FAQ

POSCA markers contain high quality water-based acrylic paint made in Japan. The paint is highly opaque, quick drying and blendable when wet.

POSCA markers have been tested for use on over 50 surfaces including canvas, metal, surfboards, rocks and so much more. POSCA markers are a tool for expressing one’s creativity in virtually any way imaginable.

POSCA paint markers come in 8 different tip sizes and 55 colors for a multitude of uses. Find our entire color range and the different associated tips in our color chart here.

Yes. POSCA’s paint is water-based, odorless, made without alcohol or solvents and ACMI certified. In fact, POSCA is so safe that beekeepers use POSCA markers to identify the queen in beehives. A color corresponds to each year which enables them to determine the insect’s age.

POSCA markers are water-based markers with stable pigments that can be applied to all materials. It is permanent with no need for fixatives on porous materials such as wood, cardboard, textiles, pebbles, certain plastics and metals. For best results for non-porous materials such as glass, plastic or metal, POSCA recommends adding a fixative to prevent dust or damage over time.

POSCA markers have not been tested or certified for cosmetic use. However the paint can easily be removed with soap and water if it comes into contact with skin.

This process is known as “priming”. Firmly shake your marker, with the cap tightly closed to allow the ball inside to mix and homogenize the paint within. Press the tip on a piece of paper several times until it is saturated paint. Remember to put the cap back on after use! Define your POSCA on initial use or after leaving your marker unused for any length of time.

Start by firmly shaking your marker with the cap closed tightly to allow the ball inside to mix and homogenize the paint. Then remove the cap and the pushbutton protection at the other end of the marker. Press the pushbutton several times until the paint saturates the tip. Replace the cap after use.

POSCA markers are not refillable, but if your marker no longer works, it doesn’t mean it’s empty. Try moistening the tip, then re-initiate, as a tip that is too dry can prevent paint flow.

Depending on thickness of application, the paint usually dries within a few minutes, especially outside or in drier environments. In general the paint dries faster on porous surfaces than on non-porous surfaces.

POSCA water-based paint is permanent on porous surfaces and removable on smooth, non-porous surfaces.
Depending on the surface, there are ways to optimize permanence including:

• Applying a varnish
• Baking in the oven
• Ironing the surface

To learn more, visit our page dedicated to surfaces here.

Create your own custom colors by mixing the paint from different markers directly on the surface while the paint is wet. If your nib shows the blended color, simply rinse with water to clean.

Thanks to the marker’s piston mechanism and valve system, dirt or debris on the tip will not penetrate the main paint compartment, and a dry tip can easily be re-saturated with paint. Some tips can be removed and rinsed in water. In the case of non removable tips, soak them directly in water.

Opaque and dense, POSCA’s paint dries quickly, allowing you to cover a layer with another one once the initial coat is dry.

On smooth surfaces like glass, simply use a moist rag to “erase”. On porous surfaces where the POSCA paint is permanent, wait until the paint is dry, then overlay with another color as much as you like.

With many paint markers, when the nib is pushed down to initiate paint flow, an excess amount of paint comes out referred to as “flooding the nib”. POSCA markers have a valve and piston mechanism that reduces bleeding. To control the flow, press down on scrap paper when priming POSCA.

POSCA markers can be kept in any position as long as the cap is put back on firmly after use. Indeed, the ball inside can be used at any time to remix the paint, which is itself preserved in the body of the marker (hermetically sealed thanks to the integrated valve). We recommend storing the POSCA brush marker in a horizontal position.

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