Craft & Art Marker Guide: Why Creators Choose Grabie

8 min read ·

Executive Summary

There’s a moment every creator secretly chases: when you look at something you just finished and think, “Wait… I actually made that?”

The right markers are a huge part of that moment. In 2026, it’s not just about how many colors are in a set — it’s about tools that feel natural in your hand, play nicely with your sketchbook and your DIY projects, and help ideas flow instead of fighting them.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

What the current marker world looks like for artists, crafters, and journaling lovers
The real-life differences between acrylic markers, gel pens, brush pens, and fineliners
Why so many creators are gravitating toward Grabie’s marker lineup
How to build a versatile marker collection (without buying a drawer full of duplicates)
How to match specific Grabie tools to your style: scrapbooking, mixed media, lettering, or illustration

Whether you’re just starting to play with color or you’re already surrounded by sketchbooks and washi tape, this guide will help you choose markers that actually support the way you create.

Introduction: The Moment a “Good Enough” Marker Holds You Back

Picture this: you’re deep in a bullet journal spread, layering color onto the perfect weekly layout. Or maybe you’re finishing the last details on a handmade card. You’re in the zone… and then your marker streaks, bleeds through, or just taps out completely.

Instant mood killer.

Most of us blame our “lack of skill” in that moment. But honestly? A lot of the time, it’s a marker problem, not a you problem.

Creators today are much more intentional about what they use. Instead of grabbing whatever is on sale, they find themselves asking things like:

Will this sit smoothly on my paper, or tear it up and bleed through?
Can I use this on wood, glass, or metal if I want to DIY a gift?
Is the ink opaque enough to actually show up on dark paper?
Can I get bold color and tiny details without switching brands every five seconds?

Brands that actually think about real, everyday creators — not just people in professional studios — are the ones that stand out. That’s exactly the niche Grabie has been quietly (and quickly) claiming.

Market Insights: What Creators Want from Markers in 2026

1. Versatility Across Surfaces

The modern creative doesn’t stay in one lane. In a single weekend, you might:

Decorate a journal or planner spread
Personalize a metal planter or garden sign
Add bright highlights to a watercolor painting
Letter a quote across a dark scrapbook page

This is why acrylic paint markers have exploded in popularity. They’re like tiny paint bottles with a built-in brush, and they can handle:

Paper & cardstock
Wood
Metal
Glass & ceramics
Plastic
Canvas

Grabie’s acrylic marker sets — like the Extra Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set of 28 or Dual Tip Dot & Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set of 36 — are built around that “use it on basically everything” promise.

People really do test that limit:

“I used them on a metal elk my dad had given me years ago. It’s now outside in our gardens.” — Donna, Grabie customer

From sketchbook doodles to outdoor decor, one set of markers covering all of that? That’s the dream.

2. Detail + Bold Color in One Ecosystem

No one wants to juggle six brands just to finish a single project. Ideally, you want:

Crisp, clean outlines
Smooth blocks of color
Teeny-tiny detail work
Fun extras like metallics and glitter

All from tools that actually work together.

That’s where a full ecosystem wins. Grabie leans into this by offering:

Acrylic paint markers (extra fine, dual tip, dual tone brush tip)
Waterproof Multiliner Drawing Pen Sets (for clean inking & line work)
Iridescent & Jumbo Iridescent Glitter Gel Ink Pen Sets (for shimmer and highlights)
AquaFlex Sign Brush Pen Set (for flexible strokes & lettering)

So you can sketch with multiliners, color with acrylic or brush pens, and finish with glitter gel pens — all without weird texture clashes, smudging, or guessing how they’ll layer.

3. Stress Relief and Creative Calm

Markers aren’t just “art supplies” anymore; they’re mental health tools. They show up in:

Evening wind-down routines
Mindfulness practices
Creative family time at the kitchen table
Gentle, low-pressure doodling sessions

Grabie reflects this shift in its broader ecosystem: 30-day art journeys, watercolor club kits, scrapbooking boxes, and tutorials centered around healing through color.

And you can actually feel that mindset in the markers themselves: easy ink flow, quick-drying, no harsh odors, and satisfying, vibrant payoff.

One creator described the Iridescent Glitter Gel Ink Pen Set like this:

“They’re so smooth. Flow instantly. No odor. Dry pretty fast for 0.7mm point. And the colors are vivid, distinct, and so metallic…” — Xenial Lizzie

Translation: low fuss, high joy.

Product Relevance: Why Creators Keep Reaching for Grabie Markers

Let’s break down the main types of markers creators reach for — and how Grabie fits naturally into each category.

1. Acrylic Paint Markers: The Mixed Media Powerhouse

Best for:

Crafters
DIY decor
Custom gifts
Mixed media artists
Art journaling & scrapbooking on different surfaces

Acrylic paint markers are for anyone who’s ever thought, “Can I draw on that?” and then tried it.

What makes Grabie’s acrylic markers stand out?

