While the Posca user community have shared a wealth of knowledge, we’ve found that because of the conflict in personal experiences, there are many questions left with ambiguous answers. So to make life easier, we’ve researched the best answers and compiled a list of Q&A’s that we’ve taken directly from the official Posca website, and Posca forums.

Q. Are Posca markers permanent / acrylic / water based?

A. POSCAs are water-based pigment paint markers which can write on any surface. Paint is permanent on porous surfaces, and removable on non-porous surfaces such as glass

Q. Can children use them?

A. POSCAs are water-based markers. They are odorless, non toxic, and totally safe for children to use. However, as they are quite technical, we recommend them for children over 5 years old.

Q. Can I use Posca to paint on skin?

A. POSCA can easily be cleaned off the skin and is non-toxic. However, it is not a cosmetic and has not been tested against cosmetic or dermatology standards. The manufacturer will therefore not be responsible for possible reactions on the skin if used incorrectly.

Q. Is Posca Toxic?

A. POSCA‘s paint is water-based, without solvent and odourless.
In fact, beekeepers use it to identify the queen in beehives! A colour corresponds to each year which enables them to determine the insect’s age.

Q. Is Posca refillable?

A. You cannot refill POSCA. Some users do reuse paint from one marker to another, in particular to mix colours. Mitsubishi Pencil Company has however not designed it for that use.

Q. What is the drying time?

A. The drying time is extremely quick. Generally, the paint dries quicker on porous surfaces than on smooth ones. In any case, wait a few minutes and the paint will be dry.

Q. How can I make the colour permanent?

A. POSCA‘s paint is permanent on porous surfaces. You can further optimize its adherence by following one of the next three steps: apply a varnish , bake in the oven (ceramic…) or iron (fabrics). For a precise information about each material, please consult the Posca Markers Official Testing Chart

Q. What should I do when the tip has dried?

A. Don’t panic if you have lost the cap and the tip has completely dried. Thanks to the piston and valve mechanism, you can flow paint once again by priming the POSCA marker again.

In case the tip is extremely dry, you can take it out simply by pulling and rinse it with water.

Q. Are tips replaceable?

A. The tips of the following references can be replaced when dirty or worn: POSCA PC-1M, PC-3M, PC-5M, PC-8K and PC-17K.

Tips are also reversible.

Q. What are Posca‘s paint characteristics?

The paint is both opaque and fluid, smooth and dense with a wide coverage. It can be mixed, diluted and overlaid. The rendering is similar to that of acrylic.

Q. Can you use Posca on metal?

Yes! Art by Greg Mike on aluminum cans. Make sure your metal surface is clean and free of grease or oil.

Q. Can you use Posca on fabrics?

A. Posca can write on any type of fabric and is resistant to washing once it has been ironed. Of course, the resistance will depends on the type of fabric. To fix colors, iron the fabric on the reverse side, using no steam.

To optimize adherence, wash the fabric before customising with POSCA. On delicate fabrics, we suggest you start drawing outlines and then colour progressively in order to avoid bleeding.

*These are made with Posca.

Q. Can you use Posca on rocks?

Posca works wonderful on clays, stones and rocks, cement, etc. Its adherence is perfect and the line definition is fine. You can apply a varnish or bake in the oven (depending on materials) to optimize its adherence and resistance. On smooth or shiny surfaces, make small circular and regular movements when painting to achieve a neat result.

Q. Can you use Posca on glass?

Posca can be either permanent or non-permanent on glass. If you want to have it permanent, just bake it in the oven. Otherwise, you can always clean it off with a damp cloth.