The posca paint marker has been a popular tool for artists, designers, and other creative professions in the last few years. It’s an acrylic paint pen that is permanent and can be used on most surfaces, including glass, paper, wood, and metal.
But what paper to use with posca pens? That is the question that many people ask themselves when deciding to create an art project with posca pens. And this is not just a simple question, because there are many types of paper out there!
However, choosing the right paper surface is important as the posca pen will not work as it is supposed to if you select the wrong ones.
Luckily, I’m here today to walk you through the best paper types you can use with posca pens and help you make a wise purchase decision. So, keep on reading until you get your answer!
Why Do We Need Special Paper for Posca Pens?
Mainly, Posca pens are acrylic paint markers that contain water-based ink. Some people think that it’s like average water-based markers that supply watery or runny ink. Maybe that’s why you need special paper.
But the reality is, it doesn’t need any special paper. Instead, you need quality paper to get the most out of it. However, you must use an acrylic paint pen on thick or grainy paper that won’t bleed or smudge.
Even if you want to make streak-free artworks, you must need to get high-quality marker paper. Sometimes it happens that you may need to use several layers of ink coatings.
In that case, if your paper is of lower quality, you may see that paper is getting very wet and thin when you will put 2-3 layers. Even the ink can eat up the paper, sometimes ruining your Posca pen artwork in the mid.
That’s why professionals always recommend using the right paper for the marker you are using. It’s really an essential factor to get the most out of the pen you are using.
Types of Paper You Should Use with Posca
Already I’ve mentioned earlier that for acrylic paint markers, you should use thick paper. So, here I’m providing some of the best types that will help you work with Posca pens more easily than before.
Let’s check and find out the best suit for your next project!
Sketchbook
Sketchbooks are a common item that remains on the backpack of every artist. Whether you love sketching or drawing, you may not want to ruin your artwork using cheap paper if you are a professional artist.
However, beginner artists often get puzzled while choosing sketchbooks for drawings as there are thousands of brands. Even it’s true that I’m suggesting sketchbooks for using Posca pens doesn’t mean that all brands are perfect.
From my experience, I could say that Moleskine Art Sketchbook, Canson Series Bristol Pad, Bee Paper Company Bleedproof Marker Pad, and Leda Art Supply Paper really go well with posca pens.
Still, I would recommend you to choose them according to your need. And it’ll be best if you can test the paper before purchasing any.
Paperboard
Paperboard is the other name of cardboard. But there is one difference between them. Cardboard consists of 2-3 layers of thick heavy paper, and paperboard is only a single piece of thick paper.
Additionally, cardboard is mainly found in boxes or similar uses. But paperboard is used for drawing purposes.
Paperboard is thicker than the average type of paper. So, using Posca pens on them will be a great idea. There is no chance of bleeding or smudging. But these papers may take a little more time to dry the ink as they are thick enough.
However, you can use these papers for crafting purposes. They look like regular papers, but in reality, they are not.
Tracing Paper
By reading the name, most people think that tracing papers are so thin and they’ll not work with acrylic paint markers. But it’s not true at all.
Posca pens work pretty well on tracing papers. So, if you think that you’ll trace any art with pencils on tracing papers and then use Posca pens on the same page to color it, you can do that.
But choosing the right type of tracing paper is essential. If you accidentally pick up the wrong one and try to put 2-3 layers on it, then the paper will tear up for sure. Even there remains a chance of ink smudging on the page. So, be careful in this regard.
However, I have used Studio 71 Tracing Papers with Posca pens, and it worked really great. The result I got was just beyond expectation. So, you can use that brand or also choose others according to your need and budget.
Photo Paper
Artists use photo papers mainly for acrylic pouring painting techniques. From that sense, I tried my Posca marker pens on Canon Photo Papers and got a mind-boggling result.
