Abstract: A marking device includes a case which may be held by a user in the fashion of conventional writing and marking instruments. A ball point pen, felt tip pen, pencil or crayon is positioned within the case. In the instances of the pens, a soft iron collar is fixed or adjustably connected to the pen. In the instances of the pencil or crayon, a movable, hollow, soft iron collar is positioned about the pencil or crayon, a plurality of balls of non-magnetic, non-magnetizable material are provided within the collar to hold the pencil or crayon in fixed, preferably adjustable, position when the collar is moved downwardly. An electro-magnet or solenoid responsive to electrical signals or pulses is placed in the vicinity of the fixed or movable soft iron collar.