If you like to journal or scrapbook, having a great white gel pen is really handy to have. A nice white line on a dark background can have a LOT of impact and “pop!” But which white gel pen really delivers?? I was on a quest to find out and today I’m sharing my results of the American Crafts Ultimate Gel Pens white pastel, Sanford Uni-Ball Gel Impact Pen -White, andSakura 58471 Souffle 3-Dimensional Opaque Ink Pen, White
So first, let’s take a closer look at the nibs and how the gel ink presents as you are using the pen.
OK! Now let’s take a look at how these gel pens perform on darker papers.
I’m not sure if it shows up on your monitor, but the Uni-ball Signo showed up as the most crisp and opaque white gel pen of the three.
So that’s pretty good for solid color papers. But what happens if you want to use patterned or printed paper. For the next swatches I used sheet music paper that had been stenciled and also some white paper that had spray mists printed on them.
As you can see- or not see, as the case may be- you can barely see the Amercian Crafts pen in the bottom sample. The Souffle pens showed up, but the results were much more subtle. Again, the Uni-ball Opaque Gel was the clear stand-out.
Lastly, I thought I’d double-check how the Uni-Ball performs on lighter paper. After all, that might be the biggest challenge- white pen on a light back ground. So I did a bit of doodling in my Smash Book. Take a peek:
So there you have it. I know there are probably other white gel pens out there, but these were the 3 available at my local brick-and-mortar stores. I’m going to stock up on Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pens and keep one with my Smash Book, one with my art journal, and another in my studio. (OK, maybe two.) I’m happy to find a white gel pen that really works!
Do you use white opaque gel pens? Did I miss your favorite- or confirm it? I’d love to hear your comments.
If you’d like to purchase one of these gel pens, please support CTD by using one of the Amazon affiliate links in this post or below. Thanks!
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Carol L says
Thanks for this great review on white pens. I too love the Signo white gelpen and reach for it the most often, but I also love using the Sharpie white fine point marker for dark card stock.
Jenny says
Carol- thanks for the feedback. I kind of thought that markers were fundamentally different than gel PENS, so I’ll be doing a follow-up comparison of white opaque markers! : )
Beckie Vanderpool says
You have indeed found the best white gel pen from Signo. Go ahead and bet three…I keep that many on hand at all times! 😉
Ian says
Thank you for this! I just ordered 10 gel pens from JetPens and got all of the signing uni-ball pens. Glad I chose the right kind! I got practically each color they had: white, orange, red, black, blue, navy blue, etc. thanks again! 🙂
{vicki] says
I’ve used the signo too but I tend to reach for the sharpie paint pen
Vicki O'Dell says
HA! Thanks for this review. I’ve been wanting to get a white gel pen but wasn’t sure which one. Now I know! 🙂
Jenny says
Vicki D- paint pens are really a different animal than a gel pen- but I’ll get to those soon!
Caryn S says
I have a couple of other brands of gel pen that I would like to see compared, but thanks for showing these, now I can see why my crafty friends are all in love with their Uni-Ball pens! The ones I have are the Recollections which actually seems not too bad and the Gelli Roll pens.
Nikki C says
Sakura is the one I use but it’s fab to see the different types against all those different mediums
Carmen says
Thanks for showing this comparison. I’ve been wondering which one would be the brightest and in this comparison the Uni-Ball pen certainly stands out! I’ll be looking for a few!
Mónica says
I have a white Pilot gel pen and I find it way better than the Signo. I used to have Signo gel pens and the ink used to clog on the pen when I didn’t use it for a while. The Pilot pen doesn’t clog. It’s always ready for used even if I don’t use it for months. And the ink is really white and opaque. I’ve found my perfect match for white gel pens 😉