We know kids love markers! Being able to add rich colour to almost anything is so satisfying!
But we have also seen the disasters when things have gone horribly wrong. Walls, furniture and even younger siblings can be tempting targets for young artists armed with their favourite colour stick.
Here are some tips and tricks to manage your budding artiste without sacrificing your sanity.
Tip 1 – Permanent VS Washable
The first and best tip we need to talk about is the massive difference between permanent and washable markers. With this seemingly small change, we can take the sting out of most of the potential trouble kids can get into.
While there are lots of washable markers out there, some washout better than others. We recommend the Crayola Ultra-Clean and Sargent Art Washable lines. They come in a wide variety of pack sizes, fine tip and wide, and wash out easily if treated right away.
With permanent markers, the colours are often brighter and stronger, which is a plus unless you want to get it out of a cream carpet, couch or dog.
Tip 2 – The right marker for the right material
With so many options out there for markers, there actually IS a right marker for every material (except the dog of course). While every marker will work on paper (more or less), not every marker works equally well on fabric, windows and dry erase whiteboards.
There are so many great craft ideas for adding personal touches to fabric items like t-shirts that there have been some special markers made to stick it out through those many washes. Crayola Fabric Markers and Sargent Art Fabric Markers are easy to use and durable. Obviously, these aren’t washable so take care.
To add some light to your art you can also draw on windows. Either in a free-standing easel frame, a lightbox or on a standard window, Crayola Window Writers are easy to clean, non-staining and are great for use on all glass surfaces.
Dry erase has become more and more popular, as people move away from the dusty and messy mini chalkboards. Dry erase is also a great way to practice letter forms, redecorate spaces and draw with more colour than chalk. With a low order and lots of colours (even neon), dry erase markers are a great addition to any class.
Trick 1 – Cleaning whiteboards
If someone has accidentally used a permanent marker on your favourite whiteboard, you can easily remove it by drawing over the offending marks with a good quality dry erase marker. We recommend using the same colour to minimize any residual colour transfer and maintain the life of your markers.
Bonus trick
To remove any long lasting ‘ghosting’ of your dry erase markers. You can get whiteboard cleaning kits, although we like to use hand sanitizer. It works just as well and smells better.
Tip 3 – Special Effects
Sometimes you need that extra special pop, that special shimmer or shine. With our special effects markers, you can do that easily.
Crayola’s Glitter markers add a sparkle to any project and will quickly become a favourite. For a more intense shine, Crayola and Sargent Art have some great metallic options. These add colour, as well as shine in a range of 6 dazzling colours.
And lastly, if they really want to draw on their face (and you catch them first), we recommend Face Stix Face Paint. Everyone will be happier with the results.