41 Great Surfaces For Sharpie Marker Art!

The popularity of the Sharpie marker pen just keeps on increasing with each passing year expanding their market share in the arts and crafts niche due to the excellent performance of the marker as well as their low price. Although we have an article going over the best Sharpie alternatives, we doubt that any of them are going to be able to knock the Sharpie brand off the top spot any time soon.

As with all of the dominant brands, especially ones that hold a global market share as huge as Sharpie, we constantly see people reaching out with a wide range of different questions about the brand. One of the more frequently asked types of questions that we see is based around if you can use your Sharpie marker pens on specific surfaces.

Due to seeing so many people reaching out and asking similar questions to this spread across a wide range of different surfaces, we have decided to publish this article to try and help as many of our readers as possible. We have compiled a list of the more popular surfaces that we see people reaching out and asking about to try and help our readers get the most out of their Sharpie marker pens.

Can You Use Sharpie On Fabric?

Sharpie marker pens perform very well on all types of fabric allowing you to customize your clothing and other types of fabric to meet your own personal style. The pens tend to perform so well when it comes to drawing on fabric that we actually rated Sharpies as one of our best tie dye alternatives on the market although their versatility allows you to use them for a huge range of things rather than just tie dye.

Out side of clothing, activities such as quilting, weaving, and cross stitching all seeing a spike in popularity with the Sharpie pen range allowing your to customise them if required too. Quilting and customising other types of bedding are probably the second biggest use when using your Sharpie on fabric outside of customising your clothing though.

Due to there being a wide range of Sharpie markers, the permanent and waterproof properties of your custom artwork on your fabric will depending on the specific Sharpie marker that you use. The pens tend to hold these properties pretty well when used on fabric too meaning that there is no need to use a sealant after use to preserve your artwork either.

Can You Use Sharpie On Canvas?

Although Sharpies do work on canvas, they perform much better if you apply a cheap canvas primer on top of the canvas prior to drawing on it with your Sharpies. Priming your canvas prior to applying your Sharpies does tend to help the canvas hold the color better as well as ensure that your artwork will last longer too. Although you can draw directly on your canvas with a Sharpie, your artwork will likely fade quickly due to the canvas absorbing so much of the ink.

Depending on exactly what you are planning to do with your canvas, you may also want to use a budget friendly sealant on your Sharpie artwork after finishing it too. The sealant will help to prevent it from fading under UV gallery condition lighting allowing you to display your artwork without it starting to deteriorate quickly.

Can You Use Sharpie On Glass?

The majority of the Sharpie marker range will work well on glass but their oil base Sharpies do tend to work better and are available in a huge range of different colors too. If you are just looking to customise some glass in your home such as a window for a temporary event such as Christmas or Halloween then you can draw directly on the glass from the marker and wash it offer with warm water on a towel with ease when needed.

If you are looking to customize some glass in your home for the long term then we would recommend that you draw out your Sharpie art on the glass, leave it overnight to dry and then use a decent sealant on the glass. This will add that protective layer to your artwork to help ensure that it is able to stand the test of time as well as take any wear and tear without your artwork suffering.

Please note that Sharpie pens are not marked as food safe so if you are using them on something like a drinking glass or a glass plate then you will have to use a food safe sealant over the art. This ensures that your food will be safe from contamination from the Sharpie marker pens and prevent any issues.

Can You Use Sharpie On Resin?

Regular Sharpie marker pens work well on most types of epoxy resin and their use is often overlooked by so many people in the arts and crafts space for some reason. You usually don’t have to use any type of primer on your resin prior to writing on them with your Sharpie either but if you do want your artwork or writing to hold then you should consider using a sealant that works well with resing.

Although some people do write directly on their resin once it has set, some people do apply their Sharpie ink directly to the mold prior to pouring their resin into it. This can be hit and miss and it does depend on the type of resin that you use but it can be a way to avoid having to use a sealant on your resin once it has set. If you have the time available, trying both methods may be beneficial, especially if you are planning to be working with your Sharpies on your resin on a regular basis.

Can You Use Sharpie On A Whiteboard?

