Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

This is part of an ongoing series where I review some of my favorite creative tools!

I first spotted Blackwing pencils on the Instagram posts of various artists I follow, and was intrigued by these supposed “high end pencils”. The more I saw their sophisticated colors and giant, shiny ferrules, the more I needed to try one for myself!

Eager as I was, it actually took me quite a while to get my hands on one. As a Blackwing newbie, I wanted to sample one of each since the different pencils contain varying lead grades. However, Blackwings are only available in packs of 12 at most retailers… and since they aren’t cheap (about $22 for 12), an entire box is a hefty pencil commitment!

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

If you’re lucky though, you can find single versions in little brick-and-mortar shops for about two dollars. I picked up a few at Maido in San Jose, and one at CW Pencils in Manhattan. (I’ve also spotted “eligible singles” at both Kinokuniya branches in San Francisco and NYC, as well as FLAX Art in San Francisco.)

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

The original Blackwing lineup consists of three models: the Blackwing MMX, Blackwing 602, and Blackwing Pearl. Here are some details:

  • Blackwing MMX: softest and darkest graphite, matte black lacquer with gold text, gold ferrule, and a white eraser. This is the only pencil that has a slim gold band printed near the ferrule.
  • Blackwing Pearl: medium graphite, shiny pearl white lacquer with black text, gold ferrule, and a black eraser
  • Blackwing 602: hardest graphite, shiny gray lacquer with two sides of gold text, gold ferrule, and a black eraser. This pencil has Blackwing’s motto, “Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed” printed on the body.

The soft MMX lead wears down rather quickly, and is best for sketching. Both the Pearl and 602 have better point retention, and are great as general-use writing pencils. In terms of smoothness, they are all very smooth — a quality that becomes apparent if you write with a Blackwing for a while and then switch back to a cheap school pencil.

It’s hard to tell in these photos, but there really is a slight variation in darkness/lightness as you go from the MMX to the 602.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

In terms of sharpening, all of them sharpen very well. Cheap pencils tend to have misaligned graphite cores, which mean they frequently snap while sharpening. Quality pencils like the Blackwing have meticulously aligned cores, so they did not have any issues  — even with an older, slightly dull sharpener.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

They also have large erasers housed in shiny oversized ferrules. I honestly think the gold ferrule is what leads me to reach for Blackwings more often than any other pencil (oooh, shiny!). The eraser can be extended by inching it up from the metal casing, or swapped for other erasers of varying colors.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

The Apple-esque colors of white, gold, black, and “space gray” make them lovely eye candy on my desk, and pretty props for my photos.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

If you do decide to splurge on a whole 12-pack of pencils, it is a worthwhile purchase. The packaging is nicely done, with a minimal sleeve and a nice matte black box that definitely worth keeping.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

Another noteworthy pencil point to mention is that Blackwing offers a seasonal limited edition release, called Volumes. To those outside of the stationery lovers’ circle, a limited edition pencil may seem like a strange thing to be giddy about, but even those with no affinity for stationery can at least appreciate the thoughtful design that goes into these special releases.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

A recent release, Volume 211, is inspired by the 211-mile John Muir trail that runs from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney. Its natural-wood finish and rustic brown eraser really evoke the woodsy, outdoor spirit of John Muir — making it the perfect match for the Field Notes Shelterwood!

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

As a calligraphy artist, I have found a designated use for the 602 as my envelope sketching pencil — its lead is light enough to be easily erased, yet dark enough that I can see it on colored envelopes. I’ve used up quite a length of this pencil making wedding envelopes and sketching out name cards.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

I’ve also been experimenting with pencil calligrapy (penciligraphy?), and have found the soft Blackwing MMX capable of creating very elegant line variation. To accomplish this, I treat the pencil like a dip nib or brush tip — press harder on downstrokes for swells, and lighter on upstrokes for hairlines.

 

Owl Ink Review: Palomino Blackwing Pencils

 

I’ve been using Blackwings in regular rotation for a while now and there’s just something about them that is really unique. Part of the pencil’s allure certainly lies in its chic appearance and the cult mentality of the creative folks that use them!

That being said, it also has an extensive and fascinating history, which covers legendary animators, musicians, and authors like John Steinbeck. History buffs can read about it on the official Blackwing website.

Owl Links | Volume 002

Owl Links: Volume 2

 

Owl Links is a series in which I curate some interesting things I’ve discovered recently. The links cover a range of topics, such as calligraphy, design, art, stationery, and beyond!


Calligraphy

Calligraphy Tool Kit Essential – Gum Arabic: This incredibly helpful guide by Bien Fait Calligraphy teaches you how to use gum arabic, a binding agent that can make even the trickiest inks behave! I’ve never used gum arabic, so this was very informative.

