8 Best Pens for a Blackout Journal
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Blackout journals are a ton of fun, but using the right materials can make it incredible. Here are the best pens for a blackout journal, so you can have some fun!
Pens Have A Big Impact
When I published my review of the Archer & Olive Blackout! Book, I had a ton of questions. The most frequently asked question was about pens. What kind of pens can you use in a black paper journal, anyway? You might think that there aren’t a lot of options, but that’s simply not true! There are lots of fantastic pens and materials that can not only show up on black paper, but look absolutely stunning on black paper. You just have to know what you’re looking for!
The 8 Best Pens for a Blackout Journal
I have tried all the pens I own in my black paper journal, but not all of them made the cut. Here are the best pens for a blackout journal that I have found (so far).
Sakura Gelly Roll White Gel Pen
This classic white gel pen is a fantastic first pen to buy along with your blackout journal. It is thick, creamy, opaque, and (best of all) very inexpensive!
- 0.5Mm (fine), 0.8Mm (medium) 1.0Mm (bold) point sizes
- Bright, White opaque ink
- Ideal for dark and colored paper
- Pack contains 1 each: 05 (fine), 08 (medium), 10 (bold)
Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight Gel Pens
If you’re a fan of bright, bold colors, then the Moonlight set of Gelly Roll pens is your best bet! These vibrant colors were designed specifically with black paper in mind, so you can rest assured that they’ll show up great on your dark paper.
- Sakura Gelly Roll Pens: These pens don’t bleed through paper and make a lasting mark
- Vivid, Opaque Colored Ink: Gel pens have paint-like colored ink that flows creamy smooth onto light and dark paper
- Archival Quality: Non-fluorescent pen ink is waterproof and fade resistant when dry; fluorescent ink glows under blacklight
- Unlimited Ways to Create: Moonlight Gelly Roll gel pens offer unlimited possibilities to create something unique
Sakura Gelly Roll Souffle Gel Pens
One of my absolute favorite sets of pens for a blackout journal is the Gelly Roll Souffle pens. These are incredibly opaque, creamy, and satisfying as hell to write with. They take a while to dry, but the end result is incredible. You need to see the dried ink to understand just how velvety smooth it truly is.
- Create Something Special: Sakura Soufflé pens allow you to personalize crafts with unique 3D lines; matte finish
- One-of-a-Kind 3D Pastel Ink: This 3D pen dries to create a raised ink link for writing you can feel
- 3D Pen for Dark Backgrounds: Soufflé’s soft pastel colors stand out dramatically on dark backgrounds
- Dry 5 to 10 Minutes: Thick ink looks milky at first, but dries to opaque
Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic Gel Pens
Do you like a bit of metallic shine? Because you’re gonna get a ton of gorgeous metallic colors with the Gelly Roll Metallic set. They are truly some of the best pens for a blackout journal!
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Sakura Gelly Roll Gold Shadow Gel Pens
Sakura decided that they loved gold so much that they designed a whole set of unique pens. These pens lay down thick, creamy ink in one color. Then, as the ink dries, the main body of it turns gold, leaving the original color as a thin outline. These are delightful to write with since they undergo a magical transformation. And they stand out beautifully on the black paper!
- Sakura Gelly Roll Pens: These pens don’t bleed through paper and make a lasting mark
- Metallic, Dual-Colored Ink: Gel pens have metallic gold ink with a color outline that flows creamy smooth onto dark and light paper
- High Quality: Pen ink is waterproof, fade resistant, and chemically stable when dry
- Unlimited Ways to Create: Gold and colored Gelly Roll gel pens offer unlimited possibilities to create something unique
Sakura Gelly Roll Silver Shadow Gel Pens
Just like the Gold Shadow gel pens, these Silver Shadow pens have a little magic trick for you. The colors dry, leaving an opaque silver body with a charming colorful outline.
- Sakura Gelly Roll Pens: These pens don’t bleed through paper and make a lasting mark
- Metallic, Dual-Colored Ink: Gel pens have silver and colored ink that flows smoothly onto white paper
- High Quality: Pen ink won't smear or feather; works best on white, uncoated fibrous paper
- Unlimited Ways to Create: Gelly Roll Silver Shadow gel pens offer unlimited possibilities to create something unique
Uniball Signo White Gel Pen
If you’re looking for another option for a white gel pen, then the Uniball Signo is a great option! I find that it isn’t quite as opaque as the Sakura Gelly Roll, but it still does a great job and is a worthy option for your blackout journal kit.