Although you are able to use a Sharpie marker pen on a whiteboard if you wish, the removable properties of a regular whiteboard marker that make it very quick and easy to clear your work from your whiteboard. Depending on your needs, this will probably hold Sharpies back for use on a whiteboard for the majority of our readers as most people will want to be able to quickly and easily remove their work from a whiteboard.

Please note that there is a relatively well-known hack to remove Sharpie ink from a whiteboard that will not erase that you can take advantage of. All you have to do is go over your Sharpie ink with an actual whiteboard marker and then leave it for a few seconds. The chemicals in the ink of the whiteboard marker that allow you to remove it with ease will transfer to the ink of your Sharpie ink and allow you to wash it off with ease using a cloth.

Can You Use Sharpie On Chalkboards And Blackboards?

We would always recommend that you use the Sharpie Chalk Markers for use with a blackboard as they perform much better than regular Sharpie markers. Their chalk marker range has been specifically designed from the very start to work well with blackboards making them the obvious option and they are available in a wide range of colors.

This allows you to customize a blackboard in any way you wish with different colors to match your style. At the time of writing, it is very popular for people to write positive messages on small home blackboards as an uplifting message in their home or to use these boards as to do lists for their day. If you work in a bar or restaurant then and need to write the specials on a chalkboard each day then the Sharpie chalk marker range is a great option due to the available colors as well as how easy it is to wipe your work off when the specials change.

Can You Use Sharpie On Skin?

Although some people do use Sharpie marker pens on their skin and the pens do tend to perform well, most Sharpie pens contain xylene in their ink that can potentially be hazardous. Although in small amounts the risk is low, we would still recommend that our readers avoid using Sharpie markers directly on their skin as there is almost always going to be a much better option that is often cheaper for temporary body art.

In our opinion, the best option for temporary body art on the market right now is definitely the BIC Bodymark range. They have rightfully managed to earn an excellent reputation for themselves amongst the community since their release due to their excellent performance and low price tag. If you are looking for a pen to use for some temporary body art then the Bodymark range should be your first choice as it offers a solid color range while also being much easier to remove than Sharpies.

Can You Use Sharpie On Grout?

We have seen people use Sharpie marker pens on grout but the results are almost always poor due to the nature of grout and the fact that Sharpies have never been designed for use in this way. You will get considerably better results by using an actual grout pen when touching up your grout that will also last you longer than any touch ups done with a Sharpie.

Depending on the condition of your grout, it may also shred the nib of your Sharpie causing more issues in the long run too so it tends to just be easier and potentially cheaper to use a grout pen. At the time of writing, grout pens are available in a couple of colors but white, black, and gold do tend to be the most popular and the easiest colors to find without having to specifically order your grout pen in.

Can You Use Sharpie On Metal?

Sharpie marker pens can work very well on most types of metal for both artwork and for noting down specific information on the metal in a work environment. Please note that the metal does have to be clean as any dirt or even the oil from our finger tips can cause issues with the Sharpie pen when used on metal so take a minute or two to clean the metal prior to writing on them.

Please also note that there are a huge range of different types of metal with some performing better with Sharpies than others. Depending on the type of metal that you are using your Sharpies on, the permanent and waterproof properties of the marker pen may fail to take hold. Thankfully, a budget friendly sealant will help to add that protective layer to your custom artwork if needed and protect it from the elements to ensure that it will last you for as long as possible.

Can You Use Sharpie On Oil Pastels?

You are able to get some excellent results when using Sharpie pens with oil pastels but there are a few things that you have to factor in prior to your artwork. The first is that actually going over your oil pastels with your Sharpie marker pen can produce mixed results and potentially ruin your work but this can be avoided.

If you spend a few minutes to plan your artwork, you can usually use your Sharpie markers as an outline or to highlight the area of your artwork where you will be using your oil pastels. We would also recommend that you apply your Sharpie markers to your paper first and then apply your oil pastels on top of your Sharpie once the ink is dry for optimal results.

If needed, you can use a Sharpie fineliner or other marker to touch up any areas of the highlighting or outline that you did with your Sharpie that had the oil pastels overlay with the ink. This does tend to be rarely needed though but applying your Sharpie to the paper first and then your oil pastels will usually provide much better results than applying your oil pastels first and then your Sharpie.