Extra fine tips for tiny details
The Extra Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set of 28 gets a lot of love for detailed work:
“Really perfect for the details… I LOVE IT.”
Perfect for:
- Little sparkles in eyes and hair
- Intricate mandalas or zentangle patterns
- Fine lettering on ornaments, tags, or place cards
Dual tips for versatility
The Dual Tip Dot & Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set of 36 gives you a precise line on one end and a dot tip on the other — great for bullet points, patterns, and decorative textures. Think bullet journal spreads, planners, and fun note-taking.
Dual tone brush tips for bold, expressive strokes
The Dual Tone Brush Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set of 36 is for people who want their marks to have personality — bold headers, soft blends, and brushy, painterly strokes in a no-mess format.
“These pens are a game changer. I use them for art in multi media and they’re perfect. I haven’t found any others that compare.” — W.G.
Surface flexibility
In the wild, creators use these on:
- Standard drawing paper
- Mixed media sketchbooks
- Metal decor
- Wood and craft surfaces

If you bounce between sketchbooks and 3D objects, acrylic markers are like carrying a compact paint set in pen form — minus the palettes and water cups.

2. Fineliners & Multiliners: Clean Lines, No Smudge

Best for:

Illustration and comics
Technical drawing
Outlining and inking
Neat journal and planner layouts

If you love a good crisp outline or structured spread, fineliners are your best friend.

Grabie’s Waterproof Multiliner Drawing Pen Set of 20 (10 black tips + 10 colored tips) covers both structure and play:

Black tips in multiple widths so you can vary line weight
Colored tips for labeling, small accents, and diagrams
Waterproof ink — essential if you like to paint or color over your lines

Imagine your classic “sketch, ink, then color” workflow, but without the panic of smudging your linework as soon as you touch it with a marker or wash of color. That’s the whole point here.

3. Brush Pens: Calligraphy Meets Color

Best for:

Modern calligraphy
Hand-lettered quotes
Loose sketching and coloring

Brush pens are the ones you reach for when you want those swoopy thick-and-thin lines in your lettering.

The AquaFlex Sign Brush Pen Set of 12 is designed for exactly that:

Flexible brush-style tips that make it easier to get smooth, expressive strokes
A great “bridge” tool between regular markers and real paintbrushes
A soft, painterly feel that pairs nicely with acrylic markers and gel pens

If you’re always writing motivational quotes in your journal or designing title pages for your scrapbook, this set makes the whole process feel extra satisfying.

4. Glitter & Gel Pens: For Highlights, Magic, and “Wow” Moments

Best for:

Scrapbooking
Cardmaking
Coloring pages
Decorative journaling

Glitter and gel pens are the “last five minutes” of a project — the part where everything suddenly comes to life.

Grabie really shines here with:

Iridescent Glitter Gel Ink Pen Set
Jumbo Iridescent Glitter Gel Ink Pen Set of 18

Creators frequently point out:

Smooth, instant ink flow (no scribbling to get them started)
No strong chemical smell
Surprisingly fast drying for glitter pens
Intense, metallic, eye-catching color

One review sums it up in the best way:

“So metallic they’re all liquid gold touched by the rainbow gods.” — Xenial Lizzie

Use them to outline letters, dot stars into galaxy pieces, add sparkle to wings, or highlight important words in your journal. They’re pure “joy tools.”

How to Build a Marker Collection That Fits Your Creative Style

You don’t need every marker ever made. You need a thoughtful mix that fits how you actually create. Here’s a simple way to build a smart marker collection.

Step 1: Start with Your Primary Surface

Ask yourself: Where do I create the most?

Mostly paper & sketchbooks?
- Waterproof multiliners
- Brush pens or fine-tip acrylic markers
- A small glitter gel pen set for highlights
Paper + crafts (wood, metal, plastic, decor)?
- Acrylic paint marker sets (fine or dual tip)
- One detail-focused set (Extra Fine Tip)
- Optional: glitter gel pens for accents
Mostly journaling & scrapbooking?
- Dual tip acrylic markers (for lines and dots)
- Brush pens for headers and titles
- Gel or glitter pens for decorative flourishes

Once you know your “home base” surface, picking markers becomes way simpler.

Step 2: Choose 1 Detail Tool + 1 Expressive Tool

To avoid overwhelm (and overspending), structure your collection like this:

Detail tool
- Multiliners or extra fine acrylic markers
- Use for: outlines, small text, tiny patterns, and clean structure
Expressive tool
- Dual tone brush markers or glitter gel pens
- Use for: large fills, titles, dramatic strokes, and emphasis

Many creators, for example, pair the Extra Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set with the Dual Tone Brush Tip Acrylic Paint Marker Set — one handles precision, the other brings the drama.

Step 3: Add “Joy” Tools for Motivation

Some supplies earn their place simply because you want to use them. Those are your “joy tools” — and they matter more for consistency than we admit.

