Everywhere I look these days, I see chalkboard surfaces- on walls, on serving cards, on garden pots, on pantry jars, even on scrapbook pages. But what good is a chalkboard surface if the chalk you write with is messy and brushes off easily? Sometimes you want the LOOK of chalk, but with the versatility and opacity of a marker. Enter Wet Wipe Chalk Markers
by Chalk Ink.com.
These are “all purpose” markers- meaning you an use them on other surfaces than chalk boards- and they will wipe clean with a wet cloth. No additional cleaners are necessary! The set I purchased have 8 “Classic” colors and have a 6 MM chisel tip. Here’s a close up:
Here’s how they are described on the website:
Chalk Ink® is the highest quality chalk marker on the planet. Don’t be fooled by lesser quality imitations, Chalk Ink® is the authority. It works like a paint pen, yet looks like chalk. No dust, no smearing once dry. It comes off with water. Chalk Ink ® offers the widest selection of colors and packs. They are non-toxic and food safe. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
So let’s get started! To prime the markers, you have to shake them up and press down on the tip until the paint starts to flow freely. I started by playing with the white marker on blue cardstock.
The color flowed smoothly from the nib, and as you can see the color is quite vivid and opaque. There is a little bit of streaking- places where the ink is thicker and therefore darker.
Now to try on chalkboard paper!
You can layer blend the colors when they are wet, or layer them when they are dry.
Here’s an overview of all the colors:
Now, of course, this last sample isn’t a chalkboard surface. Will it erase anyway?
Let’s see it on a “real” Chalkboard surface- slate:
So to erase my smeary bit, I used a wet wipe:
Next, I tried it on some foam core that I painted with a Plaid Chalkboard Paint.
But over all, it still looked better than using real chalk!
Now, it says you can use it on plastic, glass, and metal. I found that yes…you can….but it will scuff off easily with a thumbnail.
Lastly, I used some Studio Black Gesso in my journal and tried them out!
But OOPS- I smudged again. SO I tried to buff it away with a dry towel….and on another area, I used a wet napkin. See how that turned out?
So I’m reasonably confident that I could use Chalk Ink Markers in my journal without them buffing off the pages.
Here’s my page in process….
Overall, I loved these chalk markers. I love that they stay put until you wipe with a wet cloth and then leave no residue. I love that you can use them on many surfaces. I love the coverage. They are a little pricey, however- this set retails for just under $27.00 USD for a set of eight. But that makes them still less expensive than the top-of-the-line alcohol-based marker, so it’s all perspective.
Here’s a little demo video from the company I thought you might enjoy:
((VIDEO DELETED DUE TO AUTO PLAY- too many complaints!))
Disclosure: I purchased these markers from my own funds.
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Carmen Lucero says
These chalks are awesome!! Thanks for posting your findings! When I get ready to make a journal page, i’ll be sure to order!
Thanks,
Carmen L
Lucie Hale says
I love your reviews! They are so thorough and unbiased! I am eager to purchase this set of markers now that you’ve brought them to my attention! Thanks so much!
cheryl c says
Amazon is selling them along with rolls of Chalkboard Contact Paper – have you tried that paper? I’d be interested in your results. Thank you.
Jenny says
Cheryl- I HAVE tried chalkboard Contact paper- it works great! I used it in my daughter’s room so she could doodle on the walls. Went up smoothly & came off without peeling off the paint. I haven’t used them with these markers, but it did work perfect with her student colored chalks. Go for it!
Alice says
How well do these really erase from a standard chalkboard? I keep seeing comments on Amazon about how hard they are to clean off of a porous chalkboard surface, especially after a ling time (like 2 weeks).
Jenny says
Alice- keep in mind that the are wet wipe- which means that they don’t erase in the traditional sense at all. You can remove the marker with water on non-porous surfaces. For slate (like the menu board I made in the review) I had to use a cleanser and a scrubby to get off the “ghost image”. Hope this helps!
Tanya says
I want something that will show up bright and clear on glass of the windows in my classroom. Would these markers work well for that?
Jenny says
Tanya- they certainly could. How well it would show up would depend on the amount of light coming through, though. Why not just use glass markers (meant for windows and cars) for that? They are available at office and party supply stores, and come in colors.
Heidi says
Tanya, have you considered the tempera paint (AKA poster paint) that is likely already accessible to you in your classroom? This is actually what professional window painters use every day.