Can You Use Sharpie On Eyebrows?

Although people do use Sharpie on their eyebrows to good effect, the same issue with using Sharpie directly on your skin due to the xylene in the ink is present. With your eyebrows being so close to your eyes we would actually go as far as to say the risk level is slightly higher than applying your Sharpie directly to your skin, especially if you are doing your eyebrows ready for a night out on the town dancing where you may be sweating increasing the risk of the ink potentially leaking to your eye.

If possible, we would always recommend that our readers opt to use a cheap, decent eyebrow pen or pencil instead if possible. This is much safer than using a Sharpie for your eyebrow art and removes the risk of xylene getting into your eye too. Due to eyebrow pens and pencils having been specifically designed for use with eyebrow art, their performance tends to be much better than using a Sharpie for the job too.

Can You Use Sharpie On Microfiber?

Shapies can work on microfiber but it can be difficult to maintain any detail in your artwork due to the microfiber absorbing large amounts of ink and dispersing it within itself. This usually results in a kind of strange tie dye effect of random colors all blotched together with minimal detail making it hard to see what you were actually trying to draw.

If you are wanting to create a tie dye effect then you can go right ahead and use your Sharpies on your microfiber but if you are wanting to customize clothing then other types of fabric will be much better options. If you do need to customize some microfiber then certain kind of paint marker such as the Posca pen range may perform better than the Sharpie range.

Can You Use Sharpie On Tile?

The Sharpie marker range tends to perform very well with the majority of smooth, glazed ceramic tile options available with the pens tending to hold their color well once applied to the tile. If the tile you are using is not smooth then it can damage the nib of your marker pen and end up causing you issues in the long run and potentially ruin your marker pen.

If you are customizing tiles for use in your bathroom where it will be exposed to hot water and potentially shampoo or shower gels then we would highly recommend that you use a budget friendly sealant on your work. This will add that additional layer of protection for your work and ensure that the hot water and chemicals do not cause it to fade or wash off totally.

Can You Use Sharpie On Tires?

Although regular Sharpies perform poorly on tires, the No products found. performs much better and allows you to write on your tires with ease. Although some people do use the oil based Sharpie pens for custom artwork on their tires, most people use them to fix up the brand tire letters. Thankfully the oil based Sharpie markers are versatile enough to allow you to do pretty much anything you need with them on your tires due to the wide color range they are available in.

Please note that although the oil based Sharpies do tend to hold up very well against the elements, direct friction can remove them from the tire. If you do scuff curbs on a regular basis when driving then this will end up taking its toll on your custom artwork and using a sealant on the markers will offer little to no benefit either. If you are going to drive around with custom artwork on your cars tires then be sure to take extra care to ensure that your art will last for as long as possible.

Can You Use Sharpie On Felt?

Sharpie markers can perform well on most types of felt but it does tend to draw large amounts of ink due to the absorbent nature of felt causing it to run your Sharpies dry quicker. The absorbent nature of felt can also make it a pain to maintain any serious detail in your artwork on felt too but you can still usually keep a solid outline and detail level on the majority of felt types.

One common strategy that is used when using Sharpies or any other type of marker pen on felt is to use a thick, black marker outline to cover the bleed of the ink once applied to the felt. The majority of people will go over their felt with their color marker pens to get the basics of what they want out of their custom art and leave it to dry. Although felt can dry quickly, we usually recommend that you leave it for at least a few hours prior to moving on to the next stage.

Once you are confident that your initial layers are dry on your felt then you can work on the black outline to help cover up any bleed markers. Although a black Sharpie can work well for this, if you are using an acrylic and wool blend felt then a standard black ballpoint pen can work better due to its oil-based ink not being absorbed as much into the felt but all other types of felt will tend to do better with a Sharpie for the outlining though.

Can You Use Sharpie On Rocks?

When it comes to using your Sharpie markers on rocks, there is no one size fits all answer as rocks are made up from different minerals and different minerals have different properties. Although Sharpie markers can work very well on many types of minerals, they can perform poorly on others making it hit and miss depending on the specific type of rock.

