Art Supply Disaster Live: Mr. Sketch Scented Markers Destroyed My Sketchbook (What I Learned)

Art Supply Disaster Live: When Mr. Sketch Scented Markers Turned My Sketchbook into Swiss Cheese

This past weekend, disaster struck—and it happened live on stream.

In my world of art experiments, sometimes the biggest failures come with a strange kind of poetry. There’s rhythm in the chaos, a melody that carries you through the crushing defeat. For the past year, I’ve been planning a massive sketchbook series to deeply explore artist materials in ways I haven’t seen done before. (I’ve spent months researching what others are doing—I’ll spare you the rabbit hole details.) The goal? A return to illustrating more practical, everyday subjects—beyond superheroes punching planets.

The kickoff piece? None other than Mr. Sketch scented markers—those insanely bright, thick, colorful “thicc boy” markers designed to thrill daycare and preschool minds with their fruity scents. If you caught the vibe of this series, you know this subject was perfect: fun, nostalgic, and a little ridiculous.

Everything started smoothly. I had a fresh 22-pack with familiar scents and some new ones, ready to explore and share with the AKAPADers. But the moment the first marker touched the page, it all fell apart.

The paper soaked up the marker ink like a sponge, bleeding out under pressure. Then came the real nightmare: peeling. Layers of the paper lifted away, compromising its integrity until—bam—a hole formed from the pressure alone. Worst-case scenario achieved.

The culprit? A Blick artPOP! Hardcover Sketchbook. I’d bought six of them in December during a two-pack sale and kept them sealed in shrink wrap… until this moment. They had performed okay with dry media, but these water-based scented markers overwhelmed it completely.

I salvaged the stream by switching to a Crayola 12-pack of colored pencils. Results were modest at best. Ironically, this paper seems best suited for graphite—Blick’s smallest offering in the artPOP! line.

Key Lessons from the Epic Fail

Failure is just the next step forward. Here’s what I learned (in trust bullet points):

• Always keep a robust supply of tested papers on hand for when a support fails its intended use.
• Never buy materials in bulk without testing a single one first—no matter how good the sale looks.
• Stick to what you know works. I’d previously had success with Strathmore Smooth Bristol Board and these same markers.
• Plan livestreams more thoroughly—including backup plans for disasters (because live art is unpredictable!).

Despite the chaos, I’m excited for the next one. In the meantime, I even grabbed a Crayola scented marker pack to experiment with. Who knows? Maybe redemption is just one non-peeling page away.

Have you ever had an art supply completely betray you on a live stream or in the studio? Drop your horror stories in the comments—I’d love to hear them. And if you’re into wild material tests, smash that subscribe/follow for more AKAPAD adventures (failures included).

What do you think—ready for round two?

PETER A DELUCA AKAPD

AKAPAD is a versatile thinker known across Philadelphia, Europe, and even in the vast Multiverse as The Electic One. By day, he excels as an IT Mastermind, assisting individuals, both big and small, with a wide range of simple and complex solutions. In contrast, he is also a talented illustrator, a passionate comic book enthusiast, a creative content creator, and an active live streamer. Additionally, his podcast, “AKAPAD The Film Buff Podcast,” boasts an impressive catalog of over 500 episodes available on nearly every major platform.