Painting is one of the world’s oldest art forms, but even after all those years, we’re still finding new ways to get creative with paint and canvas. Paint pens are one of the newest painting tools to hit the art world, and there’s a lot to love about the way they work.
As the name implies, acrylic paint pens look and work just like regular pens but are capable of writing and drawing directly onto canvases or artistic journals, creating a genuine paint-like effect without the need for brushes and bottles of paint.
What’s more, because they can write and color on a range of materials, there are so many fun ways to play around with these paint pens! But knowing which set is right for you can be challenging. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the top-rated acrylic paint pens of 2025. Let’s dive in!
We chose this acrylic paint pen collection coming from one of the world’s most popular brands — Arteza. The whole set includes 60 smooth, highly pigmented colors that produce consistent shades for longer periods of them. Each paint pen contains 0.74 fluid ounces of color and has a secure screw cap for a suitable experience. Just squeeze the tube to start extracting the paint. The tubes are labeled with color names and numbers to provide clear transparency and additional convenience. This is mostly ideal for canvas painting, but you can use it for some other intentions as well. On top of everything, with this special order, you will also receive a sturdy box to organize all your paint pens. With their versatile, easy-to-use nature and endless artistic possibilities, we’ve chosen these acrylic paint marker pens as our best overall pick.
The ARTISTRO Acrylic Paint Pens offer an exciting and creative way for people to create stunning art. These pens feature high-quality Italian acrylic ink that dries quickly, creating an always durable matte effect. In addition to this, the Japanese nylon nibs on these pens prevent flooding, jamming, and messes. The pens are great for a variety of projects; They can be used on wood, rock, canvas, ceramic, glass, fabric, porcelain and metal surfaces. The medium point of these acrylic pens makes it ideal for both fine details and filling in larger areas.
Those looking for creative gifts also have an opportunity with this product; the paint pens can be used to make birthday and anniversary gifts such as DIY projects, Easter eggs or Christmas ornaments. Plus, there are 12 vibrant colors to choose from. In terms of safety concerns, the pens are non-toxic and conform to ASTM D-4236 standards. On top of this, each pen has a transparent anti-roll barrel so that you can see how much ink is left at all times.
Our next pick is this set of acrylic paint marker pens by ZEYAR. With their extra fine points, these AP-certified paint pens are ready to create fine lines and intricate details, ideal for both writing and drawing. In this set, you’ll receive 12 classic colors, including black, silver, gold, blue, green and red. One of the most amazing things about these paint markers is how versatile they are; they work on wood, glass, metal, ceramic, canvas, paper and even rock-based surfaces. You can paint on almost anything with these fabulous paint markers!
Here’s another great set of acrylic paint marker pens to use for painting and drawing a variety of artworks. One of the best things about this set of pens from NAWOD is the fact that they work on almost any surface, including rock, ceramic, glass, wood and fabric. You can even use these handy pens for coloring in canvas shoes or for customizing your own mugs. The options are endless! Plus, this set includes a mixture of fine-tip and medium-tip pens in various colors allowing you to experiment with both fine lines and thicker lines for different kinds of drawing and design. Quick to dry, non-toxic and odor-free, these multifunctional pens offer excellent value for the money.
Next up, we have these acrylic paint marker pens from ArtShip Design, a trusted and experienced brand in the world of arts and crafts supplies. These products live up to the brand’s high standards, being of excellent quality and offering endless hours of painting and creating enjoyment. You’ll find no less than 35 colors included this each set, with a nice mixture of extra fine and medium tips for different kinds of lines and styles. The pens are odorless and non-toxic, and the lines they make are permanent and waterproof, so you won’t need to worry about your creations washing away. These pens are also sunproof, so there’s low risk of the colors fading.
