How to Paint With Sharpies and Alcohol

by Marybeth Santos

3 Materials

I have a new favorite crafting project! I painted some tiles with Sharpies and Rubbing Alcohol and the outcome is crazy good!

This project is super easy, especially with the tips I can give you based off of the mistakes I made.

First, after cleaning your tile with soap and water and drying it, color in the tile with coordinating colors (or try for colors that don't coordinate! My daughter did and hers came out gorgeous!).

Next, using a small paint brush, dropper or small straw, drop small amounts of the rubbing alcohol. You'll start to see the rubbing alcohol blurring the colors together. Be patient and don't drop too much alcohol. You can always go back and do a little more if you think you need to.

Your wet tile should look like the one above. If it looks like the one below, don't fret! It's an easy fix.

Just add some more color with your Sharpie and then drip the alcohol to get the blurring going again.

And if you are totally dissatisfied with how your tile came out, the paint comes "paint" comes off easily with water!

Which brings me to my next point. These will need to be sealed really well. I'm in the process of experimenting with how to seal them, so I will update with the best way of doing that!

Be sure to head over to the blog for all of the details including the mistakes I made that you won't have to!

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Frequently asked questions

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3 of 33 questions

S_s71370549 on Oct 10, 2022

Can these be used as a trivet for kitchen ?

2
Debbie Raumakita on Jan 18, 2023

Would this work on wood

3
Judy on Feb 11, 2023

Are these porous clay tile or ceramic tile?

0

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5 of 43 comments

Peggie on Sep 07, 2020

Can this be done on a canvas for kids to keep and hang
thanks for your time and for sharing this easy craft for my grandkids.

34 Reply
- See 2 previous
- Dianne Whitehead on Mar 15, 2021
  
  I am a reader of this project, not the author, but I know an answer to your question. Yes, you can use alcohol inks or Sharpies on canvas if you prime it first. To prime a canvas, paint on two coats of Kilz 2. This will seal the canvas, making it nonporous, which you need for alcohol ink. You can also order Yupo paper (a plastic paper) to paint on.
  
  11
- Connie on Nov 14, 2022
  
  I did two on canvas & it didn't turned out ok but not what I expected. I had to keep putting alcohol on it cuz the last one showing the video didn't use alcohol ink, she used regular alcohol
  
  1
- Jodie on Jan 24, 2023
  
  Alcohol ink is mainly used on non porous surfaces, like metal or glass. Have you looked at art using shaving cream and paint? Fun for kids!
  
  1
Eli76367725 on Jan 06, 2023

i just saw a similar craft to this one except they were using the sharpies on plastic , they sealed them with spray varnish, that could work on the tiles too as long as they were left flat until dry

4 Reply