Lettering Snapchats: I love Snapchat for personal use, but I also love how lettering artists and calligraphers are starting to use it as a platform for teaching, branding, and more. If you don’t already, GO FOLLOW @mattvergotis, @tierneystudio, @tinlunstudio, and @highpulpstudio. You will definitely learn something — since I started following their snaps, I’ve learned how to edit pics for Instagram, how to take better photos, and how to refine lettering art with a fine-tip marker. Not only do you get super valuable tips, it’s just fun to watch these guys in action!

White Calligraphy Ink Showdown Part I and Part II: Lindsey’s white ink comparison is so comprehensive! Her two-part review has beautiful photos, and she also covers some inks that I didn’t get to try in my own review.

Design

Color Palette Generator Roundup: The lovely ladies at Besotted gather up some of the best online color palette generators available. They would definitely come in handy when giving your website a makeover!

Creative Market’s Free Goods of the Week: For this week only (week of 2/29 – 3/6), Creative Market is offering up some wonderfully woodsy-themed graphic design goodies for FREE. Love this selection — I downloaded most of them! (Note: If you’re reading this blog post after 3/6, they’ll have released a different set of 6 freebies)

StereoType: Check out some of these awesome fonts by Stereo Type! Free for personal use, and very affordable for commercial use :) Love that lowercase ‘r’…

Stereo Type - Master of Break

Stereo Type - Master of Break

 

Art

Art + Alchemy by Stephanie Ryan: I’ve been following Stephanie on Instagram, and I am always amazed by her ethereal, elegant watercolor pieces.

Owls: Our Most Charming Bird: This beautifully illustrated book of various owl species is officially on my “Need It” list.

Owls: Our Most Charming Bird, by Matt Sewell

 

Stationery

Oraton Library Embosser: If you have as many books as I do, you might consider getting yourself one of these — a handheld embosser that stamps “From the Library of…” inside your book’s first page!

Ink Samples Using the LIFE Index Cards: Really enjoyed Susan’s creative use of the larger index card size — she used the extra space to add detail to her color swatches!

Beyond

Handwritten: This website collects images, stories, interviews, and other interesting tidbits related to handwriting and handwritten objects. I love it!

Colors & Patterns: I’ve been really into colors and patterns recently, and started a new Pinterest board for some of my favorite pins. Check it out :)

Eucalyptus


Vintage owl graphic from the British Library Archive of public domain images. Remixed by me using Photoshop PS5. 

Review: White Inks for Calligraphy

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

 

I recently had the opportunity to test some white inks, and wanted to share my findings. Specifically, I wanted to see which white inks were best for calligraphy.

Here are my results! I hope you’ll find this helpful :)

 


White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

White Calligraphy Inks

These inks are either marketed as calligraphy inks or are popular within the calligraphy community. (You can click on the image for a larger view)

 

 White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White – ★★★★

  • Very thick right out of the bottle
  • Requires diluting with distilled water
  • It is ~magical~ once dry, crisp and very opaque
  • Handy eyedropper for easy diluting in separate container

Verdict: Worth the hassle of finding the perfect ink-to-water ratio because it is fantastic when diluted properly.

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White Ink – ★★★★

This is hailed among many calligraphers are the holy grail of white ink! My coworker was kind enough to let me take a dip out of her bottle to test it out.

  • VERY thick and pasty — even thicker than the Pen-White
  • Requires more diluting with distilled water
  • Crisp and opaque once dry
  • Similar to the Pen-White

Verdict: Best ink for the price. Since you are diluting it so much, the tiny bottle will go a long way.

J. Herbin Dip Pen Calligraphy Ink – ★★★☆

  • Lower viscosity and thus writes straight from the bottle.
  • Better ink flow, smoother to write with
  • Less opaque, fades significantly as it dries.

Verdict: I give this ink points for convenience, despite its low opacity. Plus, it is perfect for the rustic/vintage chalkboard look that is quite popular.

Speedball Calligraphy Ink – ★★★☆

  • Only $2! An easy purchase if you are just trying out white calligraphy
  • Bottle shape makes dipping easy
  • Must be diluted with water
  • Quite opaque once dry
  • Less smooth and dries with a bumpy finish

Verdict: If you are going through the trouble of patiently diluting your ink, you might as well go for Dr. Ph. Martin’s.

 J. Herbin Dip Pen Pigmented Ink – ★★☆☆

  • More watery and less opaque than the other J. Herbin white
  • If you write too slowly,  ink drips off the nib
  • If you write quickly, not enough ink is left on the page resulting in faded letters

Verdict: I don’t really like it :(


White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

White Comic Inks

Comic artists use white in many ways — adding highlights to eyes and hair, or covering up small mistakes. Many manga artists use the same G nib that is popular among calligraphers, so I figured it was worth a try.

