The
grease pencil, a wax writing tool also known as a
wax pencil,
china marker or
chinagraph pencil (especially in the
United Kingdom), is a writing implement made of hardened colored
wax and is useful for marking on hard,
glossy non-porous surfaces such as
porcelain,
glass,
polished stone,
plastic,
ceramics and other
glazed,
lacquered or polished surfaces, as well as the
glossy paper that is used for
photographic printing (particularly for
contact sheets), x-rays, and for marking
edits on
analog audio tape and film. It is also used to label theatrical
lighting gels. It is often used as a construction or handyman's marking tool as it rarely scratches the surface it is used on. It may be used to mark a wet surface. They are also favored among some traditional artists. Due to its ability to write on glass, it is often used in chemistry labs to mark glassware.