You're standing in front of the marker shelf or scrolling through online shops and suddenly these terms appear: water-based, alcohol-based, acrylic? And you're wondering: What exactly do they mean – and which marker suits me and my creative style? In this post, we'll take a closer look behind the terminology.
Water-based markers – gentle & child-friendly
- Perfect for beginners, children, or quiet DIY projects.
- Low odor & non-toxic
- Good for coloring pages & bullet journals
- Blending hardly possible
- Paper can become soggy when exposed to a lot of ink.
Conclusion: Great for creative people of all ages – safe, affordable, and uncomplicated.
Alcohol marker – strong & professional
- Ideal for pixel art, illustrations & gradients.
- Intense colors & clean surfaces
- Blending possible for smooth transitions
- Smell stronger, push through
- Less suitable for children
Conclusion: If you love rich colors, smooth color surfaces and beautiful transitions, alcohol markers are your best creative buddies.
Acrylic markers – opaque & creatively versatile
- Almost like liquid acrylic paint in a pen – strong & striking.
- High opacity, even on dark paper
- Great effects (metallic, pastel, neon)
- Not suitable for dazzling
- The tip can dry out
Conclusion: Ideal for highlights, details & mixed media – like the finish on the artwork.
What does "blind" mean?
Blending is about creating a smooth transition between two or more colors – for example, from pink to red or from light blue to dark blue. Because alcohol markers remain slightly "active," you can create transitions that look like they were made with a gradient brush while they're still wet. This adds depth, light, and shadow to your drawings – all without digital effects.
You can enhance the blending by using a colorless blender pen – a marker with pure alcohol solution that blends colors together or creates highlights.
In summary: Which marker suits you best?
Do you just want to get started, do some crafting, or be creative with the kids?
→ Then water-based markers are your relaxed entry point – safe, uncomplicated and ideally suited for small artist hands.
Do you want rich colors, even surfaces, and want to try blending?
→ Alcohol markers are perfect for you - ideal for illustrations or detailed color projects.
Do you love creative experiments and enjoy working on wood, glass, or in a journal?
→ Acrylic markers offer you completely new possibilities, especially when you want something a little more unusual.
And if you think, "I'd rather stick with my good old wooden pencils"—that's perfectly fine too! Many of us intuitively combine different materials—depending on our mood, the project, or our favorite paper. Because in the end, it's not the medium that matters, but the joy of creating. And that joy can be as colorful as your pencils!
Even more for you:
If you're just starting out with pixel art or painting projects, download my free printable color swatch templates . This will allow you to sort and compare your colors and instantly see how different markers will look on your paper.
-> Color Swatches Templates
And if you want to delve deeper into the world of color…
I know many people are looking for something "more": more nuances, more quality, more longevity. That's why I also want to tell you about the Ohuhu markers – they're practically a secret weapon among artists for affordable quality with a professional feel. I don't (yet!) own any Ohuhu markers myself, but I'm seriously considering them – and I know many people who are absolutely thrilled with them. If you'd like to take a look (or maybe even adopt them), the links below are Amazon affiliate links. I receive a small commission for every purchase made through these links. Of course, this doesn't cost you anything extra! Thank you so much for your support <3