How do you express yourself? Writers express themselves with written words while artists create pictures and sculptures. Artists and professionals in various fields require tools to thoroughly present their ideas. One such tool is a grease pencil.
A grease pencil is a versatile art tool with many applications for artists and field professionals. Enhance a self-portrait or landscape canvas. Make labels. Do fabric-based projects without causing stains. Create stunning DIY art projects to gift to family and friends for the holidays.
Here are 5 little-known hacks for using a grease pencil so you can get creative on your terms.
1. Label as Desired: Wipe Off and Relabel
Do you have an organizing project that could use a pop of color? Use a grease pencil. This tool works best on non-porous surfaces including glass, plastics, metal, and ceramics. Get creative with your labels by using different colors and writing styles.
Try these labeling projects:
- Write or draw pictures on storage bin labels so children know where to put their toys.
- Write the contents of glass jars or storage containers to organize your pantry and fridge.
- Organize a cabinet with plastic containers using grease pencil labels.
2. Waterproof Writing for Outdoor Activities
Regular pens and pencils fade in outdoor conditions. Opt for a grease pencil if you’re hiking, camping, or fishing.
Mark your outdoor adventures on a laminated paper map with a wax pencil. The marking won’t disintegrate if the map accidentally gets wet. You can easily wipe off the markings to edit the map at any time.
Make observations about your travels in a notebook. Document fish measurements, observations while at a destination, or something profound you learned during your travels.
3. Mark Fabric Without Stains
Take measurements on the fabric and mark the cutting point with a grease pencil. Tailors and DIY clothing makers love grease pencils because they don’t stain like chalk does.
The grease pencil marks come off easily when laundering the fabric whether by hand washing or using a washing machine. For best results, use a light-colored grease pencil on dark clothing and a darker shade on lighter-colored clothing.
4. Wax-Resist Techniques for Art Projects
Do you remember drawing with a white crayon before dying Easter eggs as a kid? This is called a wax-resist technique. It provides a great pop of color in the background while accentuating the drawn design. Grease pencils can do the same thing.
Try grease pencils while dying eggs or for other art projects such as:
- Drawing a design with different colored grease pencils on a canvas before painting.
- Making fun designs on a T-shirt before dying it.
- Designing a custom birthday or holiday card with a grease pencil before using watercolors.
5. Easy Peeling Without a Sharpener
Many grease pencils are paper-wrapped. There’s a small string attached to the tool to easily peel back the paper to reveal more wax. While you can use a pencil sharpener, the string peeling mechanism is great for on-the-go.
Use a nail file or tiny blade to sharpen a blunt greasepencil end. If you don’t have a pencil sharpener, these other folks are great to use.
6. Draw Motivational Quotes on Mirrors
Life is hard. Sometimes it’s so difficult that different types of motivation are needed to get by. Use a greasepencil to write different motivational quotes on your bathroom mirror.
Since glass is a non-porous surface, this is a great way to change up the ambiance in your environment with powerful words. Search online for a random motivational quote generator to get some ideas. Sayings like “You have a hidden strength” and “You are out of this world” can help build confidence and self-esteem.
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