"Second Chance" Series: Pens and Markers

This year had been dubbed 'The Year of Use' in certain art circles, and I'm striving to do just that: Use up some forgotten supplies, or take a deep breath and let them go. 
As I scavenged through my pens and markers, I noticed a few that were no longer in their prime; streaky marks, uneven lines, and so I decided to try to give them a second life. A little more rummaging brought forth some old fountain pen inks that were just waiting to be put to use. ​And so, I got out my handy multipurpose tool and set to work.

Here are the 3 simple steps to refill your markers:

Step 1: Take apart the marker, either from the front (near the tip) or by removing the back stopper, and pull out the sponge.

Step 2: Place the cartridge in the inkwell and let it soak up the ink. The sponge usually darkens as it pulls in the ink.

Step 3: Put the cartridge back in, and snap the casing back together. In just a few minutes, you can swatch the marker. I changed the colour of this marker, from grey to a mauve/blackcurrant colour. 

I played around with mixing colours on the Frixion highlighters. I swatched these just moments after inserting the sponge cartridge back in. Once the ink has the chance to permeate the nib, after a few hours, the colour comes out solid. It's a fun way to give your supplies a second life, and even create new, unique colours. 
I also tried refilling liquid ink pens with a mix of the different inks and the result has been a unique pen ink, and a few more pens saved from the landfill. I suppose the markers and pens can be refilled over and over, until the nibs start failing. 

Want to watch a quick how-to tutorial?

I'm curious: Have you ever tried refilling a pen or a marker? 
Do you have any tips to share about giving your supplies a second life?


xo
​Katherine