April says
Just curious if anyone has tried these on the blackboard fabric?
Jenny says
April- I have not, as I don’t have any of that fabric. But I’m guessing it would work fine, since it’s really more of an opaque paint marker meant for dark surfaces rather than a chalk. Good luck!
Cherrie says
Great review Jenny – Just wondering, how well do these come off of walls painted with chalk paint?
Looking for something that is permanent enough that it wont rub off when brushed, but washable/removable still! Thanks in advance 🙂
Jenny says
They work great! My daughter has a chalkboard wall in her closet-turned-craft-room, and she uses them on that. Wipes off with a wet cloth.
Andrew says
I’ve been thinking about this blackboard contact paper (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EIOT3CK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A290JGWWQ1Y9FS) for my office since it’s much more economical that a real blackboard and I can’t paint the wall. Chalk Ink reviews are mixed on Amazon. Have you tried them with this product?
Jenny says
Andrew- I haven’t. But I have used this chalk contact paper and it works well- I’d think that the Wet Wipe Markers would be ideal.
Andrew says
Jenny- I’m sorry which contact paper? Was there supposed to be a link? I had the impression you used contact paper in your tests but didn’t know which brand. I saw small blackboard craft paper linked above (which doesn’t appear to be adhesive) but I’m looking for big rolls of the stuff.
Thanks
Jenny says
Andrew- I used Con-Tac Brand- I just added an link UNDER the Amazon Widget… it’s in blue….
Amy says
I’ve used these on a chalkboard paint wall, and I also found that they are bright and beautiful. With some practice, you can do pretty subtle shading as you might with a Copic-type marker by layering. And while working with them, it’s great that you can just wipe off anything that doesn’t work. However… They definitely leave a permanent stain on chalkboard paint if left up for more than a few days. This was true for me on both a plaster wall and a wood cabinet. After washing off the markers with several different cleansers, there was still so much ghosting that I had to repaint the wall with chalkboard paint to cover it up. Just something to consider if you’re thinking of using them on a surface (like a child’s room, for example) where you’ll want to erase and write over again and again.
Janna says
Does anyone have a method of removing the “ghosting” of the chalkboard pen from a chalkboard painted surface? I’ve tried glass cleaner, goo gone and rubbing alcohol and none of those work. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Andrew says
Jenny — I don’t believe I thanked you for replying. So…Thanks 🙂
Charmaine says
All research tells me that the material needs to be non-porous and that chalkboards are actually porous. Have you tried them on an actual chalkboard not on a wall painted with chalkboard paint?
Jenny says
Charmaine- did you see the sample that says “fruit”? That’s a slab of slate and it worked on that. But yes, if you leave it on for longer than 2-3 days you might experience that “ghosting effect.”
Heather says
Loved your review and it was most helpful, however I beg of you – disable your autoload on your video.
Jenny says
Fair enough. That is how the video I embedded is coded- I can’t disable it. But I can remove it!
Jess says
Hi! Great review, thanks! I noticed you tested then on foam core board that had been painted with chalkboard paint. How well did the markers clean off of that surface with water? Any ghosting on the chalkboard painted foam? I’m working with students on a project that uses painted 2 ” thick styrofoam boards. Thanks 🙂
Jenny says
I’m going to be honest, Jess, and tell you that I didn’t clean it off the foam core board- upcycled it into another project! D’oh!
Kimberley says
Thanks for the good review. It’s a couple of years later, but it’s still drawing us to your site like moths to the flame. 🙂 Like another commenter said, these markers definitely will stain surfaces, so exercise caution. They are meant for use on non-porous surfaces only. I have a request for you — Please (please, please, please) don’t have videos auto-play on your website. That is the MOST irritating thing. The visitor has to scroll down and locate the offending embedded video and stop it. That’s not a happy thing, especially when one is already listening to her music of choice via Pandora and that horrid clash of sounds is the first thing to greet her at a site the first time she visits it.
Jenny says
Duly noted. I can’t control the auto-play on the video, so I’ve removed it. Sorry for the annoyance!
shar says
How do you make these markers permanent on plastic so it won’t wipe off when touched?
Jenny says
Shar- these markers aren’t formulated to be permanent. Instead, you need the Elmer’s Painters or a similar acrylic/oil based marker.