About this guide and how we choose

What this site is

Paint markers are easy to buy and surprisingly easy to get wrong. The wrong paint on a mug washes off, the wrong tip on canvas wears out, and many roundups repeat the same picks with no explanation. We built this site to be the reference we wanted: which marker suits which surface, which tip suits which job, and what independent reviewers actually found.

How we choose

We have not tested these markers ourselves. Nothing on this site claims hands-on testing, lab results or scores of our own. Instead:

1. Specs come from the makers. Tip sizes, ink base, refills and care instructions come from maker pages such as the Posca range, Molotow, Montana and Liquitex.
2. Maker claims are labeled as claims. When a maker says a marker is weatherproof or lightfast, we say the maker says so.
3. Performance comes from independent reviews. The most complete hands-on test we found is Sarah Renae Clark’s 2026 acrylic paint marker comparison, which grouped dozens of markers by mechanism and tested them on rock, paper, plastic and other surfaces. When we summarize a finding, we link to it.
4. Safety guidance comes from the people who set the rules, such as ACMI for the AP seal and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for art material labeling.
5. No scores, no star ratings, no prices. We use descriptive price tiers (budget, mid, premium) because prices change daily. Check the listing before you buy.
6. Uncertain means we say so. Where evidence is thin (drying times, dishwasher safety, shoes and leather), we give cautious general guidance rather than numbers we cannot back up.

How the site earns

Some links go to Amazon with our affiliate tag. If you buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That never decides what we recommend: the cheapest and the priciest pens get the same treatment. Details are on the affiliate disclosure page.

Corrections

Makers change formulas and tip lineups. We review pages regularly and update them when specs or reviews change; each page shows when it was last reviewed.

Who we are

Acrylic Markers is operated by WellTracked, a small publisher of independent guides. We are not affiliated with any marker brand or retailer.