Shoulberg I

Who Made Markers?

Plenty of people have been burdened by the problem of persistent permanent marker marks. However, their woes could be solved easily if they had nail polish remover on hand to wipe the marker away. Among the two most important, unchanging art tools, the pen and brush, markers don’t fit neatly into either box. The pen and brush have stood nearly the same for centuries, being the center of the art world. However, when Lee Newman crafted the marker in 1910, a new invaluable tool would cement itself not only in art, but in offices and warehouses, and even in homes.

Different tools have been used for drawing throughout history, even since the early days for humanity. Pens and brushes have always been staples, being hardly changed throughout the many years of their existence. Brushes are used to apply pigments, often for artistic purposes and painting, and pens are more versatile and practical, making them useful for many types of writing, as well as art. Though there are some variations, like the fountain pen or reed pens for pens, and almost no distinct variations for paintbrushes, they haven’t gone through many changes. However, this would change in the 1900s when a new tool would take over the art world.

In the 1910s, Lee Newman had an idea; he created an early version of markers by creating a simple ink-filled tube with a soft tip where the ink bleeds out, the first official marker. After Lee’s marker, there were a few similar, failed tools in the years leading up to the invention of the Magic Marker by Sydney Rosenthal in 1953. Due to these many types of markers, the large competition for marker making became great blessing to the art community, because not only are good quality markers becoming more accessible, but there are also way more markers and tools made for specific projects and purposes, allowing artists to add more variety into their art with ease and find the tools best suited to them.

In conclusion, since their popularization in the 1950’s, markers have become a staple, not only revolutionizing the art world, but also being a perfect tool for teachers and workers, as well as providing much use in casual daily tasks. For centuries, the main drawing tools were pens or brushes, or variants of them. However, when Lee Newman invented a new, versatile tool, later refined by Sydney Rosenthal, it would solidify its place among artists, as well as the general public.

Works cited

Fleming, and Kate, Amelia. “Colorful marks : past and present perceptions of the

development and use of the colored crayon.” University of Texas at Austin, 2017,

https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/items/1293ab60-54f3-4375-869e-3261f443b8a

Gury, Al. “Foundations of Drawing.” Watson Guptill Publications,

2017, pp. 68-70

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https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=vOO3urexx_YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5