I first witnessed Molotow acrylic markers in action a few years ago, pre-global pandemic. With each confident stroke from each street artist’s hands, paint flowed straight from the Molotow marker onto their canvas, denim, or wood, surface. Each YouTube video ended with works of art I wished I could make. These videos sparked my initial quest for a new artistic medium: Acrylic Markers.
I could’ve bought a few markers at a time like I’ve done with other art supplies. Yet, seeing all of them neatly packed in the 50-marker set appealed to me greatly. Eventually, post-global pandemic, my opportunity to get my hands on those Molotow One4All 227HS markers came to pass and I got the entire 4mm marker set.
- High-covering, Premium acrylic-based pigment paint in an easy-to-handle marker that works on almost every surface, both …
- Flow master pump marker system has patented capillary technology and is refillable; acrylic-based hybrid paint is UV and…
- Solvent-free and dilatable with water or acetone and tips are exchangeable
Why Molotow?
Before I continue with this review, yes, the Molotow brand is more expensive than the more popular Posca markers. The reasons are similar to why I prefer Copic markers over the cheaper brands. Molotow has a larger range of colors, from the subdued to the bright, saturated pigments. Each marker has a refill I can choose in different sizes. It’s a better alternative to repeatedly buying markers.
Once I opened the package, I was greeted with 50 colors, including two white and black markers, a sketchbook and a plastic case covering the entire set with a styrofoam bottom to keep each marker in place. Although it took much time swatching each color, I’m not gonna lie, hearing the metal ball rattle while shaking each marker reminds me when I was growing up in the 1980s, seeing graffiti writers shake spray cans before and during their process to paint their murals on concrete walls and subway murals. But a question remains: Do Molotow’s work better on paper than other brands? Well… to answer this question I need to go on a little detour. It won’t be long – two or three paragraphs, tops. First, let’s rephrase the question.
Is Paper A Good Surface for Acrylic Markers?
Acrylic markers in general is a tricky medium when choosing paper as its surface. The thing is, the better the paper, the better the markers will perform. The street and graffiti artists I watched used canvas, wood, denim, even sneakers to make their artwork, they didn’t use paper. The artists I’ve seen who use acrylic markers on paper are, for a lack of a better word, casual or younger artists. They’re more exposed to watercolor and alcoholic markers, especially on YouTube. The surface material of choice is watercolor or mixed media paper. When Poscas were becoming popular on YouTube these artists used the supplies they knew best. Also acrylic markers look similar to alcoholic markers, but they’re different mediums. Alcoholic markers use ink. Acrylic markers use paint. These artists discovered their Poscas soaked their paper to the point it starts “pilling” the paper (little balls of paper mixed with paint).
Because of this, many artists preferred creating graphical, flat art whenever acrylic markers were used. However, I believe the problem hasn’t been acrylic markers, it has been the paper type used. If you are an artist who loves the flat, graphical style – that’s great! Keep going! For artists who prefer blending colors and creating layers, you need different paper. It’s like a watercolor painter using thin, inkjet paper. Yup, that would be such a disaster!
In my experience, acrylic markers work better with smooth, thick, glossy paper. There’s glossy card stock, hot pressed watercolor (it’s smooth with no texture) and the paper I use most is the Yupo Heavy paper from Legion.
- Yupo paper is a unique alternative to traditional watercolor papers
- It’s an incredibly durable stain-resistant non-absorbent synthetic paper that holds ink and watercolor with razor sharp …
- This extraordinary surface also resists tearing and buckling and it remains perfectly flat
The thick, glossy finish is better because it gives the acrylic paint time to sit on top of the paper and blend with other colors. The best part with acrylic markers, just like their counterparts, acrylic paint jars and tubes, the paint dries with an even matte finish, a nice contrast to the glossy paper. Another difference Yupo paper has from most art paper on the market: it’s synthetic paper, made from polypropylene. If you prefer natural paper, a great alternative is Arches Aquarelle Hot Press Watercolor paper; it’s 100% cotton. Both options are acid free and durable.
Okay, my detour’s done. Let’s steer back to…
My Final Thoughts
If you’re planning to use acrylic markers on a routine basis and you want more range of colors, check out the Molotow brand. They offer refills which will save you money in the long run. It also reduces the risk of not getting the marker you need at a crucial time before a looming deadline. With Molotow, Yupo paper, and the helpful pointers I’ve mentioned earlier, I hope you’ll enjoy using acrylic markers more now that you understand its medium better. And with that, I wish you… Happy painting!