Well, after using those acrylic paint markers, the result I got was no less than using liquid paint. I can say that it was jaw-dropping good. And if you use these papers with your Posca pens, you’ll also see the magic of it. I had used semi-glossy papers, but you can use them according to your need and the effect you want.
However, the Posca ink takes a bit more time to dry on photo papers. So, while working on this paper, you must be careful enough to avoid any unwanted circumstances.
Rocket Book
I mainly like Rocket Book due to its reusable feature with Frixion writing supplies. But the paper quality it provides is just outstanding and not like other average notebooks. Even it’s different from average marker papers too.
Due to the ease of erasing, the Rocket Book company recommends using Frixion writing tools on it. But I used my Posca pens on the Rocket Book to experiment, and it was just amazing.
The art also doesn’t go away with wet wipes. So, it also ensures the durability of the artwork.
Since they are not like regular papers, they are expensive but work well with Posca pens. I really liked it so much as this is another type of thicker paper. You can also try them out if you really want to experience something new!
However, I don’t recommend it for beginners.
So, if you are just starting out with your Posca pens, you can go with the other paper types mentioned above.
Warning
While working with 3-4 papers simultaneously, be careful that ink doesn’t transfer from one paper to another. It can cause a severe problem as you can’t erase Posca ink from paper.
Another important thing is to let the ink dry when you use several coats. It means when you are putting on a single coating, let it dry properly and then put another coat over it.
FAQ
Q: Can Posca pens be used on black paper?
Posca pens provide vivid and beautiful colors, which is excellent to use on black paper. People think that black paper means thick paper. But it’s not like that! Not all the brand’s paper is produced with the same thickness as you see it in white papers too.
However, I’ve already mentioned that you can use Posca pens on dark surfaces with a proper thickness. And from my experience, I have used Canson Series Black Drawing Paper and have found it too good for Poscas.
Q: What paper is good for Posca?
It’s actually difficult to select any one paper for Posca markers. That’s why earlier, I’ve mentioned some of the best types that you can use. You’ll find different brands of those paper types, and among them, you can work on any high-quality ones. But remember to select papers with proper thickness.
However, I recommend not to use paper made of absorbent material if you want it to last more. So, choose wisely depending on your need.
Q: How do you use Posca pens on paper?
Actually, there are no such special ways of using posca on paper. You can use them just like regular markers. But make sure that the paper is not wrinkly or wet as it can ruin the artwork. Otherwise, it’ll be fine to grab the paper and start painting on it.
However, if you want, you can first create an outline with pencils and then use Posca pens to look the work more eye-catchy.
Q: Can Posca pens be used on stone?
Posca is such a versatile pen that you can use on many surfaces, and stone is one of them. People paint on rocks and pebbles to decorate their homes mainly.
Since it’s a porous surface, the ink will work as a permanent marker. As people prefer using graffiti markers for rock painting, you can use Posca without any issue.
So, first of all, you need to clean the rocks properly and let them dry. Then paint in the way you want. You may need to put several coatings for getting the actual colors as it’ll absorb ink more.
However, in the end, you can use two coats of water-based spray varnish to make it more durable.
Q: Can you use Posca pens on wood?
Since wood is a porous material, you can use Posca pens on it just like how you use it on rocks. But it’ll absorb much ink, and that’s why you may need to apply several layers of ink coatings. Whether indoor or outdoor, you can use the woods of both areas as these are waterproof.
However, for using the paint marker pens on varnished wood, you may need to roughen the surface with sandpaper. It’ll help the ink to set on the surface properly.
On the other hand, you have to clean the surface with water and a sponge for recycled wood before starting work with Posca pens. But make sure the surface is dry entirely.
For making the artwork more permanent, you can always use the spray varnish after finishing the project.
Final Word
So, it’s a wrap-up of this article. And I want to tell you one thing that there may have some other paper types out there that Posca pens work. But here, I’ve given only those that I’ve worked on and got pretty good results.
Hope that you will also get pleasure while working on them. So, now it’s time for you to choose the right one and start coloring!