That said though, a large number of people do use regular Sharpie markers as well as some of the other marker types within the Sharpie range for rock art with great success. Unless you know the exact type of mineral that your rock is made up from we would just recommend that you try it and see how it goes. Please keep in mind though that some minerals can shred the nibs of your Sharpies and ruin them so try to always use smoother rocks when drawing on them with a Sharpie marker.

Can You Use Sharpie On Mod Podge?

Sharpie pens tend to perform well when it comes to Mod Podge allowing you to use your Sharpie markers on other arts and crafts mediums that have been sealed with Mod Podge. Provided the Mod Podge has been left to dry then you can write on it directly with your Sharpie and you should not have any issues with it. If needed, you can also write on another surface with your Sharpie and then use Mod Podge on top of it as a way to seal it too.

Please keep in mind though, in our opinion, there are definitely better sealant options on the market if you are looking for a cheap but high performing sealant for your Sharpie artwork. We would only recommend that you use Mod Podge as your sealant if it is needed for other mediums used in your arts and crafts or if you need it to glue things togeather.

Can You Use Sharpie On Wood?

Although Sharpie marker pens can work well on wood for both art and writing, there are many different types of wood and wood can be in a number of different conditions. If you have actual professional level timber to work with that is clean then you shouldn’t have any issues but if you are using a random piece of wood that you found in a forest then the dirt and splinters could cause problems. There is also a crazy of customizing driftwood to bring it into your home as an ornament at the time of writing and the high amount of salt on the wood may cause issues too.

The bottom line is if you are using random wood that you found yourself for your artwork, you will have to keep it as clean as possible prior to even starting your artwork. There are a number of ways to clean wood to different levels but even something as simply as giving it the once over with a wet cloth and then leaving it to dry can offer you a number of benefits in the long run for your artwork.

Different types of wood also have different levels of absorption that you have to factor in for your Sharpies too. Provided the wood that you are working with is only small, this shouldn’t really cause much of a problem but if you are working with larger chunks of wood that are particularly absorbent then you may need to go over your artwork multiple times until it gets a good color to it or use a primer on your wood prior to starting.

Can You Use Sharpie On Watercolor Paper?

The performance of Sharpie markers on watercolor paper can be hit and miss but most should perform well with the regular Sharpie range. This is due to there being a number of different watercolor paper options and although it can be used for a number of other things, vellum paper does tend to be one of, if not the most popular option when it comes to what people call “watercolor paper”.

Although vellum paper can work well with your Sharpie collection, you do have to take care due to the delicate nature of the paper and the fact that pressing too hard with your Sharpie may rip it. If you are using a Sharpie fine tip then extra care should be taken too as the smaller nib will require less pressure to potentially rip your vellum or other types of watercolor paper.

Can You Use Sharpie On Denim?

Sharpie pens will work on light color denim surprisingly well but it can have issues with the colors showing correctly on navy or black denim. The high absorbency of the denim usually needs you to go over your artwork multiple times to get the colors looking correct even on lighter color denim too.

Due to this, we would usually just recommend that our readers use something like the Posca pen range when customizing their denim with their own artwork. They will perform much better than Sharpie markers on all shades of denim as well as last longer without fading too.

Can You Use Sharpie On Oil Paint?

Using your Sharpie on your oil paint can definitely provide mixed results and we usually recommend that our readers just avoid it. Although there are tricks that you can try to help get your Sharpie pens working on your oil paints such as applying a very thin layer of wet oil paint where you need to use your Sharpies, the results are still mixed and the risk of it going wrong is too high to get our recommendation.

Can You Use Sharpie On Gesso?

Sharpie pens work well on gesso provided it has been left to dry with clear or white gesso usually being the best options. This is why we usually recommend that our readers take advantage of gesso as use as a primer in any of the surfaces in this list that don’t tend to do too well with Sharpies being applied directly to them such as canvas.

Both gloss and matte gesso does tend to work well with the majority of the Sharpie range too and due to so many of our readers being from the arts and crafts community, there is already a large chance that they have gesso in their collection. This helps to keep the costs as low as possible as there is usually no need to go out and purchase new gesso while allowing you to use it to prime the surfaces of the majority of surfaces for better performance from your Sharpies.

Can You Use Sharpie On Trainers?