This set of acrylic paint pens from FUMILE includes an impressive 36 colors in total, including 30 regular colors and six metallic colors. With so many bright colors, you’ll be able to create truly intricate, detailed and unique pictures and patterns on a range of surfaces. The pens work on rock, wood, metal, plastic, glass, canvas and ceramic. Plus, you can try them out on other surfaces, too. For instance, these markers are great for painting Easter eggs! They’re easy to work with, dry quickly and they don’t contain any toxic or harmful ingredients. Thanks to these impressive features, this acrylic paint marker kit is the perfect gift for any arts and crafts enthusiast in your life.
Paint pens are wonderful artistic tools to add to your collection or to give as a gift to someone artsy in your life. Read on to learn more about how these pens work and what to look for when buying a set of your own.
Acrylic paint marker pens have a lot of unique benefits compared to other kinds of pens and painting supplies. Here are a few:
For a tutorial on how to use acrylic paint markers, check out this YouTube video by ehow.
We can divide paint markers into two main categories: solvent-based and water-based. Here’s a quick breakdown of each type and its pros and cons:
Solvent-based acrylic pens, also known as oil-based paint markers, make use of some kind of solvent. While these pens tend to produce a neater flow of color and paint, they also tend to emit an odor that many artists find unpleasant. Oil-based and solvent-based paints dry much slower than water-based ones. Solvent-based paints dry as solvents evaporate and air interacts with the paint itself.
Water-based acrylic paint markers are made without the use of any solvent. While these pens don’t have quite the same flow as oil-based pens, many artists prefer them due to the fact that they’re odorless and safer to use. Beth Gatza, professional artists shares another benefit of water-based acrylics, “because they dry quicker, acrylics make an ideal choice for those who don’t have huge chunks of time available to dedicate to painting – allowing projects to be completed faster without needing solvents for clean-up afterward.” Many paint pens on the market are traditional acrylic water-based pens.
So, how do you find the right set of acrylic paint markers to suit your specific needs? Read on for some key factors to help you narrow down your search.
Acrylic paints are dyed by suspended pigments that remain suspended after water and solvents evaporates. They are organic, inorganic, natural, and/or synthetic, which means there are a ton of colors to choose from.
One of the first things to look for in marker pen sets is the variety of colors included in the set. Some sets are quite small and have just a dozen colors, while other sets come with 30 to 40 pens of all different colors and tip sizes. Most artists prefer to have as many colors as possible, but don’t be afraid to make dual or single-colored artworks when getting started. You can easily make beautiful pieces like this one from TikToker Resdolo Designs using one impactful color.
@resdolodesigns #yellowflowers🌼 #acrylicpaintpens #sunflowerartstyle #arttok
You should also look at the size or thickness of the tips of each pen. These pens vary from extra-fine tips to medium and thick tips. Because each thickness level has its own specific use, we recommend choosing a set that includes a couple of different thickness levels.
As explained above, there are two main types of acrylic paint markers: water-based and solvent-based. You may prefer water-based if you don’t like unpleasant odors, but solvent pens are great for drawing and coloring.
Lastly, it’s important to pay attention to the price tag of each set of acrylic paint markers and find one that fits your budget.
Acrylic paint pens have many uses. They're commonly used to draw pictures on canvas materials but they also work for a variety of other art projects, including decorating T-shirts, drawing on shoes, for ceramics, glass and more.
Yes, most of them are. Check the product description to ensure that the set you’ve chosen is waterproof and that the paint has set before getting wet.
It depends on the product. Some dry within a few minutes while others may take up to an hour to dry completely.
While you can combine acrylic paint pen colors by overlaying them before they set, doing so is not ideal. Overlaying paint can taint the second color by partially dyeing the pen's tip before it dries. This could change the color when you use that pen in the future. Instead of combining two pens, it is best to find another pen with your ideal color when able.
Acrylic paint pens are more versatile than ink pens because they work on more surfaces and are usually of higher quality. Ink pens are great choices for quicker projects on paper, but acrylic paint pens are usually the superior choice if you want a more permanent, artistic result.
At Art Life Today, our passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the right tools and materials can make all the difference in your creative projects, so we take our responsibility as reviewers seriously. Our goal is to help you discover the best products that will inspire your creativity and bring your artistic visions to life.