The Bottom Line
Yes, you read that correctly, it does say "Liquid Pencil" and it's not an oxymoron. Rather, Liquid Pencil is a product from Australian paint company Matisse Derivan and I have to say it's intriguing stuff.
In the pot Liquid Pencil looks like a gray paint with a creamy rather than buttery or fluid consistency, and an overall graphite sheen to it. Dry it doesn't look like 'traditional' pencil artwork because it's been applied differently -- with a brush so the types of marks you get isn't the same as with a pencil point.
In the pot Liquid Pencil looks like a gray paint with a creamy rather than buttery or fluid consistency, and an overall graphite sheen to it. Dry it doesn't look like 'traditional' pencil artwork because it's been applied differently -- with a brush so the types of marks you get isn't the same as with a pencil point.
Pros
- Dries to look like graphite, but works like paint.
- Two types available: permanent and re-wettable.
- Various tints available, as well as 'normal' pencil color.
- Doesn't smudge like ordinary pencil if you rub your hand or finger on it.
- Re-wettable version can be lifted with an eraser.
Cons
- Will take a little experimentation to familiarize yourself with its properties.
- Depending on which country you live in, you may struggle to get hold of it.
- Be sure you check which formulation you're using!
Description
- Available in both permanent and water-soluble formulations. Manufactured by Australian paint company Matisse Derivan
- Comes in two different pencil strengths (Grey 3 and Grey 9) and four tints (sepia, yellow, blue, and red).
- An intriguing new medium for painters to try that opens up possibilities.
Guide Review - Liquid Pencil
Liquid Pencil is available in a permanent and re-wettable formulations. The permanent version behaves rather like acrylic paint in that once it's dry you can't remove it (nor smudge it, of course). As with traditional pencil, you can also burnish ("polish") it. The re-wettable version can be lifted with an eraser and reworked much like you would watercolor or watersoluble pencil.
Liquid pencil can be thinned with water or acrylic medium (Matisse Derivan recommend their Acrylic Painting Medium MM9, which is basically just the clear binder used as the "glue" in acrylic paint). You can apply it with a brush, sponge, palette knife... anything you'd use for paint. I haven't tried mixing it with acrylic paint yet, but intend to experiment with some white for starters.
Liquid Pencil will take a little getting familiar with, but if you like working in pencil, or with grays, it's be worth investigating. There's also huge potential for using it with mixed media (the permanent version will act as a glue too).
Liquid pencil can be thinned with water or acrylic medium (Matisse Derivan recommend their Acrylic Painting Medium MM9, which is basically just the clear binder used as the "glue" in acrylic paint). You can apply it with a brush, sponge, palette knife... anything you'd use for paint. I haven't tried mixing it with acrylic paint yet, but intend to experiment with some white for starters.
Liquid Pencil will take a little getting familiar with, but if you like working in pencil, or with grays, it's be worth investigating. There's also huge potential for using it with mixed media (the permanent version will act as a glue too).
Disclosure: Review samples of Liquid Pencil were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.