Sharpies are a popular option when it comes to customising trainers and other types of shoes but in our opinion, the best marker pens on the market for drawing on your trainers is definitely the Posca pen range with none of the competing markers even coming close to them. Although Posca pens are budget friendly, if you are on a tight budget and already have some Sharpies in your collection then they are definitely able to get the job done.

We know that it can be difficult to source Posca pens in some areas so if this is why you have to opt to use other brands then the Sharpie paint range can perform slightly better on some parts of the shoe where as regular Sharpies perform better on others. Due to this, if you do want to customise your shoes it may be better to try and have both types of marker from the Sharpie range in your collection.

Can You Use Sharpie On Ornaments?

Customising your ornaments with your Sharpies is one of the easiest things that you are able to do with your Sharpie markers with it coming in second only to using them on paper and card. Even the regular Sharpie markers tend to perform very well when used on ornaments allowing you to take a standard white ornament and customise it to fit the theme of your home and look right at place.

Even ornaments that have a gloss enamel on them perform well for custom Sharpie artwork ensuring that you can take pretty much any ornament that you find and be able to customise it as required. White or other light colored ornaments do tend to perform better than any darker ornaments though so keep this in mind when making your suggestions.

Can You Use Sharpie On Rubber?

The No products found. performs better than regular Sharpies on rubber allowing you to customise the material to meet your needs. The effectiveness of the Sharpie artwork on rubber will depend on what the rubber will be doing though, if it is going to be kept indoors and stationary then the oil based Sharpies tend to perform very well. If the rubber will be outside or moved so it is bending and flexing the artwork will tend to spoil quickly.

Due to the nature of rubber, it is hard to prevent this from happening if the rubber that you want to use your Sharpie on will be moving on a regular basis due to the way rubber flexes. Sealants tend to make the issue worse as they will move with the rubber ripping your Sharpie art off it when moved too and priming the rubber before applying your Sharpies usually ends up restricting the movement of the rubber for short while before the priming agent gives way.

Can You Use Sharpie On Shrinky Dinks?

Sharpies are one of the best options for both writing or drawing on Shrinky Dinks as they tend to hold their color very well after the shrinking process. One of the main issues with customising Shrinky Dinks is that the shrinking process compounds the pigment of the marker with many compeating marker pens totally losing their color or becoming very dark where as the Sharpie range tends to hold their color and detail very well.

Please note that this is specifically for real Shrinky Dinks, there are a number of alternative options on the market now that use cheaper plastics that tend to have issues with any custom art on them. For the best possible end result we would always recommend that you use products from the Shrinky Dink brand as well as real Sharpie markers.

Can You Use Sharpie On Nail Polish?

The broader nib of a regular Sharpie pen tend to be too wide for any real level of detail for use on top of your nail polish but ultra fine point Sharpies tend to perform surprisingly well on top of dry nail polish. The ultra fine nib on the makers allow you to maintain some solid detail with your nail polish art while the pens hold their color well.

That said though, an actual nail art kit tend to perform considerably better than Sharpies with the results lasting much longer and looking much brighter. If you only need your nail art for a one night event such as a party or a night out then Sharpies can work well but for anything that needs to last longer than a single day we would always recommend that you go with a nail art kit.

Can You Use Sharpie On Stick And Poke Tattoos?

Although some people have used Sharpies for stick and poke tattoos, we would NEVER recommend that you do this due to a number of health risks and actual stick and poke tattoo ink being so cheap these days. Using real stick and poke tattoo ink not only removes many of the potential health risks when compared to using a Sharpie but also helps to ensure that the ink will last for as long as possible and not fade quickly.

At the time of writing, more and more people are starting to go for a more traditional-looking stick and poke tattoo too using India ink. If you are considering using India ink instead of Sharpies for your stick and poke tattoo then our article on if India ink is safe for a tattoo as well as our article comparing India ink vs tattoo ink may be worth reading.

Can You Use Sharpie On Easter Eggs?

Sharpies can be the perfect option for any custom artwork on eggs prior to an easter egg hunt. So many people already have Sharpie marker pens in their homes allowing them to use what they already have at hand to customize the eggs ready for the egg hunt. With the huge color range of the Sharpie marker range, you can pretty much come up with any design for the eggs that you wish.

