All of these drawings and tests were made on hearts cut out of black poster board, (left over from ourheart crowns).
1. Crayola Metallic FX Crayons
Here Daphne is drawing with the Crayola Metallic FX Crayons. They work okay but the color is rather light, even when you’re pressing hard.
Out of all the materials we tried, I’d have to say we were the least impressed with these.
2. Crayola metallic colored pencils
The Crayola metallic colored pencils
worked better and showed up fairly well on the black. We haven’t tried other brands of metallic colored pencils, but were pretty happy with these. And the price is decent, around $5.
3. Jolly Metallic Push-Up Crayons
The Jolly Metallic Push-Up Crayons are awesome and are easily my favorite out of all the metallic drawing materials we tested. The color is vibrant, the coverage is excellent, and the crayons are easy and fun to use.
At $8.99 the price is definitely more than some crayons you can buy, but we’ve been using these push-up crayons (both regular and metallic) for a few years now and I think they are well worth the price.
4. Crayola Gel Markers
My kids, who have always seemed to prefer the ease of drawing with markers (over crayons and colored pencils), really liked these Crayola Gel Markers. They aren’t strictly metallic, but they are meant to be used on dark paper so I included them in our comparison.
Here’s one of Daphne’s drawings with the Crayola Gel Markers (although the flower was started with the Crayola Metallic Crayons).
I wasn’t as crazy about the gel markers as the kids were, but they do show up well on dark paper. And since I bought them, they have gravitated to them more than the other materials.
5. Playcolor Metallic Tempera Paint Sticks
The Playcolor Metallic Tempera Paint Sticks show up great on black and glide on smoothly. Because of the chunky size, I’d choose them for working large more than on these small Valentine’s though.
Also, they are a little soft and goopy. My girls like them, but I am not as impressed with them as I am with the regular tempera paint sticks that I raved about recently.
All in all, testing metallic drawing materials on black hearts was a fun exercise!
I should have included our belovedmetallic Sharpies in this comparison, but didn’t. And we have some metallic paints that we love, but I’ll save those for a different post…
I’d love to hear about your experience with metallic drawing materials! Do you have any that you like?
Thank you so much for all the useful information! My kids (ages 7 and 9) love when I come home with new art materials (I love how quiet they become!) I’m definitely going to try the Crayola gel markers- since they are easy to come by.
p.s. I’ve been reading your blog since way before Daphne was born- love it!
Hi Jean, I just bought black posterboard, construction paper, a heart hole punch and Faber-Castell Metallic Gel sticks… which look like your paint sticks. We are doing the project on Friday. Thanks, this looks so fun, I like how it’s on black paper for something new and different and the end results look great too. I think I might purchase the Jolly push ups. Thanks!!
Yes, silver metallic sharpies show up very well. There are also these silver “paint markers” that you shake which create a lovely contrast. And of course, glitter glue.
Eileen
4 Comments
Susie
January 29, 2014 at 11:30 amThank you so much for all the useful information! My kids (ages 7 and 9) love when I come home with new art materials (I love how quiet they become!) I’m definitely going to try the Crayola gel markers- since they are easy to come by.
p.s. I’ve been reading your blog since way before Daphne was born- love it!
Dena
January 29, 2014 at 12:32 pmHi Jean, I just bought black posterboard, construction paper, a heart hole punch and Faber-Castell Metallic Gel sticks… which look like your paint sticks. We are doing the project on Friday. Thanks, this looks so fun, I like how it’s on black paper for something new and different and the end results look great too. I think I might purchase the Jolly push ups. Thanks!!
eileen
January 29, 2014 at 10:40 pmYes, silver metallic sharpies show up very well. There are also these silver “paint markers” that you shake which create a lovely contrast. And of course, glitter glue.
Eileen
Julie
January 30, 2014 at 10:51 amDo you know if craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Michael’s or art stores such as Dick Blick sell the Jolly metallic push up crayons? Thanks.