These inks are VERY thick — almost all of them need to be diluted with water to be usable, and it took a lot of trial and error to get the right ink-to-water ratio for all of them. Once diluted, I was pleasantly surprised by how well some of them worked as calligraphy inks!

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Copic Opaque White – ★★★★

  • Very thick out of the bottle, requires diluting
  • Smooth once diluted
  • Very opaque and crisp when dry
  • Annoyingly tiny bottle
  • Kind of expensive for the size

Verdict: The most opaque of the comic inks, if you can get past the price and the frustration of scooping the ink out of the tiny bottleneck.

Deleter White #1 and White #2 – ★★★★

  • Very thick out of the bottle, requires diluting
  • Smooth once diluted
  • Opaque when dry
  • #2 is waterproof!

Verdict: There isn’t much difference between the two, but I found #1 to be slightly smoother.

IC Comic Art White and Super White -★★★☆

  • Very thick out of  the bottle, requires diluting
  • Not as smooth as Deleter inks
  • Super White is very opaque when dry

Verdict: The regular Art White is mediocre, the Super White is much better.

Kaimei Manga Ink – ★★☆☆

  • Thinnest manga ink – thus, surprisingly smooth out of the bottle
  • Decently opaque when dry
  • Annoying caveat: chalky bubble effect

Verdict: Pretty decent, but with one MAJOR caveat. The pigment settles to the bottom, so when you shake the bottle to mix up the ink, a mass of bubbles forms. As you write, your pen leaves a trail of tiny bubbles that dry inside your calligraphy, making it look rough and messy :/

Kuretake Comic White – ★★☆☆

  • Very thick out of the bottle, requires diluting
  • Not cooperative with the paper I used
  • Difficult to write with
  • Not very opaque once diluted

Verdict: This is one comic ink that cannot really be used as a calligraphy ink. It works on some papers, but not on others — not worth the gamble


 

Some examples of my favorite inks in action…

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Speedball Calligraphy White

White Calligraphy Ink Review | Owl Ink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White on a light gray envelope


 

There are some other white inks that I’ve heard about, but not yet tried. Eventually, I hope to try all of them…


Note: All product photos from JetPens.com and DickBlick.com. Review photos by me.

Materials Used:

NYC Stationery Attractions

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

 

I was recently in New York City on vacation! Having only seen the city via movies and tv shows, I was really excited for my first trip to the Big Apple.

Alongside the usual tourist destinations like Times Square and Central Park, I knew I wanted to visit some highly regarded stationery shops. I wasn’t able to visit every location on my bucket list, but I’d say this was a good start.

I hope you enjoy this mini tour of NYC stationery attractions!


CW Pencil Enterprise

This adorable little pencil shop has been featured on so many podcasts and blogs that I follow. It was exactly what I had hoped, and more! Though smaller than I imagined, the coziness of the space just adds to the whimsy of having a shop in busy Manhattan that is entirely dedicated to humble woodcased instruments.

I was able to meet Caitlin (who I had met informally via a postcard exchange) and Caroline Weaver herself — luckily both were in the shop that day. We chatted about our favorite pencils, small business, museums, and life in New York City.

The way that Caroline styled the shop is so charming — from the bright yellow accents to the black-and-white tiled floor, the entire space just draws you in and wraps you up in nostalgia. It was a delightful first stop on my NYC stationery tour, and I hope to be back! 

CW Pencil Enterprise100B Forsyth St, New York, NY 10002

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

No lettered signage — just look for the giant yellow pencil!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The testing station, where you can scribble to your heart’s content

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Colorful cases and notebooks on display in the front window

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

View to the left when you first walk in

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

A case of valuable antique pencils, including vintage Blackwings!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Pencil poster and some matching notebooks

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The famous wall of pencils!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Closer up, checking out these colorful picks

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Got a kick out of these funny pencils that leave rainbow pencil shavings

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Unintentionally color-coordinating with the lovely ladies of CW Pencils!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Even the floor of CWP is stylish and photo-worthy

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Excited about my pencil purchase!

My pencil haul consisted of a Blackwing Pearl, the much-praised Caran d’Ache Swiss Wood (which really does smell like a chocolate forest!), and some natural finish pencils. I also custom ordered two souvenir pencils to commemorate my trip to NYC, as well as some Owl Ink pencils!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The Strand Bookstore

The Strand is an absolute must-visit for any book nerd. This legendary NYC bookstore boasts having “18 miles of books” within its walls, which seems like a hefty claim until you actually set foot inside.

There are literally books as far as the eye can see- row after row, stacks on stacks… shelves up to the ceiling… turn a corner, and there are even more books to be found!

I enjoyed the thoughtfully curated center displays (with various themes like Short Stories, Vegetarian Cookbooks, and Adult Coloring Books), and the shelf of beautiful vintage hardcovers.

