While rock painting may seem like an activity for children, it’s a great way to relax and let your creativity run wild no matter your age. Forget adult coloring books – painted rocks can be just as fun and you can use them to decorate your garden, houseplants, shelves, desk, and more.
Painting rocks with some acrylic paint and a brush will work just fine, but it may be difficult to get fine details or beautiful lettering into your design. That’s where paint markers come in.
Paint markers make it easier to control your rock painting. You have a greater ability to create intricate designs when you’re able to hold a paint marker as you would a pencil.
So, what is the best marker for rock painting? The best marker for rock painting will work more than once, be durable in any weather conditions, won’t leak as you use it, and have high-quality paint. You’ll also want to consider the size and shape of the tip depending on the design you have in mind.
If you want to know more about what makes the best marker for rock painting, and maybe find some product recommendations too, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn everything you’ll need to be successful with your rock painting.
Tips For Painting On Rocks
Painted rocks are a fun decoration that can be used inside or outside. You can add painted rocks among your unpainted rocks in the landscaping of your yard, or you can place them on shelves or tables around the house.
Regardless of where you put them, once you’ve painted your design, you want it to last. Here are a couple tips to keep your painted rock looking as vivid as the day you painted it.
Be sure to thoroughly wash your rock first. Rocks have dirt and dust from the outdoors on the surface. This will prevent the paint from adhering properly to the surface and can compromise the durability.
Prior to painting your rocks, wash them with dish soap and water, then dry them completely. If your rocks are wet, this will prevent the paint from sticking too.
Another tip for ensuring your paint lasts is to seal it. Even if your paint markers are built to last and have paint that’s durable and weatherproof, it can still get damaged.
We recommend sealing your paint with either Mod Podge or Krylon Crystal Clear. Both of these sealers work great to keep your paint fresh and unblemished.
If you choose to use a sealer, be sure to allow your paint to fully dry (usually around 24 hours) before applying the sealer. This can help prevent the paint from bleeding when you add your sealer.
Paint Markers For Rocks – Buyer’s Guide
1. Long Lasting
Some lower quality paint markers are said to only work one time because they run out of paint quickly. This could be due to a small amount of paint in the pen, or low-quality paint that dries in the reservoir.
Either way, you’ll want to avoid this issue. Good quality paint markers should last for more than one use. This will depend, of course, on how many rocks you paint at once.
If you plan to only paint 2-3 rocks, your paint pens should be able to paint those rocks and still last to paint more. If you’re going to use these paint markers with a group of children and paint 15-20 rocks in one session, they might not last.
The general idea is to find paint markers that have a good amount of paint and don’t leak it out or dry up after just a single use.
2. Durable
The weatherproof durability of your paint markers will be especially important if you plan to put your painted rocks outside, but can still be a factor to consider even if they’ll stay inside.
Durability doesn’t just mean it can withstand a little rain, but it can take a huge storm, snow, scorching heat, freezing temperatures, and anything else that nature might throw its way.
Even if your rocks are inside, this can be important to protect against any spills that may occur.
The durability in any weather conditions doesn’t just show that it can withstand the great outdoors, but that the paint is high-quality and not thinned down or easily worn away.
3. Leak-proof
Because paint is a liquid, it can have a tendency to leak out of the tip on paint markers. A little bit of leakage is expected, but if you have paint running down the length of your marker tube, you have a problem.
Lesser quality paint markers may either have poorly designed tips or low-quality, thinned-down paint inside that contributes to their leakage problem.
The best paint markers won’t have this issue. They’ll be thoughtfully designed with good paint that won’t leak everywhere.
4. High-Quality Paint
If you really want your paint to last, then you’ll want to get paint markers that are filled with high-quality paint. Look for keywords such as nontoxic and water-based. These are good indications that you have good quality paint.
Not all paint markers are created equal, so even if they have those keywords, they may still be lower quality. We recommend checking out the reviews for each product to see what previous customers have said.
Keep in mind that there will always be some bad reviews mixed in with the good, but when you find more bad than good, that’s a product you want to avoid.
The 5 Best Markers For Rock Painting
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Uni-Posca Paint Marker Pens | Non-toxic, water-based, lightfast, waterproof |
| 2. | Artistro Paint Pens For Rock Painting | Water-based, non-toxic, glossy, metallic colors |
| 3. | Boxun Metallic Markers For Rock Painting | Metallic marker set, non-toxic, water-based |
| 4. | Sakura Solid Paint Marker 12 Color Set | Fat tipped, bonus glow-in-the-dark marker |
| 5. | Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Pens | Durable, fine and broad tipped, some metallics |
1. Uni-Posca Paint Marker Pens
The paint marker set created by Uni-Posca is regarded as one of the best quality sets on the market.
Their paint is high-quality; not only is it non-toxic and water-based, but it’s also lightfast and waterproof. Lightfast means that the colors won’t fade when exposed to sunlight.
These are undoubtedly some of the best paint markers on the market. If you’re willing to splurge a little, we can’t recommend these paint markers enough.
Their smaller set only comes with 8 colors, but you can also buy their full set of 24 colors if you’re willing to spend more to get more.
These paint markers are leak-proof, durable, high-quality, and certainly work for more than one project. They’re everything you need in your markers for rock painting.
2. Artistro Paint Pens For Rock Painting
A slightly more affordable second-place option is the set of 12 color paint markers from Artistro.
These are water-based and non-toxic paint markers that are built to last. They’re durable with a glossy finish, though we do still recommend using a sealer for best results.
We love the color options offered in the 12-color set, which includes a metallic gold and silver. However, if you want to have more color options, you can buy their set of 30 markers in 28 different colors.
You can find Artistro paint markers in two different tip sizes: medium or extra-fine. Try getting a set of both to give you more artistic flexibility with your designs and lettering.
Bonus: these markers also work on virtually any other surface you can think of, including glass, ceramic, fabric, wood, and more. Use these to paint rocks, then use them again for a variety of other crafts!
3. Boxun Metallic Markers For Rock Painting
For those looking to add a little extra shine to their rock paintings, we recommend the Boxun metallic markers.
This is a set of 10 different colors, all metallic. The paint is non-toxic and water-based, as well as being quick-dry.
Whether you want to use these markers to accent your design made with a regular set of paint markers, or you want to create a fully metallic design, this set of markers will be perfect.
4. Sakura Solid Paint Marker 12 Color Set
This Sakura set is another on the more expensive side of things, especially for only getting 12 colors.
However, with a higher price comes higher quality. These paint markers are just as popular as the Posca markers we listed above.
They’re a much thicker tip, so may be best for larger and less intricate designs but will be great for coloring in backgrounds and saturating large areas.
Instead of shaking and pressing down, the paint in these markers comes to the tip by twisting the bottom of the marker.
This set even comes with one glow in the dark marker to give your designs an extra wow-factor!
5. Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Pens
At a much more affordable price, this set of 12 paint markers comes in both a fine tip and broad tip option. This nontoxic and water-based paint is also multipurpose, so you can use these markers for other crafts too.
Their design helps prevent leakage, which makes your paint markers last longer. They’re not as durable when it comes to weather, but this can be solved by simply applying a layer of sealer once dry.
Up Next: Best Paint Pens For Canvas