If you are looking for a way to keep your children entertained then letting them customise their own eggs with Sharpie markers the day before you hide them can help keep them busy for a few hours too. Sharpie markers are easy enough to use for even young children to get involved in the activity without them accidentally breaking the egg too.

Can You Use Sharpie On Aluminum?

Although regular Sharpie markers will work on aluminum and can last for a few months prior to fading in ideal conditions, Sharpie industrial markers will always be the better option when writing on aluminum. This drastically increases the amount of time that your writing or art will stay on the aluminum with it being able to potentially last decades without issue if the aluminum is kept in ideal conditions.

We would imagine that the majority of people needing to writing on aluminum are doing it for work related reasons rather than for custom art so the standard black industrial markers from Sharpie will get he job done. That said though, they do make their industrial markers in other colors but they can sometimes be hard to find in regular stores so ordering them online is usually your best option.

Can You Use Sharpie On Grip Tape?

Although Sharpie markers can work on drip tape, the sandpaper-like texture does tend to quickly shred the nib of the pen rendering it unusable. The Posca pen range can perform slightly better than Sharpies when customizing grip tape with your artwork usually lasting much longer than a regular Sharpie but even the Posca marker nibs tend to be shredded quickly due to the texture of grip tape.

In our opinion, the best option for any custom artwork on grip tape will always be Krylon spray paint due to it offering excellent performance, being very budget-friendly, having a wide color range, and not having issues with a nib as you simply spray it directly on your grip tape. There are a number of great tutorials on how you use Krylon for your grip tape to get the best possible performance online that you are able to follow.

Can You Use Sharpie On Hatching Eggs?

You can use Sharpie pens to mark hatching eggs as required with there being a minimal risk to the chick inside. A huge number of people who keep chickens use the Sharpie range to mark their hatching eggs without issue and with more and more people starting to keep backyard chickens, this is only increasing.

We are fully aware that there are some marker pens on the market that are listed as being specifically designed for use with hatching eggs but this is usually just a marketing ploy. The hiked up price tags of these markers are a waste of money in our opinion and the majority of our readers will be able to save money by just going with a regular Sharpie marker pen.

Can You Use Sharpie On Leather?

Some people do try to use Sharpie markers on leather but the results are usually poor and not worth the time or effort. We would also like to make our readers aware of a common misconception that the Sharpie fabric marker range will work well on leather when they actually won’t and they will perform just as poorly as regular Sharpies. Although the fabric maker range do perform very well on actual fabric, the properties of leather render them close to useless.

If you are looking to customise your leather then you will need leather dye markers and they can be difficult to source in regular arts and crafts stores so online is probably going to be your best option. They perform much better on leather than regular markers as they are a dye based pen and their dye tends to last a very long time once applied to leather too.

Can You Use Sharpie Over Spray Paint?

Regular sharpie markers will usually work well when used on top of spray paint with the majority of the Sharpie range performing well when applied directly to the dry spray paint or to a sealant on top of the spray paint. This opens up what you are able to do with your arts and crafts sessions as you are able to use your Sharpie markers to add additional detail or for highlighting too.

Depending on what you are actually doing with your artwork, you can apply your spray paint, wait for it to dry, then apply your Sharpie marker and wait for it to dry, and then apply a sealant. This will ensure that your art will last for as long as possible, especially if your artwork is going to be outdoors and exposed to the elements.

Can You Use Sharpie On Airpods?

Although you can use Sharpie markers to customize your airpods, you will almost always get better results if you use the Posca pen range instead. We go over how the majority of the featured YouTubers in our article on the markers they use tend to prefer the Posca pen range when customizing gadgets such as airpods or shoes.

Although Sharpies do perform well for a large number of tasks, when it comes to gadgets or shoes, Posca pens do tend to take the top spot. The paint based ink from the Posca pen range usually lasts longer while also holding its color better on your airpods too helping to keep your artwork vibrant and looking its best for as long as possible.

Can You Use Sharpie On Ziploc Bags?

