Best Acrylic Paint Pens in Australia: Surfpaints vs POSCA and How to Choose

Short answer: In Australia, the acrylic paint pens most often recommended are POSCA and Surfpaints. POSCA offers the widest range of tip sizes and is stocked in many art stores. Surfpaints is an Australian brand with pens filled with Japanese acrylic paint. Most Surfpaints pens have a 4mm bullet tip and come in a 36-colour range, with 1mm and 15mm options too. Choose by the tip size your work needs, the colours you want and the price per pen.

We make Surfpaints, so we're not neutral. That's why this guide sticks to published specs and real reviews, and tells you when another brand may suit you better.

What should you look for in an acrylic paint pen?

• Tip size. This matters more than anything else. Fine tips (around 1mm) suit detail and lettering. Medium tips (2–5mm) suit everyday drawing and filling shapes. Jumbo tips (8–15mm) suit backgrounds and murals.
• Opacity. Can a light colour cover a dark background in one or two coats? Reviews and side-by-side tests are the best guide.
• Colour range. Think about how many colours you need now, and whether you can buy single pens later.
• Replaceable nibs. Nibs wear out, especially on rough surfaces. Spare nibs keep a pen in use for longer.
• Price per pen. A set price means little until you divide it by the number of pens.
• Where you can buy it. Check whether you can buy it locally, online, or both.

Surfpaints vs POSCA: how do the specs compare?

This table uses each brand's own published information. POSCA tip widths are from POSCA's product range. Surfpaints details and prices are from our product pages at the time of writing.

Surfpaints pens and prices

*AUD, at the time of writing. Price per pen is the set price divided by the number of pens.

Is Surfpaints a good POSCA alternative?

It is if your work mostly uses a medium tip and you want a big colour range in one box. Here's what customers say, word for word:

"Love my Surf pens have purchased more and will continue to do so in future. They have excellent coverage and colours. Other pens have been thinner and the flow inconsistent out of the pen leaving blobs .Thank you Surf pens"

— Rachel Andersen, Primary 8 Pack

"They have excellent opacity, great even flow, blend beautifully - both with a brush and pen to pen."

— Gunhild Litwin, 36-Colour Set

In an independent side-by-side test, artist Sarah Renae Clark wrote that Surfpaints "were one the most opaque paint pens I tested". She ranked them third among pump-action markers, behind POSCA and Pilot Pintor. Read her full test. More customer feedback is on our reviews page and in our Surfpaints review guide.

When is POSCA (or another brand) the better choice?

• You need very fine colour tips. POSCA has several tips under 1.5mm in many colours. Our 1mm pens come in white and black only.
• You want a brush tip. We don't make one.
• You want to pick up pens on the day. POSCA is in a lot of art stores. Surfpaints are online, and you can check our store locator for stockists.

Which Surfpaints should you start with?

• General art and DIY: Primary 8 Pack.
• Illustration, rocks and soft palettes: Pastel 8 Pack.
• Surfboards, skate decks and signs: Fluro 8 Pack, plus the 15mm Jumbo for big fills.
• Every colour: the 36-Colour Set, or the Studio Kit if you want the case and tools too.

What's the difference between pump-action and other paint markers?

Surfpaints and POSCA are both pump-action (valve) markers. A small ball inside the barrel mixes the paint when you shake the pen, and pressing the nib down opens a valve that lets paint into the tip. That's what gives them opaque, paint-like coverage, and it's also why you prime them on scrap paper first. Brush-tip and "no-shake" fibre markers flow differently. They're quicker to start, but they're usually less opaque on dark surfaces.

Can you use Surfpaints and POSCA together?

Yes. Both are water-based, so you can layer one over the other once the first layer is dry, or use POSCA's very fine tips alongside Surfpaints 4mm and 15mm pens. Seal the finished piece the same way. Our guides to paint markers on canvas and painting shoes show how to combine tip sizes on real projects.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best acrylic paint pen in Australia?

There isn't one best pen for everything. For fine colour detail, many artists choose POSCA's fine tips. If you want a 4mm medium tip with a 36-colour range, plus jumbo 15mm pens for big areas, Surfpaints is an Australian option worth trying. Compare tip size, colours and price per pen for your project.

Are Surfpaints made in Japan?

Surfpaints is an Australian brand based in Brookvale, NSW. The pens are filled with Japanese acrylic paint.

How much does a Surfpaints pen cost?

Single pens are A$9.99 (1mm), A$12.99 (4mm) and A$14.99 (15mm). In the 36-Colour Set, it works out at about A$5.56 a pen.

Can I swap tips on Surfpaints pens?

Yes. Replacement 4mm bullet and chisel nibs fit all 4mm Surfpaints pens.

Do Surfpaints work on the same surfaces as POSCA?

Surfpaints are listed for wood, canvas, glass, ceramic, plastic, metal, fabric, rocks and more. For non-porous surfaces like glass, plastic and surfboards, seal your art with a clear acrylic spray. Our sealing guide explains how.

Do you ship outside Australia?

Yes. Orders to the USA and Canada are sent with Australia Post and usually arrive in 4–8 business days.