- Smooth Ink Flow: Get creative with Art-n-Fly gel pens. Our high-quality ballpoint and rich, gel pen ink allow for smooth and effortless drawing.
- Archival Ink and Waterproof: We created our ink pens with archival ink, so your drawings and doodles dry quickly and without smudging. Not to mention the white gel pen is water-resistant.
- Extra Fine Tip: Our ink pen’s 0.7mm point allows for clean, precise drawing. Thanks to the pen’s fine point, you can use the art pens for detailed illustrations or pair them with our black...
- Superior Design: Our fine point pen is acid-free and non toxic, and features a rubber grip for comfortable use. We fill our drawing pens completely, so you get more life out of the Art-n-Fly gel ink...
Kelly Creates Metallic Brush Pens
Want to do some brush lettering in your blackout journal? You can! These metallic Kelly Creates brush pens show up beautifully in a black journal, and they’re a joy to use for lettering.
- INCLUDES: 8 pens in metallic jewel colors
- DETAILS: Pens are perfect for writing small details
- COLORS: Pens come in 8 beautiful, metallic jewel colors
- Product Dimension: 6.69"L x 3.74"W x 0.43"H
Other Materials You Can Use
If you want some great options for your blackout journal that aren’t strictly speaking pens, then you have a few options available to you. These materials are a bit heavier and wetter than your standard pen, so I can only endorse them on the thick paper of an Archer & Olive Blackout! Book. Here are a few of my favorites!
Coliro Watercolors
I have been in love with Coliro pearlescent watercolors for years and years, and they never disappoint me. These glorious and intoxicatinly beautiful paints are simply amazing on black paper. I enjoy using my gold palette in particular to create lovely bits of design. I just use it with my Pentel Aquash Water Brush Pens and viola! Watercolor magic.
- Ideal for creating special effects and highlighting.
- Can be blended and can be dissolved with water and applied with a brush
- Colors adhere to all absorbent surfaces such as paper wood gypsum etc.
- Set includes: Silver Pearl, Fine Gold, Shining Pink, Red, Fine Lilac, Red Violet, Blue Pearl, Blue Silver, Green Pearl, Blue-Green, Bronze, and Red-Brown.
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleedproof White
This versatile material is extremely handy for dark paper. You can use it on a paintbrush or even on a flex nib for some vibrant calligraphy.
- Bleed proof White in a 1.0 oz glass jar
- Covers dye, marker colors, or pigment color
- Excellent for correcting on all paper-based surfaces
- Great for watercolor work for building layers
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Irridescent Inks
Again, whether you’re using a nib or a paintbrush, you can’t go wrong with these shimmery iridescent inks from Dr. Ph. Martin’s. I sadly don’t have the full set, but the colors I have looked perfect on black paper.
- Set of 12, 1. 0 oz glass bottles with droppers and mixing palette
- Stunning colors with a pearl shimmer and shine and unmatched color intensity
- Lightfast, waterproof, archival grade color made from the finest ground pigments
- 24 unique colors available across two different sets
Liquitex Metallic Inks
If you’re looking for a different type of metallic ink, then Liquitex has an excellent selection. These inks are thicker than your average ink, so they tend to go onto the paper very opaque.
- Includes six metallic professional ink colours
- Intermixable with Liquitex professional acrylic paint colours and mediums
- Artist quality pigments
- Conforms to ASTM D 4236
Challenge Yourself
A blackout journal gives you so many opportunities to think outside of the box, use new materials, and try new things. You have to think about your designs and layouts in a different way, which is a great creative exercise! I hope that somewhere on this list of the best pens for a blackout journal you found a new favorite set of pens! A blackout journal is a great idea for your next bullet journal, dream journal, project journal, or something else entirely. Grab the right pens for you and go making something amazing!
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Which set of pens were the ones used in the display photo??
Are you talking about the golden October page? If so, I didn’t actually use pens, I used gold watercolor paints! You can see the specific paints right here: https://littlecoffeefox.com/finetec-watercolor-review/
The image from the very top, I would have assumed the silver shadow gel pens (the closest set I can match with the ones next to the notebook) which appeared to be the same colors that’s why I ask, & please and thanks for the response! C:
Oh! Those are the Sakura Moonlight Gel Pens! I highly recommend them, they are fabulous!
Great! Thanks for your tips!
How do you prevent your Jellyrolls from drying out?
Don’t store them cap side up! Try to store them horizontally, or if they’re in a cup, put them cap side down so the tip doesn’t get dry and crusty as easily.