Markers - Toyz School

Markers are so much fun to draw and color with. They have vibrant colors that stand out and a variety of tips to produce large or small lines. They are great for making posters, adult coloring books, children coloring books, writing on whiteboards, and just to make cool looking designs. They tend to glide across the page and make very distinct lines. Be careful not to touch the lines until they dry though because markers have a habit of smearing and getting all over your hands and clothes. With markers you really get what you pay for. If you go for the cheaper off brand markers, you should expect to get a short lifespan out of them of just a few days or weeks. More expensive or name brand markers will last much longer even into multiple years. Markers will last for a long time if you take care of them and buy better quality ones. Markers could last a few years if you keep the cap on them tightly and use them properly. Markers will get dried out if you leave the cap off or don’t push the cap on all the way. They don’t dry out overnight, but a prolonged period of time will quickly shorten the lifespan of your markers. I have definitely been disappointed after I laid out all my supplies and intended to start working on something that required markers. I got my poster board laid out, stenciled in my shapes and letters with pencil, chose my colors, and went to grab the first marker only to find out that I didn’t put the lid all the way back on. They did not work at all and made for a frustrating afternoon. I also have looked for some sharpies that I left in the closet for who knows how long, and gotten them out without hesitancy, because I knew they would work if they were put back properly. I have been using the same black sharpie for about three years to label my red solo cups and groceries I need for something specific. So they can certainly last quite a while when the kids are out on right. My mom loves to use markers to color in adult coloring books. She is constantly buying sets of markers from dollar stores and Walmart simply for their colors and numerous options. She doesn’t normally spend a lot of money because it's just a pastime. We decided to get her a nice set of markers made specifically for coloring that came in a nice display case. My mom has been able to use those markers for months without them drying out or getting misplaced. Really, makers should last as long as a typical pen in your house if you put that lid on all the way and don’t press down too hard destroying the tip. Do Markers Dry Out If Never Opened? Markers may not come with a standard use by date, but they also are not designed to withstand a nuclear explosion or be stored in a doomsday room for passing the countless hours locked away. Markers should stay usable if they are capped properly and stored in a temperature stable environment but they won’t last forever even in perfect conditions. Markers that are never opened will only dry out after multiple years of inactivity. For instance, finding them in your mom’s old box of supplies in the attic you forgot even existed. Markers really are not a good investment opportunity for retirement or a big dollar online sale. You should not keep them in a storage unit expecting them to be worth something someday. They are meant to be used and are not in short supply. Markers that are never opened will still last for several years, but you should not expect them to be a generational gift that is handed down for future artists. They will dry out in time, but they should last until you need them. Odds are that you bought the markers to use them and forgot about them or bought new ones to replace the ones you lost. If you come across some old markers, it won’t hurt to try them out, but don’t expect them to be the main utensils for your next big project if they are older than you are. Can You Revive Dry Erase Markers That Dried Out? Teachers probably face this more often than anyone else or perhaps people who use markers in their boardroom presentations. They absentmindedly grab a marker to write something on the board and the marker simply won’t write when they know for sure they wrote with them just a few days ago. That’s when they realize they didn’t check that the lid was on all the way when they were done with their lesson or presentation. But is there any way to fix these dried out markers? Dry erase markers can be revived by disassembling the marker and switching the ends of the ink tube that touches the tip. Just be sure to trim the empty space away so the ink tip can reach the ink. This technique would be a valuable tool to have in your arsenal if you are stuck at work and can’t get any more markers quickly before your next presentation. This could also be useful if you find that all of your markers have dried out because a group of people (probably children) were using your markers without your knowledge. You can save a few dollars by knowing how to revive your dried out dry erase markers instead of constantly buying new ones every few weeks. Your dry erase markers really should last you at least half a year if you use them daily but you have to make sure the lids get put on tightly. I have used the same markers for weeks on end and only got rid of them when I noticed that they were struggling to leave a sharp, bright line behind. I never think twice when I’m talking and go for a marker to write my thoughts on the board. I also don’t want to ever be embarrassed if someone needs a marker and I lend them one of mine. Markers should be reliable but they will show obvious signs of deterioration if left open. You should know when you need to actually replace your markers or revive them by simply noticing that they don’t write like they used to. Dry erase markers are easy enough to come by, but in the right environment they are a valuable resource. Without them it can make even the best prepared presentation turn into a fiasco.