Strand Bookstore828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

A selection of books on graphic design

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Vintage books! Look at those spines…

I was tempted by a few short story anthologies, but had to dial back as I was restricted by a small suitcase. My mini haul consisted of an Ursula K. Le Guin book that I’ve had on my wish list for a while — I hadn’t seen it at any bookstore until now! Le Guin is one of my favorite authors, and I am on a quest to collect all of her works.

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Kinokuniya

Kinokuniya is the New Yorker’s destination for all things Japan! We have Kinokuniya here in San Francisco, but I still wanted to check out the Manhattan location. It’s very conveniently located — just a short walk from Grand Central Station, right across from the NY Public Library. I think the best way to sum it up is by floor, and this is the order that I explored in:

Ground floor: English books — fiction, nonfiction, and bestsellers that you’d find in an American bookstore. There was an entire wall dedicated to New York — recipe books from famous NY restaurants, NY photographers, etc.

Second floor: A mix of Japanese and English books and manga, anime-related novelties, and a small cafe that was pretty crowded for a Monday afternoon

Basement floor: Japanese magazines and reference books, greeting cards, and — the most exciting part to me — a wonderful stationery section of pens, notebooks, folders, and art supplies!

I spent quite a lot of time in the basement floor, perusing the aisles and trying to spot brush pens or calligraphy supplies that I don’t already own.

Kinokuniya1073 Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10018

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The second floor had lots of anime-related toys and figurines

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The basement housed an impressive selection of Japanese gel pens and ballpoints

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Nice pencil section, including singles of the popular Blackwings!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

A glorious wall of washi tape!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Found a book relevant to my interests :D

My Kinokuniya haul consisted of a gold ink brush pen, a super cute pencil stamp, and some New York-related souvenir items that I’ll use in my scrapbook.

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A fine art museum of staggering size, the Met has something for everyone’s interest — including stationery nerds. While wandering around the museum, I happened upon a exhibit of drawings and prints, which included some pieces on handwriting and calligraphy!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

A primer on penmanship and a book of calligraphic works!

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Absolutely stunning to see it lit up at night

Additional stationery-related highlights:

Posman Books: A small yet cozy bookstore nestled inside the super-hip Chelsea Market

USPS James Farley Post Office: For those into snail mail, you must walk by this gargantuan post office. It has the famous postal carrier’s creed chiseled across the entire building — “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”. It’s pretty mind-blowing if you just stop and think about how many pieces of mail have come through this historic place.

Moleskine Store inside Grand Central Terminal: I didn’t know this was here, I just happened across it while exploring Grand Central– it’s located in a hallway of stores leading out toward the main concourse. Inside, you’ll find various Moleskine notebooks of all sizes, including some of the newest limited editions.

Ed Jelley: I would definitely count Ed himself as a NYC stationery  highlight. I’ve followed his fantastic blog and photography for quite some time now, so it was great to finally meet him in person! We chatted over coffee (of course) about pens, notebooks, calligraphy, mechanical keyboards, raw denim, and various other tactile fascinations/expensive hobbies/niche interests.

 

NYC Stationery Attractions | Owl Ink

Thanks for taking the time to hang out and chat!


For even more NYC stationery tour stops, be sure to check out these resources:

The Pen Addict Episode 189: Guest host June Thomas takes Brad and Myke on an NYC Stationery Tour, which covers the above destinations and many more

Top Five Stationery Stores in New York City: A great roundup that includes art stores, by The Gentleman Stationer

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

A few months ago, my friend Dan asked if I’d be interested in collaborating with him on a photoshoot! Wedding photography season was wrapping up, and he was interested in doing more lifestyle photography to try his hand at something different. Of course, I was excited to get involved!

He originally wanted to do a “art studio” type shoot, but since most of my work is done on my unattractive bedroom floor, I proposed finding someplace else. After some brainstorming, we settled on a county park located off Highway 9. It’s quiet, calm, and nestled among beautiful redwood trees — a perfectly woodsy, owl-themed setting.

The shoot lasted for a few hours, and it was a great experience! Dan has a very warm personality and was quick to offer staging suggestions, which really helped since I tend to be nervous on camera. I could tell that he was enthusiastic about capturing the entire atmosphere, down to the subtle details.

His photography mantra is “seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary”, and it was really interesting to watch him turn simple things like twigs and fallen leaves into art. I remember at one point, we were digging around in the dirt looking for the perfect twigs and pine cones to use as props! We definitely had a good laugh about that :P

2015 was a major year for me in the sense that I finally launched this site and turned my hobby into something greater. I’m really excited about how Owl Ink has turned out thus far, and I hope that shows through in Dan’s photos.


 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

Owl Ink Photoshoot with Dan Chern Photography

 

If you are a Bay Area-based artisan interested in some new photos for your website, Etsy, or blog — contact Dan over at his site, Dan Chern Photography!

He is really great to work with.  and he would love to combine his passion with yours :)