How to Make Homemade Graffiti Markers

Graffiti has been around since man has had the capability to draw. In fact, the Alexamenos graffito is a piece of graffiti that is believed to be the earliest known representation or drawing of Jesus Christ. Graffiti has evolved with the evolution of art and new painting techniques. If you've ever wanted to take part in the graffiti subculture, but never knew how, making a graffiti marker could be the step you need to take. Using a few common materials around your house, you can have a homemade graffiti maker in just a few minutes.

Things You'll Need

• 1 glue stick (should be the large 30 to 40 g size)
• Glue gun
• Hot glue
• 1 dry erase board eraser
• Sharp knife
• Ink
• Paint thinner
• Rubber gloves

Instructions

1. Open the glue stick. Use something to dig all of the glue out of it. You can use the sharp knife for this if you aren't worried about getting glue on it. Make sure you get all of the glue out. Rub around the inside with a popcicle stick if necessary, and rinse thoroughly until all the glue is removed.

2. Use the knife to remove the middle stick after all the glue is removed. Be very careful while removing the stick so you do not destroy the bottle. If you can get it cut almost all the way through, you could use pliers to twist it the rest of the way out.

3. Use your sharp knife (or a razor blade) to remove a long piece of the dry erase board eraser. The piece should still be as long as the eraser, but only about 1/8 to ¼ inch thick once you remove it. Roll this piece up tightly to see if it will fit in the top of the glue stick tube. You should have to struggle a bit to get it in, as this will ensure no ink comes through any air holes. If the material needs to be thicker, add another layer and try again. If the material appears to be too thick, try rolling it a little more tighter, and if this doesn't work, cut off a small amount (either from the length or thickness). Once you are certain the dry erase eraser material fits snugly, set it aside.

4. Pour a small amount of hot glue into the bottom of the glue stick. Do not overdo this step. You only need enough to completely cover the bottom inside of the glue stick. This will prevent leaks from the inside of the marker. Once you have covered the bottom of the inside of the tube, set it aside and allow it to dry.

5. Put on rubber gloves. Add a small amount of paint thinner into the tube after the hot glue has completely dried. The amount of paint thinner you use will vary depending on personal preference and tube size. Ideally, you should fill the tube no more than a quarter of the way full. If you want the ink in the marker to be runnier, add more paint thinner. For less runny ink, use less paint thinner.

6. Add ink to the paint thinner in the tube. You shouldn't fill the ink all the way to the top of the tube. The amount of ink you use will vary depending on how much paint thinner you use. Fill the ink to about one-eighth to a quarter from the top of the glue tube.

7. Roll the dry erase board eraser material tightly again. Push the material into the top of the glue stick tube. It should once again require some effort to get the material in the top. If possible, ball up the material and force it in. Leave some of the material sticking out of the tube, as this is the point of your graffiti marker.

8. Shake the tube back and forth with the point of the marker pointing down. Continue doing this while testing to see if the marker writes on your rubber gloves. Adding a bit of water to the point of your marker may speed up this process. It could take a few minutes for the ink to come through. Make sure to use the marker often so it doesn't dry. Placing the top of the glue stick tube back onto the stick may slow or prevent the drying out process.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use a shoe polish bottle for this procedure. Just wash out the bottle and polish tip very well, and complete the ink and paint thinner mixing steps.

• Do not take the chance of going to jail by putting graffiti on public or private property.