These might be:

Glitter gel pens that shimmer on every page
Specialty coloring kits with curated markers and pages
Themed scrapbooking boxes that give you ready-made prompts

Grabie leans into that joy factor with:

Bold & Bright Coloring Kits
Quarterly Art Club Kits
Scrapbook Club Boxes and activity books

If you struggle to sit down and create regularly, these kits plus fun pens and markers can turn “I should make something” into “I can’t wait to open that box.”

Actionable Tips: Getting the Most Out of Your Markers

1. Test on Scrap Before Committing

Before you dive into a big piece, do a quick swatch test on:

The same paper or surface you’re planning to use
Both light and dark backgrounds (especially with acrylic and glitter pens)

You’ll quickly learn:

How opaque each color is
How long it takes to dry
How well colors layer and overlap

Grabie often includes coloring pages right inside their packaging — built-in testing grounds so you can get to know your new tools without pressure.

2. Layer Smart: Order Matters

If you’ve ever smeared a nearly finished piece, you know this pain. A simple order of operations helps:

Sketch lightly in pencil (optional)
Ink with waterproof multiliners (if using)
Lay base color with brush pens or acrylic markers
Add details & highlights with extra fine acrylic markers or glitter gel pens

Because Grabie’s multiliners are waterproof, they cooperate nicely with juicy markers, watercolor, and acrylic on top.

3. Use Acrylic Markers Like Mini Paint Tubes

Treat acrylic markers as what they really are: paint in a pen.

You can:

Outline with a fine tip, then fill with a thicker tip in the same color family
Add white or light highlights on top of dark layers
Customize 3D objects like plant pots, keychains, metal signs, ornaments, and more

If you’re short on space or time, this is a low-mess, kitchen-table-friendly alternative to traditional acrylic paint.

4. Protect Your Work (Especially on 3D Surfaces)

For decor and outdoor pieces:

Let each acrylic layer dry fully
Finish with a light coat of spray varnish or clear sealant if the piece will be handled a lot or live outside

That’s how projects like Donna’s metal elk survive the weather and look good doing it.

5. Embrace “Practice Pages”

Not every page needs to be “Instagram ready.” In fact, it’s better if they aren’t. Try:

Dedicating one page in each sketchbook as a permanent swatch/testing page
Reserving a few scrapbook or journal pages for pure marker experiments

Grabie’s community and tutorials lean heavily into creative play and stress relief — practice pages fit perfectly with that gentle, exploratory mindset.

Why Creators Choose Grabie: Beyond the Markers Themselves

1. Designed for Every Level

From “What To Draw When You Think You Can’t” books to Quarterly Art Club Kits and accessible pricing, Grabie is built for beginners who are just testing the waters and for seasoned creators who know what they like.

You don’t have to be “good at art” to feel welcome in their ecosystem — the tools are forgiving, the prompts are approachable, and the quality still holds up as your skills grow.

2. Community & Purpose

Grabie doesn’t just sell art supplies and disappear; it invests in creative well-being:

Partnerships with organizations like the American Art Therapy Association
The Grabie Art Fund, supporting youth mental health events and children’s hospitals
Tutorials and idea hubs focused on calm, healing, and self-expression

So when you reach for a Grabie marker, you’re not just making a page prettier — you’re quietly aligning with a bigger conversation around mental health and art therapy.

3. Consistent, Real-World Feedback

Creators repeatedly mention:

High quality at a price point that feels fair
A gentle learning curve for beginners
Reliable performance across different surfaces
That hard-to-describe “this just feels good to use” factor

That’s why so many people start with one Grabie set — acrylic markers, glitter pens, or a watercolor kit — and then end up staying within the brand’s ecosystem. The tools work together, and they make the creative process feel a little easier.

Conclusion: Choose Tools That Grow With Your Creativity

Your markers are more than just color on a page. They’re partners in your creative life. When they:

Flow smoothly
Behave on the surfaces you actually use
Layer without drama
Spark joy the second you uncap them

—you show up to create more often. You experiment more. You judge yourself less.

That’s why so many creators in 2026 are choosing Grabie:

Acrylic markers that move from paper to metal to wood without missing a beat
Multiliners that stay put when you paint or color over them
Brush pens and glitter gels that make even a 10-minute journal spread feel special
A brand that visibly supports art therapy, youth programs, and mental wellbeing

Your Next Step

If you’re ready to upgrade from “good enough” markers to tools that actually match your imagination, start small and intentional:

Pick one detail set (like Grabie’s Waterproof Multiliner Drawing Pen Set or Extra Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Markers)
Pair it with one expressive set (like the Dual Tone Brush Tip Acrylic Paint Markers or Iridescent Glitter Gel Pens)

Then give yourself permission to play. Fill a page. Decorate a journal spread. Customize something sitting on your desk right now.

You don’t need to create a masterpiece — you just need to start. When your markers are working with you, you’ll be surprised how quickly your ideas begin to flow, and how often you catch yourself saying,
“Wait… I actually made that.”

Now go uncap something and see where it takes you.