Sharpies are commonly used to mark ziploc bags with information such as the contents as well as the expiration date and date ziplocked if the bag contains food. Although some people don’t like to use a Sharpie on their ziploc bag due to worrying about the Sharpie markers ink contaminating their food, the fact that you are writing on the outside of the bag while your food is on the inside drastically reduces the chance of any potential contamination.

If you really want to remove the risk you can double ziplock your food and only write on the outer bag with your Sharpie but this tends to be over doing it. Even if the ink in a regular Sharpie does end up on your food, the chances of any negative effects occurring due to it are minimal.

Can You Use Sharpie On Vinyl?

Sharpies and vinyl work well together and you are able to customize your vinyl as required with your markers without having any major issues. Many people use the Sharpie range to customize their vinyl stickers on their laptops, smartphones, and tablets as well as a whole range of items too such as musical instruments. Provided you let the Sharpie dry correctly the ink will not smudge due to friction either with the actual ink lasting a surprisingly long time.

Can You Use Sharpie On Terracotta Pots?

Sharpies will work on terracotta pots and allow you to either customize the pots to match an overall theme or to write information about the plants growing inside of them such as planting date, type of seed, when to move the plant to a larger pot. With so many terracotta pots being left outdoors in a yard or garden exposed to the elements, the No products found. tends to perform better than the regular Sharpies.

Depending on exactly what you are doing, going with some plant labels to put in the soil in the terracotta pots may be a better option as you can easily replace them once your plant new seeds in the pot. We have an article going over the best pens, pencils, and markers for plant labels too that goes over the advantages and disadvantages of each option too.

Can You Use Sharpie On Wax Seal?

Although paint based Sharpies can work on a wax seal, they do tend to perform badly when compared to the competing products that are at a similar price point or potentially even cheaper. In our opinion, you will always get better results when working with a wax seal by going with something like the Sakura Pen-touch markers over a Sharpie.

If you are just wanting to playing around with a wax seal for fun because you are bored then you can go right ahead with your Sharpie. On the flipside of that though, if you are wanting to do some serious work with a wax seal, say for your wedding invitations or something like that then the Sakura markers are definitely the better option and should always be used over the Sharpie range.

Can You Use Sharpie On A Light Bulb?

Sharpie marker pens will work well on the majority of light bulbs but adding custom art to your lightbulb does have its drawbacks as it can severally reduce the light that ends up being emitted. Depending on the type of bulb, this can lead to people trying to compensate by turning their dimmer switch up to push more power through it causing the lightbulb to burn out quicker so you have to keep this in mind when using your Sharpie pen on your lightbulb.

Can You Use Sharpie On Ceramic?

Sharpies do tend to work well on the majority of ceramic products both gloss ceramic and matte ceramic allowing you to customize a wide range of different items for your home. The ink from Sharpies does tend to hold onto matte ceramic better than gloss due to the difference on the texture but you are able to use a sealing agent to lock your artwork in on the ceramics as required.

Please note that we would not recommend that you customise any ceramic products that are for use with food or drink without using a food safe sealing agent on them prior to using the product with food. If you are looking to use your Sharpies on ceramics for use in the bathroom such as tiles where they will be exposed to heat and moisture on a regular basis then a sealing agent is also recommended to preserve your artwork for as long as possible.

Can You Use Sharpie On Bullet Journals?

Although Sharpies are commonly used for a wide range of different bullet journal spreads, there are definatley better options as covered in our article on the best pens for bullet journals. Depending on the specific bullet journal that you are using and its GSM rating for its pages, even a regular Sharpie marker may end up causing you issues with both bleeding and ghosting too so you have to factor this in aswell.

More and more people are starting to bullet journal and although they usually do start out with a collection of Sharpies for their bullet journal spreads, they do tend to quickly move on to other options. In our opinion, the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner range is a better option that a collection of Sharpies when it comes to bullet journaling and will usually have less issues with bleeding and ghosting.

Conclusion

That brings our article going over the various surfaces that you are able to use your Sharpie marker pen collection on to a close. Although Sharpies do tend to perform very well in most situations, there are a number of surfaces where a Sharpie alternative is going to offer you better performance so we have made some recommendations along the way too. All of these alternatives are around the same price as a set of Sharpies though but should offer you much better performance in the long run.