Eye Candy: Solstice BLACK OUT

As we approach the solar solstice, sunset comes earlier every day. Since the sun is gone by 4:30 around here, it seems like a good time to bring out black pens. Not just any black pens, however. Black pens with black trim as well.

Above (top to bottom): Strathmore 500 Series Multi Media paper sketchbook; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Retro 51 Solar System; Yookers Gun Metal; Leonardo Matte Black Momento Zero; Aurora Black Mamba; Blackwing 33 1/3.

As I pulled out any items in my collection that might have black trim, a few stood out from the rest. My favorite group was this:

Above (left to right): Aurora Black Mamba; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Yookers Gun Metal; Blackwing 33 1/3 on top

Another group seemed to separate itself out as well. Those with a Ruthenium or black ionized coating to the trim.

Above (left to right): Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black; Nakaya Decograph Twist; Sailor Sweet Love Pink.

A few pens had matte black fittings but plenty of color to offset the trim that seems to suck up any light around.

Above (left to right): Retro 51 Bump in the Night; Diplomat Aero Factory; Diplomat Aero Green; Diplomat Aero Flame; Retro 51 Zodiac.

The pens from Pilot looked so nice together (even though I couldn’t balance both the model type and the color):

Above: Pilot Vanishing Point Metallic Green; Pilot Explorer Green; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black.

Another bonus picture with a few more black trim pens:

Top: Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black

Middle (left to right): Retro 51 Solar System; Spoke Pens Purple; Monteverde ; Monteverde Ritma Red and Gun Metal, Retro 51 Monarchs

Bottom: Opus 88 Bela Blue

You may be a person who enjoys mixing up your colors with pen and ink combinations, but in keeping with today’s BLACK OUT theme, here are some great choices for black inks:

Above (left to right): Platinum Carbon Black (pigmented, permanent, and true black); Aurora Black (incredibly wet ink); Sailor Kiwa-Guro (pigmented, drier ink)

Above (left to right): Kyo-no-oto Nurebairo (very dry, silvery sheen); Omas Black (vintage); Kingdom Note Stag Beetle (greenish sheen); Franklin Christoph Graphite 4B (lighter, pencil-like finish)


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this post were provided free of charge by Appleboom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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5 comments / Add your comment below

  1. Very nice selection.
    I have been wanting a Sailor Imperial Black for a while. Would fit this theme nicely.
    Thanks for the article.

  2. I have the Retro 51 Solar System mechanical pencil. Black on black in my collection are a Lamy Al-Star called Stealth at the time and a special edition Karas Kustoms Covert pen. My favorite mostly black pen is the Bronze Age Visconti Homo Sapiens.

    One thing. It’s the Winter Solstice coming on the 21st.

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