Crayola Marker Airbrush Review: How It Works, What It Can Do, What to Know

How it works

Crayola's instruction sheet sets it out in six steps:

1. Twist the nozzle off the airbrush.
2. Insert an uncapped marker with the tip toward the nozzle.
3. Twist the nozzle back on until it snaps in place.
4. Point the airbrush down and give it a little shake so the marker falls toward the nozzle. Always point it down while using it, or it will not spray.
5. Hold the nozzle over the paper and press the button.
6. Use the stencils over the paper, or freehand your own designs.

Closer to the paper gives thin, dark lines; farther away gives broader, softer lines, Crayola says. That is the same rule a real airbrush follows.

What is in the box, and what is not

Included	Not included
Marker Airbrush	Four AA batteries
8 washable markers	A Phillips-head screwdriver for the battery cover
5 reusable stencils	Paper

A Deluxe version (compared below) and themed versions are also sold; check the box contents on the listing before you buy.

Batteries and the screwdriver

The Crayola Marker Airbrush runs on four AA batteries (6.0 V DC), and Crayola's instruction sheet says the batteries must be installed by an adult. The cover is held by a screw on the side of the airbrush, hence the Phillips-head screwdriver. Crayola recommends non-rechargeable batteries; rechargeables must come out of the airbrush to charge, under adult supervision. Do not mix battery types or new and used batteries, match the polarity diagram in the case, and remove dead batteries. If it still will not spray with fresh batteries, a loaded marker and the nozzle pointed down, Crayola's quality guarantee asks you to contact the company.

Standard kit or Deluxe?

The Crayola Marker Airbrush Deluxe (item 747874) bundles far more markers. Its contents below are per the Amazon listing.

	Standard (747669)	Deluxe (747874)
Markers	8 washable	44 washable: 8 Broad Line, 16 Pip-Squeaks Skinnies, 20 Super Tips
Stencils	5 reusable	5 reusable
Batteries	4 AA, not included	Required, not included

If your family already owns Broad Line or Super Tips markers, the standard kit is enough, since Crayola recommends both for the airbrush.

Tips from Crayola's instructions

• Use the recommended markers. Crayola names Broad Line, Super Tips, Pip-Squeaks and Pip-Squeaks Skinnies markers. Its product page says the airbrush works with most Crayola markers you already have.
• Swap markers when the color fades. Lightening color usually means the marker is running out of ink.
• Wipe the nozzle. After a few uses, wipe inside and outside the nozzle to remove extra ink.
• Clean the stencils with a damp cloth or paper towel after a few uses.
• Protect the table. Put paper on a flat, protected surface before spraying.

Washing and stains

Crayola says its Ultra-Clean Washable Markers wash from skin, most washable clothing and most painted walls if washed promptly, without prewash or chlorine bleach, and that repeat laundering may be needed. It also advises keeping the markers away from wallpaper, wood, vinyl, carpet and anything that cannot be laundered. Spray art spreads ink wider than drawing, so lay down newspaper and keep it at the table.

Marker airbrush vs a real airbrush

	Crayola Marker Airbrush	Hobby airbrush
What it sprays	Ink from a washable marker	Thinned paint, ink or food color
Power	Four AA batteries	A compressor with a regulator
Control	One button; distance sets the line	Dual-action trigger: air and paint separately
Direction	Only pointing down (Crayola)	Any angle
Surfaces	Paper on a table	Models, fabric, cakes, boards, vehicles
Cleanup	Wipe the nozzle after a few uses	Flush and strip after every session
Ages	6+ (Crayola)	Adult, or teen with an adult

Project ideas

Crayola pitches it for posters, custom cards and experimenting with spray styles. A few that use the stencils well:

• Stencil sky. Lay star stencils down and spray dark blue over the top, then lift them for white stars on a night sky.
• Two-color fades. Spray one color from one side and a second from the other so they blend in the middle, the same gradient technique a real airbrush uses.
• Name banners. Cut letters from card as your own stencils and spray around them.
• Greeting cards. Hold the nozzle close for dark details and farther away for a soft background, as Crayola's instructions describe.

Strengths

• No paint, no compressor, no cleaning beyond a wipe.
• Uses markers many families already own.
• Teaches the basics of spray art: distance, layering and stencils.
• Crayola rates it for ages 6 and up and describes it as non-toxic.

Weaknesses

• Only sprays pointing down, so it works on flat paper, not on standing objects.
• No control of paint flow: the button is on or off.
• Color strength depends on the marker's remaining ink.
• Batteries and a screwdriver are extra.

When is a child ready for a real airbrush?

A real airbrush adds a compressor, paint, thinner, cleaner and fine mist in the air. That means adult supervision, ventilation and a respirator for the painter. Createx, which makes water-based airbrush paint, recommends a NIOSH or MSHA approved respirator any time you paint. For an older child or teen with an adult, a simple kit with a regulator, such as the Master G22 kit, and water-based paint, in a booth, is the next step. Our beginner airbrush guide and how to use an airbrush cover it, and airbrush stencils work with both.

Verdict

For a 6 to 10 year old who likes art, the Crayola Marker Airbrush is an easy, low-mess way into spray art with stencils, as long as you budget for batteries. For anything beyond paper, or for an older child who wants control of the spray, a real airbrush with an adult is the step up.