posca pens will cover dark ones which is great for mistakes. Have fun!